Media Contacts:
Jody Couser, Press Officer
Democrats Abroad
USA (410) 757-5852
pressofficer@democratsabroad.org

Elizabeth Serlemitsos, Chair
Democrats Abroad Zambia
(011 -260 -966) 757667

Press Release
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2009

Democrats Abroad Announces New Country Committee
Welcomes Democrats Abroad Zambia

Washington, DC – Today, Democrats Abroad announced that the organization has approved a new country committee, Democrats Abroad Zambia (DAZ).

In 2003, DAZ Chair Elizabeth Serlemitsos and her husband, John, Vice-Chair Jeff Stringer and his wife, Elizabeth, along with Richard Ragan and Marcela Sandoval (both active in the Clinton Administration), began organizing American Democrats living in Zambia who were keen to see change in U.S. leadership.

In 2007, Patti Madigan arrived, fresh from her experience with the Democrats Abroad India Chapter and mentored the Zambian group to apply for recognition as an official committee of Democrats Abroad. The re-invigorated group has organized numerous events leading up to and including the election of President Obama. These events included: movie nights, guest speakers, debate viewing, a Super Tuesday/Wednesday Breakfast, an election night party and an Inaugural Ball.

“We are so pleased to welcome Democrats Abroad Zambia. We know that under Elizabeth Serlemitsos’ leadership, this new committee will bring both energy and enthusiasm to the entire organization and do all that it can to help get democrats elected to Congress next year,” said Christine Schon Marques, International Chair, Democrats Abroad.

“The continent of Africa, with its vast differences and distances, is a land rich with opportunity for Democrats Abroad as so many Americans have settled there,” said Susan Haug, Democrats Abroad Regional Vice Chair for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “We welcome Democrats Abroad Zambia and look forward to working with them to spread President Obama’s message of change, improve the U.S. image abroad and to supporting the President’s emphasis of more open international dialogue.”

DAZ’s current Executive Committee consists of 6 very enthusiastic and talented leaders:

Chair - Elizabeth Serlemitsos, from New Hampshire, has been in Zambia for 13 years and is currently serving as the Chief Advisor to the Zambian government’s National AIDS Council.

Vice Chair- Jeff Stringer, a medical doctor from Alabama, has been in Zambia for 8 years and is running one of the largest programs supporting the provision of treatment, care and support to people living with HIV and AIDS.

Secretary - Dana Sandstrom Keating, most recently of Washington DC, has been a resident of Zambia for the past two years. She does regional business development and recruiting for a U.S.-based non-profit organization.

Treasurer - Celia Sandbloom, a registered voter in Washington, D.C., is a teacher by training and is currently in Zambia with her husband. They have been in country for the past year and a half.

Members at Large - Patti Madigan and Melinda Ojermark- Patti came to Lusaka from New Delhi, where she was one of the founding mothers of Democrats Abroad India. A native of Massachusetts, early memories include picketing non-union grocers in town, as well as leafleting for McGovern. She worked for the Dukakis Administration and with refugees before moving overseas. Melinda has been in Zambia for a little more than a year, but has lived in Africa for many years. She is currently running a program supporting the Zambian government to strengthen health systems.

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Democrats Abroad is the official overseas branch of the U.S. Democratic Party. With members in 164 countries around the globe, Democrats Abroad holds eight positions on the Democratic National Committee and sends a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to select our presidential candidate.