The Whitman for Governor Campaign has released the following list of campaign team members:
Meg Whitman for Governor 2010 Exploratory Committee Team
Leadership Team
Jeff Randle – Senior Advisor
Jeff Randle is one of California’s most respected political strategists. He has played a leadership role in each of the last four victorious California Republican gubernatorial campaigns, including both of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s victories and both of Governor Pete Wilson’s campaigns. Randle has been Meg’s top political advisor since the summer 2007 and helped build the Whitman team.
Spencer Zwick – Senior Advisor/Finance Vice Chair
Spencer Zwick is the managing partner of Solamere Capital Group, a private equity investment firm. Spencer previously served as the National Finance Director and vice chairman of the Mitt Romney for President campaign.
Rob Stutzman – Senior Consultant and Communications Strategist
Rob Stutzman, principal of Navigators Global, leads the firm’s Strategic Communications practice. He is a veteran of nearly two decades of campaigns. During the 2008 Presidential Campaign, Stutzman served as senior California advisor to the Mitt Romney for President campaign. Previously, he was deputy chief of staff of communications for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Mitch Zak, partner with Randle Communications, is considered one of California’s leading grassroots communications strategists. He was coalition’s director during Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2003 Recall Election Campaign and served as political director for former Governor Pete Wilson.
Todd Cranney is a veteran of several major campaigns, most recently serving as campaign manager for Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher in California’s 75th Assembly District. Cranney’s experience includes Bush Cheney ’04, Governor Schwarzenegger’s re‐election campaign and the Mitt Romney for President campaign.
Stirling has more than 25 years of fundraising experience. He most recently served as a finance consultant to McCain Victory and Mitt Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC. He also served as Deputy Finance Director/Mountain States Region for the Mitt Romney for President campaign. Stirling’s past affiliations include the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), and the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games, where Stirling raised over $100 million.
Joanne Davis is co‐owner of The Davis Group. Her career in politics and government has spanned over twenty‐five years and has included working with top elected officials, state political parties, public opinion leaders and corporate executives in both California and nationwide. Davis specializes in developing financial management programs for statewide campaigns, including fundraising, budgeting and financial operations. She has worked in this capacity for the last four California gubernatorial nominees including both of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful campaigns. Mrs. Davis recently managed the statewide fundraising operation of the Mitt Romney for President campaign.
Scott Howell & Company – Media Strategists
One of the nation’s premier GOP media firms, Scott Howell & Company has been dubbed “The hottest media consulting firm in the last few cycles on the Republican side” by The Washington Post. The Whitman media team will be led by founding partner Scott Howell, a South Carolina native and respected GOP media strategist. Working with Scott will be partner Todd Harris, a California native and veteran of California and national politics, as well as partners Heath Thompson, Vinny Minchillo and Senior VP Malorie Miller. Scott Howell & Company is based in Dallas, Texas and has offices in Dallas and the Washington, DC area.
John McLaughlin has worked professionally as a strategic consultant, market researcher and pollster for over 25 years. His political clients have included Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steve Forbes, former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, and 14 current and former U.S. Senators and 25 members of Congress.
David B. Hill, Ph.D. – Pollster
David B. Hill, Director of Hill Research Consultants, received his Ph.D. from The Florida State University. In 1991, CAMPAIGN magazine named Dr. Hill the second most effective major political consultant overall, and best political pollster in the nation. Dr. Hill spent ten years as a faculty member at Kansas State University, Florida Atlantic University and in a tenured position at Texas A&M University where he also served as Director of the Public Policy Resources Laboratory and founding Director of The Texas Poll.
Tokoni, Inc. is a company dedicated to shaping the next generation of social media by creating communities that allow anyone, anywhere, to have a voice. Founded in August 2007, Tokoni breaks down social content and connection barriers and leverages the Web’s natural ability to enable a shared understanding around issues, individuals and brands. Tokoni is developing Meg’s Internet presence for the campaign.
