The Reality

Fred is a media and political strategist.

In politics, He has had traditional leadership roles such as Director of Communications, Media Advisor, and Campaign Director. An expert in online communications strategy and Web site architecture, He specializes in network organizing.

During most of his time in politics, he was Director of Strategic Communications with Advomatic, LLC. More on that is here. Founded by Howard Dean for President alumni, Advomatic clients include labor unions, progressive organizations and Democratic candidates ranging from city council to U.S. President.

Some past projects are: ACLU, UNITE-HERE!, Chris Dodd, Progress Now, Empire State Pride Agenda, SEIU, Drum Major Institute, Progressive States Network, Young People For – PFAW, Air America Radio, The Courage Campaign, Living Liberally, Credo Action, Democrats.com, New Yorkers for Parks, New York State Senate, Sony BMG, National Resources Defense Council, Music for Democracy, John Edwards, United Federation of Teachers, Health Care for America Now, Students for a Free Tibet, New York Observer, and many more.

Gooltz pioneered using online social networks to conduct volunteer recruitment and political coordination in 2003. He has presented his research and strategy innovations at PoliTech conferences across the country. His research has appeared in journals such as “Person to Person: Harnessing The Political Power of Online Social Networks and User-Generated Content”, Institute for Politics Democracy & The Internet —George Washington University. His original tactics have been reviewed by MacArthur Foundation Reports, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Wired, and more.

Early Political Work

He serves on the steering committee of Drinking Liberally and its umbrella organization Living Liberally. With Living Liberally, he developed a Swing State Project referral service called “Do More Than Vote” which matched New Yorkers with the volunteer opportunities in NH, PA and OH that best suited them.

Fred’s online politicking started in a small race in Yonkers, New York where testing some actor-network theory and social networking theories, Fred closed-out and helped win the City Council President race for a progressive reformer Democrat in a Republican stronghold using Facebook, MySpace and MiGente to aid campaign departments.

In 2004, he worked with 21st Century Dems’ Young Voter Project “VoteMob” in Ohio. VoteMob successfully targeted Cuyahoga County voters under 25 using a decentralized team-based organizing model powered by the internet. Called by many “the Silver Lining of Kerry/Edwards,” young voter turnout increased an average of 90% across VoteMob’s targeted precincts.

Some of this early PoliTech political organizing innovations were reviewed here: www.personaldemocracy.com and www.network-centricadvocacy.net.

Here’s an old political resume
email him at look at fredgooltz.com