Management Team
Walter Clinton
Chairman and CEO
Walter (Wally) has been involved in political campaigns, utilizing telephones and other communication mediums for over 40 years. His successes and involvement has reached over 48 states, South and Central America, Canada and Mexico. Wally developed TCG’s 4-phase voter contact program that revolutionized the way telephones are utilized in campaigns. His experience and knowledge are evident in every program and campaign The Clinton Group conducts. Wally also owns a successful teleservices company providing surveying, market research and polling services. He has been on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Political Consultants, Vice President of International Association for Practical Politics, and is a Member of the International Association of Political Consultants. He is a frequent lecturer on the subject of Political Campaigns and has spoken both domestically (George Washington University, American University, University of New Orleans, University of North Carolina and Florida International University) and internationally (Republic of Georgia in the Former Soviet Union, Central and South America).
Wayne R. Blanchard
President and COO
Wayne brings years of experience and knowledge in delivering quality customer service programs. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Marketing and Finance and a Masters in Public Administration from Northeastern University, Boston, MA. Wayne has extensive experience in information technology, operational processing, project management, communications, business process re-engineering and political consulting. He has demonstrated success in managing large domestic and international development initiatives in the North American banking industry. Wayne has created a customer service oriented culture at TCG that has resulted a significant increase in client testimonials received over the past 6 years. He is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants, Public Affairs Council, American Telesales Association, and Direct Marketing Association.
wblanchard@theclintongroup.com
Steve Zuppas
Chief Financial Officer B.S, C.P.A.
Steve Zuppas is responsible for all day-to-day financial activities, detailed financial reporting, fiscal planning, tax planning, budgeting, and internal auditing functions. As an executive committee member, he is involved in all short term and long term strategic planning decisions and their implementation.
Donna Wainwright
Director of Client Services and Call Center Operations
Donna is a demonstrated success and extensive hands-on experience in customer service, sales, quality control, employee relations, and operational processes. Her previous industry experience includes Health Care, Communications, Cable, Satellite, and general Call Center management. Donna has proven skills in client management, meeting expectations, managing electoral and legislative based initiatives, message and script development, list targeting and segmentation, and statistical analysis. She has handled numerous political, grassroots and commercial programs utilizing all communication mediums (e.g. telephone, mail, email, and fax). Donna also has an avid interest in environmental issues and really enjoys working on initiatives that better our environment.
dwainwright@theclintongroup.com
Raci Ulusoy
Director of IT
Raci has a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida where he specialized in Telecommunications and taught undergraduate Engineering and Mathematics courses. Prior to joining TCG, Raci worked as Software Designer and Database Manager. Raci manages and oversees the operation of the Information Technology (IT) Department at TCG. His department's responsibilities include planning, operations and maintenance of the technical and data infrastructure necessary to support TCG's on-going and future business needs.
Erik Petzel
Senior Associate
Erik Petzel is involved with new business development in the areas of candidate and issue advocacy campaigns. Prior to his work with The Clinton Group, Erik was involved with political fundraising efforts and grassroots organizing for the 2004 presidential elections in his home state of Minnesota. He credits his experience on Sen. Paul Wellstone’s reelection campaign in 2002 for inspiring his commitment to politics.
Erik is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and completed his undergraduate education at Connecticut College where he received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in both History and Government. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Jenny.
Ed Cafiero
Vice President - Grassroots, Voter, and Constituent Communications
Ed has served as strategist and program manager for scores of electoral and issue campaigns, working with trade associations, political candidates, party organizations, public affairs firms, and non-profits. He is also responsible for initiating marketing and sales activities to secure new clients, maintaining existing ones in the grassroots and campaign areas, managing the staff necessary to successfully pursue revenue opportunities, and arranging alliances and partnerships for joint activities. Prior to joining The Clinton Group, he ran field operations for two successful county council candidates on the Eastern Shore of Maryland during the 2002 cycle.
Ed is a native of Long Island, New York and received a B.A. in English from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Meredith Dyer
Associate
Meredith Dyer is an Associate at The Clinton Group, specializing in direct contact and independent expenditure communications services for women's groups, state party committees and candidate campaigns. Meredith has experience at both the state-wide and local levels, including maximizing the reach of campaigns with limited resources through creative targeting and message development.
Prior to joining The Clinton Group, Meredith served as the Membership Director at the American Association for Political Consultants, was a Policy Coordinator at the National Foundation for Women Legislators, and did opposition research for a number of Congressional races at the DCCC.
Meredith holds bachelor's degrees in political science and psychology from The George Washington University and is currently working on her master's thesis in political communications at Johns Hopkins.
meredith@theclintongroup.com
About TCG
- Experience
- History
- Management Team
- Our Mission
