AMANDA THORSON
Mesa,AZ
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Strategic Political Communications Consultant
The Media Guys, Inc
11.2007 - 01.2009
- Strategic communications for progressive political & public affairs campaigns
- I brought a multimillion-dollar client with me when I began at The Media Guys.
- Networking to build relationships with high profile public figures, elected officials — at all levels of government.
- Opposition Research.
- Public Opinion Research and polling.
- Messaging & framing
- Designed media kits, & press outreach materials. Main contact for press relations
- Served as lead contact for clients.
- Created campaign plans, budgets, & materials. Created direct mail, campaign, plans, proposals, & sales pitches.
- Built & supported client websites & strategic websites.
- Composed & edited press releases, scripts.
- Trained candidates, the campaign staffs, & clients.
- Wrote, developed, and devised education & training curriculum.
- Conducted market research create communication strategies effectively.
- Analyzed campaign performance to refine strategies and improve overall effectiveness.
- Initiated strategic political communication plans to enhance messaging & framing.
- Strategic communication plans and executed targeted marketing campaigns.
Arizona ACORN Legislative Director & Head Political Grassroots Organizer
Arizona Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)
10.2005 - 11.2007
- Trained members how to lobby and bill databases at the all levels of government .
- Created budget, projected office budgets..
- Arizona Head Political Organizer.
Mesa ACORN Head Grassroots Organizer
Mesa Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
09.2005 - 11.2007
- During my time at Mesa ACORN, I grew the organization from over 1,000 members in June 2004 to over 3,000 members November 2007. We built a better, stronger, autonomous, member ran & operated organization.
- Mesa ACOR' diverse membership—the most unique membership ACORN had ever had. every socioeconomic, educational, ethnic, racial, cultural, & religious background, e.g., as the third largest city in AZ (at the time) founded by Mormon pioneers aka Latter Days Saints (LDS;) upper-middle, middle, & working class; white Native American, black, and Hispanic populations. .
- Networked and worked with allies, unions, organizations, elected officials, community leaders, to build stronger, bigger coalitions, lasting alliances for a better stronger community.
- Grassroots fundraising. Fundraising & grant writing for all offices in the state.
- Drafted, created, & completed public opinion surveys.
- Staff recruitment, training, & management. Trained new organizers for other cities, states, regions, & countries.
- Organizing field support programs.
- Presentations to organizations, influential leaders, & businesses.
Head Grassroots Organizer Statewide for Nationwide Campaigns
Arizona Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
08.2005 - 11.2007
- Working with various elected officials, community organizations, unions, & coalitions
- Press releases, outreach materials, short-term & long-term plans, grassroots organizing plans.
- Organized community events & membership meetings&press conferences
- Presented status of campaigns, financials, budgets, membership, fundraising, & progress of other areas monthly to City&AZ ACORN State Board.
- Organized diverse outreach events&direct actions for many statewide&municipal progressive campaigns. The Minimum Wage Proposition in 2006; SAVE OUR HOMES NOW! Campaign; The ACORN Political Action Committee—PAC—was also a statewide campaign in recruiting Precinct Action Leaders (PAL); Tammie Pursley’s campaign for Arizona House of Representative
- Organizing field support programs.
- Organized Get Out the Vote trainings, programs for volunteers and leaders.
Political & Community Grassroots Organizer
Mesa ACORN
07.2005 - 11.2007
- I am a Alinsky Trained Grassroots Organizer
- Created grassroots community organizing plans.
- Member, volunteer, and organizer recruitment & training.
- Organizing field support programs.
- Organized diverse outreach events & direct actions for many statewide & municipal progressive campaigns e.g. town halls, candidate forums, community campaigns, direct actions, civil disobedience, & community meetings.
- I organized all types of voter outreach & civic & community engagement for the several campaign
- ACORN PAL’s. Mesa & Phoenix ACORN were able to update the Democratic Party’s VAN.
- Ran a volunteer voter outreach program & the Get Out the Vote
- Responsible for volunteer recruitment, training, engagement, outreach, & retention.
- Media Relations – Created press releases, outreach materials
- ACORN leaders, members, anyone living within the community no matter race, socioeconomic status, educational backgrounds, religion, political party, or ethnicity.
- Organizing people to recognizing that they can have power by becoming apart of the working with their neighbors to make a better safer place for everyone living there.
- Grassroots Organizers build organization to ensure that the members will have a stronger organization, that the members could keep their organization running.
Education
B.A. - Political Science
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ01.2005
Master of Arts I Was Unable To Complete My Studie - Political Science
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA01.2013
Skills
- Grant Writing
- Fundraising
- Data entry
- Networking
- Proofreading, editing
- Delegation
- Leadership development
- Strategic planning
- Speech writing
- Community management
- Contract negotiations (union)
- Database management & organization
- Civic/Community Engagement and Participation
- Community Education
- Deliberative democracy
- Program development
- Employee interviewing
- Training material and program development
- AP/AR
- Role playing with organizers
Timeline
Senior Strategic Political Communications Consultant
The Media Guys, Inc
11.2007 - 01.2009
Arizona ACORN Legislative Director & Head Political Grassroots Organizer
Arizona Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)
10.2005 - 11.2007
Mesa ACORN Head Grassroots Organizer
Mesa Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
09.2005 - 11.2007
Head Grassroots Organizer Statewide for Nationwide Campaigns
Arizona Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
08.2005 - 11.2007
Political & Community Grassroots Organizer
Mesa ACORN
07.2005 - 11.2007
B.A. - Political Science
Arizona State University
Master of Arts I Was Unable To Complete My Studie - Political Science
Virginia Tech