Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Democrats Take a Moderate Strategy in Winning Back Seats


Experienced in political fundraising, Hayley Dierker has a background as the chief operating officer and chief of staff with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Coordinating with executive team members, Hayley Dierker oversaw a staff of 140 and helped manage a $212 million budget.

The DCCC was recently in the news amid a resurgence of support for Democratic candidates, including Conor Lamb, who recently won a special election in Pennsylvania’s 18th District. As with the March Illinois’ 12th District victory of Democrat Brendan Kelly, the byword was moderation, with both candidates focused on nuts and bolts issues of jobs and reaching across party lines to achieve results.

As reported by CNBC, this was particularly true in Pennsylvania, where Mr. Lamb took a district that had swung decisively to President Trump in the presidential election. Conor Lamb’s strategy combined criticism of the GOP tax plan with support of labor unions and Obamacare while maintaining more conservative positions on other issues. This focus on middle-ground policies, backed by national security experience, seems to be a trend that will continue in the coming months as Democrats target Republican-leaning districts.

At the same time, those on the progressive side of the party were encouraged to throw their hat into the ring. DCCC spokesman Tyler Law welcomed first-time candidates and “robust” primaries, noting that “no side has ever lost an election because of too much energy.”

Monday, March 19, 2018

Melanie Nakagawa Receives 2017 Truman Center Policy Leadership Award


The recipient of a master's degree in justice, law, and society from American University, Hayley Dierker is an experienced political office professional who most recently served as chief of staff of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Supplementing her pursuits in the field of politics, Hayley Dierker is a member of the Truman National Security Project (TNSP).

Comprised of more than 1,700 policy experts as well as post-9/11 veterans and frontline civilians, the TNSP works to shape and advocate for smart national security solutions. At its most recent annual awards dinner, the organization honored three of its distinguished members, including Melanie Nakagawa, who received the Truman Center Policy Leadership Award.

As head of climate initiative with Princeville Global, Ms. Nakagawa is developing an initiative to drive investments in global businesses delivering transformative solutions to climate change while also pursuing strong investor returns. She previously served as the U.S. State Department's deputy assistant secretary for energy transformation and senior energy and environment counsel to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In addition to Ms. Nakagawa's award, Ray Mabus was presented with the Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Public Service Award and Nat Kreamer received the Truman Visionary Leadership Award.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Larry Fitzgerald Returning to Cardinals for 15th NFL Season


Drawing upon over a decade of experience in administrative experience in the political sector, Hayley Dierker recent served as chief of staff for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where she, along with executive team members, managed a two-year budget of $212 million. Outside of her professional pursuits, Hayley Dierker is an avid fan of the National Football League's (NFL) Arizona Cardinals. 

Despite a mix-up from TODAY Show weatherman Al Roker, Cardinals wide receiver will be returning to the team for his 15th season in 2018. While in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics, Roker tweeted a picture of him and Fitzgerald with a caption stating he just met the "former" NFL star. After being informed by fans that Fitzgerald announced his intentions to play another season just days earlier, Roker apologized for the error and joked that he was sorry for retiring Fitzgerald early. 

A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Fitzgerald will turn 35 years old before the start of the 2018 season, but the fact that he is returning is no surprise to those who follow the league. The former third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft produced his third consecutive and ninth career 1,000-yard season in 2017 after finishing the year with 1,156 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 16 games. He now has 15,535 career receiving yards and 110 touchdowns and needs only 92 pass receptions to pass Tony Gonzalez for second all-time in that category.

Monday, February 12, 2018

Human Assembly Band Performs at Party with a Purpose Fundraiser


With a master’s degree in justice, law, and society from American University, Hayley Dierker recently worked as chief of staff and chief operating officer for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in Washington, DC. Outside of politics, Hayley Dierker enjoys listening to her brother’s band, the Human Assembly, perform.

A San Francisco-based band, the Human Assembly plays beach funk Americana music. It prides itself on performing music that celebrates the human condition as well as the gathering of friends. Also known as HA, the band previously went by Hopi Astronaut.

The current lineup has frontman Brooks Dierker on the band’s vocals, keyboard, melodica, and harmonica; Michael Dyer on the drums; Oliver Hendrickson on the bass; and Thomas Patrick on guitar. The band began in 2012 when founding members Dierker, Dyer, Patrick, and former member Ansgar Lorenz joined together. Their friend’s Los Angeles band needed an opening act in San Francisco, and the band began.

Since the summer of 2015, the band has hosted several Party with a Purpose events, which benefit nonprofits. On November 10, 2017, at the American Legion Post 416 in Encinitas, the band hosted a FundRager with the HA and Friends. Proceeds from the event went toward the Party with a Purpose campaign, the Love Harder Foundation, and the American Legion baseball league.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Successfully Body Surfing


A talented leader within the political arena, Hayley Dierker most recently served as the chief of staff and chief operating officer for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In this capacity, she managed a team of over 100 staff and participated in short and long-term committee planning sessions with executive leadership. Outside of work, Hayley Dierker stays active by body surfing.

The first step successfully body surfing is finding the right wave on the right beach. Ideally, the beach should gradually slope down as the water gets deeper and deeper. This allows body surfers to wade out a good distance from the shore, thus giving them plenty of room to ride the wave until it breaks. Meanwhile, the perfect waves for body surfing break at an angle from top to bottom. They range between one to four feet high and do not break too close to the shore.

After finding the perfect place, body surfers must use the proper body surfing techniques. To start, individuals must stand in waist to chest-deep water. This allows them to push off the ocean floor when the waves comes. Then, body surfers simply begin swimming toward shore. Beyond this, body surfers must maintain good balance if they do not want the wave to consume them. Fortunately, this is easy to do by ensuring the head and shoulders are below the hips and legs.

It is possible to body surf in deeper water, but it’s more difficult. When body surfers cannot kick off from the ground, they need a good set of fins to help them start swimming. These fins must be versatile and fit on the foot properly.