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Shop Talk: EMILY’s Made a List, Checked It Twice

Democratic fundraising powerhouse EMILY’s List announced additions to its staff this week as it prepares for the 2010 elections. Many of the new hires worked on campaigns for candidates endorsed by EMILY’s List in previous cycles or have held positions with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

[IMGCAP(1)]Research Director Sarah Pavlus comes from Media Matters for America, where she served as deputy research director. She has also worked at the DCCC.

Deputy Research Director Laura Cederberg has worked extensively in the Gopher State, where she handled research for now-Sen. Al Franken’s (D-Minn.) recount and performed a similar role in 2006 for Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), whom EMILY’s List supported.

Political tracker Julie Petrick managed Rep. Gary Peters’ (D-Mich.) campaign last year, when the freshman toppled a longtime GOP incumbent in the Detroit suburbs.

Regional Political Opportunity Program Director Muthoni Wambu was the political director for an EMILY’s List-endorsed candidate in 2008, now-Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.). Wambu was also previously the political action committee director for the AFL-CIO and a fundraiser at the DCCC.

Denise Feriozzi, director of Women Vote, was promoted after last cycle, when she served as a deputy in the same department. Feriozzi also recently directed an independent expenditure for the Democratic Governors Association in Virginia, and she worked in several key states for the presidential campaign of another EMILY’s List candidate, now-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Major Gifts Director Anna Gibson comes from ActionAid International, where she served as chief development officer. Gibson has also served in similar roles at other nonprofit groups, including the Nature Conservancy.

Human Resources Director Leigh Warren has held similar posts at America Coming Together and Lake Research Partners.

Advantage, Inked. The GOP teleservices and voter contact firm Advantage Inc. has added three staffers to its ranks. Advantage boasts 50 GOP House Members as part of its client list for 2010, as well as the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Todd Tiahrt’s (R-Kan.) bid for

Senate and more than a dozen state Republican parties.

Director of Business Development Tricia Pearson most recently served as the northwest regional political director at the Republican National Committee. Pearson was also a top aide to former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), and she helped to elect a handful of GOP Senators as the western regional political director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the 2004 cycle.

Senior Account Executive Monica Farrow comes from DCI Group, where she provided management support to large corporate clients, and the Raleigh, N.C.-based Stewart Group, where she served as team leader for a client roster that included local and federal officials.

Account Executive Kate Healy recently graduated from the University of Virginia and was an intern for former Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) in his Capitol Hill office.

Bayou Blitz. Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) has announced his campaign team for his 2010 bid against Sen. David Vitter (R-La.). The team includes several national firms, plus a handful of top aides who have either worked for Melancon or Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) in previous cycles.

Melancon has tapped 4C Partners as his general consultant, Anzalone Liszt Research as his pollster, Dixon Davis Media Group for media and messaging, Blackrock Associates for new media, and the Baton Rouge-based firm Ourso Beychok Johnson Inc. for direct mail.

Campaign manager Bradley Beychok was Melancon’s fundraising director during his first campaign in 2004, and he served as manager of his 2006 re-election bid. Beychok was the coordinated campaign director for the state Democratic Party last cycle.

Communications Director Jeff Giertz comes from Rep. Bruce Braley’s office, where he has served as communications director since the Iowa Democrat was elected.

Research Director Mike Hinton was a legislative aide to Landrieu for four years and served as deputy research director in 2004 for then-Rep. Chris John’s (D-La.) failed Senate bid.

Another former Landrieu staffer, Finance Director Emilie Tenenbaum, served in that same role for the Senator’s re-election bid in 2008.

Great Scott! Businessman Scott Rigell (R) has announced his consulting team for his bid in Virginia’s 2nd district, including Jason Miyares as campaign manager.

Rigell has also tapped Brad Todd and Curt Anderson of On Message Inc. for media, Ward Baker of Majority Strategies for direct mail and Patrick Lanne of Public Opinion Strategies for polling. Rigell is one of several Republicans running for the nomination to face freshman Rep. Glenn Nye (D) next year.

Huber and Out. Businessman Paul Huber, one the Republicans looking to challenge freshman Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.), also has his consulting team in place.

Huber’s campaign has tapped Jonathan Poe of Rising Tide Media to advise him and be his general consultant. Patrick Lanne of Public Opinion Strategies will do polling, Ben Mitchell of Political Ink will handle direct mail and Carl Forti of the Black Rock Group will do his Web site and new media.

Danny O’Driscoll, an aide to former Rep. Chris Chocola (R-Ind.), will serve as Huber’s campaign manager.

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