The Indiana Democratic Party announced on Wednesday that Dayna Colbert will serve as the party’s new executive director beginning in January. She currently serves as the Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair.
Colbert
“After years of building up the party as chair in Hamilton County, I am excited and eager to join the IDP statewide team as the next executive director in the new year,” Colbert said. “Over the last few years in Hamilton County, we have made considerable inroads that can give us a blueprint for more statewide success. In 2024 and beyond, we will continue to be the party working to bring back balance to our state, improve, protect, and restore healthcare options and personal freedoms, fund our local schools, and expand economic opportunities for all.
“Hoosiers are eager for change after 20 years of a one-party race to the bottom. Now more than ever, Hoosiers are looking across state lines and seeing our neighbors with more rights and more freedoms than we have in Indiana, and that is simply unacceptable. I’m ready to work hard to build up our party across the state.”
Colbert has served as Chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party since March 2021. Under her leadership, she saw Destiny Wells win both Carmel and Fishers, and come within 5 percent of winning Hamilton County during the 2022 Secretary of State race. She is also the first Black chair of a political party in Hamilton County history.
During the 2023 municipal cycle, Colbert led the largest grassroots Democratic political effort ever in Hamilton County. This helped the party identify hundreds of new donors, volunteers, and activists while receiving a record number of votes.
In addition to serving as Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair, Colbert has also served as 5th District Chair for the Indiana Young Democrats since March 2020 and was Chair of the Hamilton County Young Democrats between 2017 and 2021. She is an alumna of Hoosier Women Forward, a political and civic leadership program designed to encourage Democratic women to be more involved politically in their communities and state.
Colbert received her BA in journalism from Ball State University In 2012 and her MS in Information and Communication Sciences from Ball State in 2013.
Outside of politics, Colbert has accumulated significant private sector experience, helping businesses succeed with a focus on market research and project management.
“We are excited for Dayna to help lead our party as we enter a critical election year for Indiana,” Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl said. “Over the last few election cycles, she has shown her dedication to the party by working on large coordinated campaigns, serving as a leader in the Young Democrats, and leading as our chair in Hamilton County, one of the most politically important counties in our state. The team at IDP is eager to work with Dayna as we work to break the supermajority, elect more Democrats to office, build our bench, and put in place programs to welcome more Hoosiers to our coalition.”