I work as a political strategist for Democratic and issue-based campaigns. I specialize in areas where money and registration disadvantage make winning more difficult. Over thirty years, using experience from nearly 100 campaigns I have developed techniques for overcoming big money by finding and targeting swing voters living within homogeneous pockets in neighborhoods, cities, counties and regions of a state. I have also developed a rock-solid mathematical formula for finding swing voters, neighborhood by neighborhood. Much of my experience, as well as the formula and techniques I use may be found in sixth edition of my book, The Campaign Manager, Running and Winning Local Elections (Rutledge) which came out in 2017. The Campaign Manager was first published in 1996. Previously:From 1989 through 2000 I served as the youngest and first woman mayor of the City of Ashland, Oregon (three terms) and from 2000-2004 worked for state representative (now senator) Dr. Alan Bates (D, Ashland) in the Oregon Legislature.

Oak Street Press was founded in 1995 to help elect progressive candidates to office and pass money measures to shore up civic buildings and budgets. Although we create image, provide direction and package political campaigns, the unique angle we bring to the election process is targeting and strategy for a campaign committee to win seemingly impossible races. Details of the campaign structure can be reviewed in my book: The Campaign Manager, Running and Winning Local Campaigns (Westview Press). Fourth edition will be out in 2009.

Chief executive officer of the municipal corporation. Subsequent to my post as mayor, I served as Chief of Staff to Representative Alan Bates in the Oregon Legislature until 2004. I managed his winning campaign to his current seat in the Oregon Senate.