Katie Flockhart
Katie Flockhart was a leader of the Social Democratic Party
Early Career
Katie was born in 2510 on New Berlin to a middle class family. She graduated from New Hamburg College with a BA in political science and journalism. She was politically active from her teens and was a member of the Student SDP. Katie became a freelance journalist out of college and was a supporter of the Averssen administration. She married Noah Havemyer, a New Berlin lawyer. She and Noah adopted two daughters, sisters, in 2544.Political Career
Katie got started in active politics in college, organizing and taking part in SDP events. She was recruited in her early 20s as to work in comms and press for the SDP She was hired as Gawain Knottman chief of staff and considered to be bright, persuasive and seemingly fearless, though some felt that she was too young for the role, but she ran Gawain’s office very efficiently and was not intimidated by many people. In that time, she became close with Gawain's son Herrick Knottman, whose political career was beginning to develop.Wye Street Partnership
In 2540, she took over the leadership of the Wye Street Partnership, a major lobbying firm founded by Herrick. The firm promoted "Third Way" thinking across the Republic, which led to Katie making a number of connections in the corporate world and the Hansa.Chair of the SDP
In a surprising move by the party, she was elevated to Chair of the SDP in 2549. While an unusual choice, she was seen as someone who would be an excellent fundraiser for the party. During her time as SDP chair, she put a premium on recruiting candidates who could win and also those with the sort of skills that they would be able to contribute to the SDP and the wider Republic. She stressed the need for the various factions within the SDP to cooperate. She supported the breaking of the joint list with Gurava during the presidential campaign in the 2550 Republic Election, deeming it "A sad day for progressive politics, but a necessary one". In 2555, she left the position in favor of firebrand Senator Luuk Tassacore, a progressive who she had butted heads with frequently over her time as chair. The move, while surprising, was a calculated play by Katie to ensure that he would not seek a nomination for the 2560 election, and that he would not defect to Gurava, who had been courting him for some time. She sought a seat in the Senate on New Berlin in 2560, but she was ultimately defeated by the Isolationist Party candidate.Chief Of Staff to the President
After the SDP's victory in the 2560 Republic Election, her friend Herrick picked her as his Chief of Staff. This was seen as a fitting culmination of the two politicians' relationship. She appointed Lilith Bazely as Communications Director, Bridie Wallender as Special Counsel to the President and Marek Dominguez as Special Counsel. President Knottman also appointed donor and SDP Treasurer Nurih Safin as Senior Counsel, giving him input on economic and business matters. Katie did not have the best relationship with Safin. Senior Staff:- Chief of Staff - Katie Flockhart
- Communications Director - Lilith Bazely
- Special Counsel - Bridie Wallender
- Special Counsel - Marek Dominguez
- Senior Counsel - Nurih Safin
- Press Secretary - India Degan
SDP figurehead
Now seen as a prominent figure in the SDP, Katie became a natural spokesperson for the party under the Harmony Meagher administration. A moderate under a progressive president, they frequently disagreed in private, but was always supportive of the president in public.The 2nd Zzendi War
In 2569, during the second invasion by the Zzenddi, Katie represented the SDP in the negotiations to form a wartime unity cabinet. She suggested to Morse Cutbill that General Aston Groff would be a better leader than the initially proposed Governor Lysander Moreland (RCP). She also ensured that controversial figure Alexander Ashpool was kept out of the cabinet. She introduced the Wartime Economic Stimulus Package 2569, a set of economic regulations that would allow for easier import and export by Terran corporations, in an effort to compensate for the urgent need for raw materials.The Gawain Knottman Legal Trust
In 2565, she became the head of the Gawain Knottman Legal Trust, a non profit organisation founded by her friend Herrick in honour his father and of her mentor. The organisation, co-funded by House Knottman and House Avander-Slade, took on legal cases on behalf of individuals throughout the Republic who could not afford it. Under her leadership, the trust aggressively sought out more cases, a move that seemed to be a response to Herrick's tarnished reputation in the press.
Species
Year of Birth
2500
90 Years old
Children
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
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