Candidates for FCDC Officer Positions
The following is a collection of messages by the candidates running for leadership positions within FCDC. Red titles denote positions that are (at this time) contested by more than one candidate. FCDC Members who filed by the Dec. 1st deadline and who were voted on by their District Committees may take part in this election on Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, 7:30pm at Falls Church High School. The meeting is open to the public as always.
Contents:
FCDC CHAIR
VICE CHAIR NORTH
VICE CHAIR CENTRAL
VICE CHAIR SOUTH
VICE CHAIR, PRECINCT OPERATIONS
VICE CHAIR, TECHNOLOGY
VICE CHAIR, VOTER REGISTRATION & GOTV OPERATIONS
VICE CHAIR, FINANCE
VICE CHAIR, OUTREACH
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
RECORDING SECRETARY
TREASURER
ASSISTANT TREASURER
FCDC CHAIR
BARBARA CAPUTO
I have been actively involved in all aspects of the committee and would like to continue doing so by serving as your chairperson.
In 2008, I was elected FCDC Regional Vice Chair–North as part of an energetic team that has made the Fairfax County Democratic Committee the envy of Democrats across the Commonwealth and nationwide. Our candidate support through the Joint Campaign (led by 3 vice chairs) raised $122,000 and included Absentee Outreach, Voter Guides, Back to School Calendars, Sample Ballots. This coupled with Precinct Operations, Websites, GOTV, administrative tools and strong district operations attained unparalleled success.
The 2012 cycle will be absolutely critical in Fairfax County. We need to carry Democrats in large numbers to win the state for President Obama and Tim Kaine, reelect Congressmen Moran, Connolly and win the 10th CD. This is not an election for cutting teeth. We must hit the ground with proven energy and know how.
We have a team ready to do just that. Poised to help me implement a successful strategy in 2012 are three candidates for Regional Vice
Chairs, Sue Langley, Carrie Nixon and Chris Ambrose, a majority of the Chairs of the nine Districts and numerous other talented and experienced members.
I ask for your help also and your vote on January 3!
CESAR DEL AGUILA
Hello, my name is Cesar and I’m running for Chair of FCDC because the upcoming elections will test our abilities and our commitment. We are a successful committee but we must be willing to look at ourselves and continue to grow and adapt or we risk complacency.
I believe the role of a leader is to inspire, empower and motivate others to achieve specific and measurable goals. This means being comfortable surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you are and recognizing that new ideas can come from anywhere. I want the FCDC to be a place where diversity means welcoming new members and even new Democrats.
I want us to stretch ourselves as an organization and embrace innovation and new technology. I want to foster a collaborative approach to problem solving and agenda-setting so everyone’s voices are heard.
I humbly ask for your support as I put myself out here for consideration as the new Chair of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee. Together we can achieve the things that keep us investing our time, energy – and money – in an organization that is the backbone of Democratic politics in Northern Virginia.
VICE CHAIR NORTH
SUE LANGLEY
As we take the next steps in planning and working to elect President Obama, Gerry Connolly, Jim Moran, Tim Kaine, and our nominee from the 10th CD 2012, and reclaim the governor’s mansion and the General Assembly in 2013, I know you’ll be right there with me.
I have been FCDC Vice Chair for Precinct Operations since 2006. During this time, we have had many proud accomplishments together, such as Precinct Captain training programs, volunteer manual, voter identification, and a professionally run Precinct Operations.
Alongside other FCDC officers, Chairs, volunteers, and campaigns, we are the envy of many around the State. Building on this experience, I want to move forward to the next level to implement an unprecedented level of coordination among related teams and become an even bigger success in the next two years electing Democrats.
Other positions I have held: member of Virginia’s Women Caucus from the 11th CD; member of Asian American and Pacific Islanders; member of the 11th CD; and chair of State Senate 34th Legislative District in 2011.
It takes a village to elect Democrats and I need your vote and support for my candidacy for Regional Vice Chair North. I support Barbara’s candidacy for FCDC Chair.
