Joanè Booth

In this role, I pitched and created the position after recognizing the need to engage communities of color by building lasting and authentic relationships. My career highlights included: Aligning and shaping the Senator’s policies and priorities by creating and executing inclusive and intentional written plans focused on diverse community engagement and outreach. Ensuring internal and external office practices were inclusive and respectful of diverse communities. Propelling the office to hit their goals by creating office-wide metrics and engaging communities of color. Developing outreach plans for diverse communities. Managing and conducting outreach and policy for Judiciary, Public Safety, Banking, and Census issues. Achieving aggressive and realistic goals.

As the Political Director, I created sustainable and long-lasting relationships with constituencies of color and community groups. I assigned two team members their daily responsibilities and ensured the Senator was properly represented and connected with Minnesotans across the state. My career highlights included: Coordinating information collection and analysis across five campaign departments by developing strategic processes and systems. Ensuring events, elections, and debates were properly staffed and successful. Increasing voter turnout for communities of color by leading staff and interns on the creation of an engagement plan. Expanding campaign reach in communities of color using existing relationships and developing new ones.

During my time in this role, I developed and implemented executive branch initiatives including REAL ID, Drug Sentencing Reform, Opioids, Prison Population, and Unfair Hiring Practices in conjunction with Cabinet members, legislators, and public and private stakeholders. I advised the Governor on how to allocate funds for the biennial billion-dollar budget and identified the potential impact legislative bills will have on Minnesotans. Some of my career highlights included: Exercising opinions and recommendations on corrections, public safety, civil laws, courts, data practices, rulemaking, human rights, and The Minnesota National Guard. Managing and creating priorities for the National Governors Association Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee and the Capitol Security Advisory Committee where 15 Governors sat on the committee and created national policy recommendations on various issues. Planning and managing a Governor’s statewide council on police and community relations following officer-involved shootings in the area. Developing and managing emergency response plans with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Minnesota National Guard. Ensuing the successful legislative passage and implementation of the Federal REAL ID Law allowing Minnesotans to fly with a federally government issued ID. Negotiating million-dollar budgets for multiple high-profile state agencies. Transforming religious practices accepted in state correctional facilities by evaluating and changing the Department of Corrections internal policies to be more inclusive for communities of color. Securing $45M in funding to decrease disparities and ensure community organizations served people of color.

While working as a Legislative Assistant, I managed and tracked the Senator’s bills throughout the Senate, including the Ban the Box legislation giving thousands of Minnesotans a second chance in the community. I served as the Committee Administrator for the Finance Subdivision on Office of Justice Programs ensuring committee business was properly conducted according to Senate rules and State law. My career highlights included: Developing and managing weekly constituent correspondence for 5K residents in the district. Creating an outreach plan with constituent engagement for the most diverse State Senate District in the State of Minnesota by race and age.

Throughout my time as the Political Director, I energized voters using strategic planning and communication skills to raise awareness through national and local campaigns. I arranged travel and event logistics for Bernie Sanders, Chelsea Clinton, and Cecile Richards. My career highlights included: Deepening the candidate’s presence at important political and non-political events in Minnesota using relationships to cover state territories without the candidate being present herself. Utilizing limited resources and staff to ensure successful events while planning and executing political events with 100-4K attendees across diverse constituency groups.