Alumni Map
Click a marker on the map to reveal the location of an Alum! To zoom in, use the buttons on the top left.
ALUMNI PROFILES
(In order of Class Year)
Travis Radina – Class of 2008 – Ann Arbor, MI
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
Education
Coordinator 2006 Election. PR Director S4Granholm, Stabenow in 2006.
MSA Endorsement Co-Coordinator. Chair, Students for John Edwards for
President, 2008. ...this is starting to turn into an email signature.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
I am working with the Michigan Democratic Party until November. I have a position in the Communications Department.
Advice to current college students:
Don't be a fool...stay in school. And take the opportunities that are given to you. Politics is all about timing, for candidates AND students. Its not every day that you will be given a great opportunity to get involved, so if this is what you want to do, jump on it.
Kyle Sutton – Class of 2008 – Washington, DC
A funny memory from your time in Dems:
Sam Harper not being able to say a question properly during Thursday Thoughts
Ryan Werder – Class of 2007 – Ann Arbor, MI
A funny memory from your time in Dems:
Putting on Supreme Court Justice robes for a "Stop Alito" event, and then having someone ask me why I dressed like Harry Potter.
What can we do to better support our Alumni?
Keep up the networking and updates about what the Dems are up to and are accomplishing.
Ramya Raghavan – Class of 2006 – San Francisco, CA
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
I
was the Chair of the College Dems in 2004, and spearheaded all Dems
activities to elect John Kerry. We spent four days canvassing in Ohio
during Fall Break, and it was amazing to work in such a crucial state
(at least the counties we visited went blue!).
The previous
year, I headed up Students for Howard Dean (YARRR!!!) and took two
roadtrips to Iowa (one during fall break, and the other during caucus
weekend). Definitely one of the best experiences of my college career.
I also did issue organizing work around affirmative action (went to DC
to rally in front of the Supreme Court), choice, and the Greenbelt
initiative.
Proudest achievements: planning the very
first Dingell pancake breakfast, convincing Fisher that the slogan
"Democrats Make Better Lovers" was a winner, and planning the first
alumni night (by accident).
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
I'm
currently living in San Francisco, and managing the YouTube Nonprofits
Program. I am also doing some work to promote political content on
YouTube. Before that, I spent two years in DC working at Campus
Progress, the youth outreach arm of the Center for American Progress,
where I served as the Communications and Outreach Manager. I continued
to do work with progressive Michigan students, including the UMCD. I'm
also happy to report that my best friends remain the amazing folks that
I met through the College Dems :)
Advice to current college students:
Work
hard. Play hard. Knock on doors and plan events, but eat burritos and
drink beer too. Make connections with other student groups on campus
(students of color, other progressive orgs, etc). Take road trips--good
for insta-bonding and a way to experience a different part of the
political landscape. Don't join secret societies.
A funny memory from your time in Dems:
My 1st canvassing trip, I went into an old lady's house because she asked me. She kept me there for about an hour licking stamps
What can we do to better support our Alumni?
Stay in touch, keep alumni night alive.
Libby Benton – Class of 2006 – Washington, DC
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
During
my time at Michigan I served as the Vice Chair of Students for Dean,
Chair of Voice Your Vote, and the Vice Chair and then Chair of the
College Democrats. I loved my time at Michigan and really value my
involvement in with College Democrats. I especially love organizing
campaigning road trips, launching the "Res Hall Captains" program, and
standing on the Diag for hours registering voters or passing out
quarter sheets.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
After
graduating in April of 2006, I worked as a field organizer for the
Michigan Democratic Coordinated Campaign in Michigan's 12th
Congressional District. I also spent time on the Andy Levin for State
Senate Campaign. In November of 2006 I moved to Washington DC to work
in the office of Congressman Sander Levin. I have really enjoyed my
time on the Hill working as a Staff Assistant, Legislative
Correspondent, and Legislative Assistant. I plan to attend law school
in the fall of 2008.
Advice to current college students:
Knock doors and knock back shots but don't forget to go to class, good grades will come in handy later.
Elizabeth Towell – Class of 2005 – Brooklyn, NY
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
First
became involved in the Students for Dean and went with the group to
Iowa for the 2004 Caucus. I then joined the E-Board for the 2004-2005
school year and was involved in Voter Registration. I ultimately
worked on the Kerry campaign (phone-banking, canvassing, etc.) and also
canvassed on election day to get out the student vote.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
I
am about to enter my final year of school at Brooklyn Law School. I am
working at the Legal Aid Society this summer in the Prisoner's Rights
Project focusing on Mental Health issues facing prisoners. My work is
essentially to ensure that the State Prison system complies with a
settlement agreement where they are to guarantee certain treatment and
mental health housing options.
A random memory from your time in Dems:
Painting the rock on election morning
What can we do to better support our Alumni?:
Maybe have networking events in other cities where there are large numbers of alumni.