FRED MITTELMAN
Fred has occupied several positions in Dranesville, the 10th CD, and DPVA, including precinct captain in El Nido, member of the 10th CD Committee, member of the State Central Committee, FCDC General Counsel, and Deputy General Counsel of the Democratic Party of Virginia.
Prior to his service to the party, Fred was a career federal employee in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Prior to his federal experience, Fred did extensive political work managing and doing advance work for local, state and federal campaigns in his native New York.
Fred is a graduate of Hunter College, Columbia University and Brooklyn Law School. He and his wife have two daughters, and he has volunteered for many McLean High School activities, including running Senior Ethics Day. He is currently a board member of Fairfax Partnership for Youth.
I think it is time that we bring the FCDC into the 21st Century and broaden our appeal to the younger generations.
VICE CHAIR CENTRAL
CARRIE NIXON
I am proud to have served as a leader in the Providence District Democratic Committee for the past four years, and I now seek your support for the office of Vice Chair Central of FCDC. I became Co-Chair of PDDC in the summer of 2008, and have been its sole Chair since 2010. Under my leadership, PDDC has expanded the reach, breadth, and diversity of its membership. I have worked to identify the interests and talents of individual members, and have brought those talents to bear in the form of an innovative, effective, and cohesive committee that duly earned the distinction of Committee of the Year for 2011. I have served as a voting member of FCDC’s Steering Committee since 2008. The next two election years will bring new challenges to Fairfax Democrats, but if elected as Vice Chair Central, I look forward to building on the accomplishments of the last four years to meet those challenges head-on and elect all of our Democratic candidates.
VICE CHAIR SOUTH
CHRISTOPHER AMBROSE
2012 is a critically important year. We need to re-elect President Obama and finish the job he started. We need to elect Tim Kaine and we must also re-elect Gerry Connolly and Jim Moran to Congress and send Frank Wolf into retirement. In 2013 we will retake the Governorship and the General Assembly.
I have served as the FCDC Vice Chair for Voter Registration & GOTV since 2006. FCDC registered thousands of voters in 2008 and will do the same next year. One thing I learned in that role is that we need to streamline the coordination between the Regional Vice-Chairs and the Vice-Chairs for Precinct Operations and Voter Registration & GOTV.
VICE CHAIR FOR PRECINCT OPERATIONS
TANIA HOSSAIN
Greetings, my name is Tania Hossain and I have been a member of FCDC since 2003. I am the current precinct captain of Merrifield, Providence District. Previously, I served FCDC as Precinct Operations for Providence and Sully Districts. I am proud and honored to have actively contributed to precinct operations efforts in all magisterial districts in Fairfax, sister jurisdictions and across Virginia in our collective endeavor to elect our Democratic candidates.
The three pillars of Precinct Operations that I have brought to FCDC and will continue to hone in on as Vice Chair for Precinct Operations are precinct building by creating an ethos of teamwork and shared fate; networking with coalitions and fielding of potential candidates; and infusing fun back to the basics values in that precinct operations is the single most effective difference maker. Building on our existing infrastructure, I am confident that these three pillars will contribute decisively to the next phase of FCDC’s contribution to Virginia Democratic politics. I will be a demanding voice for resources and commitment for precinct operations not only in Fairfax but the rest of Virginia.
Lastly, please know that I consider enablers of teamwork a premier character of leadership and my work in precinct operation will be greatly enhanced with Barbara Caputo as the next Chair of FCDC. In addition, I am indebted to Sue Langley, Linda Byrne, James Walkinshaw, Chrisi West, Mike Burns, Rick Dotson, Chris Ambrose and Frank Anderson who continue to inspire my dreams and aspirations of precinct operations. In closing, I urge you to keep in mind that we are the FCDC Family and that we must support what the Family will decide on January 3, 2012. I respectfully ask for your vote of my candidacy for Vice Chair of Precinct Operations.
