Tessa

Hughes

TessaHughes

MayoroftheDistrict
ofColumbia

707.775.8336
tessa2k@comcast.net

AndersonPlace
Washington,D.C.20032

Skills

PublicSpeaking,websitedesign,customerservices,communication,
problemsolving,analyzingpoliticaldocuments,goodwithgrammar,
spelling,andpunctuation,budgetmanagement,speechwriting,event
coordinating,writedraftsoflegislation,andhandledonors.

Experience

CityHall/MayoroftheDistrictofColumbia
November2028-Present,Washington,D.C.

Enforcecitylaws,administerandcoordinatecitydepartments,setforth
policiesandagendasofthecitycouncil,preparetheyearlycitybudget,
approveandvetobills,submitdraftsoflegislationtothecitycouncil,and
proposefederallegislationoractiondirectlytothepresidentand
congressoftheUnitedStates.

DemocraticCongressionalCampaignCommittee/Digital
CampaignManager
June2027-Present,Washington,D.C.

Wrotepetitionsandemailcampaigns,editedemaildrafts,creatednew
ideasforemailcampaigns,anddrovethesocialmediapresenceforthe
campaignincludingsendingoutFacebookmessagesandTweets.

DemocraticCongressionalCampaignCommittee/Digital
Assistant
June2025-June2027,Washington,D.C.

Setupsignupformsanddonationspages,improvedqualityandincreased
conversionrates,maintainedandimprovedwebsiteandonlinecontent,
developedoutreachtechniques,generatedmediacoverage,drafted
socialmediacontent,andcompiledandsummarizedresultsofanalytics
forwebsites,emailcampaigns,andsocialnetworks.

DemocraticCongressionalCampaignCommittee/Intern
May2024-August2024,S.E.Washington,D.C.

Workedindigital,member/customerservices,andoperations.Handled
receptionisttasks,talkedandhandleddonorneeds,assistedfundraising
andmemberevents,coordinatedmeetings,preparedtrackingreports,
andanalyzedhistoricalrecords.

WegmanPartners/Paralegal
May2022-August2022,NewYorkCity,NewYork

Conductedlegalresearch,presentations,andclientinterviews,drafted
legaldocuments,andassistedwithlawof ceadministration.

Education

NewYorkUniversity/BachelorofPoliticalScience

September2018-May2022,NewYorkCity,NewYork

HarvardUniversity/JurisDoctorDegree
September2022-May2025,Cambridge,Massachusetts

References

JeffreyBarken/RecruiterofClientsandStaff
Phone646.779.3384
Emailjbarken@wegmanpartners.com

ElizabethBartholet/ProfessorofLawatHarvardUniversity
Phone617.495.3128
Emailebarthol@law.harvard.edu

AnitaBonds/DistrictofColumbiaCouncilmember
Phone202.724.8064

PhilMendelson/DistrictofColumbiaChairmanand
Councilmember
Phone202.724.8085

TessaHughes
Gardner
HonorsEnglish104o
1March2016
BarringtheStereotypes
Whenyougooglethetermpoliticiantwodefinitionsappear:onedefinestheliteralmeaningof
thewordandtheseconddefinitionstatesthatapoliticianisapersonwhoactsinamanipulativeand
deviousway.Whenpeoplethinkaboutwhatapoliticianistheythinkofsomeonewhomatchesthe
seconddefinitionand,foraslongasIcanremember,ithasalwaysbeenthatway.Startingatayoung
ageIhavealwaysbeenfascinatedwithpowerwhohasit,howtheygotit,andhowtheyuseit.

StartingatayoungageIalwaysbelievedpoliticianspossessedrealpower.Duetotheallurethatpower
maintainsIhavealwayswantedtobeapoliticianwhenIgetolder.
Ichosetostartmytheoreticalpathtobecomingasuccessfulpoliticianwithsevenyearsof
schoolinginuniversitieswithsomeofthebestpoliticalscienceandlawprogramsinthecountry,starting
withNewYorkUniversityandthentoHarvard,thesecondbestlawschoolinthecountry.Iwantedto
beginmypoliticalcareerstrong.Ichosetheseschoolsduetotheirlocationandquality,becauseIwould
wanttobeinaplacethatIcould,aftercollege,immediatelyimmersemyselfinthecultureofpolitics.
FromthereIcarefullyselectedjobsandinternshipsthatwouldfurthermycareerandthat
supportedmypoliticalbeliefs,thatiswhyIchosetointernandthenworkforthedemocraticcampaign
team.Idhope,thatinworkingthere,Iwouldlearnmoreaboutwhatgoesintomakingaprosperous
campaignand,indoingmyresearch,Ilearnedthatittakesanentireteamtorunacampaign.Itisnotjust
thecandidatebutacampaignmanager,adigitalcampaignmanager,thepeopleinchargeofbudgetsand
operations,thosewhodealwithpublicrelations,andaplethoraofvolunteerstoformalegitimate
campaign.
Thecampaignaloneisjustanobject,ittakesadedicatedpoliticiantogocampaigningandprove
thattheydeservetheirspotinoffice.Iinterviewedalocalcouncilmenthatisextremelydedicatedtoher
positiononthecitycouncilandappearstobeonthecouncilfortherightreasons.KathyMillerhasbeen
onthePetalumacitycouncilforfouryearsandsheprovidedpositiveinsightaboutbeingonthecouncil.
WithMillerscandoattitudeaboutaccomplishingessentialprojectsthroughoutPetalumaandher
claimingthatthemostdifficultpartaboutbeingonthecouncilistryingtogeteverythingdonethatI
wanttogetdoneforPetaluma,butnothavingenoughmoneyinthebudgettopayforthosethings,she
makesbecomingapoliticianseemlikeahighlyrewardingjob.
Thisnewscameasasurpriseformeconsideringthenegativelightshedonpoliticiansandtheir
work.Duetoalltheantagonismputonpoliticians,itleadmetorealizethatpeopledontappreciatethe
workthatpoliticiansaccomplishandhowmuchpoliticsisactuallyinvolvedindailylife.Thisadditional

informationaboutthehecticfieldofpoliticsonlycaptivatesandmotivatesmemoretobecomea
politicianthatenforcespositivechange.
IndoingmyresearchaboutmyhypotheticaladultprofessionIlearnedthatpoliticiansarentjust
powerhungry,deviousmanipulatorsliketheinternetimplies.Ilearnedthatpoliticiansrunforaposition
inofficebecausetheytrulycareaboutmakingadifferenceintheworldandthatthetimeanddedication
forthemtoachievethesegoalsisirrelevantaslongastheycanadministerchange.Theworldunfairly
judgespoliticiansbecauseofthestereotypedwaytheyareportrayedontelevisionandinmovies,butthe
realityisthatpoliticsisinvolvedineveryaspectoflife.IwanttobecomeapoliticianbecauseIwantto
seeourcountryliveuptoitsfullestpotential,notjustbecauseIwantpower,andIrealizedthis
throughouttheprocessofresearchingmyfuture.