51stStateforObama:DelegateBiographies

DISTRICT1:WARDS1,2,6,8 CourtneyAnderson(Ward8)
A native ofNew Orleansand alumna ofWake Forest University, CourtneyAndersonhas lived inDCfor eight years and is a proud homeowner in Ward 8s Anacostia neighborhood. She currently serves as secretary on the Board of River East Emerging Leaders (R.E.E.L.) and has been active in several DC communityorganizations.Inheralumnaesororitychapter,shecurrentlyservesastheSocialActionco chair, establishing programs that promote voter education and civic awareness and participation. Professionally,sheisacertifiedpublicaccountantandhasspentthelastfiveyearsinfinanceatamajor nationalcharity. From an early age, Courtneys mother instilled in her the importance of civic engagement by her own politicalactivismandservice.ShewasinspiredbythenSenatorObamaspowerfulspeechandpresence atthe2004DemocraticNationalConvention.Shebecameactivewithvoterregistrationduringthe2008 campaign.Forthe2010midtermelections,shededicated23daysaweekworkingthephonebanksat DNC Headquarters in the runup to Election Day. This year, she is planning and promoting voter registration drives and issues forums. She is passionate about DC statehood and plans to activate networksaroundthecountrytoadvocatetotheirrepresentativesinCongressonbehalfofthecause.

MarkusBatchelor(Ward8)
MynameisMarkusBatchelorandIamaClassof2015PoliticalScienceMajorintheColumbianCollegeof ArtsandSciences.Iwasbornandraisedintheplacewenowallcallhome,Washington,D.C,eastofthe AnacostiaRiverinCongressHeights. Before coming to GW, I was involve in community service and local politics, serving as the 52nd Youth MayoroftheDistrictofColumbiafrom20092010andChairmanoftheYouthCityCouncilfrom2010until the summer of 2011. I was also a member of the Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute, a 32yearold programintheDistrictthatfocusesonleadershipdevelopment,communityserviceandcollegereadiness. Iamprouda2011recipientoftheStephenJoelTrachtenbergScholarshipandofthe2012Dr.Martin LutherKingJr.Commendation. I am a cofounder and National President of the DC Statehood Student Association, an organization advocating for equality and democracy for the 618,000 residents of the District of Columbia who don't havecongressionalrepresentationorcontroloverlocalaffairs. In October, I was appointed to and currently serve on the GW Public Service Grant Commission that awards30,000dollarstostudentorganizationsandindividualstostartcommunityserviceinitiativeson campusandaroundthecity. SincearrivingatGW,IhavebeenstillactiveintheDCCommunity,currentlyservingas1stVicePresident of the Ward Eight Democrats, interning for Council Member AtLarge Michael A. Brown, The MLK MemorialDedicationHostCommitteeandpreviouslyservingontheWardEightRedistrictingTaskForce.

AdamBink(Ward2)
Adam Bink is Director of Online Campaigns at Courage Campaign, an online organizing network that empowers more than 750,000 grassroots and network activists to push for progressive change and full

equality across the country. In that role, he manages Courage Campaigns online organizing actions, emphasizingtheadvancementofLGBTequality. Previously,hewastheOnlineStrategyManagerforProgressiveStrategieswhere,amongotherthings,he coordinated the research, editing, fact checking, publishing and online promotion for The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in America Came to Be, by Mike Lux. Still earlier, he worked at the Susan B. Anthony Center for Womens Leadership at the University of Rochester, and as an intern for the HELP staffofSenatorEdwardM.Kennedy. AdamhasbeenactiveInorganizingforLGBTrights,electingDemocrats,andinotherprogressivecauses, leadinghisfirstcanvassingtriptoCleveland,Ohioin2004.HehasanM.A.inPoliticalManagementfrom GeorgeWashingtonUniversity.

