Officers
ROD SNYDER (WV), PRESIDENT
@RodSnyderWV
Rod Snyder has served as President of the Young Democrats of America since July 2010. He is a former President of the West Virginia Young Democrats and former YDA Mid-Atlantic Region Director.
Rod is a native of Jefferson County, West Virginia. He graduated in 2002 with honors from Eastern University near Philadelphia with a Bachelors degree in Political Science and currently works as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. on agriculture policy.
He was a candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2004 and was named the state’s Outstanding Young Democrat of the Year in 2005. In 2008, he managed three successful campaigns in West Virginia, including the election of the youngest ever female legislator in the history of the state. Rod served on the Agriculture and RuralPolicy Advisory Committee for the 2008 Barack Obama for President campaign and has made appearances on Fox News and MSNBC to discuss the youth vote.
In 2011, Rod was selected as a partner for the Truman National Security Project, and he recently traveled to Cairo to speak on the role of young people in the transition to democracy in Egypt. He also serves as a board member for the American Council of Young Political Leaders.
Rod is an accomplished singer-songwriter and was a semifinalist on season four of the television show American Idol. In 2006, he released his debut full-length album entitled “Leaving Hollywood Behind.”
COLMON ELRIDGE (KY), EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
@ColmonElridge
Vice-President Colmon Elridge has been involved in Kentucky politics for almost a decade. From working his way up from stuffing envelopes for House of Representatives candidate Scotty Baseler to introducing then Senator Barack Obama in Lexington in 2008, Colmon has worked tirelessly not only for Democratic candidates but for the values long held by our party.
Colmon is originally from Harrison County, Kentucky. He attended Transylvania University from 1999-2003 and while there served as state Vice-President, Communications Director, and President for the College Democrats of Kentucky. He also attended Eastern Kentucky University for his Master’s Degree and while there served as both the Executive Vice-President for the EKU SGA as well as the College Democrats President for EKU as well as the Vice President for the Madison County Young Democrats.
Colmon has been President of the Fayette County Young Democrats since December of 2006. Most recently Colmon was elected to serve as National Committeeman for the Kentucky Young Democrats which represents Kentucky on the national committee of state YD federations.
Colmon was appointed in December 2007 as the Executive Assistant to Governor Steve Beshear. Working on behalf of the people of Kentucky Colmon has championed expanding Children’s Health Care and education. Colmon also has the distinction of being the youngest Director of the White House Faith Based Initiatives in the nation having been appointed to that position by Governor Beshear in January 2008 at the age of 26.
“The political process is a great process but it need not be so divisive, Colmon says. I believe we can come to the table with our ideas and our passion about how to move our state and our nation forward, and while we might disagree on how to get there, we can agree that failure is no option. Our generation has an obligation to bring civility back to this process and once again restore hope to the millions of people who entrust in us the responsibility of making life better.”
KRISTIN ASCHENBRENNER (SD), VICE PRESIDENT
@Kristinaschen
Kristin Aschenbrenner of South Dakota was elected to the office of Vice President at the Young Democrats of America’s (YDA) 2011 biennial convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
Aschenbrenner was the founding president of the South Dakota Young Democrats and the first woman elected to serve as Chair of the State Presidents Association. She is also the first South Dakotan to ever serve as an officer for YDA.
Aschenbrenner currently works as a consultant in South Dakota working for both candidates and issue campaigns. Her clients have included Equality South Dakota and the South Dakota Advocacy Network for Women.
She currently resides in the beautiful Black Hills of Rapid City, South Dakota.
ATIMA OMARA-ALWALA (VA), VICE PRESIDENT
Atima Omara-Alwala of Virginia was elected to the position of Vice President at the Young Democrats of America’s (YDA) 2011 biennial convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
Atima, has been an active member of YDA for the last seven years. She previously served as Director of the Mid-Atlantic Region for the last two years and before that served three years as the Chair of YDA’s Women’s Caucus. Atima has also served in state and local leadership within the Young Democrats, including state women’s caucus chair and national committeewoman in the Virginia Young Democrats.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, Atima has spent her time in politics and public service for the last eight years, working for 4 Congressional races, 2 state legislative races, for the unions and other progressive organizations. Currently, she is a graduate student at George Mason University pursuing a masters in public administration and works for a national disability rights group.
