AMANDA M. FORD
CHIEF OF STAFF · POLITICAL STRATEGIST
DETAILS
Arlington, VA--
SKILLS
Management Skills
Project Management
Strategic Planning
Campaign Management
Recruiting Talent
ARLINGTON, VA
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PROFILE
• Political Strategist with over 19 years of experience with Political
Campaigns/Organizations and Nonprofits.
• Confidence and experience in Direct Voter Contact Targeting, Campaign
Management, Direct Mail, Strategic Planning, Field Organizing, Team Leadership,
Team Building, Event Planning, Goal Setting and Implementation, Data Analysis,
Political Training/Development,
• Extensive experience in recruiting large and small staff teams, sourcing, training
and retaining talent.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Chief of Staff at Democracy for America/DFA-AF (Director)
December 2020 — June 2023
• Managed, coached and supervised multiple Department Directors and Managers.
• Working strategically with CEO and CFO on strategic planning and goal setting for
the organization.
• Project managed various strategic initiatives that cut across departments.
• Help craft electoral plans and organization grant proposals
• Managed the hiring process for all roles within the organization including
consultants.
• Served as Director for DFA-AF and led voter education efforts on Ranked Choice
Voting.
Networks Director for Voting Rights at Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Durham,
NC
February 2020 — December 2020
• Helped create and run the CROWD Academy redistricting trainings and fellowship
program in NC, TN, GA and MS.
• Hired and trained fellows in each state as they provided community education on
redistricting.
• Voter Protection Captain for North Carolina
• Organized with local and statewide organizations
• Assisted community groups, redistricting school attendees, and fellows in
problem-solving, from data-acquisition to legislative and communications
strategies.
Campaign Director at Ohio House Democratic Caucus, Columbus, OH
July 2019 — November 2019
• Coordinating and managing the candidate recruitment process of statehouse
candidates around the state of Ohio.
• Extensive coordination with the Democratic Leadership Team in order to plan and
implement recruitment, incumbent protection and caucus plans.
• Traveling state-wide and meeting with House Candidates in order to develop
campaign and targeting plans.
Account Executive at Resonance Campaigns, Washington, D.C.
January 2018 — November 2018
• Manage the strategy for direct mail clients from the proposal stage to print.
• Worked directly in message creation, and direct voter contact targeting.
• Created strategic mail plans and communicated “best practices” to increase
turnout and help campaigns reach their win number.
• Project management of all mail pieces within the mail plan to make sure all pieces
were delivered at the correct time.
Campaign Manager at Yvette Simpson for Mayor, Cincinnati, OH
December 2016 — November 2017
• Managed a high profile campaign for Mayor with a $720,000 budget
• Oversaw the day to day operations of a continuously growing and increasingly
competitive campaign.
• Supervised a team of directors to implement direct voter-contact programs, media
strategies, rapid response, fundraising, get-out-the-vote drives and community
engagement.
• Managed debate prep for over 20 debates and public forums.
State Field Director at Democratic Party of Georgia, Atlanta, GA
April 2016 — November 2016
• Developed campaign and grassroots organizing strategies and practices, and
message creation, in order to move the electorate to work towards to turning
Georgia into a swing state during the 2016 cycle and beyond.
• Directed & managed all field activities/events, as well as organizing staff across the
state.
• Coordinated with political stakeholders and community groups on best methods of
involvement.
• Created strategic plans to increase county and statewide involvement/ turnout
needed for victory.
• Communicated “best practices” and led the training efforts with all Regional Field
directors and core team staff members in order to create efficient field results.
Account Executive at Vertiv, Columbus, OH
November 2018 — July 2019
Regional Field Director at Ohio Democratic Party, Cincinnati, OH
October 2015 — April 2016
Corporate Recruiter at Headway Workforce Solutions, Raleigh, NC
February 2015 — October 2015
Wellstone Campaign Corps Fellow at Wellstone Action, Durham, NC
June 2014 — November 2014
Field Organizer at Obama for America (NC Campaign for Change), Salisbury, NC
September 2008 — November 2008
EDUCATION
Political Science -American Politics, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, NC
August 2000 — August 2005