PhoebeFarris(Ward1)
PhoebeFarris,Ph.D.,anativeWashingtonian,servesasaTeamLeaderforWardOneObamaforAmerica andavolunteerattheWhiteHouseCorrespondenceOffice.In2009shevolunteeredforthePresidential Inaugural Committee and DC for Obama. With a group of DC artists Phoebe organized the "Art for Obama" open studio sale. During the 2008 primary while still teaching at Purdue University, Phoebe campaigned for Obama in Indiana. As Membership Vice President for the American Association of University Women/DC branch, Dr.Farris is a liaison for Howard University's "Elect Her" project and the AAUW/DC liaison for their Mary Church Terrell scholarship at UDC. A Professor Emerita, documentary photographer,artcritic,curator,andarttherapist,PhoebehasconsultedfortheNationalMuseumofthe AmericanIndianandotherNativeAmericanculturalinstitutions.Amemberofamulticulturalextended family of artists Phoebe maintains cultural ties with Native American, African American, and Latino communities.SheiscommittedtoObama'sreelection,DCstatehood,andaprogressiveagendaforthe Democratic Party. Phoebe Farris is the new voice and face for DC delegate representation at the 2012 Democraticconvention.

SusanMeehan(Ward2)
Susan Meehan has been a community activist in the District for nearly 50 years. She was an ANC Commissionerfor12years,andalsoserved12yearsasanatLargeDemocraticStateCommitteemember. She is proud to have been Gertrude Stein Clubs first straight member. Susan is currently the Vice President of the Greater Washington Council of Churches, and is a longtime volunteer first responder helpingfamiliesofDChomicidevictims.SusanwasformanyyearstheDistrictsPatientAdvocateforall personsindrugoralcoholtreatment.Shereceivedhercivicassociationshighestawardforwinningafive year battle to save her neighborhood from runaway development, and was the runner up for the DC GovernmentsBestEmployeeoftheyear.Susanhaswrittena300pagebookonwhereandhowtoget help in Washington, DC. A Wellesley grad, she has an M.A equivalent in Economics from the State DepartmentsForeignServiceInstitute.

JeffreyRichardson(Ward6)
Jeffrey D. Richardson is the Director of the District of Columbias Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and TransgenderAffairs.HehastransitionedintothisroleafterservingastheNationalProgramDirectorfor the Center for Progressive Leadership, the President of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, and a member of the Democratic National Committee as the former Vice Chair of the District of Columbia DemocraticParty. Jeffrey came into national Democratic Party politics as a volunteer in DC and New Hampshire for Governor Howard Deans 2004 presidential campaign. After returning from volunteering at the 2004 Democratic National Convention he joined a coalition of progressive activists in DC to form the DC for Democracy Political Action Committee (DCFD), a local chapter of Democracy for America founded by

Governor Howard Dean and was elected to the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee in September2004ontheDCprimaryballot.AsafoundingmemberofDCforDemocracyheservedasthe firstchairofDCFDsmembershipandoutreachcommittee.FromtherehewentontoserveastheFirst VicePresidentandInterimPresidentoftheDCWard6DemocratsandwaselectedasViceChairoftheDC DemocraticPartyinNovember2006. HeisagraduateofTheUniversityofNorthCarolinaatChapelHillandTheHowardUniversitySchoolof SocialWork.HeisalsoanAmeriCorpsAlumniand2010NewLeadersCouncilFellow.

