Democratic Municipal Officials 2012 - 2014 Board of Directors Chairwoman
Cindy Lerner
Mayor, Pinecrest, FL
Democratic National Committee Executive Committee Member 
Mayor Cindy Lerner is
an attorney who gave up the active practice of law to run for political office
and has never looked back. Her legal advocacy was with the Guardian Ad Litem
Program at Miami-DadeCounty’s Juvenile Court
where she represented the best interests of thousands of abused and neglected
children, and recruited, trained and supervised hundreds of pro bono attorneys
for sixteen years. Her desire to reform
that dysfunctional system led her into politics.She suspended
the active practice of law in 1998 to focus on advocating for better, more
proactive legislative policies and priorities and was elected, in 2000, to the
Florida House of Representatives to represent District 119, which included
Pinecrest and all South Miami-Dade. Her
legislative district was eliminated in the 2002 redistricting effort however,
making it impossible to run for re-election. She continued her advocacy as a
professional consultant and sometime volunteer on numerous community boards and
child advocacy organizations. She was elected as Pinecrest’s third mayor on November 4, 2008 and re-elected for a second term without opposition on Nov 6th, 2012
Mayor Lerner is the recipient of numerous awards and
recognition for her extensive community service efforts, including : 2001 Freshman
Legislator of the Year award- Human Services Coalition Of Miami-Dade; 2001
Florida Chapter Sierra Club: Legislator
of the Year; 2001 Woman of Valor
Award-National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Miami Section; 2002 Florida League of Conservation Voters -
Silver Award ; 2006 In the Company of Women Pioneer Award , Miami Dade
County; 2007 Founders Award, Women’s
Emergency Network; 2009 Woman of Impact Award, Women’s History
Coalition; 2010 Leadership in Government
Award, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce;
2011 Democratic Municipal Official of the Year.
Mayor Lerner currently serves on the Executive Board
of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities as 2nd Vice President, on
the Miami-Dade County Community Based Care Alliance, the 21st
century Bond Oversight Committee for Miami-Dade County Public School District, Vice President
for Critical issues for Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am. Mayor
Lerner is a graduate of Tulane University and Emory
University School of Law. Mayor Lerner
is married to Dr. Irv Lerner, a veterinarian, and they have three adult
children.
Chair Emeritus
ERIC GARCETTI
City Council President in Los Angeles, CA *(Note - resigning as Council President, but retaining seat on council. Is an announced candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles for the open seat in the March 5, 2013 election.) 
A fourth-generation Angeleno, Eric Garcetti grew up in Los Angeles and was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2001, becoming one of the youngest city councilmembers elected in the city's history. He was re-elected in 2005 and later that year was chosen by his peers to lead the City Council as its President. In his first two terms in office, he has emerged as an effective local problem-solver and a progressive voice on citywide and national issues. Since his election, Council President Garcetti led the creation of the nation's largest Affordable Housing Trust Fund, oversaw the economic and cultural revitalization of Hollywood, initiated programs to build more parks and clean up our drinking water, and helped fight to reduce the city's business tax and bring more than five thousand new high wage jobs to Los Angeles and his district. In 2006, on behalf of the Kennedy family and Kennedy Library, Caroline Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy gave the prestigious New Frontier Award to Garcetti, awarded to one elected official in the country under 40 years of age that best embodies John F. Kennedy's vision of leadership and idealism.
In addition to his service at the local level, Garcetti serves in the United States Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant Junior Grade. He also served as the Obama Campaign Co-Chair for California. Prior to his election, Eric Garcetti taught public policy, diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College and the University of Southern California and was active with numerous community and non-profit groups including Human Rights Watch, the Pobladores Fund, and the Roth Family Foundation. He has worked on human rights issues on four continents. Eric Garcetti studied urban planning and political science at Columbia University, where he received his B.A. and M.A. in International Relations. He studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and the London School of Economics. He is married to Amy Elaine Wakeland. The couple are foster parents to two teenage children.