VICE CHAIR FOR TECHNOLOGY
TODD SMYTH
I’m running again for Vice Chair of Technology to support the tools we have to manage, organize and communicate with our members, donors, precinct captains, volunteers and voters. We’ve made improvements in our use of technology over the past year but there is more room for improvement in 2012. I believe I have the experience to continue what FCDC does well and the insight to continue our improvement. I ask for your vote on January 3rd.
VICE CHAIR FOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND GET OUT THE VOTE OPERATIONS
CHRISI WEST
My name is Chrisi West, and I’m a volunteer in Lee District, and the 2010 past president of the Fairfax County Young Democrats, running for Vice Chair, Voter Registration and GOTV for FCDC in 2012.
I became passionate about registering voters in 2007 and 2008 when I started volunteering for Obama for America. At the grassroots level we were able to recruit and train teams of volunteers on how to run successful voter registration drives around Fairfax County, Northern Virginia, and the rest of the state! We managed to register thousands of voters in that time, which was part of a larger winning strategy to expand the electorate here in Virginia.
In the years that followed, I continued organizing for the President through Organizing for America as a Community Organizer in the Alexandria area working hard on issues like health care reform, Wall Street Reform, repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and supporting local Democrats in mid-term elections.
I know we have our work cut out for us in 2012, but if we want to reelect President Obama and Democrats across the state, we’ll need to expand the electorate here again and I’m ready to do just that!
VICE CHAIR FOR FINANCE
KRISTIN CABRAL
I am Kristin Cabral, a FCDC member since 2004, and I am running for Vice Chair for Finance. With money as the mother’s milk of politics, I seek to raise the money we need to meet our mission — elect our Democratic candidates. We do so by funding our electoral operations, including voter registration, the absentee ballot program, GOTV, precinct ops, and election protection. I have experience raising money as the PTA Vice Chair for Fundraising of our FCPS elementary school (raising about $200,000 over the two years of my tenure) and as the Participation Chair of the 20th reunion committee at my alma mater, Harvard Law School (raising over $750,000 so far). I seek to grow the pie of our current budget through innovative means, such as by seeking funds from outside of the Battlegrounds of Fairfax County and Virginia — for we are where the action is in 2012. I would be honored to earn your vote.
VICE CHAIR FOR OUTREACH
MARTIN TAYLOR
I am Martin Taylor and I’m asking for your vote. I proudly say that I attended elementary, middle, and high school in Fairfax County Public Schools. I value my Fairfax County upbringing and diligently serve Fairfax County and its residents. I remain steadfastly committed to the betterment of our community.
Presently, I serve as an Aide for Catherine M. Hudgins, Hunter Mill District, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. In this capacity I work on housing, human services, budget, tax, legislative, and community issues. I not only dialogue with residents on pertinent issues important to the Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC), but also already engage our elected officials on issues that are relevant to their constituencies. I have the confidence and the knowledge base to enhance our committee, and help elect Democrats.
I was thirteen years old when my father first took me door knocking while on summer vacation in Chicago, IL. I learned a lot from that experience. I learned that it is very important to engage residents up close to understand what their sentiments were. In the neighborhoods of Hyde Park I learned that a diverse group of people was necessary to be a catalyst for systemic change. Whether it was working with students while in college to have our university divest from South Africa, or as a young professional working with mayors and councilmembers across our nation to end economic sanctions after Nelson Mandela was released from prison, I have worked personally and professionally to assist in this effort.
Below is a snapshot of my work with FCDC:
· Member, Hunter Mill District Democratic Committee
· Steering Committee, FCDC
· Chair, Senior Committee, FCDC
· Vice Chair for Precinct Operations in Hunter Mill District
· Assistant Precinct Captain in Hunter Mill District
· 2008 Obama Delegate, Virginia Democratic Convention
· Past Member, Local Relations and Diversity Committees, FCDC
· Gubernatorial Campaign Volunteer for Mark Warner and Tim Kaine
· Catherine Hudgins for Supervisor, 2003, 2007, 2011
Professionally, I have done the following over the past 20 years:
· Legal Clerk, National Wildlife Federation
· Liaison to the Clinton Administration and Capitol Hill, National League of Cities / National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials
· Outreach Associate, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
· Project Manager, Metropolitan Labor Council of the AFL-CIO and National Organization of Concerned Black Men, Inc.