Pete Woiwode – Class of 2005 – Oakland, CA
Rob Goodspeed – Class of 2004 – Washington, DC
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
I was an active member and webmaster during my freshman and sophomore years.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
Earned a graduate degree in Urban Planning from the University of Maryland in 2008.
Rebecca Parks – Class of 2003 – Chicago, IL
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
I was at Michigan from August 2000 to December 2003. During that time I was an active member of College Dems and I volunteered for MARAL, the Granholm and Dean campaigns as well as for the Greenbelt Initiative in Ann Arbor.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
Immediately after leaving Michigan, I took an internship with the League of Conservation Voters which turned into a job as the organization's Campaigns Assistant. After that, I worked for two years as a Senior Project Manager for Gragert Research, a Democratic opposition research consulting firm. I currently work as a Researcher and Director of Tracking for Obama for America in Chicago.
Advice to current college students:
Volunteer a lot. Be a steady non-flaky volunteer and people will notice. College Dems is fun, but it is not necessary to pursue a leadership role in the organization to have a successful career in politics
Michael Simon – Class of 2003 – Michigan
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
I
took two semesters off from college -- Fall 2000 and Fall 2002 -- to
work for campaigns, as an organizer in what is now the 9th CD for the
Coordinated Campaign in 2000, and in 2002 as the Director of Scheduling
for Jennifer Granholm's campaign for Governor. In 2001-2002 I served on
the Executive Board as a sort of "Senior Advisor" (I didn't have any
actual responsibility), and in 2002-2003 served as the Political
Director of the Michigan Federation of College Dems.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
When
I graduated college, I went to work as Deputy State Director on John
Kerry's primary campign here in Michigan, and then went to work in the
Washington, D.C. Headquarters as an electoral planning strategist in
the general election. Following the election, I served as Director of
Special Projects for Sen. John Kerry's PAC in Washington DC. I
graduated in May of 2008 from the University of Michigan Law School.
During law school, I was a consultant to Jennifer Granholm's campaign
for Governor in 2006, planning and running the Election Day operation,
and also as Sen. Barack Obama's chief advisor on Michigan during his
primary campaign. I presently serve as the Michigan Director of Obama
for America.
Advice to current college students:
Find
a mentor. I wouldn't have had most of the opportunities that I had if I
hadn't found people that I liked working for early who respected me and
my work, and helped give me a boost when I needed one, and advice when
I thought I didn't.
Eric Feldman – Class of 2002 – Washington, DC
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
I
was chair of the University of Michigan College Democrats 2001-2002 and
vice-chair in 2000-2001. Working with my board I brought Sen. Russ
Feingold to speak at the Union Ballroom and the College Republicans
joined with us on an event in Hill Auditorium featuring Sen. Evan Bayh
and Sen. John McCain.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
Since
I left Michigan I have been very involved in politics in Washington
D.C. I have worked for Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), then Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi, and three cycles at the Research Department at the DCCC
where I ultimately served as Deputy Research Director. I currently
serve as Policy Director for House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm
Emanuel. Life in D.C. has been fun and often filled with my fellow
Michigan alumni who have come in gone during my years here. I got
married during March 2008.
Advice to current college students:
Intern, get good grades, but if you really want to get ahead in politics, be lucky and have good timing.
Joshua Samek – Class of 2002 – Miami, FL
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
Got involved with Students for Gore in 2000, ended up being counsel for College Dems under the Feldman administration.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
Scheduler
for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, 2002-2004 University of Miami School of
Law, 2004-2007 Associate, Greenberg Traurig P.A., Miami, FL 2007-present
A funny memory from your time in College Democrats:
Eric Feldman - there's nothing funnier than that.
Any other comments?
Go Blue!
Alicia Johnson – Class of 2002 – Washington, DC
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
I was chair of Students for Gore in 2000.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
I have worked as a fundraiser in various capacities for Senator Jean Carnahan, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and most recently have been serving as Senator Bill Nelson (FL)'s Finance Director.
A funny memory from your time in Dems:
Living through election night 2000 with Eric Feldman and others may be not be a funny memory, but a distinct memory to this day.
Jim Secreto – Class of 2002 – Washington, DC
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
I've worked on several Democratic campaigns and at a political consulting firm in Washington, DC. House Oversight Committee.
Advice to current college students:
Work on a campaign and don't be afraid to work hard!
Ryan Friedrichs – Class of 1999 – Detroit
Tell us about your time at Michigan and your involvement with the UMCD.
Founded Voice Your Vote in 1996 with some other activists from UMCD.
Tell us about your time since you left Michigan.
Went on tour with MTV's Choose or Lose 2000 campaign, helped found Youth Vote Coalition, went to Harvard's Kennedy School in 2001-03, came back to MI to work in 2006 elections here, now in Detroit running ccp.org which hosts 16 state progressive policy and voter engagement coalitions around the country.
Advice to current college students:
Get involved, stay involved. Make a career of getting paid to fight for what you believe in.
