The ‘Comings & Goings’ column chronicles important life changes of Blade readers.

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].

Ted Miller

Congratulations to Ted Miller who recently joined the Cancer Support Community (CSC) as Vice President, Development and External Affairs. He oversees the CSC’s individual fundraising efforts, special events and communications. He is also charged with elevating CSC’s patient-focused mission through partnerships and cause marketing efforts.

Before joining CSC, Miller served in the Obama administration as the Chief of External Affairs at the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that administers AmeriCorps and provides $600 million in funding to more than 3,000 nonprofits.

In 2014, Miller directed the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps, which culminated in a White House event with Presidents Obama and Clinton, simultaneous ceremonies in all 50 states; and digital engagement that reached 52 million social media users in 24 hours. He also served as a strategic adviser for partnerships with corporations and foundations whose financial contributions enabled thousands of additional individuals to participate in AmeriCorps.

Prior to that, Miller worked for NARAL Pro-Choice America as Director of Communications and Online Advocacy Strategies. Before that, he served as press secretary for the Office of Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and press secretary in the Office of Congressman Sherrod Brown of Ohio

Congratulations also to Austin Taylor. He is currently doing what those in politics consider God’s work — he’s a field organizer helping to elect Wendy Gooditis who is running for the House of Delegates in Virginia’s 10th district. Taylor said, “I am a committed Democrat and heard about Wendy’s race only weeks ago. After talking to Wendy herself, doing my research, and realizing how important this race really is, I packed up my car and moved six hours up from Bristol, Va., so I could help make a difference where it counts.”

Field organizers are the lifeblood of politics. The job is to organize and mobilize the ground game and overall field work. That includes recruiting volunteers on a weekly basis to canvass and phonebook and building relationships with community leaders, volunteers, and voters to help strategize and implement effective messaging. Field organizers create events and generally work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. But as Taylor said, “Hey, that’s politics and someone’s got to do it.” Wendy is lucky he is there.

Austin Taylor

Finally, congratulations also to Chase Sanders who recently began his new position as Events Manager for Leadership Greater Washington (LGW). There, he supports cross-departmental efforts in the LGW events space and helps facilitate the management of the various programming and events aspects of their multiple leadership programs. The goal of LGW is to bring leaders together to make a positive community impact in the Washington Metropolitan region.

Prior to joining LGW, Sanders produced events for the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. There, he helped organize and run innovative programming and their inspiring gala dinners. Sanders says, “I enjoy challenging myself and using my events skills and creativity to provide memorable experiences for the individuals who belong to the organizations I work for.” He began his D.C. career with Public Media Platform, a non-profit startup.

Chase Sanders