· Volunteer Coordinator, National Organization of Concerned Black Men, Inc.
Additionally, I currently serve on the Young Professionals Board of the National Capital Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and have served on the Board of Directors of the African American Coalition Against AIDS. I have served as a facilitator for FCPS’s Eighth Grade Leadership Conference in multiple years and a liaison to the program committee that produced a capacity filled conference on aging in place in Hunter Mill District that has now been replicated in other districts around the county. I understand community engagement at all levels. I will broaden FCDC’s reach with residents who believe in getting Democrats elected in Fairfax County.
As Vice Chair for Outreach I will not only work with FCDC’s leadership team, I will work with you and your committee to identify constituencies that will solidify our democratic presence in Fairfax County. I plan to take my joy of working with a broad and diverse range of people to grow FCDC’s membership base and apply my knowledge of issues at the local, state, and national levels to help garner the support necessary to do so. I will work to strengthen FCDC’s voice throughout Fairfax County. Most importantly, I will work to maintain the offices we currently have and work to compete and win those we do not.
If you have questions for me, feel free to contact me at myfcdcstuff@gmail.com, or at 703-622-9017.
Again, I humbly ask your support of my candidacy for Vice Chair for Outreach on January 3rd.
Thank you.
Martin Taylor
JOHN WERTMAN
Dear friends:
Happy holiday season! I am a fellow FCDC member from Mason District, and I am writing because I have decided to run for Vice Chair for Outreach at the January 3 FCDC meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Falls Church High School.
First, I want to share with you my vision for the job. I am running for the position because I think the 2012 presidential cycle offers a tremendous opportunity to the FCDC. We have a chance to broaden our Party structure by reenergizing the coalition that carried President Obama to victory here in Virginia in 2008!
Now that the magisterial districts have completed their reorganization caucuses, we have a number of vacancies on the FCDC. It will be the job of the Vice Chair to work with the Chair, the Outreach, Diversity, and Young Democrats Committees, and the magisterial district chairs to identify volunteers all across the County who are willing to step up and take on the important and active role of FCDC member. Just as importantly, it will be incumbent upon us to work hard to bring leaders and strong Democrats from underrepresented groups onto the Committee.
I am proud to live in Mason because our area features great diversity that is reflective of the County as a whole. The Mason District Democratic Committee includes members from a wide variety of heritages, and these friends are a resource I will readily tap into as the FCDC seeks to work with and recruit from the diverse communities that play a key role in Fairfax County, which is getting closer and closer to being a minority-majority jurisdiction.
Another reason I very-much want to serve as Vice Chair for Outreach is to tap into what will be a critical resource for the FCDC in the coming months: Young Democrats. I have included some information about my background below, and as you will notice, I am a recent and long-time leader of Young Dem activities. I know the energy these folks bring to campaigns and to the Party is infectious – and it will be especially critical in 2012!
Great credit goes to our Democratic Supervisors for creating a precinct at George Mason University. It will be incumbent upon the FCDC to get students registered and active in the political process leading up to the election. I have already reached out to the GMU Dems and I am excited about the possibility of working with them next year. I also want to work with the NVCC-Annandale Dems, the FCYD, and County high school clubs to involve as many young Dems in FCDC activities as possible. There will be countless volunteer opportunities as FCDC joins with our local Party committees in hosting the 2012 state convention, another reason we should all be so excited for the coming year!