Atima, and her fiance Clay, live in Arlington, Virginia.
MIKE CORBETT (NY), VICE PRESIDENT
@VPCobett
Mike Corbett was elected to the position of Vice President at the 2011 YDA Biennial Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Mike has been an active member of YDA for the past four and a half years. He served in the position of Labor Caucus Chair for the past two years. During his tenure, the caucus has continued it’s success of reaching out to labor and building bridges between unions and YDA. Mike has also served in state and local leadership within the young dems organization, including as Chief of Staff to two presidents of the New York State Young Democrats.
A third generation Teamster, Mike served as Trustee of Teamsters Local 814 in New York City from 2006-2009. Mike also represented his union at the 2006 Teamsters Convention as an Alternate Delegate. He is still working in the ranks as a commercial mover.
Mike Corbett was born, raised, and still lives in his beloved New York, NY at the only address he has ever called home.
STEPHANIE HAUSNER (NY), DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEEWOMAN
Born and raised in New City, New York, Stephanie Hausner is a proven leader on the local, state and national levels. Stephanie began early, earning awards for her work in social justice and community service from the Rockland County Legislature and the Clarkstown School District before graduating from high school. This activism continued while at Johns Hopkins University where she interned with Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Governor Martin O’Malley, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee among others. Writing her senior honors thesis on “Political Institutions, Culture, and Female Executive Power,” Stephanie graduated with a BA in International Relations with a concentration in American Foreign Policy in May 2006.
As an early supporter of Senator John Kerry’s campaign for the presidency in 2004, Stephanie organized college students both in Maryland and across the country. She brought her skills to the Young Democrats of America, where she has served as Vice Chair of the Jewish Caucus, Secretary of the College Caucus, New York Downstate Regional Vice President, and National Secretary. She was recently appointed by YDA President Crystal Strait as the Young Democrats’ of America Democratic National Committeewoman. Stephanie is looking forward to representing Young Democrats on the DNC and fighting for furthur youth involvement on the DNC.
In last year’s presidential primary, Stephanie’s energy was channeled toward Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign, where she represented the Clinton campaign as a “Hillblazer” at various forums and coordinated the “Chai for Hillary” Jewish Youth Outreach. She also was active in the Clinton campaign’s Ambassador program, where she organized young women to support the Senator. The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee recently recognized Stephanie as a rising star in NY politics. She belongs to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the National Jewish Democratic Council, where she is often featured as a blogger. Stephanie remains very active in New York State and Rockland County politics. She serves as a member of the Clarkstown Democratic Committee, who awarded her the 2008 Liberty Youth Award for her exemplary dedication to her community. Stephanie is currently running for Clarkstown Town Council so that she can use her skills and passion to continue to serve her community.
In addition to her political accomplishments, Stephanie is also accomplished professionally. In 2008, Stephanie managed and fundraised for Kristen McElroy’s State Senate race, closing what was a 22-point deficit against a 19-year incumbent to only 4 points. Prior to that she served as the Campus and Program Coordinator for the Jewish Council for Public Affairs/United Jewish Communities Israel Advocacy Initiative, where she trained young activists across the country. Most recently, she worked at Riverspace Arts in Nyack, fundraising and coordinating special projects, including raising over $50,000 at the organization’s first off-site fundraiser.
FRANCISCO J. DOMENECH (PR), DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEEMAN
Francisco Domenech is YDA’s male representative to the Democratic National Committee. From 2005-2007, he served as YDA’s Vice President of Development.
Francisco is a proven leader in youth, Latino, political and legal communities. He is currently the Director of the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly’s Office of Legislative Services, where he heads an agency with an 11 million dollar budget that provides research and legal services to both the Puerto Rico House and Senate.