HectorRodriguez(Ward1)
HectorRodriguezwasborninPuertoRicoandraisedinLorain,Ohio.In1968hearrivedinWashingtonDC aftercompletionofserviceasaVietNamEraCaptainintheUnitedStatesArmyStrategicCommunications Command. Political appointee in Johnson White House cabinet level agency worked with Federal departments andcommunityorganizationstoreversepovertyandincreaseparticipationinfederalprograms. 1970 Special Consultant, US Commissioner of Education coordinated programs advancing education opportunitiesforchildreninlowincomemunicipalschoolsystems. 1972DeputyVicePresidentforCitiesOperations,NationalUrbanCoalitionengagedournationsurban crisis with top corporate, community and government leaders. Organized and managed 60 cities coalitionsinriottornurbancentersreceivedNUCOutstandingServiceAward. 1976AuthoredandpresentedtheproposalforDCOfficeofLatinoAffairswhichcontinuestogenerate millionsofdollarsinservicestothousandsofneedyresidentsintheDistrictofColumbia. LaunchedtheLasAmericasAvenueDevelopmentCorporationIn1991inresponsetocivildisturbancesin Mt. Pleasant /Columbia Heights created DC international tourism model advancing neighborhood economicdevelopmentandjobcreationgenerated1.2milliondollarsincapacitybuilding 1998DCGovernmentCabinetPostDirector,DCOfficeofInternationalAffairsconductedprotocolwith embassies and high ranking officials in behalf of the Mayor and the District of Columbia developed programstopositiontheDistrictforinternationaltrade,commerceandinvestment. Selectedcivicactivitiesandachievements: ViceChair,CommitteetoSupporttheDCHomeRuleCharter1974 TestimonybeforetheUSSenateofDCFullVotingRepresentation Candidate,DCCouncil79,80,02 DCCouncilMultipletestimonyandlobbyingonaffordablehousing,economicdevelopment,Latinos DelegateWhiteHouseSummitoftheAmericas,Miami1994USHispanicChamberofCommerce 1990ServedintheDCDemocraticStateCommitteeAlternatetotheJimmyCarterconvention 2008Chairman,NationalSeGanaConObamaCommitteetogetouttheLatinovote Selected Awards: White House Communications Award, George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge; Latino Community Achievement Award for author DC Office of LatinoAffairs;ExceptionalServiceCitationfromtheUSSecretaryofTransportation.Education:Bachelor of Arts from Kent State University, Communications and Political Science. He has proven leadership abilities with expertise in government operations, program formulation, economic development and internationalaffairs.

CurrentCivicactivities:Mr.RodriguezisapassionateadvocateforDCFullCongressionalvotingrights.In 2011heconvertedtheUSHispanicAssociationforDCCongressionalRepresentationwhichheledfor21 yearsandfoundedtheNationalLatinoAllianceforDCStatehoodandservesasitsPresident.

LauraShin(Ward6)
LauraShinisanattorneyadvisorattheU.S.DepartmentofHomelandSecurity.SheisoriginallyfromLos AngelesandwasactiveindemocraticpoliticsasthepastpresidentoftheKoreanAmericanDemocratic Committee.SheiscurrentlyaresidentofSWDCandhaslivedinDCfor2years.Sheisanelectedmember of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly and serves as their Secretary. In addition, she has been an activememberoftheDCAAPIDemocraticCaucusandistheNationalCoordinatorforKoreanAmericans forObamain2012.

DISTRICT2:WARDS3,4,5,7 AlexandraBeninda(Ward3)
Currently an active and independent voice on the DC Democratic State Committee, Board Member DC Center for the LGBT Community, active participant in the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, Assistant Treasurer at the All Souls Unitarian Church, active participant in DC for Democracy and DC Statehood activities, and she has been a very active participant in the Barack Obama for President campaign in Virginia(2008)andwithDCObamaPrideduring2008and2012.

SylviaBrown(Ward7)
Foroveradecade,Sylviahasdevelopedandlaunchedlegislativeandpoliticalstrategyandempowered stakeholders to navigate and leveragegovernment andprivate sectorrelationships.Sylvia brings to the tableexperiencefightingforhealthcareinsurancecoverage,protectingSocialSecurityandMedicare,and improvingeducation.Herhighestlegislativeaccomplishmentsareinitiatingpassageofthelawrecognizing AfricanAmericanslavelabortobuildtheU.S.Capitolandsupportingunderservedandunderrepresented populationsduringoneofthecountrysmostmonumentalhealthpolicydebates,thecreationofPartD, theMedicarePrescriptionDrugbenefit. Sylvias top priorities as the Ward 7 Democratic National Convention delegate matches her work as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner 7C04 in Deanwoodget it done civic activism that improves our qualityoflife.

JaimeFearer(Ward5)
JaimeFearerhasbeenaWard5residentfornearly7years.Sheworkedinthebookindustryforover10 years with both Barnes & Noble and the Brookings Institution Press. While participating in George Washington University's yearlong DCNeighborhood College, Jaime decided to formalize her passion for communitybuildingbypursuingaMasterofCommunityPlanningattheUniversityofMaryland.Shenow lives in the Trinidad neighborhood where she is secretary of the board for the Trinidad Neighborhood Association,andsheisafulltimecommunityplannerfortheCityofGreenbelt.AlifelongDemocratwho has volunteered to elect progressive candidates at the local level, including Bryan Weaver and Kenyan McDuffie,JaimelooksforwardtorepresentingDCatthisyear'sDemocraticNationalConvention,notonly to bolster President Obama's victory this fall, but also to amass national support for DC's efforts to becomethe51ststate.

