BJ McCollister
From the State House to the White House, BJ McCollister is a political strategist with a track record of delivering wins for his clients. As the Chief of Staff to Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, McCollister led policy development, coalition organization and management, and communication strategy to pass nationally recognized prescription drug, health care, and labor reforms. He served as the go-to staffer for developing and managing caucus priorities, negotiating the state budget, and acting as a chief liaison between the executive and legislative branches.
McCollister is widely regarded as a leading campaign strategist in Maine. In working for President Joe Biden, he helped lead the Biden for Maine campaign to a 52% victory, a six-point increase from Clinton’s 2016 election results. He is a 2014 recipient of the Portland Phoenix’s “Best of Awards” for advocacy work in the halls of the statehouse, has been twice nominated for the American Association of Political Consultants’ (AAPC) 40 under 40 award, was awarded the Maine Educational Opportunity Association’s Rising Star Award in 2020, and was named one of MaineBiz's 40 under 40 in 2022. In 2021, he was elected to a three-year term as Maine’s representative to the Democratic National Committee.