Essential Estrogen

Sen. Chris Dodd's presidential campaign has completed hiring regional field staff in Iowa and now has a director in eight major regions of the state. While other national campaigns in Iowa have managed to locate at least one women to serve in mid-level field staff positions, none are listed in the Dodd lineup.

Dodd's field team is overseen by Ben Rohrbaugh. As Iowa field director, Rohrbaugh will be directly responsible for coordination of the eight regionals. He comes to the Dodd campaign following a successful run as the field director for Chicago city clerk Miguel del Valle. He has previously served on Congresswoman Melissa Bean's re-election campaign, the Christine Jennings recount in Florida, and the John Kerry campaign in Michigan.

He will be joined by David Joseph who will be serving as Iowa director of voter contact. Joseph most recently served as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Indiana director of finance and voter contact for the successful campaigns of Reps. Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill. He previously served on John Kerry's presidential campaign in Michigan and Dick Gephardt's Iowa caucus bid.

The following field directors already have or soon will be establishing campaign offices throughout the state and coordinating local campaign and volunteer activities in their respective regions.

• Mario Piscatella will serve as the northwest Iowa regional field director. Piscatella most recently served as senior advisor and strategic director for Pete Ashdown's U.S. Senate campaign in Utah.
• Greg Neil will be the southwest Iowa regional field director. He previously served as a field organizer for Indiana Congressman Baron Hill and Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle.
• John Yaggi will be the north central Iowa Regional field director. Yaggi has served on the campaigns of Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Bruce Lunsford, Indiana Congressman Baron Hill and Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle.
• Justin Lindsay will serve as the Polk County regional field director. He has previously directed field and coordinated field programs in Michigan, as well as working on the John Kerry presidential campaign in Michigan and the Christine Jennings recount effort in Florida.
• Rich Wilkins will be the Waterloo-Mason City regional field director. He previously served on several state and federal campaign in Pennsylvania, including the John Kerry presidential campaign.
• Ben Young will be the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City regional field director. He previously worked for Arkansas Congressman Marion Berry, as well as on the campaigns of Indiana Congressman Baron Hill and Arkansas Congressional candidate Jan Judy.
• Kevin McTigue will serve as northeast Iowa regional field director. He previously served as a field coordinator for Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell's re-election, field director for Virginia delegate Vivian Watts and Michigan volunteer coordinator for John Kerry.
• Chris Bowen, a native of Burlington, will be the southeast Iowa regional field director. He most recently served as a regional field director for the Iowa Democratic Party in 2006 and worked for Gov. Chet Culver's primary campaign.