Obama Ally Organizing For Action Has Major Leadership Change

(javscript:void(0))
iOS app (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-huffington-post/id306621789?mt=8)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/28/organizing-for-action-le...
Desktop Alerts Log in Create Account

Android app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.huffingtonpost.android&hl=en) More (/big-news/#politics)

197

Share
January 16, 2015
(https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F
80
%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2014%2F10%2F28%2Forganizing-
for-action-leadership_n_6061608.html)
Tweet
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/politics)
(https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?lang=en&
3
text=Big+Management+Shakeup+At+Pro- Edition: U.S. Follow Newsletters Huffington Post Search

Obama+Organizing+For+Action+http%3A%2F
Comment
%2Fhuff.to%2F1szJilz) FRONT PAGE POLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA WORLDPOST SPORTS TECH
(HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM) (HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM (HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM (HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM (HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM (HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM (HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM (HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM
Politics (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/politics/) Pollster (http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster) Elections 2014 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/elections-2014)
/POLITICS/) /BUSINESS/) /ENTERTAINMENT/) /MEDIA/) /THEWORLDPOST/) /SPORTS/) /TECHNOLOGY/)
2016 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/elections-2016) Eat The Press (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/eat-the-press/)

HuffPost Hill (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hill/signup.html) CPI (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-center-for-public-integrity/)

Third Metric (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/third-metric/) Howard Fineman's Political Read (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/political-read/)

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/15/tom- (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01 (http://www.huffingtonpost.co

/14/obama-paid-leave_n_6473878.html) wolf-yuengling_n_6483370.html) /12/barack-obama-reggie-love_n_6458848.html) snyder-veto_n_6479478.html
White House Makes Push For Paid Pennsylvania Lawmaker Claims Here's How Obama Reacted When He Governor Vetoes Controv
Family Leave Yuengling Beer Is Banned From Walked In On An Aide Who Was With Bill Over Domestic Violen
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com Governor-Elect's Inauguration Someone In Bed (http://www.huffingtonpo
/2015/01/14/obama- (http://www.huffingtonpost.com (http://www.huffingtonpost.com /2015/01/15/rick-snyder-
paid-leave_n_6473878.html) /2015/01/15/tom- /2015/01/12/barack-obama-reggie- veto_n_6479478.html
wolf-yuengling_n_6483370.html) love_n_6458848.html)

Sam Stein (/sam-stein/) Become a fan (/users (/users(http://twitter.com ADVERTISEMENT

/becomeFan.php?of=hp_blogger_Sam Stein)
/login/)
/samsteinHP)
stein@huffingtonpost.com (mailto:stein@huffingtonpost.com) Advertisement

Buy LifeLock Protection

Obama Ally Organizing For Action LifeLock Ultimate Plus With New Data
Breach Notifications

Has Major Leadership Change LifeLock.com

Posted: 10/28/2014 11:49 am EDT Updated: 11/02/2014 12:59 pm EST Try Equifax
Take control of your credit with Equifax
Complete Premier
www.equifax.com

American Express Travel

Explore Great Travel Offers When Booking
With American Express.
americanexpress.com/Travel

SSUUGGGGEESSTTEEDD FFOORR YYOOUU

2. Why Mitch McConnell Plans To
Troll Elizabeth Warren

2 months ago huffingtonpost.com The

Huffington Post HuffingtonPost.com
(AOL) Zach Carter Zach Carter
elizabeth warren mitch mcconnell
1. George Zimmerman Told Motorist,
'Do You Know Who I Am? I Will
WASHINGTON -- Organizing for Action, the nonprofit advocacy group birthed for F***ing Kill You': Police
President Barack Obamas two presidential campaigns, is getting a face-lift.

