The nomination period for the DA Paris Chapter leadership elections is now closed, and the DA Paris Election Board is pleased to announce the candidates for the Paris Chapter leadership!
Members of the DA France Paris Chapter area will receive a ballot by email on March 1. Online voting will end on March 15 at midnight.
The Positions advertised were:
- Chair
- Vice Chair
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Communications Officer
- GOTV Coordinator
- Events Officer
- Volunteer Coordinator
- 2 Members at Large
For any questions or if you need any help with the ballot, please contact the Paris Chapter Election Board, at: [email protected]
Candidate statements
Candidate(s) for Chapter Chair
Shelley Bradford Bell
Shelley Bradford Bell is CEO of 3FIVE55 Communications LLC, a consulting, coaching, and publishing business and publishing company. Shelley founded 3FIVE55 after 38 years of creating marketing campaigns, and providing consulting services to corporations, nonprofits, and C-suite clients, for her company SBB Communications. With more than 40 years of experience working in various areas of politics, from mayoral campaigns, community organizing, and mayoral appointments, I have intimate knowledge of how things work. I have a track record of fundraising and building partnerships.
Why I’m running for Paris Chapter Chair
Paris is the portal to American life in France. In these troubling times, we need to focus on getting out the vote, mentoring youth, and educating and informing the expat community. I’m dedicated to turning around the insanity in America by building on a strong American presence of activism in Paris. I’ll raise funds for youth mentoring programs, training and education. I will work with students looking to return to the US to run for office, and I will work with our DIVERSE body of caucuses to help create opportunities for EQUITABLE dialogue to the INCLUSION of all.
Candidate(s) for Chapter Vice Chair
Shevanne Helmer
I never thought I’d get involved in politics, but at 62, I can’t sit back and watch what’s happening in the U.S. without doing something. I am appalled at the unraveling of women’s rights, at the cruelty that is seeping into our policies, and at the deep divisions that are turning Americans against one another. I grew up hearing about a time when women had no control over their own bodies, no real choices, and little say in their futures—I never imagined we’d be heading back there. And yet, here we are.
I am running for this position not because I have all the answers, but because I refuse to accept that this is the best we can do. The Democratic Party needs a fresh perspective—not the same voices, the same strategies, and the same cautious politics that have allowed injustice to take root. As a mother and grandmother, I am deeply concerned about the future—not just for my family, but for all of us.
We need a politics that is driven by compassion, by courage, and by a vision of what America should be. Not just efficient, but ethical. Not just strategic, but humane. If we don’t stand for something real, we stand for nothing at all. I’m stepping forward because I believe we can do better, and I’m ready to be part of that change.
Charlie Reece
My name is Charlie Reece and I'm running for Vice Chair of the Paris Chapter of Democrats Abroad France. I'm excited to seek this opportunity to meet Americans living in Paris, to speak with them on issues of critical importance to our home country, and to help them vote absentee back in the United States.
Before moving to Paris in 2022, I was privileged to serve for seven years as an elected member of the Durham City Council in Durham, North Carolina. Prior to that, I volunteered in a number of positions within the North Carolina Democratic Party, including precinct chair, state executive committee member, and state treasurer. All of which is to say that I will bring to the job of Vice Chair a wealth of experience in political campaigns, civic education and engagement, and get out the vote organizing.
Given the state of our American democracy, it's time for all Americans around the world to get off the bench and step into the arena to do whatever we can to support Democratic values and Democratic candidates in the United States. That's why I'm running for Vice Chair of the Paris Chapter of Democrats Abroad France.
Candidate(s) for Chapter Secretary
Max Dunitz
The role of chapter secretary is to ensure that everyone has the information they need for the work we must do. While leadership may know how to access this information, the membership doesn’t. This limits what we can do. Chapter members who want to contribute their time and ideas do not know how. Regular open meetings will facilitate exchanges between chapter leadership and anyone who wants to get involved. As secretary, I would commence regular hybrid meetings open to all, where working groups can update us on their projects and needs, new members can learn about what we do, and the general membership can bring new initiatives, in a congenial and social environment. I will prioritize regular communication between the chapter and its membership, the national organization, and our national caucuses. I have served as a leader in the national organization and youth caucus and started many new GOTV efforts at the national and global level. I hope to bring this experience to the chapter level to help more members implement their own ideas to improve our GOTV efforts.
