Jackson Free Press

Have you ever wondered who’s behind the mayoral candidates? So did we. Here’s what we found out about four of them:

Harvey Johnson Jr.

Roosevelt "Trey" Daniels III, campaign manager

Trey Daniels, 30, is a Jackson native who attended Callaway High School and Hampton University in Hampton, Va. As director of policy and government affairs in the Johnson administration, he is the chief lobbyist for the city of Jackson. His previous campaign experience includes serving as Mississippi state director for Obama For America Mississippi in 2008 and 2012 as well as working on the campaigns of former Democratic U.S. Reps. Travis Childers and Gene Taylor.

Melissa Faith Payne, communications director

Melissa Faith Payne joined the Johnson campaign in 2013 after a decade-long stint as a reporter and anchorwoman with WJTV in Jackson. Payne also worked at WMDN in Meridian from 2001 to 2003, and KSTU in Salt Lake City from 1999 to 2001. A former Miss Vicksburg, Payne is a 1999 graduate of Alcorn State University.

A. Carolyn Hackett, treasurer

Chokwe Lumumba

No official campaign manager. The coordinating committee consists of several individuals who worked on Councilman Lumumba's 2009 Ward 2 campaign, including his son Chokwe Antar.

"Our approach is very grassroots oriented. We want to knock on every door at least once. We look at that as the most important aspect of our campaign--the face-to-face and eye-to-eye contact," said Chokwe Antar Lumumba, who handles media relations for the campaign. Other members of the coordinating committee include:

Chokwe Antar Lumumba, coordinator and spokesperson

Dr. Safiya Omari, campaign coordinator

Akil Bukari, coordinator

Hondo Lumumba, treasurer and coordinator

Colonel Lucious Wright, coordinator

Makea Kambui, coordinator

Regina Quinn

Aaron Banks, campaign manager

Before helming Regina Quinn's mayoral campaign, Aaron Banks, 35, ran two successful campaigns: Tyrone Lewis' campaign for Hinds County sheriff in 2011 and Tony Yarber's campaign for Ward 6 city councilman in 2009.

Banks graduated from Jackson State University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in music education and is a 1995 graduate of Forest Hill High School. During the 1990s, Banks volunteered for Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young's campaign for governor of Georgia.

Jeanene Tillman, deputy campaign manager and treasurer

Toni Johnson, communications director

Jonathan Lee

Tyrone Hendrix, campaign manager

Before joining the Lee campaign, 30-year-old Tyrone Hendrix served as deputy campaign manager for Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree's 2011 gubernatorial bid. He has held state director positions with Organizing for America, a grassroots advocacy group affiliated with the Democratic National Committee, and other community-organizing groups. During the 2009 Jackson mayor's race, Hendrix worked on the campaigns for state Sen. John Horhn in the Democratic primary and Mayor Harvey Johnson in the runoff and general election. Hendrix has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Jackson State University.

Jared Turner, 29, deputy camp manager and finance director

Jared Turner oversaw fundraising for Mayor Johnny Dupree's 2011 run for the governor's seat and worked on the campaigns of Mississippi State Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens and Insurance Commissioner candidate Gary Anderson in 2007. In addition, he has helped with fundraising for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in several states and has a campaign-finance consulting business. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi.

Hannah Orlansky, volunteer communications director