Tweeting in the Trenches: What's Next for Campaigning and Advocacy Online
The past eight years showed a dramatic shift in national campaigning with the introduction of blogs, social networking, online video and text messaging into presidential campaigning. Now, it is no longer the case that candidates for major elected office can be elected without a significant integrated online strategy. This panel of experts in Internet strategy for national campaigns will look back at what we've learned through recent elections and advocacy campaigns and predict what comes next.
Sarah Granger directed Internet strategy and operations for Gary Hart's 2004 presidential exploratory organization including recruiting and training a volunteer team of 100 and launching the first blog by a politician. As founder of PublicEdge, she advises nonprofit and political organizations on new media and transparency. This year, she was given a new media award by the California Democratic Party and she is now the Director of New Media for WomenCount. She writes for The Huffington Post, techPresident, The Personal Democracy Forum, MOMocrats, BlogHer, The Political Voices of Women, The Politicus, and her own blog at sairy.com.
Blackaby is a co-founder of Blackrock Associates, a leading online strategy consulting firm for Democrats. He currently manages the firm's online strategy work for Senators Barbara Boxer, Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy, and Patty Murray along with Rep. Artur Davis, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, and Governor Don Siegelman, among other clients. Brent managed the online fundraising effort for Wes Clark's presidential campaign in 2003-04. Blackrock Associates has been awarded more than 20 "Pollie" awards from the AAPC and three "Golden Dot" awards from the IPDI. Brent was named one of Politics Magazine's "Rising Stars in Politics" in 2009.
Brian provides strategic guidance and other support to organizations around the use of the internet and technology in order to facilitate communications, engagement, education, and mobilization. He is a regular writer and speaker on issues involving the impact of the internet and technology on politics, society, and the media and is recognized for his expertise in social networks, mobile, community building, brand marketing and cause branding. Brian is the author of Media Rules!: Mastering Today's Technology to Connect With and Keep Your Audience (Wiley 2007) and blogs at www.thinkingaboutmedia.com, www.wemedia.com, and www.fastcompany.com/blog/brian-reich/im-media-te-impact.
Tracy Viselli is a blogger, advocate, and the Community Manager for ACTion Alexandria, an online civic engagement project and Knight Foundation Community Information Challenge winner.
Known in blogging circles as "Myrna the Minx" for her Nevada-based blog, Reno and Its Discontents, Viselli has explored the possibilities for online advocacy and civic engagement though her blog and projects like TwitterVoteReport, TweetProgress,and the #p2 hashtag. As a blogger, she was the first person to get the Nevada State Democratic Party on the record regarding the eventually canceled Fox-sponsored Democratic presidential primary debate in March, 2007.
Viselli regularly provides social media consulting and training and frequently speaks about social media as an effective tool for community building, engagement, and advocacy and has been quoted in several national publications including; CNN.com, The Hill, National Journal, techPresident, PBS Media Shift, and the London Times.
Viselli is the co-founder of Nevada Interactive Media and writes about politics and feminism at her own blog and Care2.com. You can always find her on Twitter where she spends far too much time @MyrnaTheMinx
Cheryl Contee, Partner at Fission Strategy, specializes in helping non-profit organizations and foundations use social media to create social good. She is also the co-founder of Jack and Jill Politics writing as “Jill Tubman” on one of the top 10 black blogs online. Cheryl is included in The Root 100 list of established and emerging African-American leaders. Fast Company has named her one of their 2010 Most Influential Women in Tech. She has over 13 years of award-winning interactive expertise and previously served as Vice President and lead digital strategist for Fleishman-Hillard’s West Coast region in San Francisco. Cheryl has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, San Francisco Magazine, BBC, and CNN, among other media appearances. She is also proud to serve on several boards and advisory committees: Netroots Nation, BlogHer, Blogging While Brown, Applied Research Center, and CommonGoods.Net. She received her B.A. from Yale University and has an International Executive M.B.A. from Georgetown University. In her spare time, Ms. Contee enjoys hiking, yoga, movies and tai chi sword.
