Katie Porter assembles senior leadership team of campaign veterans from across California
CALIFORNIA—Congresswoman and U.S. Senate candidate Katie Porter today unveiled her campaign’s senior leadership team, a talented and diverse group of campaign veterans who will help her earn votes across the Golden State. Porter, who announced her candidacy for Senate in January, has received national recognition for taking on special interests that cheat Californians.
“California needs its best warrior in the Senate to take on powerful interests, fight the dangerous imbalance in our economy, and hold so-called leaders like Mitch McConnell accountable for rigging our democracy,” said Porter. “I’m honored to have such a seasoned senior leadership team that’s helping me connect with voters in every part and pocket of our state. I’m eager to continue engaging Californians about my work speaking truth to power.”
Porter’s senior leadership team includes:
Lacey Morrison, Campaign Manager – Lacey Morrison was most recently a Regional Political Director at the DCCC. She previously served as Campaign Manager for Gina Ortiz Jones for Congress and Josh Gottheimer for Congress.
Nora Walsh-Devries, Senior Advisor – Nora Walsh-DeVries previously served as Campaign Manager and then Advisor for Katie Porter for Congress in consecutive election cycles. She’s also worked as Iowa Political Director for Kamala Harris for the People and Campaign Manager for John Norris for Governor.
Jenn Liu, National Finance Director – Jenn Liu is the founder of Thrive Strategies, a political fundraising firm whose clients have included Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). Liu previously served as Senior Advisor for Kamala Harris for the People, Northeast Finance Director for the DCCC, and Finance Director for Martha Coakley for Governor.
Katie Bartizal, Digital Director – Katie Bartizal was most recently Digital Director for Katie Porter for Congress. She came to the Porter team after serving as Communications Assistant for Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and Digital Fundraising Manager for Elissa Slotkin for Congress.
Nathan Click, Senior Communications Advisor – Nathan Click is the founder of Click Strategies, a communications and public affairs firm with deep California and national experience. Click has served in senior strategy and communications roles for Governor Gavin Newsom, VP Kamala Harris during her 2016 U.S. Senate race and transition, AG Rob Bonta, Congressman Robert Garcia, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and for Democrats in the U.S. Senate.
Addisu Demissie, 50+1 Strategies, Senior Political Advisor – Addisu Demissie is the co-founder of 50+1 Strategies, a political consulting firm whose clients in California have included multiple local and state ballot measures as well as statewide candidates like Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber. He previously served as Campaign Manager for Gavin Newsom for Governor in 2018, and Cory Booker for Senate in 2013 and president in 2020.
Courtni Pugh, Hilltop Public Solutions, Senior Political Advisor – Courtni Pugh most recently served as Political Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom and the “Stop the Republican Recall” campaign. She’s also worked as Senior Advisor to Rob Bonta for Attorney General, Advisor to the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, California State Director for Kamala Harris for the People, California state senate democratic caucus political director, Political Director for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and Executive Director of SEIU Local 99 and of SEIU CA State Council.
Nico Pedreira, Hilltop Public Solutions, Political Advisor – Nico Pedreira previously worked for Gavin Newsom for Governor and Rob Bonta for Attorney General. Formerly, he served as Deputy Political Director for the “Stop the Republican Recall” campaign, California Deputy Political Director for Kamala Harris for the People, and Executive Coordinator at Voto Latino.
David Binder, DB Research – David Binder is the founder of DB Research, whose clients include California Governor Gavin Newsom, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Barack Obama.
Rich Davis, Dixon/Davis Media Group – Rich Davis is the co-founder of Dixon/Davis Media Group, which has produced award-winning advertising for clients including Obama for America 2008 and 2012, U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan and Kirsten Gillibrand, the DSCC, the California Teachers Association, and statewide ballot measures in California.
Ed Peavy and Jonathan Levy, Mission Control – Ed Peavy is the founder of Mission Control, a direct mail firm whose clients include U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan, Sherrod Brown, and Debbie Stabenow. Jonathan Levy has been with Mission Control since 2016 and serves as the firm’s Managing Director. He has been the General Consultant for the recent campaigns to protect abortion access in Kansas, Kentucky, and Ohio.
Emmy Bengtson and Dan McNally, Wavelength Strategy – Emmy Bengtson and Dan McNally are the founding partners of Wavelength Strategy, a digital persuasion and mobilization firm whose clients include U.S. Senators Mark Kelly, Maggie Hassan, and Catherine Cortez Masto.
Kenneth Pennington, Middle Seat – Kenneth Pennington is Partner at Middle Seat, a progressive consulting firm whose clients include John Fetterman for Senate, Biden Harris 2020, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress.
Porter has received widespread praise from Democrats, good government advocates, progressive groups, and pundits since announcing her candidacy for the U.S. Senate. She raised a stunning $1.3 million in the first 24 hours of her campaign, with an average donation of $38.23 and support pouring in from all 58 counties in California. Her campaign also released a poll of California voters likely to participate in the 2024 election for U.S. Senate. It shows Porter has a double-digit lead in a likely top-two general election contest if it were held today. In a head-to-head matchup, Porter leads significantly among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. The same survey shows Porter would be the likely top finisher from a June primary contest with other potential Republican and Democratic candidates. The survey was conducted by widely-respected pollster David Binder Research, an alumnus for campaigns of former President Obama, Governor Newsom, and Vice President Harris. You can read the poll memo here.