Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Announces Senior Staff in Iowa
Today, the Gillibrand 2020 Exploratory Committee announced senior staff hires in Iowa on the heels of her first trip to the state and nearly one year out from the 2020 caucuses.
“We are proud to build on the momentum of Sen. Gillibrand’s first trip to Iowa and announce strategic hires that will help us be successful in the 2020 caucuses,” said Gillibrand Communications Director Meredith Kelly. “Sen. Gillibrand is excited to build out a robust team with deep roots and experience in the state. She can’t wait to get back to Iowa to continue having conversations and sharing her values in the months ahead.”
Lara Henderson - Iowa State Director
Henderson is a native Iowan and veteran political operative recently named to the Des Moines Register’s list of the 50 Most Wanted Democrats in Iowa. She previously served as Finance Director for Fred Hubbell in his 2018 campaign, considered the most expensive gubernatorial race in the state’s history. Prior to that, she served as Iowa Finance Director for Patty Judge’s U.S. Senate campaign in 2016 and Campaign Manager for Brad Anderson’s bid for Secretary of State in 2014. She got her start in politics as a field organizer for President Obama in her hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Rachel Irwin - Iowa Communications Director / Early States Communications Advisor
Irwin joins the Gillibrand campaign after serving as Midwest Press Secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) during the 2018 cycle when Democrats flipped the U.S. House of Representatives. At the DCCC, Irwin acted as a communications advisor and strategist helping to win back seats across the Midwest, including the historic wins of Rep. Cindy Axne and Rep. Abby Finkenauer in Iowa. She previously worked as a Senior Associate at A|L Media in Chicago and as Communications Director for the Maine Democratic Party in 2014.
Gillibrand will continue to staff up in Iowa and build a talented team ahead of the 2020 caucuses. In her first trip to Iowa, Gillibrand held 10 public events over two days, conducted numerous meetings with local leaders and elected officials and spent time shopping, cooking, drinking coffee and chatting with Iowans and members of the media. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
