Biden Campaign Press Release - Biden for President Announces Key Staff Hires in Florida

Today, Biden for President announced key staff hires in Florida – including Florida natives and former staff from Organizing Together 2020, the Obama-Biden and Gillum campaigns, and various state and amendment races.

"We are thrilled to bring together some of the most talented and experienced minds in Florida Democratic politics to oversee a Florida operation that will reflect the state's diversity and prioritize the issues Floridians care about," said Jenn Ritter, Battleground States Director, Biden for President. "We look forward to competing aggressively in the Sunshine state, and Jackie, Juan, Brandon and Karen will lead the team that will turn Florida blue and help send Joe Biden to the White House."

Jackie Lee, State Director
Jackie Lee joined the Biden for President Campaign in Oct 2019 and helped secure the overwhelming victory in the Florida Presidential Primary. She is a top Florida consultant specializing in campaign management, issue advocacy and public affairs. She served in leadership in both of President Obama's successful campaigns, as General Election Director in 2008 and Senior Advisor overseeing all GOTV operations in 2012. She has also managed numerous ballot amendments including the successful FairDistricts Amendment 5 and 6 Campaign in 2010 and most recently for the successful Second Chances Amendment 4 Campaign – Florida Felon's Rights Restoration effort. She lives in Orlando and enjoys spending time at Walt Disney World.

Brandon Thompson, Coordinated Director
Brandon joins the Biden team after leading Organizing Together 2020's Florida operation. Previously, Brandon managed the Super Tuesday states program for Senator Kamala Harris' presidential campaign as Director of National Campaigns. An '08 and '12 Obama campaign veteran, Brandon worked previously in Central Florida on Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, and has since served in several state and national roles for campaigns and progressive organizations, including as National Field Director for For Our Future, and National Training Director for the DCCC.

Juan Peñalosa, Senior Advisor and Executive Director of Florida Democratic Party
Juan Peñalosa has served as the Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party since March of 2018. Together with FDP Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo, Peñalosa has grown the Democratic Party's vote-by-mail enrollment edge over Republicans to 400,000 voters along as well as increasing statewide Democratic voter registration margins. Juan came to FDP after a decade serving as a communications specialist and strategist for some of the largest progressive and Democratic campaigns in Florida and the US, including work with the Democracy Alliance, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Human Rights Campaign and the Gill Foundation. Juan's is a second-generation Colombian American. Juan has worked and lived in nearly two dozen countries and now resides in Miami Beach.

Karen Andre, Senior Advisor and Senior Advisor to National Faith Outreach
Karen Andre is a highly sought after and respected political consultant who has advised and directed strategy for elected officials, campaigns and candidates at the federal, state and local level. Most recently, she served as Political Director of Organizing Together 2020 in Florida where she helped build a state-wide partnership coalition. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor for Gillum for Governor during his triumphant primary win as Democratic nominee for governor of Florida in 2018. In 2014, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as White House Liaison to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Karen is president of People First Strategies utilizing her extensive experience in establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships in the private, philanthropic and public sectors. She is also an attorney, author, and professional speaker. Karen is a proud first generation Haitian-American.