Pat Waak
Encyclopedia
Patricia A. "Pat" Waak was the chair of the Colorado Democratic Party
. A population and environmental policy analyst and consultant, Waak was elected to chair the Colorado Democratic Party in 2005. She led the party as it saw statewide gains in 2006 and won the right to host the Democratic National Convention
. A superdelegate
to the national convention, Waak publicly endorsed Sen. Barack Obama
in late May 2008.
and raised in Texas
, Waak, a registered nurse, was a Peace Corps
volunteer in Brazil where she taught maternal and child health between 1966 and 1968. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology and a doctorate in ministry.
During the Carter
administration, she worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development and then joined at Columbia University
as Assistant Director for the Center for Population and Family Health. She then spent 17 years at the National Audubon Society
, from 1985 to 1999.
Waak was a delegate to the 1994 U.N. International Conference on Population and Development
, and chaired the population and environment technical committee for the Commission on Environmental Strategies and Planning of the World Conservation Union
. She was named a Population Reference Bureau
Honorary Fellow in 1992, and received the Audubon Society's Charles Callison Award in 1998. She was the executive director of an environmental center and foundation in Loveland, Colorado
.
Waak is also the author of My Bones Are Red, a genealogical memoir published in 2005 and "Planet Awakening" published by the National Audubon Society. She is married to Ken Strom; Waak has two daughters from a previous marriage to Joe Baldi, Cinira Baldi and Rachel Carter.
in 1976 and a run for U.S. Congress in Colorado's 4th congressional district
in 2002. A resident of Erie, Colorado
, she has also served as a Democratic Party precinct chair and a member of the Weld County
Democratic Party Executive Committee.
She was elected to chair the Colorado Democratic Party in March 2005, defeating incumbent party chair Chris Gates in a narrow 187-184 vote by Colorado's Democratic Party central committee. Supporters of Gates contended that the close vote reflected a rift between moderates and liberals within the state party, while other Waak supporters contended that the election reflected problems with Gates' leadership style. Waak was re-elected unanimously to a second two year term in March 2007. During her term as state party chair, Colorado Democrats won control of the governorship and Congressional seat in 2006 and successfully bid to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention
. Waak presided over the 2008 Colorado Democratic Party Convention, the largest convention in state party history. In 2009 she was elected to a third term as Colorado Democratic Party chair, the first time a chair was elected for three consecutive terms in 54 years.
As Colorado Democratic Party chair, she is a superdelegate
to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
, did not publicly announce her intention to vote for a particular candidate during most of the contested primary battle between Barack Obama
and Hillary Clinton. She cited her post as state party chair as justification for remaining neutral for most of the primary in the presidential contest until a clear winner emerges. Waak endorsed Obama on May 28, shortly before the final Democratic primaries, during a visit by Obama to the state, citing Obama's success in the February caucuses in Colorado and Obama's lead in general election polling of Colorado voters. "First, as Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, I am influenced by the voters of Colorado….Second, I believe that Sen. Obama and his message of change is what Colorado wants….Finally, I believe that our country needs the type of visionary, uplifting leadership that Senator Obama has”
Colorado Democratic Party
The Colorado Democratic Party is the state affiliate of the United States Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Colorado. Its chair is Rick Palacio, and its executive director is Alec Garnett.The remaining officers are:...
. A population and environmental policy analyst and consultant, Waak was elected to chair the Colorado Democratic Party in 2005. She led the party as it saw statewide gains in 2006 and won the right to host the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
. 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 national convention, Waak publicly endorsed Sen. Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in late May 2008.
Biography
Born in Muskogee, OklahomaMuskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
and raised in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Waak, a registered nurse, was a Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
volunteer in Brazil where she taught maternal and child health between 1966 and 1968. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology and a doctorate in ministry.
During the Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
administration, she worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development and then joined at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
as Assistant Director for the Center for Population and Family Health. She then spent 17 years at the National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
, from 1985 to 1999.
Waak was a delegate to the 1994 U.N. International Conference on Population and Development
International Conference on Population and Development
The United Nations coordinated an International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt from 5–13 September 1994. Its resulting Program of Action is the steering document for the United Nations Population Fund ....
, and chaired the population and environment technical committee for the Commission on Environmental Strategies and Planning of the World Conservation Union
World Conservation Union
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of...
. She was named a Population Reference Bureau
Population Reference Bureau
The Population Reference Bureau is a private, nonprofit organization which informs people around the world about population, health and the environment for research or academic purposes...
Honorary Fellow in 1992, and received the Audubon Society's Charles Callison Award in 1998. She was the executive director of an environmental center and foundation in Loveland, Colorado
Loveland, Colorado
Loveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Loveland is the 14th most populous city in Colorado. The United States Census Bureau that in 2010 the...
.
Waak is also the author of My Bones Are Red, a genealogical memoir published in 2005 and "Planet Awakening" published by the National Audubon Society. She is married to Ken Strom; Waak has two daughters from a previous marriage to Joe Baldi, Cinira Baldi and Rachel Carter.
Political career
Waak's political resume includes stints as deputy campaign manager for presidential candidate Sargent ShriverSargent Shriver
Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr., known as Sargent Shriver, R. Sargent Shriver, or, from childhood, Sarge, was an American statesman and activist. As the husband of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, he was part of the Kennedy family, serving in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations...
in 1976 and a run for U.S. Congress in Colorado's 4th congressional district
Colorado's 4th congressional district
Colorado's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in the eastern part of the state, the district encompasses most of the rural Eastern Plains as well as the larger cities of Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland and Longmont along Colorado's Front...
in 2002. A resident of Erie, Colorado
Erie, Colorado
Erie is a Statutory Town in Boulder and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. The estimated population according to the 2010 US Census is 18,135 and was recorded as 6,291 at the 2000 census. The Town of Erie is located just west of I-25 for easy access to I-70, Denver International Airport...
, she has also served as a Democratic Party precinct chair and a member of the Weld County
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
Democratic Party Executive Committee.
She was elected to chair the Colorado Democratic Party in March 2005, defeating incumbent party chair Chris Gates in a narrow 187-184 vote by Colorado's Democratic Party central committee. Supporters of Gates contended that the close vote reflected a rift between moderates and liberals within the state party, while other Waak supporters contended that the election reflected problems with Gates' leadership style. Waak was re-elected unanimously to a second two year term in March 2007. During her term as state party chair, Colorado Democrats won control of the governorship and Congressional seat in 2006 and successfully bid to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
. Waak presided over the 2008 Colorado Democratic Party Convention, the largest convention in state party history. In 2009 she was elected to a third term as Colorado Democratic Party chair, the first time a chair was elected for three consecutive terms in 54 years.
As Colorado Democratic Party chair, 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,...
, did not publicly announce her intention to vote for a particular candidate during most of the contested primary battle between Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Hillary Clinton. She cited her post as state party chair as justification for remaining neutral for most of the primary in the presidential contest until a clear winner emerges. Waak endorsed Obama on May 28, shortly before the final Democratic primaries, during a visit by Obama to the state, citing Obama's success in the February caucuses in Colorado and Obama's lead in general election polling of Colorado voters. "First, as Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, I am influenced by the voters of Colorado….Second, I believe that Sen. Obama and his message of change is what Colorado wants….Finally, I believe that our country needs the type of visionary, uplifting leadership that Senator Obama has”
External links
- PatWaak.com - personal site