Jon Carson, the organizations first and only executive director, will step down on
Dec. 1 to be replaced by Sara El-Amine, the organizations national grassroots
organizing director. Abby Witt, OFAs deputy national issues campaign director, is
being promoted to managing director.
4 months ago huffingtonpost.com The
The change in leadership signals a refined focus for the group, moving more toward Huffington Post AOL Forex Andres
training advocates than advocating policy. But officials with OFA say they will Jauregui Andres Jauregui zimmerman
continue to do both. do you know who i am
3. Ted Cruz's Obamacare Nightmare
El-Amine will take over at a critical time. The group will be in the midst of a campaign Comes to Life
to get people signed up for health insurance during the second enrollment period of
Obamacare. December also promises to be a busy month during the lame duck
session of Congress, as leaders try to finish business on everything from judicial
appointments to transportation legislation.

But in an interview with The Huffington Post, both Carson and El-Amine said they
feel confident the transition to a new masthead will go smoothly. Carson, who is 4 months ago huffingtonpost.com The
heading off to work at a solar company, will serve as co-chair of OFA's board of Huffington Post Huffington Post
directors, alongside Jim Messina, Obamas second campaign manager and OFAs first Mobile Benjamin Hart Benjamin Hart
chairman. Most Popular on HuffPost
4. Jon Stewart Warns Black People
About The Dangers Of Pointing
Im going to stay actively involved, said Carson. And Im just incredibly excited
about the work for 2015 and also Sara El-Amine, who is the best grassroots organizer
that I know.

A 501(c)4 group with a vast reservoir of human resources, OFA has surprised political
observers with how far under the radar it has chosen to operate. Known for being a
grassroots organizing force that helped propel Obama to two presidential election
victories, the organization has chosen to invest resources in policy fights and training 2 months ago huffingtonpost.com The
Huffington Post Huffington Post
volunteers.
Mobile Ed Mazza Ed Mazza Most
Popular on HuffPost
That hasnt always pleased national Democrats, some of whom have complained that 5. Poll Shows Republicans' Priorities
the partys proverbial Ferrari is being left parked in the garage; others have wondered May Be Misplaced
whether the influence of OFA was really just the appeal of Obama.

Along the way, OFA has scored some policy victories and had some swings and
misses. On gun control, the group, like the president and much of the Democratic
Party, came up short on federal reform. But it also helped pass legislation in several
states. One of those, Washington, is considering a ballot initiative this week to expand
background checks.
a month ago huffingtonpost.com The
Huffington Post HuffingtonPost.com
Perhaps the groups biggest success, however, came on an issue that seemed for a (AOL) By DINA CAPPIELLO By
moment to be a crippling embarrassment. OFA played an instrumental role in driving DINA CAPPIELLO republicans
registration for Obamacare up to 8 million (a number that has since dipped) after the carbon limits
new health care systems website failures initially made that goal seem unattainable. 6. Britney Spears Debuts At Bob
Haircut At Lingerie Launch
Usually, when you do advocacy work, you have a political fight so that one day, policy
will change and youll make peoples lives better, said Carson. This was backwards in
that we were directly making peoples lives better. Our volunteers at enrollment fairs
were getting people information that directly led to those people getting health care
coverage, which then completely changed the conversation around the [Affordable
Care Act].
3 months ago huffingtonpost.com The
Carson and El-Amine cited the second health care enrollment period as just one of the Huffington Post HuffingtonPost.com
critical issues OFA is gearing up to tackle. One of the others was climate change. The (AOL) Cavan Sieczkowski Cavan
group will work in statehouses nationwide to help with the implementation of the Sieczkowski britney spears bob
presidents new set of standards for carbon dioxide emissions. 7. Sean Hannity Said WHAT About
Jon Stewart?!?
Organizationally, meanwhile, El-Amine is hoping to expand the ranks. OFA will
launch a bilingual fellowship program to help keep pace with the changing nature of
organizing. El-Amine said that almost 47 percent of those who applied to the group's
summer fellowship program spoke a language other than English fluently. The OFA
Fellowship Program also will feature new, specialized tracks for female and
college-aged fellows. All told, the group hopes to train 10,000 organizers next year,
she said, with an eye on sending 2,500 potential progressive advocates out into the 2 months ago huffingtonpost.com The
world of politics.
Huffington Post HuffingtonPost.com
(AOL) Ed Mazza Ed Mazza Sean
"Next year, success will definitely be defined by how many new organizers and the Hannity
quality of new organizers we are able to train and recruit, mentor, and help place," she 8. Nobody Is Truly Ready' For Rise
Of Seas
said. "I think when, years from now, when people talk about the presidents legacy, it
will be, yes, about the issues and the legislation that he passed. But it will also be
about the fellow like Erica who started off not knowing she wanted to be in politics,
joined as an intern with us, got a 12-week training program at no cost to herself and
transitioned into a role as a staffer in the progressive movement."