In all, the possibilities are endless – and I am ready for and excited to take on this critical role. Let me tell you a bit about myself. I have lived primarily in Fairfax County since 1980, when I was just three-years old. I first became active in the Democratic Party in 1994, when I helped found and served as a leader in the Robinson Secondary School Young Democrats. I was inspired to act as a 17-year old that year because the prospect of Oliver North winning an election in my Commonwealth frightened me. I am still proud that the hard work so many of us did in Fairfax and around the state helped carry Chuck Robb to a critical reelection victory.
Since that time, I have served on three Democratic Committees in Virginia: here in Fairfax, where I also was Secretary of the Fairfax Young Dems during the 1999-2000 period; in Alexandria, where I was Vice President of the city’s young Dems organization; and in Albemarle County (near Charlottesville), where I held a Vice Chair role for two terms. I have also done extensive volunteering for Democratic candidates, including the last four Democratic presidential campaigns.
I am a 1999 graduate of the University of Virginia (U-Va), where I earned a degree in government and spent much of my time singing in one of the University’s pop/rock a-cappella groups. Professionally, I spent a year and a half on President Clinton’s White House staff and I have since held government relations positions for three organizations: the U-Va Medical Center; the Association of American Geographers; and the Consortium of Social Science Associations.
Thank you so much for reading this, and finally, let me invite you to view my FCDC Facebook campaign page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Wertman-for-FCDC-Vice-Chair-for-Outreach/213649218713159
Please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or would like to talk to me.
My very best,
John
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
BRIDGET MURPHY
I am Bridget Murphy and I am running to continue my service as the FCDC’s Corresponding Secretary. During my time as an Officer for FCDC: I have scheduled all General Meetings, notified FCDC of the passing of members, mailed bereavement cards to families and arranged for donations to listed foundations/charities, etc. In addition I post many political event photographs on the FCDC Facebook site for all members to enjoy.
I am a long time Democratic activist and have assisted with numerous campaigns throughout Fairfax County. In recognition of my efforts I was awarded the 2011 DPVA Grassroots Award for the 8th CD and the 2011 Ed Herlihy Democratic Activist Award, Member
of Hunter Mill district. My educational qualifications include a BA Political Science and AA Paralegal Studies.
RECORDING SECRETARY
MATTHEW BELL
Matthew Bell for Recording Secretary: My Vision – FCDC 2012
Missed the meeting? No worries, check your email for FCDC meeting minutes.
• I will ensure proper minutes are taken at every Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) meeting, posted, and emailed in a timely manner to FCDC members. By using my prior experiences executing Roberts Rules of Order, taking and posting minutes as a Secretary for other organizations, and understanding email and other digital communication tools, I will ensure each and every member has the opportunity to be informed about general membership FCDC meetings.
Democrats: Our Voice in Fairfax County
• With former Gov. Tim Kaine’s Senatorial election coming up in the 2012 cycle, it is critical for all Virginia Democrats and in particular those of us in Fairfax County, to create a partnership with Gov. Kaine’s campaign, the Obama for America campaign, and our Democratic community. We need to combat Republican misinformation in our county and inform our greater Fairfax County neighbors of our issues, beliefs, and values, by writing letters to the editor, through the establishment of Democratic forums, and composing weekly community updates. FCDC needs to ensure our voice is being heard in our communities; one of the vehicles we can explore is using on a county level the communication model created by the Dranesville District Democratic Committee.
Together, WE get Democrats ELECTED in Fairfax!
• We have great Democratic volunteers in Fairfax County. Numbers don’t lie. Between the years of when I was born in Fairfax to now, we have witnessed our county becoming increasing more blue. Having worked on ten Democratic political campaigns over the past four years in Fairfax County, I feel that together, we need to continue devoting energy to identifying and organizing Democrats in each magisterial district, each precinct, and each subdivision, to ensure that President Obama and Governor Kaine win Fairfax County in 2012.
Our neighbor, the Democrat: Reaching out.
