Info on Dayton's Team

[Abby Fenton]

Dayton fills top staff positions, names 'Velvet Hammer' as chief of
staff

By Doug Grow | Published Fri, Dec 10 2010 11:33 am

Mark Dayton this morning made it official: Tina Smith will take on the
important role as the new governor’s chief of staff.

Smith, who has served as the chief of staff to Minneapolis Mayor R.T.
Rybak, is a relative newcomer to the Dayton team. She was campaign
manager for Rybak in his bid to win DFL endorsement.

She’s known by some at City Hall as “the Velvet Hammer,’’ because of
her strong advocacy on behalf of her boss, yet, her ability to smooth
over any ruffled feathers with those who have opposing views. Those
skills will be fundamentally important, given the obvious political
battles that lie ahead for the Dayton administration with a Republican-
controlled Legislature.

In addition to the announcement that Smith would be his chief of
staff, Dayton also announced others who will take on key leadership
roles in his office. Most noticeable about that list is that all of
those named today are women.

Dayton's other appointments:

• Dana Anderson, who has worked for Dayton for a decade and served as
his tireless campaign manager, will be deputy chief of staff.

• Michelle Kelm-Helgen, who was chief of staff for now-former Senate
Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, is to become deputy chief of staff
for legislative affairs.

• Andrea Mokros — who has served in a variety of political positions,
including deputy chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar — will
become deputy chief of staff for communications and outreach.

• Katharine Tinucci, who was a deputy campaign director and
spokesperson for Dayton during his campaign, will be press secretary
in the new administration.

• Fatima Villasenor, who previously worked for Dayton when he was a
senator, will be a senior aide to the new governor.

• And longtime civil rights and DFL activist Josie Johnson will
replace Smith as co-chair of the transition team. That’s a voluntary
position.

“I would not say that this is an accident,’’ said Tinucci of the
gender makeup of the appointments. “Many of the top people on his
campaign staff were women.’’

Laughing, she added, “there will be more appointments. I’m sure some
will be men.’’

In a statement about his appointments, Dayton made no reference to
gender.

“Each is an experienced professional in her own right,’’ Dayton said.
“And, together, they form a very strong nucleus of the governor’s
office.’’



Nicole Rom, Executive Director
Will Steger Foundation
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Minneapolis, MN 55407
tel: 612-278-7147 fax: 612-278-7101
nic...@willstegerfoundation.org
www.willstegerfoundation.org

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