Laureen Oliver

Laureen Oliver, a politician and political consultant, is a nationally recognized expert on ballot access issues. She created the New York State Independence Party along with B. Thomas Golisano, founder of Paychex, and Dr. Gordon Black of Harris Interactive, and was founding state chairwoman and state secretary for the party. She also served as a National Delegate to the Reform Party Convention.

In 1994, she was the Independence Party's nominee for Comptroller of New York State. In 1998, she was the running mate of B. Thomas Golisano for Lieutenant Governor. She also served on Governor Lamm's presidential committee and nominated him at the Reform Party's National Convention in Long Beach, Calif., in 1996.

Oliver served as Golisano's chief political advisor in his 1994, 1998 and 2002 campaigns for Governor of New York. In 2005, she was ballot access political advisor to State Senator H. Russell Potts, the independent candidate for Governor of Virginia, and in 2006, she was ballot access chief political advisor to Kinky Friedman in his independent bid for Governor of Texas.

Ms. Oliver has worked with DHOB partners Tom D’Amore and Bill Hillsman on independent candidate Russ Potts’ campaign for governor of Virginia and independent candidate Christy Mihos’ campaign for governor of Massachusetts. Most recently, she worked with DHOB partners Dean Barkley and Bill Hillsman on Kinky Friedman’s independent gubernatorial campaign in Texas.