Chair Emeritus
JOE MOORE
Former Democratic National Committee Executive Board Member
Alderman in Chicago, IL 
Known as a pioneer for political reform, governmental transparency and democratic governance, Joe Moore has
represented Chicago's 49th Ward since 1991. the 49th Ward is one of the
nation's most economically and racially diverse communities. In 2011
he was re-elected with 72% of the vote. Moore recently served on
the Board of the National League of Cities (NLC), a national
organization that advocates on behalf of America's cities and towns, and
now serves on its advisory council. In the past, he has chaired several
NLC committees including the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources
Policy and Advocacy Committee and the Central Cities Council. Moore also
served on the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee
(DNC) where DNC Chairman, Governor Howard Dean, appointed Moore to a
newly formed DNC Committee on Budget and Finance. Vice-Chairman
MYRON LOWERY
Democratic National Committee Member
City Council Member and Former Mayor of Memphis, TN 
Myron Lowery is a man who cares about people. He views his public service on the City Council as an extension of the community service he has provided most of his life.
Representative to the DNC
MILDRED CRUMP
Democratic National Committee Member
City Council Member from Newark, NJ
Mildred Crump was sworn in as Newark 's first African-American councilwoman in the city’s 336-year history on July 1, 1994, bringing a much needed perspective to that governing body. A long-time community activist, she has been a consummate and consistent advocate for women, children, senior citizens, the disabled, working families, and those in need. In July 2006, she was again sworn in as councilwoman at-large. And she again made history when she was elected as the first female president of the Newark Municipal Council, where she served until 2010. In addition to local service on numerous boards, Crump has held leadership positions with: - First African-American President, Greater Newark Chapter of the New Jersey State Opera Guild
- Founding Member, New Jersey Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.
- Founding Member National Political Congress for Black Women of Newark
- Founding Member Global Women's Leadership Collaborative of New Jersey
- Member, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, a public service sorority
Crump was born in Detroit, Michigan, where she attended and graduated from the local public schools. Upon graduation from Wayne State University, she received the David D. McKenzie Honor Society Award as the "Most Outstanding Female Student for Leadership and Scholarship." Again making history, she was the first African-American Braille teacher in Detroit, and upon moving to New Jersey in 1965, she became the first African-American Braille teacher in this state. Mildred Crump is a competitive Bridge player.
Secretary
GREG PETTIS
Cathedral City, CA
City Council Member
Though a resident of Cathedral City since 1979, Greg didn’t become involved with Cathedral City government until much later. Initially working in hospitality and realty, Greg did not run for election until 1994. Nevertheless, his foray into politics was a success and he has served as a councilmember ever since. Greg has made a powerful impact on the lives of Cathedral City residents by developing a first-time homebuyer program, completing the city’s new public library, and assisting the police and other agencies to crack down on drug abuse in the Cathedral City area. He also helped oversee the rejuvenation of the city’s downtown area. Greg is currently working on initiatives to improve the health care system, environment, education, and economy. Other notable positions he holds include executive director of the Palms Spring Youth Center, President of the city’s Rotary Club, and board member of both United Cerebral Palsy of the Desert and the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy. He received his B.A. from Azusa Pacific University, his M.B.A. from University of Phoenix and graduated from a municipal government program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Greg Pettis was named our DMO of the Year in 2012. Treasurer
Sharon McDonald
Revenue Commissioner from Norfolk, VA  In November 1997, Sharon McDonald
was elected Commissioner of the Revenue for the City of Norfolk, the first
woman to be elected to any of the five constitutional offices in Norfolk's
history. A native of Philadelphia and a
graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Sharon McDonald moved to Norfolk with
her husband in 1980, earned her Master of Business Administration degree from
Old Dominion University, and embarked on a career in banking, ultimately
advancing to the position of Vice President of Commercial Lending with Crestar
Bank, Sharon McDonald began her own company, the Mediation Center of Hampton Roads,
a firm specializing in conflict resolution.
