By Takei Okidata
©2002 PoliticalCircus.com
May 1, 2002

Ms. Courtni Sunjoo Pugh has been a dynamic leader and campaign organizer for over a decade. Currently she is serving as the Coordinated Campaign Director in the new Congressional District (NV03) in Las Vegas, Nevada, which includes the Democratic Candidate for the 3rd Congressional District, Dario Herrera, Chairman of the Board of Clark County Commissioners.

Pugh has also recently joined Targeted Communications as a political consultant as well as mCapitol Management (mCM), Inc. as a Manager of Government Relations.

At Targeted Communications, Pugh assists in national marketing and political strategy. Targeted Communications is a growing Latino-owned communications firms based in Los Angeles, California.

mCM is a respected, results-driven government and business consulting firm that meets client’s needs through and unrivaled network of government leaders and key decision makers. As Manager of Government Relations, Pugh assists in professional strategy, lobbying and government relations services for for mCM in the public and private sector.

Previously, Pugh served as a Senior Program Advisor to the Cook County Elections Bureau in Chicago, Illinois. She administered a voter education and community outreach campaign and an Election Day troubleshooting operation for over 2500 precincts across the Chicagoland area.

Prior to that, Pugh served as National Field Director for Rock the Vote in Los Angeles, California (2001). Rock the Vote is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and empowering young people to realize and utilize their power in the civic and political lives of their communities.

Before coming to Los Angeles, Ms. Pugh served as the Deputy Base Vote Director and National Director of Asian Pacific American Outreach at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in Washington, D.C. (1999-2001). She oversaw the base vote operations in targeted states in the 2000 election, and was a critical team member in Michigan’s Coordinated Campaign efforts. As the Deputy Statewide Field Director, she played a pivotal role engineering victory for Democratic candidates in that state. Additionally she was a member of the Tallahassee-based strategy team of the Gore Lieberman Recount Committee in Florida.

In 1997-1999, she served in the Legislative Shop and became Legislative Director for Congressman Danny K. Davis, who represents Chicago’s Westside and downtown areas.

Her political and legislative experience also includes numerous presidential, gubernatorial, congressional and legislative campaigns.

Ms. Pugh was also a union organizer for the Service Employees International Union, Local 250, in Oakland, California in 1993 through the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute and was a community organizer for the Chinese American Service League (CASL) in Chicago, Illinois in 1994-1996.

Courtni Sunjoo Pugh’s work on behalf of Asian Pacific Americans is nationally recognized. Under her leadership, a record number of Asian Pacific Americans became involved in the political process. She serves on numerous Boards and Committees, including the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC), is a founding member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association (CAPASA) an organization based in Washington, D.C. and is a 2001 Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute (APAWLI) fellow.

Ms. Pugh has been featured in numerous Asian Pacific American newspapers and magazines highlighting the importance of civic participation, politics and issues organizing for the community, and is a much sought after speaker and trainer. Ms. Pugh truly believes that one must link the issues that you care about to the ballot box and has a passion for increasing the civic and political participation of Asian Pacific Americans as well as all Americans.