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 Selene Hofer-Shall is the managing partner of Theseus Advisors, LLC. After years working as a crisis counselor for adolescents with behavioral and psychiatric disorders, Selene got involved in local politics in Burlington, VT, volunteering on a number of local city council and state house races. She joined the Operations Team of Vermont Governor Howard Dean’s Presidential campaign in 2003, helping to compile the largest FEC reports in Presidential Campaign History. Selene was one of the founding staffers of Democracy for America, working as Operations Director and assistant to the Finance Director. Since leaving DFA, Selene has worked on numerous successful campaigns from city council to United States Congress. As the Finance Director for Vermont’s lone Congressman, Peter Welch in his successful 2006 race for Congress, she broke all previous fundraising records for the district. Following the 2006 election, she worked in San Antonio, TX as the Finance Director for Ciro Rodriguez in the TX-23 run-off election, raising over $600,000 in less than three weeks to successfully oust a 7-term Republican incumbent. Selene returned to work for Congressman Welch as the Political and Finance Director on his first re-election campaign, as part of a team that successfully warded off all Republican opposition and secured not only the Democratic but also the Republican nomination. Selene teaches workshops for the Democracy for America National Training Academy, training Democratic activists, staff and first-time candidates in the science and art of campaign budgeting, finance and fundraising. Selene has a passion for grassroots fundraising, and believes that fear of fundraising should never prevent a qualified candidate from running for office. Selene specializes in political outreach, event planning and financial compliance.

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 Ben Palkowski is an Associate with Theseus Advisors, LLC. Ben was raised and educated in Vermont, then cut his teeth working in politics when he joined the Welch for Congress campaign’s fight to grab the state’s open at-large seat in the United States House in 2006. Here he oversaw the campaign’s field operation in some of the most critical parts of the district, leading the campaign to victory in 83% of the polling locations in his territory. After a successful Election Day for the Welch for Congress campaign, Ben spent the 2008 election cycle with the Vermont Democratic House Campaign, where he led the Democratic House Caucus to the election of the largest majority in history. Ben decided to spend the next cycle with the caucus and in 2010, when, nationwide, most Democratic-controlled legislative chambers were severely weakened or even flipped, Vermont’s Democratic House Caucus held the same number of seats. Ben has developed an expertise in every facet of campaigns, particularly on the smaller, but very important, local-level and county-level races. Our 2012 clients will be in good hands with Ben’s services.

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 Jacob B. Perkinson, Esq. is currently on sabbatical from Theseus Advisors, LLC.  During this time Jake will continue to pursue his interests in politics, serving as Vice Chair of the Vermont Democratic Party where he hopes to further develop his strategic, organizational and managerial skills.

Jacob B. Perkinson, Esq., is the founder and Principal of Theseus Advisors, LLC. He attended Earlham College where he majored in Philosophy and Economics and graduated with College Honors and Departmental Honors in Economics. In 1992, Mr. Perkinson moved to Vermont to attend Vermont Law School where he received numerous academic awards, served as a Note Editor on the Vermont Law Review, was selected to participate in the Securities & Exchange Commission’s Summer Honors Program, and founded the school’s Native American Law Society. In 1995 Mr. Perkinson began practicing law in the field of class action securities litigation where he successfully represented clients against the most prestigious law firms in the United States. Mr. Perkinson now represents individuals and organizations on matters concerning election law and campaign finance and has successfully sued to remedy financial abuses and ballot tampering with clients ranging from gubernatorial candidates to individual voters. He is admitted to jurisdictions throughout the United States, including Vermont, Maine and the Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Perkinson has successfully managed campaigns on the local, county and state level. His combination of on-the-ground campaigning experience and the benefits of years of legal practice throughout the country allow him to provide comprehensive strategic and practical services to his clients. Mr. Perkinson resides in Burlington, Vermont with his family and is active in the community, serving on numerous commissions and boards and as a legal advisor to several non-profit organizations.