Candidate(s) for Chapter Communications Coordinator
Cheyanne Johnson
Hi, I’m Cheyanne Johnson—a leader, wife, and mom of two boys—committed to building community here in Paris and shaping a hopeful vision for America. In this era, working together and being in community with each other is one of the strongest tools we have to combat the onslaught of changes from this administration. As the hopeful Communications Chair of the Paris chapter, I’d bring my expertise in strategy, project management, and communications from global technology companies to amplify Democrats Abroad and their objectives across communication platforms such as blogs, email, and social media. I also am a leader for a social media agency, offering insights into an ever-evolving digital landscape. I’m excited to put these skills to work to strengthen the objectives of Democrats Abroad and advance our shared values.
John Vélez
Having interned for the national communications team for Democrats Abroad France during the 2024 presidential election, I have firsthand experience with the positive impact D.A. France provides to Americans abroad. Though the election results were not what we fought for, I am not defeated by the 2024 presidential election. Being a part of D.A. France’s communications team during the election provided me a reflexive space in which I realised that I, like former Vice-President Kamala Harris described herself in her Closing Argument speech, “have lived the promise of America”. Growing up gay and using a wheelchair in Dallas, Texas, I was born with all the odds in the world stacked against me; however, I not only overcame those odds, but have made a place in society where I serve as a symbol of what Americans can achieve.
The aftermath of the 2024 presidential election consolidated my commitment to being a part of the Democratic Party’s mission in working towards providing a more egalitarian and inclusive future for all Americans. As Communications Officer for the Paris chapter of D.A. France, I pledge to work with fellow leaders to create a collective vision we have for the Paris chapter and communicate that vision everywhere that I can. Leaders of the Democratic Party in the world’s most well-known city hold immense power; and as the Communications Officer, I pledge that nothing will get in my way from us wielding that power to continue creating a positive impact not just for Americans in Paris, but for Americans everywhere.
Candidate(s) for GOTV Coordinator
Lisa Kohn
My name is Lisa Kohn. I am both an American citizen and a naturalized French citizen. I have been living in Paris for 10 years with my 11 year-old daughter. Deeply troubled by the recent actions of the Trump administration, I am determined to proactively work for change. That is why I am running for Get Out the Vote Coordinator of the Paris chapter.
I have already been heavily involved in getting out the vote. In the 2020 election, I was very active with an organization called Swing the Vote, working remotely and registering students to vote in PA.
I have also volunteered for other causes that matter to me. In France, for three years, I was on the Secours Catholique’s housing team in the 11th arrondissment, where we helped people access the DALO, or last resort social housing.
Lastly, I have strong organizational and leadership experience, having produced films and run story departments on major television shows. Building teams and generating enthusiasm have always been an important part of my work.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to working together to help swing the vote in the United States!
Candidate(s) for Events Officer
Michelle Kusuma
My name is Michelle Kusuma, an American living in Paris. Born and raised in San Francisco to first-generation Asian immigrant parents, I learned early on that diversity is a strength, not a weakness.
As an Asian American woman, I have experienced subtle discrimination, which only deepened my commitment to advocacy. I am passionate about empowering women and minorities to make our voices heard and create meaningful change.
My activism began in college when I volunteered for President Barack Obama’s campaign, organizing voter outreach and transportation for seniors. Later, while at Harvard, I volunteered at a winter homeless shelter in Indiana and a domestic violence center in Massachusetts.
In Paris, I joined Democrats Abroad ahead of the 2024 election and took the lead in organizing key initiatives. I led and organized our very first Summerween picnic, bringing together over 30 attendees from across the political spectrum, and launched the Global Voice series, securing Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval as our first speaker. I also co-led debate watch parties and election night gatherings for over 80 Americans.
