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Person

Rebecca Parks

Occupation:

Research Director, Protect Our Care
From:

Detroit, MI
Residence:

Washington, DC

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Rebecca “Becky” Parks is a longtime Democratic political operative and left-of-center activist who works as the research director at the left-of-center advocacy organization Protect Our Care. 1 Parks is a Detroit native who graduated from the University of Michigan in 2003 with an undergraduate degree in social anthropology. 2 3

Career

Protect Our Care

Parks has been the research director at the pro-Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) group Protect Our Care since February 2017. 4 In this role, she conducts research to support and expand the Affordable Care Act. 1 Parks and Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse are both Democratic operatives who previously worked at American Bridge 21st Century, former President Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 5

American Bridge 21st Century

From 2015 to 2018, Parks worked as the tracking director for American Bridge 21st Century, 6 a left-of-center opposition research PAC. She acted as researcher, oversaw staff across 25 states, and liaised between American Bridge 21st Century and other left-progressive organizations. 1

Human Rights Campaign

Parks previously worked as associate director of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest left-of-center LGBT advocacy organization, for just over a year where she conducted opposition research on Americans who traveled overseas to promote and lobby against left-of-center LGBT policies. 1

In 2013, HRC launched the “Love Conquers Hate” campaign to combat Russia’s laws that restricted support for LGBT people. 7 Parks participated in sending Russian President Vladimir Putin a t-shirt that read “Love Conquers Hate,” written in Russian. Parks said that the “message of the gift is that all love is equal.” 8

While with HRC, Parks wrote a report entitled, “The Export of Hate,” 1 which outlined American individuals and organizations that allegedly travel the world in opposition to left-of-center LGBT policy. 9

Democratic Party

Parks was the rapid response manager for the Democratic National Committee 3 where she oversaw teams that traveled to various states and recorded opposition events and that tracked all outside events at the 2012 Republican National Convention (RNC) in Tampa, Florida. She approved all talking points and fundraising emails for Democratic Party officials. 1

Obama Administration

Prior to her position as rapid response manager for the DNC, Parks was the special assistant to the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan. 10 “Democratic National Committee – 2012.” Political Parties – Framing the Debate. Accessed July 25, 2021. http://www.p2012.org/parties/committees/dnc12.html[/note]

Early Campaign Work

Parks was a former researcher for former U.S. President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, conducting research for the opposition team and vetting endorsers, fundraisers, and event participants. 1

She was also a former campaign staffer for the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), an organization that promotes candidates supporting a left-of-center environmentalist agenda. While with LCV, Parks worked as a researcher for congressional and presidential campaigns. 1

Television Appearance

Parks appeared as a contestant on the game show “Jeopardy!” in June 2021. 11 Parks finished in last place with $0. 12 When asked to introduce herself to the audience she explained she had worked as the White House Easter Bunny “wrangler” where she helped guide the person in the costume throughout the day. 13 On her Twitter page, Parks promoted her appearance on the show. 14

Social Media

Parks maintains an active Twitter account. She promotes her work with Protect Our Care and her support for the Affordable Care Act. 15 Parks regularly posts about her support for President Joe Biden 16 and her dislike of former President Donald Trump. 17 She also openly shares her support for the left-of-center Black Lives Matter. 18

References

  1. Rebecca Parks. LinkedIn. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/parksrebecca/
  2. Press Release. “This Detroit Native, Longtime Political Operative and Trivia Nerd Gets Her Shot on Jeopardy! Tonight.” Protect Our Care. June 10, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. http://protectourcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Rebecca-Parks-POC-Release-for-Jeopardy.pdf
  3. “Democratic National Committee – 2013-2014.” Political Parties – Framing the Debate. Accessed July 25, 2021. http://www.p2016.org/parties/dnc13.html
  4. Team. Protect Our Care. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.protectourcare.org/team/
  5. Brad Woodhouse. Protect Our Care. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://www.protectourcare.org/brad-woodhouse/
  6. Our Team. Protect Our Care. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.protectourcare.org/team/
  7. Press Release. “To Russia With Love: A Present for Putin.” Human Rights Campaign. November 7, 2014. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/to-russia-with-love-a-present-for-putin
  8. “A Present For Putin.” Curve. September 11, 2014. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.curvemag.com/blog/europe/a-present-for-putin/
  9. Report. “The Export of Hate.” Human Rights Campaign. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/HRC_Export-of-Hate-final.pdf
  10. “Democratic National Committee – 2012.” Political Parties – Framing the Debate. Accessed July 25, 2021. http://www.p2012.org/parties/committees/dnc12.html
  11. Bade, Rachel; Ross, Garrett; and Okun, Eli. “Politico Playbook PM: EU Leaders Prepare to Confront Biden.”  Politico. June 10, 2021. Accessed July 19, 2021. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/06/10/eu-leaders-prepare-to-confront-biden-493206
  12. “Final Jeopardy!: The Supreme Court.” Fikkle Fame. June 10, 2021. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://fikklefame.com/final-jeopardy-6-10-21/
  13. Mitchell, Thad. “’Jeopardy!’: Watch Contestant Explain Her Job of Being a ‘Wrangler’ for the White House Easter Bunny.” Outsider. June 11, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://outsider.com/news/entertainment/jeopardy-contestant-explain-job-wrangler-white-house-easter-bunny/
  14. Rebecca Parks. Twitter. June 10, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://twitter.com/beckyrparks?lang=en
  15. Rebecca parks. Twitter. September 28, 2020; January 5 and January 7, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://twitter.com/beckyrparks?lang=en
  16. Rebecca Parks. Twitter. August 5, 2020; November 8, 2020; January 19, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://twitter.com/beckyrparks?lang=en
  17. Rebecca Parks. Twitter. September 16 and 22, 2020; October 3, 7, and October 9, 2020. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://twitter.com/beckyrparks?lang=en
  18. Rebecca Parks. Twitter. August 27, 2020. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://twitter.com/beckyrparks?lang=en
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