Sharon McDonald became active in
politics, raising funds for candidates and serving as chairwoman of the local
Women's Political Caucus. Well-qualified
for the position of Commissioner of the Revenue, Sharon McDonald proved an
adept campaigner, promising to modernize the office and extend business hours
for the convenience of taxpayers and business owners. Finance Chair
Ian Pfeiffer
Alderman from Annapolis, MD
Alderman Pfeiffer received a Bachelors degree in Political
Science from California State University at Sonoma. In 2001, he joined the staff of Congressman
Bob Filner (D-CA) as his Legislative Director. In this capacity, he managed the
Member’s legislative operations with a focus on his role as a Senior Member of
the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In addition, he also served as the staff associate to
Representative Filner when he served as Ranking Member to the Subcommittee on
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
After many years on Capitol Hill, Pfeiffer accepted a year-long fellowship and
earned a Master’s in Public Administration and Politics degree from the Edward
J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University. While in graduate school, he developed the
framework for an independent government relations consulting practice that
would focus on smaller municipalities, companies, and community organizations,
particularly those with transportation projects. He was interested in helping the kind of
groups he saw as a Congressional staffer who had very legitimate business
before the federal government but had little understanding of how Washington
worked. Pfeiffer Government Relations
was born in 2005. President of the DMO Council of State Chairs
DAN BESSE
City Council Member from Winston-Salem, NC 
Dan currently serves on the Board of the National League of Cities (NLC) and as chair of the Large Cities Council for NLC. He also serves as a member of the NLC Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Policy and Advocacy Committee. Dan Besse Served by appointment of the N.C. Governor on state rulemaking commissions:
* N.C. Environmental Management Commission (1993-2005)
* N.C. Sedimentation Control Commission (1994-2002)
* N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (1985-1993)
* N.C. Emergency Response Commission (1987-1992)
He most recently served as a member of the N.C. Climate Action Plan Advisory Group (2007-2008), which assisted the N.C. Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change with background, technical data, and action recommendations.
Dan represents the City of Winston-Salem on the following regional bodies:
* Piedmont Triad Early Action Compact. (Dan chairs the stakeholders committee for this regional effort for cleaner air.)
*Winston-Salem Urban Area Transportation Advisory Committee. (Dan represents the city on this regional planning board for transportation improvements.) Dan graduated North Carolina public schools, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and UNC School of Law.
Active member, Ardmore Neighborhood Association. He is a public interest attorney and educator. He is a teacher and educator and has taught courses on environmental law, environmental policy, and government, at N.C. State University, Guilford College, Duke University, Forsyth Technical Community College, and Winston-Salem State University.
DMO President of Council Policy Leaders
HON. DAVID MAYER
Gloucester Township, NJ
Mayor
In 2010 the Honorable David Mayer became the mayor of Gloucester Township
in New Jersey. While fairly recent, his commitment and
dedication to the people of New
Jersey has not been.
In fact, David Mayer has a long history of working for the benefit of New Jersey and its
residents. Earning his B.A. from Rutgers University
in 1990, he went on to earn his M.P.A. from there as well, and in 2001 he
earned his J.D. from their School
of Law. Educated by one of New Jersey’s premiere universities, he began
his career in government immediately after earning his B.A. From 1990-1995 he served as the District
Director for Representative Robert Andrews.
He then went on to serve as the chief of staff to Camden County Clerk
James Beach until 2003. However, one
year prior, in 2002, he was elected to Gloucester Township’s
Council for one year before running for the State Assembly. He served in the assembly in 2003 and 2005
before returning to the municipal level and embarking on the road to mayor of Gloucester Township. Particular interests and areas of skill
include education and financial reform.
DMO Board Member HON. MONICA ALONZO
Dallas, TX
City Council Member 
Representing District 6 of Dallas, TX, Monica is putting her
focus on communication, infrastructure, safety, and economic development. Prior to her government work, Monica was
revered as a business and community leader in the sixth district. Monica’s accomplishments include serving on
the Dallas Parks and Recreation and Sundown
Community Corp. Boards, acting as the chairperson for the Planning and
Designing Committee of her district, acting as an advisory council member for
St. Cecilia Catholic School, and her membership with the Oak Cliff Coalition
for the arts. Bringing a fresh
perspective to her district, Monica is using her skillful leadership to create
change at the municipal level.
Board Member and Minnesota State Chair
SANDRA COLVIN-ROY
City Council Member from Minneapolis, MN 
First Elected in 1997, Sandra Colvin Roy previously served on the Hennepin
County Board of Commissioners, District 1 staff, 1985-1997. She has 15 years of
small business experience. Sandra Colvin Roy was appointed by Governor
Arne Carlson to the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission,
1991-1993.
Former member: Nokomis East Neighborhood Association Board and Economic
Development Committee. Member: Sierra Club, Citizens for a Better Environment,
Minnesota Women's Political Caucus, Transit for Livable Communities. Active
volunteer for 20 years in Minneapolis arts, parks, public schools and Girl
Scouts. Life-long Twin Cities resident.
