Maria Handley
Encyclopedia
Maria Handley is a member-at-large of the Democratic National Committee
from Colorado
. A veteran of both Bill Bradley
and Howard Dean
's campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination, Handley was appointed by Dean to the DNC.
As a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
, Handley has publicly supported Hillary Clinton.
and adopted as a child by Boulder County
couple Bruce and Vija Handley, Maria Handley graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder
in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in political science
and a minor in history
. Her parents were politically active and her father ran for state representative when she was two years old, and Handley entered professional politics shortly after graduation. She worked as a field director in Iowa
and Colorado
for the 2000 presidential campaign of Bill Bradley
, and for Mayor Paul Schell
in Seattle, Washington
in 2001. She was then statewide political director for Rollie Heath
's unsuccessful bid for Colorado governor in 2002.
Handley was one of the first staff members hired by the presidential campaign of Howard Dean in February 2003, serving first as Regional Political Director and then as National Deputy Director of Constituency Outreach for the Dean campaign. Following the end of Dean's presidential bid, Handley returned to Colorado and worked as field director for Ken Salazar
's Senate campaign, and as Outreach Director for ProgressNow.org. She is currently working as a field consultant for Jared Polis
' campaign for the Democratic nomination in Colorado's 2nd congressional district
, and as campaign manager for Rollie Heath, now a candidate for the Colorado State Senate. Handley is married; she and her husband, Rich Pelletier, currently live in Lafayette, Colorado
.
Handley was appointed by chairman Howard Dean
to an at-large seat on the Democratic National Committee
, and is a member of the DNC's Hispanic Caucus.
As a member of the Democratic National Committee, she is a superdelegate
to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
. In 2007, she announced her intention to vote for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. A veteran of both Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
and Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
's campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination, Handley was appointed by Dean to the DNC.
As a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
, Handley has publicly supported Hillary Clinton.
Biography
Born in rural PeruPeru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and adopted as a child by Boulder County
Boulder County, Colorado
Boulder County is the sixth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county seat is Boulder. The most populous municipality in the county and the county seat is the City of Boulder...
couple Bruce and Vija Handley, Maria Handley graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and a minor in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. Her parents were politically active and her father ran for state representative when she was two years old, and Handley entered professional politics shortly after graduation. She worked as a field director in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
for the 2000 presidential campaign of Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
, and for Mayor Paul Schell
Paul Schell
Paul Schell, born Paul Schlachtenhaufen on October 8, 1937, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, was the 50th mayor of Seattle, Washington. His four-year term as mayor began on January 1, 1998....
in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in 2001. She was then statewide political director for Rollie Heath
Rollie Heath
Stratton Rollins Heath, Jr. 'Rollie Heath is a state legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Elected to the Colorado State Senate as a Democrat in 2008, Heath represents Senate District 18, which encompasses Boulder, Colorado and portions of Boulder County....
's unsuccessful bid for Colorado governor in 2002.
Handley was one of the first staff members hired by the presidential campaign of Howard Dean in February 2003, serving first as Regional Political Director and then as National Deputy Director of Constituency Outreach for the Dean campaign. Following the end of Dean's presidential bid, Handley returned to Colorado and worked as field director for Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
's Senate campaign, and as Outreach Director for ProgressNow.org. She is currently working as a field consultant for Jared Polis
Jared Polis
Jared Schutz Polis is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
' campaign for the Democratic nomination in Colorado's 2nd congressional district
Colorado's 2nd congressional district
Colorado's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. The district is located in the north-central part of the state and encompasses the northwestern suburbs of Denver including Boulder, Northglenn, Thornton, and Westminster...
, and as campaign manager for Rollie Heath, now a candidate for the Colorado State Senate. Handley is married; she and her husband, Rich Pelletier, currently live in Lafayette, Colorado
Lafayette, Colorado
The City of Lafayette is a Home Rule Municipality located in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 23,884 on 2005-07-01.- Geography :Lafayette is located at ....
.
Handley was appointed by chairman Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
to an at-large seat on the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, and is a member of the DNC's Hispanic Caucus.
As a member of the Democratic National Committee, she is a superdelegate
Superdelegate
"Superdelegate" is an informal term commonly used for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Democratic Party....
to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
. In 2007, she announced her intention to vote for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.