Francisco, a member of the Puerto Rico Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the Hispanic National Bar Association, has a wide range of legal experience. He has worked as a trial attorney in the Litigation Department of McConnell Valdés, has, represented clients at the trial and appellate levels and appeared before the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Additionally, Francisco worked career at the law firm of Colón & Román, where he represented the Department of Education’s labor unions and had extensive trial practice both at the federal and state level. He integrated his law career with his political passion during his tenure as Director of the Office of Legal Counsel and Federal Affairs for the Puerto Rico Senate and President’s offices, where he served as the President’s Chief Legal Advisor and supervised the Senate’s representation in Washington, DC.
As a campaign operative, Francisco worked in various areas of Dr. Pedro Rosselló’s Gubernatorial Campaign for the New Progressive Party (NPP). He worked as the Rapid Response Team’s Issues Director and the Project Manager for the first Don Luis A. Ferré Memorial Activity, a massive electoral program in Puerto Rico.
Francisco was also a co-founder and the first President of the Young Democrats of America’s Puerto Rico chapter. Under Francisco’s leadership, the Young Democrats in Puerto Rico secured five delegate slots for the Democratic National Convention and raised funds to send 14 members to volunteer for YDA’s campaign program in 2004, the Young Voter Alliance.
Mr. Domenech obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, with a Major in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico. He attended the University of Puerto Rico’s School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctor Degree in 2003.
EMILY ROBINSON (IL), SECRETARY
@MLEDawn
Emily Robinson, a native Michigander, moved to Chicago in 2004. Prior to her move to Chicago, Emily attended Hope College, graduating with B.A. in Political Science in 2004.
Upon her arrival in Chicago, Emily worked in the office of 1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores. In her spare time, working with then Committeeman Flores, she founded the 1st Ward Young Democrats. Emily helped build this chapter to one of the strongest chapters in Chicago. Emily also joined the Young Democrats of Cook County and the Young Democrats of Illinois. She served as Secretary in the Young Democrats of Cook County and National Committeewoman and Treasurer in the Young Democrats of Illinois.
Emily broadened her horizons attending Young Democrats of America meetings beginning in 2005. Emily has served as the Vice Chairman of the Rules & Charter Committee, Secretary of the Site Selection Committee, and also as a member of the 2009 Convention Committee.
Emily left Alderman Flores’ council office to pursue a legal career. Following her graduation from John Marshall Law School in January, 2010, Emily now practices law in Illinois as a government attorney.
Emily has brought increased transparency to the efforts of the Young Democrats of America by improving internal and external communication, effectively liaising with the YDA Communications Committee to improve the organization’s website, and providing the membership with expanded access to information.
JONATHAN PADILLA (CA), TREASURER
@DemocratJP
Jonathan Padilla serves as YDA’s Treasurer and youngest board member. He has spent six years in the Young Democrats of America, having attended his first national convention in 2005 in San Francisco, California.
Jonathan is an emerging leader in Democratic politics, the Latino community, and in his home state of California. He is currently a rising senior at Harvard College where he studies government and is writing a thesis examining how California’s Governors have used statewide referenda to set the public agenda.
Getting his start at 11 years old in 2000, Jonathan has worked on local, state, and national campaigns ranging from gubernatorial contests in California to senatorial matches in Massachusetts to offering support to high school outreach with Obama for America.
In YDA, Jonathan was the founder and first chair of the High School Caucus, bringing together students from across the nation to advocate for H.R. 5 and S. 7, which were eventually signed into law, cutting the interest rate on federally subsidized student loans in half. He was also the first chair of the YDA Community Service Committee, ensuring that
every state organization had a robust community service focus.
Outside of YDA, Jonathan has worked in House Appropriations with Congressman and DNC Vice-Chair Mike Honda. He has also served in White House Communications where he was on the team that handled the Gulf Oil Spill and Justice Kagan’s confirmation proceedings.
His most recent endeavors landed him at Google’s public policy team where he was an advocate for clean energy and an overall innovation agenda.
Serving as a Delegate to the California Democratic Party and as an At-Large Member of the DNC’s Youth Council, Jonathan has a broad range of experiences that have prepared him to serve as YDA’s Treasurer.
Beyond politics, Jonathan is active in community work with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a national nonprofit that seeks to advance the educational and leadership opportunities afforded to young Latinos and the Silicon Valley startup community where he has been involved with social media and technology ventures.
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