She serves on these City Council Committees: Claims, Elections,
Intergovernmental Relations, Rules, Taxes, Transportation and Public Works
(Chair), Ways & Means/Budget, Zoning and Planning
She serves on the Minneapolis/Joint Water Commission Governance Task Force,
and the Water Monitoring Task Force. She is the former Chair of the
Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Steering Committee at the National
League of Cities and Vice Chair of the National Organization to Insure a
Sound-controlled Environment (NOISE). She also serves on the Blue Water
Association.
Board Member
HON. HENRIETTA DAVIS
Cambridge, MA
Vice-Mayor
Henrietta Davis was elected to the Cambridge City Council in 1995 and is
currently the City’s Vice Mayor. She is the Chair of the Council’s Environment
Committee. Ms. Davis is the past Chair of the National League of Cities’
Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Committee. She also serves on the
Massachusetts Municipal Association Energy and Environmental Policy Committee.
Vice Mayor Davis is a member of the Board of the International Council for
Local Environmental Initiatives. Henrietta has traveled abroad to network
with municipal officials and other government and business leaders, serving in
an ambassador-like capacity to demonstrate how municipalities in the U.S. are
taking the lead on green building, neighborhood sustainability, and other
environmental issues. She's simultaneously brings home information on
state-of-the-art technologies and best practices which she is putting to work
to make Cambridge, Massachusetts a model of sustainability.
In 2009, Henrietta Davis represented the National League of Cities at theUnited
Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. At a meeting with US State
Department officials in Copenhagen, Henrietta Davis testified about the
on-going accomplishments of local governments and the need for federal support
to expand and strengthen locally-led climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Davis and others represented the National League of Cities at the European
Green Capital Conference.
After earning a degree in social work from Boston College in 1972,
Councillor Davis worked as a neighborhood planner for the City of Cambridge and
a freelance journalist for National Public Radio, Time Inc. and others.
In 1997, Henrietta graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government
earning her Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
DMO Board Member
HON. BRAD LANDER
New York, NY
City Council Member
 Representing the 39th
district of Brooklyn, Brad has enacted countless reforms and programs to
improve the quality of life for everyday New Yorkers. Brad started his career in non-profit work,
holding the title of executive director at the Fifth Avenue Committee, creating
affordable housing and job opportunities.
He then continued his great work at the Pratt Center for Community
Development, making improvements in low-income neighborhoods. Other professional experience includes acting
as the chair of Brooklyn’s Community Board 6, board chair of JFREJ, and
co-chair of Housing First. In 2009 he
resigned from his position at FAC and won a city council seat with 69.7 % of
the votes. Brad attended University of
Chicago where he was a recipient of the Truman Scholarship, University College
of London, and Pratt Institute. He is
currently an adjunct professor at Brooklyn’s Law School as well. He has received recognition from Rolling Stone Magazine and both the Ford and Fannie Mae foundations. He currently lives in Park Slope with his wife and two
children.
DMO Board Member HON. NICK LICATA
Seattle, WA
City Council Member  Nick Licata grew up a political activist, but did not make
his foray in politics until 1998. Prior
to that, Nick worked in insurance, journalism, and education. However, once he joined Seattle’s City Council he hit the ground
running and is now serving his fourth consecutive term. During his time on the City Council Nick has
began Seattle’s Poet Populist Position, writes and maintains Urban Politics, an electronic
newsletter, founded the Civic Foundation (which promotes neighborhood issues),
is the acting President of the 911 Media Arts Board, founded Friends of
Westlake Park, acts as the founding board member of CHHIP, and much more. He has a history of defending first amendment
rights, protecting the environment and character of Seattle,
and vehemently oppose redlining in Seattle
and elsewhere. Nick Licata earned his
B.A. from Bowling Green State University
and his M.A. from Washington
University.
DMO Board MemberHON. MELISSA MARK-VIVIERTONew York, NYCity Council Member 
Born and raised in
Puerto Rico, Melissa now calls New York’s 8th district home. In 1991 she earned a B.A. in political
science from Columbia College at Columbia University and upon graduating she
continued onward in her education, earning an M.P.A. from City University of
New York. After earning her degrees and
before running for city council she was the Strategic Organizer for 1199 United
Health Care Worker’s East, director of Hispanic Education and Legal Fund (HELF)
and deputy director of ASPIRA of New York.
She also worked on the presidential campaigns of Howard Dean and John
Kerry. She is proud to be the first
Puerto Rican woman to serve on the 8th District’s council. During her first term she made significant
reforms to public housing, and in 2009 she was elected to her second term. Outside of her role as a councilmember,
Melissa is a social rights activist serving on the board for New York’s largest
Spanish circulating newspaper, and serving as a delegate to the World
Conference against Racism and the International Women’s Conference.
