2025-2026 DPCCC LEADERSHIP
The Executive Committee is made up of the Officers and District Directors (based on Supervisorial Districts). Together they manage the day-to-day operations of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County.
Note: The committee chairs are not by themselves voting members of the Executive Committee, but they are part of the Leadership Team and are expected to report to the Executive Committee on a regular basis.
DPCCC members may express their interest in joining a committee via this interest form. All Regular Members, Alternates, and DSCC Delegates are required to join and participate in at least one committee.
Executive Committee & Leadership Team
OFFICERS
DISTRICT DIRECTORS
- Chair: Katie Ricklefs
- 1st Vice-Chair: Tamela Hawley
- 2nd Vice-Chair: Joey D. Smith
- Secretary: Jamin Pursell
- Controller: Robyn Kuslits
- Past Chair: Maria Alegria
- District 1: Michael Nye
- District 2: Susan Hildreth
- District 3: Carolina Villaseca
- District 4: Ady Olvera
- District 5: Nakenya Allen
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
- Club Development: Renee Zeimer
- Communications: Laura Patch
- Complaint & Discipline Review: Courtney Masella O’Brien
- Elections: Kathleen Van Winckel
- Endorsements: Addison Peterson & Clay Hawley (Co-Chairs)
- Equity, Anti-Racism and Justice: Roxanne Carillo Garza
- Fundraising: Carolyn Wysinger & Antwon Webster (Co-Chairs)
- Issues: Jeremy Levine
- Mobilize, Organize, Elect: Kathleen Van Winckel
- Parliamentarian: Marisol Rubio
- Rules: Jeff Koertzen
- Recruitment: Dominique King
- Training: Cheryl Sudduth
- Special Committee on Volunteer Activism: Cecilia Minalga
- Special Committee on Partnership, Engagement & Accountability: Craig Cheslog
- Solidarity Gala Special Committee: Laura Patch & Jonathan Bash (Co-Chairs)
2025-2026 DPCCC MEMBERSHIP
PUBLIC ELECTED & APPOINTED MEMBERS
2025-2028
Updated February 25, 2025
AREA
MEMBER
ALTERNATE
DISTRICT 1
(5 Members)
Maria Alegria (Past Chair)
Devin T. Murphy
Gabriel Quinto
Carolyn Wysinger
Cesar Zepeda
[Open]
[Open]
Neil Tsutsui
Cheryl Cotton
[Open]
DISTRICT 2
(6 Members)
Sarah Butler
Susan Hildreth (District 2 Director)
Brodie Hilp
Katie Ricklefs (Chair)
Marisol Rubio
Renee Zeimer
Amy Hines-Shaikh
Marcia McLean
[Open]
Latika Malkani
Sridhar Verose
Cecilia Minalga
DISTRICT 3
(3 Members)
Thuy DaoJensen
Clay Hawley
Susana Williams
[Open]
Jovita Mendoza
[Open]
DISTRICT 4
(5 Members)
D’Marco Anthony
Leslie Baxter
Edi Birsan
Laura Patch
Michelle Simone
[Open]
Rebecca Auerbach
Greg Sanborn
Ogie Strogatz
Ena Silva
DISTRICT 5
(4 Members)
Courtney Masella-O’Brien
Amy Scott-Slovick
Ben Therriault
[OPEN]
Destiny Briscoe
Tom Lawson
[Open]
[Open]
(23 Public Ballot Members)
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
AREA
MEMBER
ALTERNATE
CONGRESS
(3 Members)
CD08: Congressman John Garamendi
CD09: Congressman Josh Harder
CD11: Congressman Mark DeSaulnier
Harpreet Sandhu
[Open]
Carol Toms
STATE SENATE
(3 Members)
SD03: State Senator Christopher Cabaldon
SD07: State Senator Jesse Arreguin
SD09: State Senator Tim Grayson
Anissa Williams
Ruthie Abelson
Rebecca Barrett
STATE ASSEMBLY
(4 Members)
AD11: Assemblymember Lori Wilson
AD14: Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
AD15: Assemblymember Anamarie Avila Farias
AD16: Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
[Open]
Lisa Motoyama
[Open]
Michelle Sinnott Petersen
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS
& CDP OFFICERS
(3 Members)
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony Thurmond
CDP Region 3 Director: Jeff Koertzen
CDP Region 6 Director: Victor Azavedo Costa
[Open]
[Open]
Alex Rubio-Talavera
(13 Ex-Officio Members)
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Officers and District Directors excluding those who hold Regular Members seats by other means.
POSITION
MEMBER
ALTERNATE
OFFICERS
(4 Members)
1st Vice-Chair: Tamela Hawley
2nd Vice-Chair: Joey Smith
Secretary: Jamin Pursell
Controller: Robyn Kuslits
Yolanda Mendrek
[Open]
[Open]
[Open]
DISTRICT DIRECTORS
(4 Members)
District 1: Michael Nye
District 3: Carolina Villaseca
District 4: Ady Olvera
District 5: Nakenya Allen
[Open]
[Open]
[Open]
[Open]
(8 Executive Committee Members)
ORGANIZATION MEMBERS
ORGANIZATION
MEMBER
ALTERNATE
EAST COUNTY (4 Members)
Delta Democratic Club
East Contra Costa Democratic Club
Marsh Creek Democratic Club
Pittsburg Democratic Club
Joseph Kovalick
Antwon Webster
Joe Ely
Taylor Sims
[Open]
[Open]
[Open]
[Open]
CENTRAL COUNTY (4 Members)
Democrats of Rossmoor
Diablo Valley Democratic Club
Lamorinda Democratic Club
San Ramon Valley Democratic Club
Alice King
Roxanne Carillo Garza
Peter Ericson
Richard Adler
Alisa Kramer
Matthew Brown
Shirley Shelangoski
Bill Goza
WEST COUNTY (4 Members)
El Cerrito Democratic Club
Hercules Democratic Club
Kensington Democratic Club
West County Democratic Club
Champagne Brown
Tiffany Grimsley
Irene Tait
Cheryl Sudduth
[Open]
[Open]
Peter Liddell
[Open]
ALL COUNTY (2 Members)
Contra Costa Young Democrats
Contra Costa Jewish Democratic Club
[Open]
Diana Honig
Andrew Melendez Palacios
Emily Blanck
(14 Organization Members)
TOTAL: 58 Voting Members
Quorum: 30 (DPCCC Bylaws Article IV, §5 “more than 50% of Regular Members in good standing.”
