Freelance, Consulting, and Volunteer Work (self-employed)
May 2013 – present
CANDIDATE COACHING
- Coached candidates for public office through the California Democratic Party endorsement process (Result: Both candidates won the Party’s endorsement.)
- Hosted conference calls and workshops to train and mentor candidates for California Democratic Party and Orange County Democratic Party leadership positions (Result: Multiple candidates were elected to leadership positions.)
- Gave presentations and published materials to help candidates to use social media more effectively on campaigns, with an emphasis on creating compelling stories and providing value
EVENT SUPPORT AND VOLUTNEER COORDINATION/RECRUITMENT
- Trained dozens of volunteers for various roles at conventions, awards dinners, endorsement meetings, and internal Party elections
- Shadowed candidates for public office at major events to provide support—such as introducing them to potential supporters, taking photos, handing out promotional materials, and updating social media accounts on the fly
- Staffed registration tables at events to create a positive first impression for guests and VIPs and ensure an organized, welcoming experience
Virtual Assistant for Cyril Yu for Irvine Unified School District
August 2020 – November 2020
ABOUT
Cyril Yu is an Assistant District Attorney in Orange County who had previously run for the IUSD board and lost. In 2020, he was asked to run again.
DUTIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Created a basic candidate website with a bio, endorsements, and voting information
- Developed a social media content calendar to give the candidate relevant things to post each day
- Created graphics for social media, including endorsement images, voting deadlines, and significant events (such as World Teacher’s Day)
- Shot the candidate’s portraits for use on the website, Facebook ads, and other materials
RESULTS
He won!
Assistant to California Democratic Party Region 18 Director, Steve Young
April 2009 – April 2013
ABOUT
The Regional Directors of the California Democratic Party, working together with county Democratic Party members and staff, serve as a local contact for state Party matters and are responsible for holding two regional meetings per year, a pre-endorsement caucus (to endorse Democratic candidates for partisan races) during even-numbered years, an endorsement meeting at the annual convention (if candidates do not receive the necessary number of votes in the pre-endorsement caucus), and a Assembly District Election Meeting to elect delegates to the state central committee on odd-numbered years. They keep local activists and organizations informed of the California Democratic Party’s activities, and report back to the Party with any relevant news.
My responsibility was to make it so that the Director, Steve Young, was free to focus on the big picture and not get bogged down in party in-fighting.
DUTIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
EVENT PLANNING
- Developed meeting agendas and talking points for the Director
- Recruited guest speakers
- Secured meeting venues (ensuring they were accessible and had audio/visual equipment available)
- Promoted the events via email marketing and social media marketing
- Created and distributed flyers at local political events
- Worked with designers to develop SWAG when appropriate (buttons, bumper stickers)
DELEGATE SUPPORT
- Answered questions and provided guidance to our 100+ delegates (Explained by-laws, processes, and the party structure.) to help them more effectively participate in the California Democratic Party’s events and decision-making
- Assisted in recruiting quality candidates to fill vacancies
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT
- Worked with local political organizations to find volunteers for official California Democratic Party events such as conventions, Executive Board meetings, Assembly Delegate Election Meetings, and endorsement conferences
LIAISON
- Worked to improve the relationship and the flow of information between the California Democratic Party and local Democratic activists and organizations allied with the Party’s values
- Attended meetings county-wide (Gave announcements, handed out materials, answered questions, explained Party processes and opportunities for involvement in shaping candidate endorsements or the Party’s platform)
- Reported news back to the California Democratic Party during monthly conference calls
INTERNAL PARTY ELECTIONS
- Ran transparent, fair, and efficient Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEMs) to elect fourteen new delegates (per Assembly District) to the California Democratic Party’s central committee every two years,
- Provided multiple Q&A and coaching sessions to prospective candidates via in-person events and conference calls to level the playing field between newcomers and incumbents
- Promoted ADEMs to organizations allied with the Democratic Party county-wide to diversify the pools of candidates
ENDORSEMENT MEETINGS
- Ran transparent, fair, and efficient candidate pre-endorsement caucuses and endorsement meetings
OUTREACH
- Registered voters at community events and on college campuses
- Answered common questions about voting and voter registration
- Debunked voting myths
- Established relationships with local leaders and organizations to accomplish shared goals
Executive Coordinator for Steve Young for State Senate
March 2012 – November 2012
ABOUT
Steve Young, who had previously run for Congress and was then serving as the Region 18 Director of the California Democratic Party, was recruited by members of the California Democratic Party to run in a red district against Mimi Walters (who was otherwise going to be running unopposed).
DUTIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
FUNDRAISING
- Worked with Steve to develop multiple direct mail fundraising campaigns
- Used Facebook marketing to solicit small dollar donations
- Sent out email blasts to invite supporters to our events and ask for their financial support
VOTER REGISTRATION AND OUTREACH
- Registered voters and answered questions about voting on college campuses and at community events
MARKETING and PR
- Developed relationships with local bloggers and members of the press to highlight Steve’s campaign and lawsuit against Mimi Walters
- Created Facebook content to promote Steve’s campaign and events
RESULTS
While Steve was recruited to be a “placeholder candidate” and did not win the election against Mimi Walters, she received significant negative press for the first time in her political career and had to defend herself in a lawsuit challenging her right to run for office in a district that she did not live in. She later went on to win a seat in Congress, only to be defeated after her first term by political newcomer and University of California, Irvine law professor Katie Porter.
Other Experience
- Member of the California Democratic Party central committee (delegate), 2011 – 2016
- Intern, Steve Young for Congress, Fall 2009
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, Political Science (Cum Laude), July 2008 from California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA.