Ana Helman has more than a decade of experience as a community liaison in the public, private and non‐profit sectors. Helman has held leadership positions in several high profile political organizations including Dole‐Kemp ‘96 and as state president of the California Young Republicans.
Michael Saragosa – Director, Coalitions
Michael Saragosa most recently has served as Undersecretary of the California State and Consumer Services Agency, appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He also served Governor Schwarzenegger as Chief Deputy Appointments Secretary and is considered one of California’s leading grass roots coalition experts, particularly in California’s Latino community.
Tom Hiltachk ‐ Legal Counsel
Mr. Hiltachk is managing partner at Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk, LLP. He has practiced political and election law exclusively since 1988. He served as President of the California Political Attorneys Association from 2004‐2005, and serves on the Board of the American Association of Political Consultants.
Finance Consultants
Stacy Davis – Orange County Finance Director
Stacy Davis has owned her own political fundraising firm for over four years. She has worked with many high profile political candidates including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Most recently she served as the McCain‐Palin campaign’s Orange County and Inland Empire Finance Director.
Karolyn Dorsee – San Diego/Imperial County Finance Director
Dorsee Productions has been actively involved and dedicated to fundraising for the Republican Party in California since the late 1970s. Her company has been integral in countless Republican campaigns such as President Gerald Ford and President Ronald Reagan, Governor Pete Wilson, Governor Mitt Romney, Speaker Newt Gingrich, Congressmen Brian Bilbray and
Gonzales is owner of On Target Fundraising and is a seasoned fundraising professional based in Los Angeles. She has over ten years of fundraising experience, working on both Republican presidential and statewide campaigns, including the Riordan for Governor and Simon for Governor campaign, and most recently served as chief fundraiser for the successful nonprofit Los Angeles based organization United Friends of the Children.
Kristin Hueter – San Francisco Bay Area Finance Director
Hueter has been raising political funds at the National, Regional, and State levels for two decades. Her clients have included Presidential, US Senate & Congressional, and Gubernatorial campaigns, as well as National and State Parties and numerous State‐wide Initiatives. Kristin is active with a number of business and charitable organizations.
Wendy Warfield – Sacramento/Central Valley/North State Finance Director
Warfield has more than three decades of political and fundraising experience. With a specialty focused on the North State and Central Valley, Warfield’s reputation for success has established her as one of the most preeminent fundraising firms in California. Most notably Warfield has raised nearly $28 million for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Republican Party since the Governor’s 2003 Recall election.
Cowen‐Fitzgerald owns and operates CL7 Communications, a strategic communications firm that specializes in political fundraising. In recent years, Jennifer successfully executed fundraising programs for major political candidates including Presidential Candidate Governor Mitt Romney (out‐raising all the competition in Orange County) and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Additionally, CL7 helped move the California Women’s Leadership Association from an Orange County group to a premier, statewide professional organization of business women committed to affecting positive political change in California.
Karen Hammond – National Outreach
Hammond has been a successful political fundraiser for over ten years. She most recently served as a finance consultant for McCain Victory as well Romney for President. She began her career as a Deputy Finance Director for Jeb Bush and also oversaw the 2002 Olympic Winter Games donor program.
Campaign Advisors
Pete Wehner – Speechwriter/Policy Advisor
Peter Wehner, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Mr. Wehner served in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush Administrations prior to becoming deputy director of speech writing for President George W. Bush in 2001.
Patrick Durkin was the Director of Policy for the John McCain for President campaign. Previously, he was Managing Director at the investment banks Credit Suisse, Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette where he was Head of the International Banking Group During the Presidency of Ronald Reagan, he was Special Assistant and Speechwriter to the Secretary of the Treasury and was appointed by the President to the Presidential Commission on the 1987 Stock Market Crash. He was appointed by President George Bush to the boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Durkin is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the Council of Excellence in Government.