Kansas City, MO (December 12, 2020) – Today, members of the Missouri Democratic Party State Committee elected officers for the 2020-2022 term. Michael Butler of St. Louis was elected Missouri Democratic Party Chair, Genevieve Williams of Neosho was elected Missouri Democratic Party Vice Chair, Cydney Mayfield of Pilot Grove was re-elected Missouri Democratic Party Treasurer, and Manny Abarca IV of Kansas City was elected Missouri Democratic Party Secretary.

Missouri Democratic Party Chair Michael Butler said the following:

“Democrats across this state will continue the work to move Missouri into the future. I am excited to lead the over 1 million Missouri Democrats for the coming years in our journey to improve our State.”

Officers of the Missouri Democratic Party from top left, clockwise: Secretary Manny Abarca IV, Treasurer Cydney Mayfield, Vice-Chair Genevieve Williams, Chair Michael Butler.

Chair Michael Butler

Michael Butler is the Recorder of Deeds for the City of St. Louis, Missouri. A native of St. Louis, Michael was first elected to Recorder in August of 2018. Prior to his time in City Hall, he represented part of St. Louis City (District 79) in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2012-2018.

Prior to his political success, Butler gained valuable work experience in the legislature while serving as the Legislative Aide in the office of State Senator Robin Wright-Jones, and as the Legislative Assistant to State Rep. Mary Wynne Still. During his 2012 campaign, he worked as an educator in the St. Louis Public School System. In addition, Rep. Butler has valuable private sector experience while employed as a manager at the home office of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Bentonville, Arkansas. 

Butler holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from Alabama A&M University, where he also served as Student Government President and as a Board of Trustee member. While working in the legislature, he also obtained a master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has also served in several leadership positions including Missouri House Democratic Caucus Chair and St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee Chair.

Michael lives in the Gate District Neighborhood with his wife Erin and they have one daughter, Kimber.

Vice-Chair Genevieve Williams

Genevieve Williams, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, is both a former and current Vice-Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party (2016-2018), rural organizer, and Chairwoman of the Newton County CentralCommittee. She has served on the Missouri Democratic Party State Committee for the past 7 years representing the 32nd Senatorial District and has served on the Executive Board of MDP for the past 4 years.

Genevieve served her community during the 2011 Joplin tornado by building JTI, an information clearinghouse and needs to resources connection. This Disaster Info Model continues to be used by communities, in academia, and by emergency management agencies to this day. Her efforts allowed emergency response action to meet community engagement for months and serve as a historical record of the event and recovery.

Genevieve continues to build engagement in the Democratic Party through organizing rural votes, advocating for Indigenous communities, and standing with communities devastated by illegal and immoral practices by police.

Treasurer Cydney Mayfield

Cydney Mayfield is an attorney in mid-Missouri representing municipal entities across the state. She has served the Missouri Democratic Party previously as the Chair of the Rural Caucus and a member of the Missouri State Democratic Committee. This will be Cydney’s second term as Treasurer for the State Party and she hopes to continue her efforts to bring transparency to the financial position of the party as well as guidance on campaign finance and compliance. In addition to her work for the party, Cydney enjoys helping out on her family’s farm in rural Cooper County and is active in everything her son participates in, including being the loudest cheerleader for him at basketball games. 

Secretary Manny Abarca IV

Manny Abarca IV currently serves as the Treasurer of the Kansas City Public School Board and the Jackson County Democratic Committee. He has spent his entire life in the Kansas City Metropolitan area, born in the urban core, graduating from Grandview High School-a KC suburb, and currently living in one of the most diverse communities in the State, the Historic Northeast portion of KCMO. Manny will be the first Latinx person to serve on the Missouri Democratic Party’s Executive Board and is honored to represent his Mexican heritage and embrace all of the many diverse Latinx communities across the state. 

Manny prides himself on his working-class upbringing, as the son to a 30-year, Union Teamster father and dedicated and loving mother of three who worked her whole life setting an example of perseverance and the value of education. In addition to his service to Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, as his Deputy District Director, Manny is also pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri.

He currently holds a B.A. in Political Science and M.S. in Occupational Safety Management with an emphasis in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Central Missouri. Previously, he served on the Guadalupe Center Educational Systems Board of Directors and services on the Board of Directors for: MoKan Goodwill, ReDiscover Mental Health Clinics, Samuel Rodgers Health Center, Healing House Inc., the Northeast Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Mound Neighborhood Association.