SPEAKER TOPIC
Forecasting the 2020 Elections and the Impact on Public Policy
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER
Steven Schale is a Florida-based political, communications and government relations strategist.
Steve has extensive experience in all levels of Florida politics and is one of the best regarded strategists in the Sunshine State, and one of the most frequently quoted experts on the State of Florida.
The St. Petersburg Times has called him "one of the savviest and most effective political strategists Florida Democrats have seen in ages." In 2008, he was named one of Florida’s “100 Movers and Shakers” by Florida International Magazine, one of the most influential Democrats in Florida by Politics Magazine in 2009 and 2013, and the most influential Democratic strategist in Florida by the Tampa Bay Times in 2012.
In 2008, Steve directed the Obama/Biden campaign in Florida, leading the largest political operation in Florida history to a win for President Obama. From 2005-2008, Steve ran the Florida Democratic Party’s House Democratic Caucus, during which Florida Democrats picked off nine Republican seats in the state house, the party’s biggest gain in over forty years. In 2010, he served as an advisor Alex Sink's campaign for Governor and the Florida Justice Association.
In 2012, Steve returned to the President's campaign as a Senior Advisor to the Florida re-election election, while in 2014, he provided the strategic direction to Gwen Graham's campaign for Congress. On a tough night, Gwen was one of only two Democratic Congressional candidates in the country to defeat a Republican incumbent. In 2016, Steve served as the primary national spokesperson for the Draft Joe Biden campaign, and as a senior advisor to the shadow effort to build infrastructure in the early primary states in case Vice President Biden decided to enter the Presidential race.
Today he provides strategic advice to a number of clients, including Walt Disney World, AT&T, State Farm and the Florida Hospital Association. He was also instrumental in helping the burgeoning craft beer industry win a high profile fight in the Florida Legislature over a coalition of big beer companies and distributors.
In addition, Steve also has nearly a decade of experience working in the Florida Legislature. He was the Communications Director for the House Democratic Caucus, where his shop received a "Henry" award from the National Conference of State Legislators, and was longtime aide to former House Democratic Leader Doug Wiles (D-St. Augustine).
Steve lives in Tallahassee with his wife Nikole, who is an executive with the American Heart Association. He graduated from University of the South in 1996 with degrees in History and Political Science and received his Masters in Communications from Florida State University in 2009.
Outside of politics, Steve serves on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida and Awesome Tallahassee. He is also active in the American Council of Young Political Leaders and is a member of Leadership Florida, Class 31.