Republican State Leadership Committee – 2013-14
2013-14
edition | 2012 edition MISSING | 2011 edition
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2010
edition
(page revised and corrected Dec. 9, 2014)
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RSLC, twitter || DLCC
Organization
Chairman Bill McCollum
(elected Jan. 15, 2014; had been serving as RSLC vice
chairman) Partner in Dentons' Public Policy and Regulation
practice since 2011. Candidate for the 2010 Republican
gubernatorial nomination, losing the primary to Rick Scott.
Attorney general of Florida from 2007-11. Candidate for the 2004
Republican U.S. Senate nomination, losing to Mel Martinez.
Partner at Baker & Hostetler from April 2001. Republican
nominee for U.S. Senate in 2000, losing to Bill Nelson. Elected
to Congress in 1980 and served ten terms (Jan. 1981-Jan. 2001).
Practiced law in Orlando. J.D. from University of Florida, 1968;
B.A. from University of Florida, 1965. Native of Brooksville in
central Florida. twitter
Vice Chairman Christopher Rants
(Jan. 15, 2014) President of inSight
Communications, a lobbying
and public affairs firm in the Sioux City area, from April 2010.
Partner at Rauschenberger Partners from March 2010. President of
The Legacy Foundation from Jan. 2009. Member of the Iowa House of
Representatives from Nov. 1992-Dec. 2010, including as Majority Leader,
1999-2003; Speaker of the House, Jan. 2003-Dec. 2006; and Republican
Leader, Jan. 2007-Nov. 2008. Environmental compliance director at
Metz Baking Company, 1992-99.
Board of Directors: Chairman Bill McCollum - Vice Chairman Christopher Rants - Chairman of Prime Policy Group Charlie Black - former Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño - Chairman and CEO of S.W. Jack Drilling Co. and RNC National Committeewoman from Pennsylvania, Christine Toretti - former South Carolina Speaker David Wilkins
EXECUTIVE
President Matt Walter
(from Jan. 2014, succeeded Chris Jankowski; at the
RSLC since 2010) Previously RSLC managing director of
communications and political affairs, announced March 11, 2013; RSLC
political director in
2012 cycle,
announced June 2011; and RSLC's New York in-state independent
expenditure coordinator in 2010. Executive director from June
2008, director of strategic planning and communications director at the
New York State Republican Party for four years starting in 2007; he
also took a leave of absense in mid-2010 to run Rick Lazio's
gubernatorial campaign. Various positions in the New York State
Senate Majority communications department for eleven years. M.A.
in American political history from the College of Saint Rose, 1995;
B.A. degrees in political science and French from SUNY College at
Geneseo, 1994. twitter
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer Staci (Swanson) Goede
(with the RSLC since its beginning in 2002) Goede was
a field representative for the College Republican National Committee
focusing on the Southwest and Midwest. B.A. in political science and
political communications from Valparaiso University.
POLITICAL
Political Director Justin Richards
(announced Dec. 12, 2013) Executive director of
the New Jersey
Senate Republican Majority in both the 2011 and 2013 cycles.
Campaign manager for freshman Congressman Sean Duffy (WI)’s 2012
re-election. Campaign manager for Tom Kean’s 2007 re-election to
the New Jersey State Senate and worked on Kean's 2006 U.S. Senate
campaign. Degree in political science from The College of New
Jersey. New Jersey native.
Political and Press Assistant Kaylin Bugos
(May 2014) Political intern at National Republican Senatorial Committee, Sept. 2013 - May 2014. Editorial intern at The American Spectator, May- Aug. 2013. Grassroots intern at Republican Jewish Coalition Sept.-Dec. 2012. B.A. in journalism and government & politics from the University of Maryland, 2014. Native of Greenville, SC.
COMMUNICATIONS
Communications Director Jill Bader
(announced March 11, 2013) Communications
director for RNC
Victory in Florida, July-Nov. 2012. Senior public policy and
communications advisor to the
Girl Scouts of the USA, March 2011-July 2012. Communications
director at Friends of Scott Walker, Sept. 2009-Jan. 2011. Press
secretary to Senate Republican Conference chairman Lamar Alexander,
Jan. 2008-Sept. 2009. Deputy press secretary Alexander for
Senate, Fall 2008. Constituent services, online communication on
Bob Corker for Senate, Fall 2006. Constituent relations director
for Sen. Lamar Alexander, 2005-06. B.A. in communications,
political science from Wake Forest University. Native of
Nashville, TN. twitter
Press Secretary Julia Mazzone
(started June 2014 as assistant press secretary) Digital strategist at IMGE Consulting April 2013-May 2014. Staff assistant in Member Relations & Events at the RNC, Nov. 2011-April 2013. Scheduler on Pawlenty for President, May-Aug. 2011. B.A. in political science from Southern Methodist University.
