DFA Training Academy in Pittsburgh, PA

Agenda:

Saturday May 31st through Sunday June 1st

9am-6pm

You have the power, now learn the skills! The Democracy for America Training Academy is coming to Pittsburgh, PA for two days of exciting campaign training.

How many votes will it take to win in November? How do you find the perfect message and get it out to voters in your district? How will you raise enough money to pay for it all?

The DFA Training Academy will help you answer these questions and more.

At the DFA Training Academy, top campaign consultants with decades of experience give you the skills to run a winning campaign. Topics include: field planning, voter contact, fundraising, communications, volunteer recruitment and more.

Attendees will also get to hear directly from some of the most exciting 2008 candidates in their area and get a copy of the DFA Training Manual packed with over 180 pages of winning campaign info.

Refreshments will be provided throughout the day and a social event will be organized Saturday evening so you can mingle and network with other activists in your area.

The training will run from 9am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Click here to see a video of a previous training:

Lodging Info: We have secured a discounted rate for training attendees at a nearby hotel.

Holiday Inn
4859 McKnight Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15237

They have extended a special "LaRoche" rate for the training at $85 per night for a room with a King or two Queen beds.

Phone # is 412-366-5200 - ask for In house reservations and special "LaRoche" rate.

If you plan on attending this training and have specific questions, call our Training Department hotline at DFA at 802-651-3200 Ext. 191.

If you are a candidate running for office and plan on attending, please email us at training(at)democracyforamerica.com and let us know.

For more info on the DFA Training Academy visit: www.democracyforamerica.com/training

Weekend Training Agenda
Pittsburgh, PA – May 31- June 1

Saturday Morning
Introduction & Overview
Field Planning and Targeting
Volunteer Recruitment

Lunch

Saturday Afternoon
Fundraising Strategies
Voter Contact Tactics
Campaign & Event Planning
Developing Your Message

Sunday Morning
Getting Out The Vote (GOTV)
Fundraising Tactics
Working with the Media

Lunch

Sunday Afternoon (Elective Sessions choose 4)
Neighborhood Precinct Organizing
Volunteer Management and Development
Running Phonebanks and Canvasses
Fundraising: Call Time
Drawing Contrasts in Campaigns

Training Presenters

Dorie Clark – Communications & Media
Principal, Clark Strategic Communications. Dorie is a media consultant with extensive campaign and non-profit experience at the national, state, and local levels. Clark served as the New Hampshire Communications Director for Howard Dean’s presidential campaign, developing and executing his media strategy in the state and managing relations with local and national press. Previously, she was the Press Secretary for former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich’s campaign for Massachusetts governor. Clark also ran the successful re-election campaign for Massachusetts State Representative Jarrett Barrios (now a State Senator), and has served as a media consultant on a wide variety of races. Prior to her work as a campaign communications specialist, Clark was a staff writer for the Boston Phoenix, covering local politics and policy and winning two New England Press Association awards. She was also a regular contributor to the Boston Globe and Commonwealth magazine. She also co-founded a political action committee, OutSomerville, and won an award for GLBT advocacy from the Young Democrats of Massachusetts. Clark has taught campaign management at Emerson College and media studies at Tufts University.

Bryan Hageny – Volunteers and Planning
Bryan grew up in the fiercely contested swing state of Wisconsin, and is proud of its progressive tradition. While attending the University of Wisconsin he worked for Howard Dean, John Kerry, and Tammy Baldwin. Following graduation he served in a number of political and activist roles. To this end Bryan worked as an Assistant Director of a large canvassing office in Boston, then as an Organizer of Power Shift 2007 (the first ever student global warming conference at the University of Maryland), and most recently as a Community Organizer in Pennsylvania. Bryan was recently hired as DFA's Deputy Training Director.

Arshad Hasan – Field and Precinct Organizing
Executive Director, Democracy for America; Arshad joined Democracy for America in early 2005 to develop and direct the DFA Training Academy. Before joining DFA, Arshad worked with MoveOn PAC during the 2004 Elections. Previous to his electoral experience, Arshad based his professional political career in environmental issue advocacy and organizing. His non-electoral experience includes work on legislative issue campaigns, corporate accountability campaigns, and grassroots fundraising. Arshad traces his Dean roots to February of 2003 when he founded one of the nation's first organized Dean groups, Philly For Dean. Whenever possible, Arshad likes to take off from DFA and work on campaigns with staffers he’s trained. In the 2006 general election, Arshad worked as the GOTV Director for Jerry McNerney for Congress. Arshad was born and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota and went to college at the University of Pennsylvania.

Selene Hofer-Shall - Fundraising
Selene joined the Dean for America Operations Team in 2003, helping to compile the largest FEC reports in Presidential Campaign History. Selene was one of the 12 original staffers of Democracy for America, working as the Operations Director and Assistant to the Finance Director. In 2006, she become Finance Director for Peter Welch in his successful race to become Vermont’s At-Large Congressman, raising over 2.2 million and breaking all previous fundraising records for the district. Following the 2006 election, Selene worked in San Antonio, TX as the Finance Director for Ciro Rodriguez in the TX-23 Special Election, raising over $600,000 in less than three weeks to successfully oust a 7-term Republican incumbent. Selene currently works as a freelance Finance consultant.

Kendra-Sue Derby - Field
Over her career, Kendra-Sue Derby has fought for progressive causes and candidates. She focuses her work on administrative and field activities. Most recently she was Senior Consultant to the Jon Tester for Senate and Montana Democratic Party. She also worked at Alliance for Justice from 2001 through 2006 as the Director of Field Operations. She trained thousands of activists and campaign employees when she worked for The Ron Brown - Paul Tully Institute for Political Action and as an independent contractor. Kendra has worked on campaigns of all sizes, ranging from City Council to Presidential, including the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Democratic presidential campaigns. In 2004 she ran the Democratic Party of Oregon’s coordinated campaign. Kendra currently resides in Denver.

More presenters and training sessions to be announced soon…