• In order to ensure a great re-election victory for President Obama, Congressman Connolly & Congressman Moran, and an election victory for Gov. Kaine to the US Senate, we must keep all our fellow Democrats — civic association leaders, leaders in FCPS PTAs/PTOs, faith leaders, youth leaders, community center leaders — actively involved in the 2012 Democratic campaign cycle efforts. Working with the FCDC Steering committee, I would support programs to increase outreach efforts for 2012 and to work to keep the Obama and Kaine campaign volunteers interested and involved with FCDC for the critical 2013 Virginia Governor’s race.
• As an FCDC officer, I will continue to support, and work to increase, youth and diversity outreach and membership. Having been an active member in numerous campaigns, active on the Springfield District Democratic Committee (SDDC), and current Vice-Chair of the SDDC, I was able to meet, discuss and work first hand with key members of different ethnic communities. I have been fortunate to be a member in Springfield in a year when the committee worked with DNC’s Hispanic Chair in efforts to communicate our democratic message to our Hispanic Fairfax County voters, and also has had an active dialog between Owen Shortt and the NAACP.
• Finally, as a leader in the Virginia Young Democrats and Fairfax County Young Democrats, I pledge to work with other FCDC officers to ensure a working relationship between FCDC members and the Fairfax County Young Democrat organization. My vision includes having quarterly networking events to assist college age students, and young professionals, in their quest to find an internship or job. Also having graduated from a Fairfax County Public High School, I know that FCDC needs to work with Young Democrat organizations to assist in creation and/or strengthening of High School Democratic clubs in each and every one of the 26 Fairfax County High Schools.
MARY PADEN
Mary Paden
Candidate for Recording Secretary
As FCDC recording secretary, I will not only produce meeting minutes that make sense to people who were not at the meeting, I will also help improve internal communications by writing short summaries of decisions and major issues discussed for the chair or executive director to distribute to mag district chairs and members shortly after the meetings.
As a steering committee member, I will:
· Work with the staff and communications team to improve FCDC internal and external communications.
· Encourage FCDC to resist the wave of voter suppression legislation likely to come from the Virginia legislature in 2012 by shining a public spotlight on all efforts to pass such legislation.
Qualifications:
· Eight years’ experience as elected secretary of organizations (six years at MVDDC secretary and two as secretary of a national professional association).
· Professional writer and editor (BA in journalism, MS in environmental communications). I work as a communications consultant, mainly editing policy papers.
· Managing editor of the FCDC Voter’s Guide, four editions (2007 Mt. Vernon, 2008, 2009, 2011).
· Put out an electronic newsletter to 3,000 Democrats in Mt. Vernon District.
TREASURER
NADJA GOLDING
After serving as FCDC’s Assistant Treasurer for two years, I became FCDC’s Treasurer in January 2010. I have enjoyed the challenge of serving in this important capacity and knowing that with smooth-running financial and Federal and state reporting operations, FCDC can concentrate on our essential task of electing Democrats. If re-elected, I will continue my efforts to ensure that FCDC’s financial operations and Federal and state reporting are conducted professionally, correctly, and legally. I also will strive to find ways to streamline the functions of the Treasurer’s office and make FCDC officers’ and members’ interactions with our financial operations as painless as possible while still meeting our regulatory requirements. The more I get to know FCDC, the more I see how unique this institution is and how wonderful the people who comprise it are. I want to play a part in the on-going effort to keeping moving FCDC forward to bigger and better things. It would be a privilege to serve as FCDC’s Treasurer for a second term.
ASSISTANT TREASURER
SUSAN THOMAS
For the past five months I’ve had the pleasure of supporting Nadja Golding in her role as Treasurer. During this time I’ve worked on many of the core functions of the Treasurer’s office as well as assisted in the regular publication of The Democrat. This experience has led me to seek the Assistant Treasure position. I’m optimistic my 20+ years of experience in consulting, corporate governance and “back office” operations will serve FCDC well. I am eager to contribute to the ongoing success of the FCDC and would consider it a privilege to serve as FCDC’s Assistant Treasurer.
