MINNESOTA DFL PARTY ANNOUNCES NEW COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

05/19/2007

Schwinghammer, Stiles to Join DFL Party in June


(ST. PAUL) 5/18/07 – The Minnesota DFL Party announced today that Kelly Schwinghammer and John Stiles are joining the Party's communications team in early June.

Schwinghammer joins the DFL Party as Communications Director on June 4, while Stiles joins as Associate Communications Director on June 11.

"We are very pleased that Kelly and John are joining our team. They were chosen from an exceptionally competitive field of candidates," said Brian Melendez, Minnesota DFL Chair. "They both bring to the table great knowledge of Minnesota politics, longstanding involvement with the DFL Party, and strong experience with political and strategic communications. They will complement the team already in place as we head into the 2008 cycle."

Kelly Schwinghammer previously served as Communications Specialist for SEIU, where she worked on several media campaigns, including the recent Minneapolis Justice for Janitors campaign. She has also served as Deputy Communications Director for Minnesota ACT and as Press Secretary for Families USA in Washington, D.C.

John Stiles is ending his tenure as principal aide to Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter. He has served as a senate-district chair in Saint Paul for the past three years and has worked with a number of campaigns on message and communications strategy. He also brings to the position a background in cultural anthropology and professional experience as a qualitative market researcher.

"The DFL Party is talking about the issues that matter most to Minnesotans: education, health care, jobs, transportation, and ending the war in Iraq," said Melendez. "Together with Kelly and John, we will continue the great Minnesota tradition of electing DFLers up and down the ticket in 2008 and beyond."