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Personnel Profile: Jennifer Wonnacott

NAME: Jennifer Wonnacott
JOB TITLE: Political Consultant at Acosta/Salazar, LLC

Capitol Weekly: How did you first become interested in campaign consulting?
Jennifer Wonnacott: I took a class in college that was taught by Dan Schnur,
the consultant in Sacramento. He piqued my interest in campaigns. I knew I
wanted to do something in the political field but he got me interested in
campaigns. I talked to him a little bit about finding a job in Sacramento.
It was partly that and partly graduating college and the desperate need to
find a job, applying for every job that I could find an ad for. I applied
for a consulting firm, Goddard Clausen, that’s based out in Roseville and
they do consulting throughout Sacramento. I started with them. I didn’t
really know much about the field, but I ended up loving it.

I was there for almost a year, and then I came over to Acosta/Salazar. I had
a good friend from college who was working for Acosta/Salazar. She knew that
I was looking to change jobs and she talked to them about me. They were
looking for someone and I was looking for someone and it worked out. It was
pretty informal and happened pretty quickly.

CW: What campaign are you working on the most right now?
JW: I’m involved in a number of them. [Attorney General candidate] Rocky
Delgadillo is the one I’m working heavily on. I’m also helping out with our
Assembly/Senate campaigns, doing mail and things like that. I have a hand in
everything else here and there.

CW: How is working on candidate campaigns different than working on
propositions at your previous job?
JW: Propositions, for lack of a better way of putting it, you can turn them
on and off as you want. You can’t do that with candidates. You have a
personality and an opinion that you always need to take into account. It’s
good, though, because, while it is a different dynamic, I think it allows
for a lot more expansive and personal campaigning than a proposition does.

CW: What is the most rewarding part of your work?
JW: I like that it is not just a job that I go into and leave and not think
about it. I am constantly thinking about it and how I can help things. I am
an optimistic person in the sense that I think that I can change the world
starting in Sacramento. I like to think that the things I do can a have a
positive affect

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