DGA Announces 2025 Leadership Team

DGA Announces 2025 Leadership Team

Today, the DGA announced its leadership team for the 2025 cycle, including California Governor Gavin Newsom continuing to serve as DGA Policy Chair, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy continuing to serve as DGA Finance Chair, and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey continuing to serve as Chair of the Women Governors Fund.

“I am thrilled to announce that Governors Newsom, Murphy, and Healey will remain in their roles to keep building on the DGA’s successful record of electing and reelecting Democratic governors across the country,” said DGA Chair Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. “Our leadership team brings together a wealth of knowledge and experiences to continue building on the DGA’s winning record. While we come from different states, we all share the same goal – delivering for the people of our states and getting big things done — and we have the track records to back it up. Together, we will work side by side to build on the DGA’s winning record of holding onto all Democratic-held seats, reelecting 26 out of 27 incumbents, and record-breaking fundraising in 2025, 2026, and beyond.”

The DGA also announced Catherine “Kiki” McLean will continue to serve as Treasurer, and announced two new positions joining the DGA leadership team: Melissa Ceriale will serve as the DGA’s Women Governors Fund Finance Chair, and Josh Wachs will serve as the DGA’s Governors’ Cabinet Chair. All are unpaid, volunteer positions.

“I am grateful to continue serving as DGA Treasurer, and look forward to working alongside Melissa, Josh, and DGA leadership to best support our governors and candidates for governor so they can keep delivering for the people of their states,” said DGA Treasurer Kiki McLean. “Both Melissa and Josh bring years of experience to these roles, and a passion for and commitment to electing and reelecting Democratic governors. We are grateful that they are stepping up to share their expertise with us for our key 2025 races and lay the groundwork for 2026.”

BACKGROUND:

Gov. Gavin Newsom has guided California through natural disasters, tackling the housing crisis head-on, growing the economy to record levels, fighting back against climate change, keeping communities safe, and protecting reproductive freedom. He has established himself as a leader at the forefront of policy initiatives in arenas such as gun safety, education affordability and access, criminal justice reform, climate action, and universal health care.

Gov. Phil Murphy has restored New Jersey to its historic role as a progressive national leader. Gov. Murphy has succeeded in raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, securing paid sick leave for all workers, and requiring equal pay for equal work. He restored funding for Planned Parenthood and women’s health initiatives. He has embarked on one of the nation’s most-aggressive plans for generating offshore-wind electricity.

Gov. Maura Healey made history in 2022, becoming the first woman and first openly gay person elected Governor of Massachusetts, as well as the first openly lesbian governor elected in American history. Since taking office, Governor Healey signed the first set of tax cuts in Massachusetts in 20 years, enacted universal free school meals for public school children, introduced a $4 billion proposal to create new homes and make housing more affordable in Massachusetts, while working to improve and modernize the state’s transportation system.

Kiki McLean is a leading public affairs and political strategist. She is recognized for her decades of experience leading advocacy and communications strategies for business, political, and non-profit organizations. Prior to the DGA, she served as the managing director of Porter Novelli’s Washington DC office, leading its global public affairs practice and serving on the company’s executive committee. Her career includes roles with the highly regarded firm, the Dewey Square Group, and the history-making Democratic Leadership Council. Kiki served as senior advisor to the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign in 2008, and was spokesperson and Communication Director for Vice President Al Gore, Senator Joe Lieberman, and the Democratic National Committee.

Melissa Ceriale brings to this role her passion for supporting women in leadership positions, and is excited to serve as the first Finance Chair for the Women Governors Fund, a role she was asked to take on by Governor Maura Healey. Melissa currently serves as the Chair of the Shore Protection Board in Palm Beach, advising the Town Council on coastal protection matters. Melissa has also been a trustee for the Montefiore Health System in New York for 15 years, and more recently a trustee for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine for the past five years, where she serves as the Chair of Development.

Josh Wachs is the President of Wachs Strategies, a social impact consulting firm in Washington, DC that works to move the needle on pressing social problems while elevating visibility and achieving business objectives of clients. Josh has been working for over two decades in the private, government, and non-profit sectors helping clients deliver social change. He has also been the Vice President for Community Relations at the NBA and WNBA, where he managed the strategy, partnerships, and marketing for the league’s philanthropic and public service platform, NBA Cares. He also served as the Chief Strategy Officer for Share Our Strength, where he launched the No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in America. Josh launched Wachs Strategies to share his nonprofit, corporate, academic and political sector expertise with the next generation of social impact players and thought leaders.

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