CSUCI Students to Hear From Former Deputy White House Chief of Staff

Camarillo, Calif., April 8, 2008—California State University Channel Islands will host Les Francis, of Goddard Claussen—one of the nation’s leading public relations firms—on campus Wednesday, April 9. Francis is the Executive Vice President of Goddard Claussen and will be speaking to students in the University’s Political Science Program. Goddard Claussen is a strategic advocacy firm.

Francis is an executive and communications specialist with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. Before joining Goddard Claussen, Francis served as Vice President for Communications & Public Affairs at the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Prior to joining ETS in 2001, Francis was executive vice president of Winner & Associates and a principal in Winner/Wagner & Mandabach Campaigns. He is also a highly regarded policy and opinion leader in national political circles.

Francis moved to Washington, DC in 1975 to serve as Congressman Norman Y. Mineta’s chief of staff and principal political advisor until early 1977, when he moved to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue to join President Jimmy Carter’s White House staff as deputy assistant to the President for congressional liaison. Francis was later named Deputy White House chief of staff.

In 1981 Francis launched his own business, The FMR Group, which was a pioneer in the grassroots lobbying field. The firm was known for its innovative and effective constituency-development efforts. Francis and his firm won national recognition from the Public Relations Society of America and the American Association of Political Consultants.

In addition to managing or consulting dozens of initiative and referenda campaigns over the past two decades, Francis served as a staff member, manager, or senior adviser in campaigns for almost every office from city council to president. At different times in his career, he has also served as the Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee (1980-81) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (1991-92).

Francis is a graduate of San Jose State University and recently named the first “distinguished alumnus” of the College of Social Sciences at SJSU.

For more information about Francis’s visit or the CSUCI Political Science Program contact Scott Frisch, Professor of Political Science, 805-437-2770 or scott.frisch@csuci.edu.

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CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.