Anita Dunn
Partner
Anita Dunn, most recently Senior Advisor and Chief Communications Officer to the successful Presidential campaign of President Barack Obama, has been a top political strategist and communications advisor for nearly three decades.
Obama for America Senior Advisor
As Senior Adviser to the Obama campaign, Anita was responsible for the strategic direction and management of Communications, Research and Policy. In that role, Anita also served as a spokeswoman for the Obama campaign in the print and electronic media. Anita's role was widely reported on and profiled in the press, including in a 2008 Election Night interview broadcast on CBS's 60 Minutes.
Advising National Leaders
Anita has advised a wide range of other national political leaders. In 2001-2002, Anita served as senior Political Advisor to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle as well as consultant to the Senate Democratic Caucus when they gained the majority, and through the September 11/anthrax attack period. Among other Senate representations, she has developed strategy and produced the media campaign for Senator Evan Bayh, who won re-election in 2004 with the highest percentage of support in recent history, even out-performing President Bush in such a reliably Republican state. Anita advised the entire Democratic leadership on political communications issues when she served as the Communications Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) for both the 1988 and 1990 election cycles.
In the House of Representatives, Anita has advised Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. She has also served as chief strategist and media consultant to senior Democratic Members facing challenging re-election battles. Congressman John Dingell hired Anita to advise and produce media for his successful 2002 primary redistricting battle against Rep. Lynn Rivers, dubbed "the most hotly contested primary in the nation" by national observers. In 2004, Anita produced the media for Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who was running for the first time in a newly-drawn district, resulting from the redistricting efforts of Congressman Tom DeLay. Despite Mr. DeLay's efforts, Doggett won re-election with 68% of the vote. Anita also served as Chief Strategist and developed the media for Congressman Alan Mollohan when Republicans made him the top House incumbent target in 2006, guiding him to a 68% victory.
Anita joined the firm of Squier Knapp Dunn in 1993 from Senator Bill Bradley's office, where she had served as Communications and Political Director and then as Chief of Staff. In 1999, Anita took a leave of absence from the firm to serve as Communications Director and chief strategist for Senator Bradley's presidential campaign.
Press and Speaking Engagements
Anita is a regular speaker at conferences on politics and strategic communications, including the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania's Election Debriefings and the UVA's Center for Politics annual American Democracy Conference. In addition, she has also served as a guest lecturer at American University and the University of Maryland. Anita has conducted workshops for a wide range of audiences including EMILY's List and the House Democratic Caucus. Her chapter on "The Best Campaign Wins: Local Press Coverage of Nonpresidential Races" appears in Campaigns and Elections Magazine, American Style: Transforming American Politics by James A. Thurber and Candice J. Nelson, published by Westview Press. The press and periodical coverage her work has received includes a profile appearing in the February 2008 edition of Campaigns and Elections Magazine and an appearance in a segment on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.