FranklinGarcia(Ward5)
FranklinGarciaisthePresidentandfounderoftheDCLatinoCaucus,anonprofitadvocacyorganization forLatinosinWashingtonDC.HeholdsanExOfficioseatontheDCDemocraticStateCommittee,where heistheCorrespondingSecretary.HeisalsoontheExecutiveCommitteeoftheWard5Democrats.

 CuttingedgetechnologyhasbeenthecareerfocusforFranklin.Fromdesigningwebsitesforpoliticians, likeHillaryClinton,formerDCMayorAdrianFenty,DominicanPresidentLeonelFernandeztodeveloping anentirelineofbilingualcomputerbasedtrainingapplicationMaestroPC,Franklinhasbeeneffectivein using technology in his work. His recent focus has been on increasing Latino presence in local city government and local elected office. He holds various certifications in Information Technology, and is employedasaSeniorSystemsAdministrator. He is on the Board of various localnonprofit organizations, includingthe United PlanningOrganization (UPO),theSusannadeMoyaEducationFoundation,andtheGroupofDominicanProfessionals.

JuliaLara(Ward4)
Julia Lara has over thirty years of experience in the field of education, K12 and higher education. CurrentlysheisthePresidentofJLaraEducationalConsulting,LLCsmallbusinessbasedinDC.Priorbeing abusinessowner,sheworkedattheofficeoftheDeputyMayorforEducationintheDistrictofColumbia, and at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) where she held various positions including Director of the Division of State Services and Technical Assistance (SSTA), center director, program director,andseniorprojectassociate.JuliahasbeeninvolvedwithDCcommunityaffairsasmemberof theOysterElementarySchoolPTA,MemberoftheLAYCBoardofDirectorsandcurrentlymemberofthe Board of the Latino Caucus. She wants to work with other progressive people to advance a number of causesincluding:DCstatehood,improvingeducationoutcomes;empoweringLatinoresidents;enhancing job opportunities for DC residents, supporting the passage of the Dream Act; and increasing affordable housingforDistrictresidents.

JonMandel(Ward3)
JonMandelisanativeWashingtonian.ADCPSalumniandgraduatefromWoodrowWilsonSeniorHigh School,hemajoredinpoliticalscienceandRussianattheUniversityofVermont.ReturningtotheDistrict of Columbia, he has worked on several local and national campaigns, including previously serving as a NeighborhoodTeamLeaderinWard3forPresidentObamasreelectioncampaign.Herecentlyresigned fromhisjobatKetchum,aglobalpublicrelationsfirm,topursuehispassionforbetterrepresentationand serveasKenyanMcDuffiesDeputyCampaignManagerfortheupcomingspecialelectiontofillthevacant Ward5seatontheDCCouncil.HeisanactivemembertoorganizationsthatincludeDCforDemocracy, GertrudeSteinDemocraticClub,andvariousalumniassociations.HealsoservesastheyoungestDelegate totheWard3DemocraticCommittee,whichhewaselectedtoin2011.Jonhopestoattendthisyears Democratic National Convention to ensure President Obamas 2012 victory and garner support for DC becomingAmericas51ststate.

MaceoThomas(Ward7)
MaceoThomashasbeenaregisteredDemocratsincehewasoldenoughtovote.Anardentsupporterof the democratic process, he has found a way to vote when he was away at college and when he was overseas.Maceo,asaDCDemocraticpartymember,wasveryactiveinthe2008presidentialelectionin surroundingstatestravelingtoPennsylvania,Ohio&WestVirginiatosupportSenatorObama'scampaign forPresident.DuringthePotomacPrimaryheservedasaprecinctcaptain.OnElectionDay2008,Maceo worked the polls in Virginia Beach after voting absentee. In protest of the Congressional threat to DC autonomy, Maceo chose to be arrested with the DC mayor, other political figures and DC voting rights advocates in April 2011 in front of the US Capitol. In December 2011, Maceo was recognized by the Community Foundation of the National Capital Area with the Linowes Leadership Award for creative communityleadership.