COMMITTEES
STANDING COMMITTEES
OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE
CHAIR/CO-CHAIR
PURPOSE/CHARGE
Chair
Katie Ricklefs
Executive Committee
Katie Ricklefs
The Executive Committee shall carry out and/or oversee all DPCCC executive and administrative duties.
Equity, Anti-Racism & Justice
Roxanne Carillo Garza
Rules Committee
Jeff Koertzen (Chair)
Propose changes to by-laws and standing rules.
First Vice-Chair (Elections)
Tamela Hawley
Elections Committee
Kathleen Van Winckel
Develop and conduct trainings workshops for Democrats interested in running for office; help in planning GOTV (Get out the Vote); plan and implement voter registration program and VBM (Vote by Mail).
Endorsements Committee
Addison Peterson &
Clay Hawley
(Co-Chairs)
A special committee to oversee the DPCCC candidate endorsement process.
Issues Committee
Jeremy Levine
Review and recommend action on all propositions and resolutions on local, state and national issues brought before the DPCCC.
Second Vice-Chair (Membership)
Joey D. Smith
Club Development Committee
Renee Zeimer &
Champagne Brown
(Co-Chairs)
Provide guidance for existing and new clubs; promote club activities; and encourage club participation in DPCCC activities.
Training Committee
Cheryl Sudduth
Educate each new DPCCC member on their duties and responsibilities. Plan and conduct DPCCC training workshops for members and officers.
Membership & Recruiting Committee
Dominique King
BBQ, Holiday Party
Secretary
Jamin Pursell
Infrastructure & Communications Committee
Laura Patch
Manage social media, website and online presence as well as maintain membership email distribution. Review and manage DPCCC publications.
Controller
Robyn Kuslits
Finance Committee
Robyn Kuslits
The finance committee shall provide financial oversight for the DPCCC.
Fundraising Committee
Carolyn Wysinger &
Antwon Webster
(Co-Chairs)
Assist with all DPCCC fundraising; propose fundraising projects including the Annual Roosevelt Dinner.
SPECIAL/AD-HOC COMMITTEES
OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE
CHAIR/CO-CHAIR
PURPOSE/CHARGE
Chair
Katie Ricklefs
Transition Committee
Jeff Koertzen &
Robyn Kuslits
(2025-2026 Co-Chairs)
The Transition Committee is tasked to ensure the safe and intact transfer of all records, correspondence, files, books, financial records, and documents as they pertain to the DPCCC to the new officers or chairs and to ensure the continued operation and function of said offices and/or sub-committees. [Term: Approximately 6 months in even-numbered years.]
Complaint & Discipline Review Committee
(CDRC)
Courtney Masella-O’Brien
(Chair)
The CDRC receives and hears complaints about process and procedures or against individuals (disciplinary complaints) and determines whether or not there is sufficient evidence for the Executive Committee or the Central Committee may move forward with corrective or discplinary actions according to the DPCCC Complaint & Due Process Policy & Procedure.
Partnership, Engagement & Accountability
Craig Cheslog
(Chair)
The PEA special committee seeks to facilitate the DPCCC’s partnership, engagement, and accountability with our elected Democratic officials at all levels throughout the county.
First Vice-Chair (Elections)
Tamela Hawley
Volunteer Activism Committee
Cecilia Minalga
The volunteer activism committee promotes and supports activities led by other clubs and groups to harness the power of Contra Costa activists to help Democrats win elections. We partner with the Bay Area Coalition, utilizing people-powered strategies to turn out the vote: phone banking, voter registration, and canvassing. Our target districts are the California Central Valley, Arizona, Nevada, and special elections. To support volunteers, we also provide speaker series, training sessions, and messaging library.
Controller
Robyn Kuslits
Audit Committee
TBD
The Audit Committee is formed after to Organizational Meeting to review the books and records of the DPCCC Controller and Treasurer. The audit is required within 90 days from the confirmation of its members. [Term: Approximately 3 months in odd-numbered years.]
OTHER NAMED POSITIONS
OVERSIGHT
POSITION/ROLE
FILLED BY
PURPOSE/CHARGE
Chair
Katie Ricklefs
Treasurer
CJ & Associates
The principal duty of the Treasurer is to prepare and execute the statements required to be filed under the political campaign finance laws to which the DPCCC is subject.
Parliamentarian
TBD
The Parliamentarian shall advise the Chair and other officers, committees, and members on matters of parliamentary procedure and assist with any questions that may arise in interpreting the By-Laws and any and all applicable rules of order.
MOE Administrator
Kathleen Van Winckel
The MOE [Mobilize, Organize and Elect] system is specifically designed for the CDP [California Democratic Party] to facilitate Party building activities such as membership outreach, voter registration, voter education, volunteer recruitment, and effective campaigning on behalf of Democratic Party candidates and endorsed ballot issues. The system will contain Voter IDs from previous CDP campaigns and intends to identify more voters for use in future campaigns.