Board Member
James Mitchell, Jr.
City Council Member in Charlotte, NC
Past-President of the National League of Cities 
James Mitchell, Jr., in addition to serving as NLC Past-President, is the former chairman of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) Foundation, former president of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO), a board member of the NLC Leadership Training Council, NLC Institute of Youth, Education, and Family. He is the past president of the North Carolina Black Elected Municipals Officials (NCBEMO) and served on the board of the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM).
James is a compassionate leader in his community and is a strong national leader. He exemplifies what we look for in DMO leaders. Municipal leaders across this country are helping to move Democratic priorities at the local level, they are insisting that local concerns be heard and acted upon at the national level, and they are serving their communities every single day. Board Member
A. C. Wharton
Mayor of Memphis, TN 
A C Wharton Jr. is the 63rd mayor of the City of Memphis and the eighth mayor since city government was restructured into a mayor-City Council form of government in 1968.Mayor Wharton attended Tennessee State University, where he majored in political science and graduated with honors in 1962. Six years later, he entered the University of Mississippi Law School, where he was one of the first African-American students to serve on the Moot Court Board and the first African-American to serve on the Judicial Council. He graduated with honors in 1971, and three years later, he became the first African-American professor of law at University of Mississippi, a position that he held for 25 years. In October, 2009, Mayor Wharton was elected Memphis Mayor with 61 percent of the vote in a field of 25 candidates. Filling the unexpired term left by the resignation of the former mayor, he announced the most detailed platform in modern Memphis politics, and since taking the oath of office, he has been energetic in implementing it. As a result, Memphis is in motion, achieving a record number of "firsts” that have reduced crime, improved city services, enhanced quality of life, and created new good-paying jobs for Memphians. In addition, for the first time in decades, Memphis is involved in national conversations about cities, including the Obama White House, U.S. Conference of Mayors, Brookings Institution, CEOs for Cities, National Endowment for the Arts, Mayor’s Institute of Civic Design. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg asked Mayor Wharton to help review his city’s anti-poverty plans, and with Mayor Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Mayor Wharton is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition. Mayor Wharton was reelected in 2011 for a full four-year term with 65 percent of the vote to 28 percent for his nearest opponent. He took office January 1, 2012, with a promise to usher in a new era of communication and collaboration and a concentrated focus on four key priorities: reinvesting in safe and vibrant neighborhoods, creating jobs and prosperity of all, giving every child a fair start in life through early childhood development, and a high-performing government that fights crime and inefficiency. Mayor and Mrs. Wharton have been married 41 years and have raised six sons. Mayor Wharton was honored with the DMO Susan Burgess Memorial Award in 2012 given to a DMO who demonstrates a strong commitment to public education.
Board Member
MATT ZONE
City Council Member in Cleveland, OH 
Councilman Matt Zone grew up in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood on Cleveland’s near west side and was elected to office in November of 2001. On council, Matt chairs the Sustainability Committee and is a member of the City Planning, Community & Economic Development, Health & Human Services, Personnel & Operations and Public Safety Committees. Matt is recognized nationally, regionally and locally as a leader on environmental and arts & cultural issues. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the National League of Cities – Energy, Environment and Natural Resource committee. Regionally, Matt is the Past-President of the Northeast Ohio City Council Association (NOCCA) and one of the original members of the Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force, which is working to create off-shore wind generation in Lake Erie. He also serves on the steering committee of the Regional Prosperity Initiative (RPI) which is working to create a "Smart Growth” plan and "Revenue Sharing” for NE Ohio.
Former Board Members now serving DMO as Founding Members of our Democratic Leaders Advisory Committee
OTTO LEE
Outgoing (term-limited) City Council Member in Sunnyvale, CA
Attorney/Partner at the Intellectual Property Law Group, LLP
Charles Pugh
City Council President for Detroit, MI 
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Mayor of Baltimore, MD 
Malcolm Chapman
Former City Council Member, Rapid City South Dakota
Owner, The Chapman Group 
HON. YIAWAY YEH
Palo Alto, CA
Outgoing Mayor
|
|
|
Latest News |
There are currently no news items posted. |
| ~ ~ Donate Today ~ ~
|
|
Print to Page
