Second-year student Tamara Bates has joined the Tennessee Democratic Party as Director of Political Affairs.
Bates will manage and build the Tennessee Democratic Party’s political department, assisting in maintaining relationships with elected officials, candidates, legislative caucuses, organized labor, and partner organizations while developing strategies to engage and mobilize voters.
“The skills I hope to develop in this role are to become an effective bridge builder and communicator,” Bates said. “A mark of a good leader is someone who can see the bigger picture, and anticipate problems before they occur. These are valuable skills to acquire when handling complex projects with tight deadlines. I’m entering a new role that will require discipline, flexible, and intentional relationship building.”
As a first-year Clinton School student, Bates was part of a Practicum team that addressed how to grow and retain membership and improve member experiences within the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub. The group conducted surveys of current and past Innovation hub members as well as interviews with staff and benchmark organizations across the country to provide a series of recommendations to the Innovation Hub.
Last summer, Bates worked with Full Circle FarmCorps, an AmeriCorps program that promotes food security and strengthens communities through farming, teaching, and outreach. The program is a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the St. Joseph Center of Arkansas, where Clinton School graduate A.B. Stewart (’19) serves as Program Director.
Bates, a native of Memphis, Tenn., graduated from Philander Smith College with a degree in biology. Before enrolling at the Clinton School, she volunteered with Our House and Arkansas Foodbank.
Responses