Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign manager and former chair of the Democratic National Committee, three former statewide elected officials, a Washington Post columnist, and the chief spokesperson for the 1996 Republican National Convention have joined the Institute of Politics (IOP) at the Kennedy School of Government as 1996 Fall Fellows.

The fellows include: Tom Gallagher, Republican two-term treasurer of Florida (1989-1995) and gubernatorial candidate in 1985-1986; Dorothy Gilliam, columnist for The Washington Post (1979-present) and former president of the National Association of Black Journalists; Eunice Groark, former Independent lieutenant governor of Connecticut (1987-1990) and gubernatorial candidate in 1994; Mark Merritt, chief spokesman for this year's Republican National Convention and communications director of Lamar Alexander's presidential campaign; Mike Sullivan, governor of Wyoming (1987-1995); and David Wilhelm, former chair of the Democratic National Committee (1993-1994) and 1992 campaign manager for President Bill Clinton.

"These fellows bring to us a deep level of sophistication about politics and journalism as we engage the 1996 campaign season," said IOP Director Philip Sharp. "They will be a tremendous resource for our students and faculty, and for local journalists and political activists."

Tom Gallagher served as treasurer of the State of Florida from 1989 to 1995. He was a candidate for the 1986 Republican gubernatorial nomination, and was a member of the Florida State House of Representatives from 1975 to 1987. He was secretary of the Florida Department of Professional Regulation (1987-1988) and chairman and CEO of the National Assessment Institute in 1995.

Gallagher served two terms as Florida State treasurer, the first Republican ever elected statewide to a Florida cabinet post, during which time he managed an $8.5 billion investment portfolio, and also acted as insurance commissioner and fire marshal. He was the first Republican chair of the legislature's Banking and Finance Committee. Gallagher is a graduate of the University of Miami, B.B.A.

Dorothy Gilliam has been a columnist at The Washington Post since 1979. Previously, she was an assistant editor (1972-79) and reporter (1961-65) at the paper. She was associate director of information at Tuskegee Institute from 1959-61, and associate editor of Jet Magazine from 1957 to 1959. Gilliam has served as chair of the board of directors of the Institute for Journalism Education, and is the former president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Her awards include the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism Alumni of the Year Award; the Ann O'Hare McCormick Award from the New York Newspaper Woman's Club; Journalist of the Year, Achievement in Journalism and the Washington Media Awards from the Capital Press Club; and the Unity Award in Journalism from Lincoln University in Missouri. Gilliam is a member of the NABJ Hall of Fame, and author of Paul Robeson, All American, published in 1976.

Gilliam graduated cum laude from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., with a B.A. in journalism. She earned her master's degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Eunice S. Groark served as Connecticut's lieutenant governor (Independent) from 1991 to 1995 and was the Independent candidate for governor in 1994. An attorney by training, her political and professional experience includes service as corporation counsel for the city of Hartford (1987-90), manager of the Roger Eddy for U.S. Senate campaign (R-1986), and member (1981-85) and minority leader (1983-85) of the Hartford City Council. She has been executive director of the Connecticut Bar Foundation (1977-81) and associate director of the Commission for the Reorganization of State Government (1975-77).

Groark is a director of Peoples Bank of Bridgeport, and has been a director of the Society for Savings and the Middlesex Mutual Assurance Company. She is a trustee or board member of numerous nonprofit organizations. She has an A.B. degree from Bryn Mawr College, and a LL.B. from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Mark Merritt was the chief spokesman for the 1996 Republican National Convention, and was communications director for Lamar Alexander's campaign for the Republican presidential nomination (1995-96). He directed Oliver North's 1994 campaign for the U.S. Senate and the political action committee that preceded it. He also served as deputy press secretary and acting press secretary for U.S. Senator Paul Trible (R-Va.). Merritt co-wrote the book Presidential Trivia, which sold 75,000 copies in 1984-85. Merritt earned his B.A. and M.A. from Georgetown University.

Mike Sullivan was governor of Wyoming from 1987-95. He was an attorney with Brown, Drew, Massey & Sullivan both before (1968-86) and after (1995-present) his election as governor in his first attempt at political office; he was re-elected in 1990 by the widest margin in Wyoming history. Sullivan has served as the president of the Casper Rotary, chairman of the National County Hospital Board, and chairman of the Wyoming Board of Bar Examiners. Additionally, he has been chair of the Western Governors Association, on the National Governors Association's Executive Board, and chair of the NGA's Natural Resources Committee, School Years Action Team, and Indian Gaming Working Group.

Sullivan received a B.S. in petroleum engineering in 1961 and a Juris Doctorate in Law in 1964 from University of Wyoming.

David Wilhelm was the youngest person ever to serve as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. In 1992 he served as manager of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, with principal responsibility for the campaign's political and state operations. He managed Richard M. Daley's campaigns for mayor of Chicago in 1989 and 1991, and was director of Paul Simon's successful U.S. Senate bid in 1984. He also served as the Iowa campaign manager for Senator Joseph Biden's 1988 presidential campaign. In 1989, Wilhelm established the Strategy Group, a Chicago-based political and public policy consulting firm with business, labor, and political clients. Previously, he was executive director of public policy for AFL-CIO's public employee department, while also serving as the executive director of Citizens for Tax Justice. Wilhelm is currently the senior managing director of investment banking for EVEREN Securities.

Wilhelm received a bachelor's degree from Ohio University and a master's degree from the Kennedy School.

Each term, the Institute of Politics selects a small group of political practitioners, including elected officials, campaign managers and consultants, government and public interest group leaders, and political journalists to serve as resident fellows for a term. The fellows lead study groups, participate in informal discussions with students, and attend classes and lectures.