ALSO ON HUFFPOST:
FOLLOW HUFFPOST

Obama With Celebrities 1 of 14

Close

Email Address Sign me up!

The Morning Email Politics

Get top stories and blog posts emailed to me each day..

THE HUFFPOST/YOUGOV POLL

Do you think it is a crime or not a crime for

the CIA to secretly search computers
belonging to congressional staff who
monitor the CIA?

Crime Not a crime

Not sure

Getty

!
MORE: Organizing for Action, Ofa, Obama Ofa, Jon Carson, Jon Carson Ofa, Organizing for Action
Leadership, Obama Organizing for Action, Organizing for Action Guns, Organizing for Action Health Care,
Organizing for Action Immigration, Video

1 of 2 1/16/15 2:56 PM
Obama Ally Organizing For Action Has Major Leadership Change
(javscript:void(0))
Suggest a correction
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/28/organizing-for-action-le...
You May Like
197

Share
1.
(https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F
80
%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2014%2F10%2F28%2Forganizing-
for-action-leadership_n_6061608.html)
Tweet

(https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?lang=en&
3
text=Big+Management+Shakeup+At+Pro-
Obama+Organizing+For+Action+http%3A%2F
Comment
%2Fhuff.to%2F1szJilz)

Sponsored Links

New Rule In Seattle - Tacoma

New Rule in Washington Leaves Drivers Furious...
US-Quote.com

LifeLock Ultimate Plus Protection

Transaction Monitoring = Better ID Theft Protection
LifeLock.com

Man, 63, Avoids Wrinkles

63 Yr Old Man Shares Simple DIY Skin Tightening Method He Uses At Home
healthylivinglifeguide.com

Buy a link here

Around the Web

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/organizing-for-action-obama_n_2503668.html)
Organizing For Action: Obama Campaign Relaunches As Issue ... (http://www.huffingtonpost.com
/2013/01/18/organizing-for-action-obama_n_2503668.html)

(http://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/13/news/la-pn-organizing-for-action-grassroots-20130313)
Leaders of pro-Obama group Organizing for Action stress grass-roots (http://articles.latimes.com
/2013/mar/13/news/la-pn-organizing-for-action-grassroots-20130313)

(http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/obama-campaign-to-relaunch-as-tax-exempt-group-
86375.html) Obama unveils 'Organizing for Action' - Glenn Thrush and Reid J ...
(http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/obama-campaign-to-relaunch-as-tax-exempt-group-
86375.html)

Conversations
Huffington Post Search

Advertise (Http://advertising.aol.com/brands/huffington-post) Log In (/Users/login/)

Make HuffPost Your Home Page (/Makehome/) RSS (/Syndication)
Careers (/Jobs/) FAQ (/Faq/)

User Agreement (/Terms.html) Privacy (Http://privacy.aol.com/)

Comment Policy (/Comment/policy/) About Us (/P/huffington-post.html)
About Our Ads (Http://adinfo.aol.com/about-our-ads/) Contact Us (/Contact/)

Copyright 2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Part of HPMG News

2 of 2 1/16/15 2:56 PM