The Democratic National Committee Monday announced the senior management team for the 2016 presidential nominating convention in Philadelphia:
Matthew Butler will be chief of staff for the Democratic National Convention Committee, the entity that runs things from the party's end. Butler is former chief executive of Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog group dedicated to correcting what it considers conservative misinformation in news coverage. He also has been a political consultant and worked on several presidential and U.S. Senate campaigns.
Zoe Garmendia, who is to be deputy CEO for logistics, has worked in operations for Democratic conventions and presidential inaugurals over the past 20 years. She was director of site selection for the 2016 convention, and served as chief of operations for the Office of Administration in the White House from 2009-2011.
Travis Dredd will be deputy CEO for convention-complex management. A Marine Corps veteran, he was a special assistant to the secretary of energy in the Obama administration, was chief of staff on the 2012 Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C., and worked on three previous party conventions, as well as in the Executive Office of the President. Dredd was a staffer on the presidential campaigns of John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000.
April Mellody was appointed deputy CEO for communications. She is deputy chief of staff for Sen. Bob Casey (D.,Pa.). A Scranton native, Mellody has worked on many campaigns; she was a member of the famous "war room" of rapid response on Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign, and was a spokesperson in the Clinton White House. Mellody also was chief spokesman for 2010 Democratic Senate nominee Joe Sestak in 2010, and also has extensive experience in corporate communications.
Brian Bond will be deputy CEO for public engagement. He was a deputy director of the White House Office of Public Engagement in President Obama's first term. Before that, Bond was national constituency director on the 2008 Obama campaign. He also is a former executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a group dedicated to recruiting, training and electing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender candidates.
Andrew Binns will serve as deputy CEO for Innovation. He has worked on technology for the past three Democratic conventions and was the chief information officer for the 2012 gathering. Binns is a consultant in events management who has managed technology for Super Bowl halftime shows and the Tony Awards, in addition to numerous political campaigns at all levels.
The Rev. Leah Daughtry had previously been announced as CEO of the 2016 convention.
"The team we have put together showcases the diversity and talent of the Democratic Party, and they will work closely with our partners in Philadelphia to create an impactful event for the American people," Democratic National Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz said in a statement.
"Today's announcement is a great step forward for the partnership that the host committee has formed with the DNCC," Kevin Washo, executive director of the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee, said. "We've been working together on a wide range of issues since February, and we look forward to expanding our partnership."