San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party Selects New Officers

Written by Estero Bay News

July 1, 2020

The San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party’s (SLOCDP) Central Committee has elected a new slate of officers.

With 50 members meeting on-line, the Central Committee elected Rita Casaverde to the post of chairperson. Casaverde is a professional with a background in engineering, design and software development, who is described as “a true force of nature” as a SLO County activist. In selecting Casaverde, the Central Committee also voted to approve five Democratic Party stalwart leaders to serve with her in key roles on the executive committee.

The outgoing chair is Rosemary Wrenn, a teacher educator at Cuesta College and Cal Poly, who helmed SLOCDP for the past three years while also pursuing her Ed.D. in educational leadership at California State University Fresno. She expressed “great admiration and confidence” in Casaverde stating that her successor, “has demonstrated time and again in her multifaceted career and exemplified in her positive activism the vision, energy and temperament of a great leader.

In addition, Wrenn warmly welcomed the incoming Casaverde-led slate of officers, noting that the two vice chairs, Ellen Beraud and Gabriel Granados, the recording secretary, Gail Bunting, the corresponding secretary, John Alan Connerley, and the treasurer, Tim Jouet, “will provide a powerhouse of experience and skills” for SLOCDP.

“Each one of the team has demonstrated their commitment to democratic success through collaboration, coalition building, and actively campaigning for our candidates,” Wrenn said.

Casaverde, who immigrated from Peru to the U.S. and San Luis Obispo County eight years ago, said that, “I am enormously proud to be an American citizen by choice, and I am both humbled and energized that San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party’s members have chosen me to be their new chairperson.” Casaverde says that a positive message is vital for success, and promises to “ focus on what brings us together, rather than what pulls us apart, especially as we adapt to the COVID19 crisis in these unprecedented and challenging times.”

The two new vice chairs bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the executive committee, according to Committee officials.

Beraud, a healthcare professional and small business owner who has lived in Atascadero for the past 20 where she served as mayor, is especially focused on increasing Democratic voter registration in that corner of the county.

Granados, a lifelong resident of San Luis Obispo County, is a Cal Poly graduate in psychology, and for the past eight years has worked with the County of SLO Behavioral Health Department.

“While building partnerships and coalitions to elect Democrats at every level of government, I want to ensure that the best interests of our community’s most vulnerable neighbors are protected,” Granados said.

Bunting served previously as SLOCDP’s Vice Chair and is a co-organizer of the Women’s March SLO.

A professional musician and diplomat, SLOCDP’s Connerley will serve as the organization’s press officer.

Bunting and Connerley also are both senior volunteers with the Dawn Addis California State Assembly campaign and look forward to ensuring close coordination between SLOCDP and Addis’ efforts.

Jouet, a life-long environmentalist and avid bicyclist, was reelected by SLOCDP to the position of treasurer.

The San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party (SLOCDP) is the California State Democratic Party’s official governing body in the County. In addition to its efforts to elect Democratic candidates to local, county, state and federal offices, SLOCDP organizes and supports Democratic clubs throughout the county, and the clubs in turn support the party with activities and events.

For more information about the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party, see its website at: https://slocdp.org/.

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