Ione Townsend
For FDP Secretary and
DNC Member
Ione Townsend is a dedicated leader with decades of experience in healthcare and politics, transforming organizations with her strategic vision and commitment to progress. As a dual-certified nurse practitioner and former Chair of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee, she has championed community-focused initiatives, expanded voter engagement, and strengthened Democratic infrastructure across Florida.
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Experience
Ione Townsend has been a passionate and effective political activist for much of her adult life. Her journey began in Maine, where she served as a School Board member, advocating for quality education and community engagement. After moving to Florida in 2005, she quickly became involved in Democratic politics, working on an Obama neighborhood team in Pasco County in 2008 and leading the 2012 Obama neighborhood team in Plant City.In 2013, Ione worked was a leader of Organizing for Action in Tampa Bay, playing a pivotal role as co-lead for the Affordable Care Act rollout. She joined the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee (HCDEC) in 2012, driven by the need to revitalize the organization after disappointing election results. By 2014, she was elected 1st Vice Chair, and in 2015, she assumed the role of Chair following a leadership vacancy.As Chair of the HCDEC, Ione implemented a countywide organizing strategy modeled after the Obama campaign’s grassroots approach. Her leadership transformed the HCDEC into a year-round operation, engaging voters across all regions of the county, including historically Republican areas. This strategy led to significant electoral successes, flipping precincts from red to blue and contributing to Hillsborough County's evolution from a bellwether to a deep blue county by 2020. Her tenure saw supermajorities achieved in the County Commission, School Board, and other critical offices, as well as the majority seat on the Temple Terrace City Council.Ione made diversity a cornerstone of her tenure as HCDEC Chair by assembling an inclusive leadership team and promoting diverse candidates for public office across Hillsborough County and beyond.Ione also spearheaded fundraising efforts, raising more than $3.6 million over nine years, surpassing Republican counterparts and strengthening candidate support and voter engagement initiatives. In 2021, she expanded her impact as Chair of the Democratic County Chairs Association (DCCA), modernizing its operations, launching a website, and creating extensive training programs for Democratic leaders. Recognizing the need for additional resources, she co-founded Hey Florida, a PAC dedicated to supporting Democratic infrastructure and GOTV efforts in under-resourced counties, raising and distributing $100,000 in 2024 alone. Ione has been an advocate for supporting DECs around the state.Through her dedication, strategic vision, and ability to inspire collective action, Ione Townsend has become a driving force for Democratic success in Florida, demonstrating the power of grassroots activism and effective leadership.
About
Ione Townsend is a dual-certified nurse practitioner (adult and family) and a dedicated leader with a background in healthcare and community service. Over her distinguished career, she served as a senior executive in two medical institutions in Maine, earning numerous awards and gubernatorial appointments. She retired in 2020 after 15 years as a Colorectal Surgical Nurse Practitioner at Moffitt Cancer Center.A mother of five sons and married to CL Townsend, Ione has always been committed to making a difference. She has been actively involved in local organizations and initiatives, bringing a collaborative and strategic approach to every role she has undertaken. Her work in political activism has included leadership positions in Democratic organizations, where she has focused on community engagement and building stronger, more inclusive infrastructures.
Vision
Secretary
We require a comprehensive, automated approach to list maintenance that is user-friendly for all, especially those less familiar with technology. It's crucial to ensure that Counties, Clubs, and Caucuses can comply with reporting changes in leadership and contact information promptly. Given the membership of the SEC has nearly doubled with the one-person-one-vote system, it is vital that we prevent anyone from feeling excluded or undervalued.Record Keeping
Accurate record-keeping includes taking comprehensive minutes, establishing rules of procedure for meetings and elections, disseminating timely information, and collaborating closely with Party Affairs on membership lists. As Secretary, I would engage actively in this role, alleviating the burden on our staff so they can focus on broader Party Affairs functions.Finance Committee
As a member of the finance committee, I would leverage my significant experience in fundraising, budgeting, and financial management. With nearly 20 years as a hospital executive overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets, I have led my team to raise approximately $3.7 million during my nine years as Hillsborough County Chair. This funding supported candidates and strengthened our GOTV (Get Out the Vote) infrastructure while expanding the number of clubs and caucuses in our County.
DNC Member
At the DNC level I would advocate for a robust 50 state strategy, rebranding and creating a strategy for our party to return us to the party of the working people. We need support for State parties. We need consistent messaging and messaging that comes from the grass root. We need to adapt to new ways of getting our message to voters, away from legacy media and transitioning to media the public uses. Consultants in most cases must go. WE all know if you keep using the same play book and coming up with the same results, that is the definition of insanity. We are not insane, but we are intelligent, well-meaning, dedicated Democrats who can step up to the challenge and revamp our national party. I want to be a part of that effort.
Endorsements
The Honorable Alex Sink, Former CFO of the State of Florida, Founder Ruth's List
Anissa Karim, Co-Chair of the Florida Democratic Muslim Caucus and former Chair of the Charlotte DEC
Laurie Plotnick, State Committeewoman - Broward and President of the Florida Democratic Senior Caucus
Bob Berg, State Committeeman - Sumter, Chair of the Small County Coalition and former Chair of the Sumter DEC
Democratic Disability Caucus of Florida, Karen Clay, President
Laura Tucker, President of the Democratic Public Education Caucus of Florida
Dave Wax, Chair of the Florida Data Director's Council
Angela Bird, President of the Hillsborough County Black Caucus
Stephen Shaken, President of the Hillsborough County Democratic Jewish Caucus
Patricia Cohn, President Hillsborough County Democratic Women's Club, Regional Director, Democratic Women's Club of Florida
Lauren Jorgenson, Chair of the Suwanee DEC
Ryan Ray, Chair of the Leon DEC
Suzanne Sapp, Chair of the Nassau County DEC
Joshua Caswell, State Committeeman - Hillsborough, Board Member Florida Democratic Education Caucus
Jennifer Griffith, State Committeewoman - Pinellas and former Chair of the Pinellas DEC
Nathan Sharp, State Committeeman - Citrus and President of the NCR LGBTQ+ Democrats
Brian Stewart, State Committeman - Hernando and Chair of the Hernando DEC
Greg Wilhelm, State Committeeman - Lake and former Lake DEC Chair
Joseph Adams, former State Committeeman - Citrus and former Chair of the Small County Coalition
Contact
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