If elected, I will expand these initiatives, fostering engagement with Democratic leaders and connecting Americans worldwide. I am honored to run as an Event Officer for the Paris Chapter and look forward to championing democracy, diversity, and peace.
Candidate(s) for Members at Large (in alphabetical order)
Sochi A.
My name is Janessa Sochima ANEKE, but you may call me Sochi.
I am eager to serve as a Member at Large for Democrats Abroad, bringing my passion for civic engagement, community building, and voter outreach to the organization. With experience supporting election efforts, I have worked on initiatives to increase voter turnout, particularly among young and underrepresented populations. My volunteer efforts have included carrying out 1-1 and group outreach and mobilization tactics to energize potential voters.
Beyond election work, I have a strong background in fostering inclusive communities. Whether through organizing initiatives that bring people together across diverse backgrounds or creating spaces that encourage dialogue and connection, I am committed to strengthening communities wherever I go. As a Member at Large, I would lend my skills and dedication to supporting the chapter’s initiatives, helping to expand engagement among Americans abroad. I look forward to contributing to our shared mission of strengthening democracy from wherever we call home.
Paul Chartrand
I have lived in a Paris suburb since 2015 and participate in various Democrats Abroad activities. I vote in Maine, where I lived for 40 years
after leaving my birthplace in Massachusetts. I became politically active in high school and at Columbia University during the Vietnam War. Since then my life has centered on community organizing, non-profit and private sector management and event organizing. I have been active in every presidential election since 1960, often supporting losing Democratic Primary candidates in whom I believed. I also worked on many local issues and elections, eventually serving two terms in the Maine Legislature.
Democratic candidates have only offered the better of two choices, without a commitment to truly change the situation of working families or honestly confront ecological catastrophe. We must work to change the current economic system to more equally benefit all citizens and reduce the disastrous effects of unlimited growth. We can no longer afford to take the easier path of high donations and past policies. Let’s offer a believable, inclusive vision of radical change, for the sake of our party, our people and planet. I will bring this view to the Paris Executive Committee as an At Large Member.
Shevanne Helmer
Shevanne Helmer has withdrawn from the race for Member at Large.
Kent Hudson
In France and in California since 1976, my politics were formed in the 60’s at Stanford, and around organizing in the south with CORE. I spent the next years as a community and labor organizer before moving to France. I retired in 2014 to my current home in Arcueil, near Paris, with my wife Ghislaine. I vote in California.
In France I first taught, then ran training for a French bank. In 1990 I started a consultancy in retail & small business banking and community development. I worked in the US with the National Community Development Coalition and am currently on the board of a European NGO engaged in international community and labor organizing. I work in municipal politics in Arcueil with a focus on citizenship and administrative transparency, and in our Pyrenees village on viable environmental rural development.
I have always supported Democratic candidates, but too often as the better of a poor lot. We need strong, credible policies to increase wealth, health and opportunity for working families, and to equitably address our ecological catastrophe. That is why I have worked for campaign finance reform. In order to muzzle the back-door dictates of our new oligarchs we need a Congress that will vote for just taxation, excellent public services and effective global regulation and enforcement.
Our times call for the Democratic party to unite behind a credible plan for systemic change, in order to rebuild durable middle- and working-class majorities in urban and rural circumscriptions alike. Democrats Abroad France and Europe can mobilize to contribute powerfully to this. That will be my goal as an At-large Member of the Paris Chapter Executive Committee.
Mark Sadoff
I would like to nominate myself for one of the positions of Member at Large.
A very long-time resident of France and international corporate lawyer, I have been active in the business and legal communities, including AmCham and the EACC.
Times in our home country are more dire now than they were in 2017 or even 2020 and everybody has to act. Short of moving back to the US, which I was not prepared to do even under better political circumstances, I need to be involved. I have been vaguely involved with DA Paris and Europe for a number of years and being recently retired, I have more time to do so in the future.
A life-long Democratic voter from very involved parents, I believe I can properly channel the distaste for what I see happening in the US into actions and, hopefully, success.
As this is a year of transition both for me and the Party, an “entry level position" seems appropriate.
Thank you for your consideration.