Biography
Mike is a political, communications, and advance veteran of presidential and congressional campaigns. Most recently, he served as the Political Director and Deputy State Director for Obama for America in New Hampshire. Mike built and managed the totality of the campaign’s political relationships, ranging from state and local elected officials, to party officials, grassroots activists, community leaders, and interest groups. He used these relationships to organize and mobilize a statewide political infrastructure that advanced campaign messages and strategy through traditional press events, website features, email blasts, blogs, voter contact, and issue-specific surrogate events.
Prior to Obama for America, Mike was the Campaign Manager for Tom Allen for Congress (ME-01). He was charged not only with securing the Congressman’s re-election in 2006, but also preparing the candidate for a Senate campaign effort in 2008.
Mike has served as the Political Director of the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire (IAFF), as well as Advance Lead and Deputy Debate Coordinator for Kerry-Edwards 2004. In the latter role, Mike helped negotiate all production, candidate, staff, and press logistics for each of the nationally televised Presidential and Vice Presidential debates.
Mike has also worked in the private sector at Akzo Nobel, a Fortune Global 500 company based in the Netherlands. There he managed corporate recruitment initiatives for all of Akzo Nobel’s North American business units. In addition, he spent two years in central Maine as an AmeriCorps VISTA focusing on early childhood literacy projects.
Mike is a graduate of Colby College and lives in Scarborough, Maine with his wife, daughter, and a sheltie.
When not working, Mike (who everyone calls Cuzzi) closely follows Granite and Pine Tree state politics and enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, and camping throughout the mountains of New England.