DIGITAL
Digital Director Robert Sechrist
...and president at Acquire Digital LLC since Dec. 2013
(digital director since 2009; joined the RSLC in 2007
as a research analyst) Deputy campaign manager on Jack Johnson
for State
Senate (TN), Aug.-Nov. 2006. East TN field director on Van
Hilleary for U.S. Senate, Feb.-Aug. 2006. B.A. in political
science from the
University of Tennessee, 2005.
Vice President, Sales and Marketing, .GOP
Will Martinez
(from Jan. 2013; announced March 11, 2013)
Advance on Romney for
President, May-Nov. 2012. East Coast regional manager (Jan.
2011-April 2012) and business development (July 2010-Jan. 2011) for
Savored, Inc., company acquired by Groupon. Analyst for Goldman
Sachs, July 2008-April 2010.
Vice President, Operations, .gop Patrick Finnegan
(Dec. 2013) Special assistant to the Speaker, Office of the Speaker, John Boehner, 2008-2013. B.B.A from Ohio University, 2008.
RLCC
Executive Director Erin Veltman
(Jan. 2011) Finance director on Michael Grimm
for Congress,
Sept.-Nov.
2010; finance director on Frank Scaturro for Congress, July 2009-Sept.
2010. Fundraiser for Captel/the Republican National Committee,
Sept.
2008-Aug. 2009. Staff assistant to Sen. Arlen Specter, March-May
2009. Finance assistant at Citizens for Arlen Specter, Aug.
2008-Jan.
2009. B.B.A. in legal studies in business from Hofstra
University,
2008.
Assistant Director Kiley Smith
(Jan. 2013) Political education director at the
RNC, Sept.
2011-Dec.
2012. Manager of corporate relations, fundraising and development
at
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, March-Sept. 2011. Political field
director at the Republican Governors Association, Jan.-Dec. 2010.
Field director on Bob McDonnell for Governor, May-Nov. 2009.
Executive
director for King County Republicans, Nov. 2008-March 2009. Field
coordinator on Dino Rossi for Governor, Nov. 2007-Nov. 2008.
Degree in
business and political science from Washington State University, 2007.
Assistant Director Grace Eberhart
(Jan. 2014) Previously finance assistant at the RSLC, Jan. 2013-Jan. 2014. Deputy finance director at the Republican Party of Wisconsin, April 2012-Dec. 2012. B.S. in political science from University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dec. 2012.
Director of Operations Alyson Higgins
(Jan. 2014) Also a founding member of RightNOW Women PAC, Nov. 2013. Manager of government affairs ad Dow Lohnes Government Strategies, April-Dec. 2013. Speakers Bureau coordinator at the RNC, March 2012-April 2013; also worked on the Growth and Opportunity Project, Jan.-March 2013 and as a Convention delegate coordinator, June-Aug. 2012. B.A. in communications, law, economics and government (CLEG) from American University.
RSCC
Director Jessica Simmons
(July 2013) Constituent affairs manager (Nov.
2012-May 2013),
special
assistant (July 2011-Oct. 2012) and elections operations coordinator
(Jan.-June 2011) for the Georgia Secretary of State. Deputy
political
director at Kemp for Secretary of State, Sept.-Nov. 2010. B.A. in
political science from The University of Georgia, 2010.
RLGA
Director Jesse Adams
(Dec. 2012; previously at RLCC as assistant director from April 2012 and finance assistant from July 2011) Property manager for Geneva Management LLC from June 2007. B.B.A. from Gordon College.
Assistant Director Howard Wang
(April 2014) Previously at finance assistant at
the RSLC from June 2013-April 2014; research assistant at RLGA,
Jan.-June 2013. Digital intern on the Romney campaign, Sept.-Nov.
2012. Political intern at the RSLC, May-Aug. 2012. B.A. in
philosophy and political science from Boston University, 2013.
FINANCE
Executive Roundtable Director Erin Ehrich
Owner of EME Consulting from 2008, with clients ranging from Senator Tom Kean (NJ), Romney for President and Chris Christie for Governor. Finance Director for Tom Kean for US Senate 2006. B.A. in government from Liberty University.
Finance Coordinator Anne Thomas
(March 2014) Digital Finance Manager at Republican National Committee (Sept. 2013-Mar. 2014); Deputy South Finance Director & Deputy Regents Director at Republican National Committee (Jun. 2013-Aug. 2013). Deputy Regional Manager for North Carolina Republican Party (Aug. 2012-Dec. 2012). B.A. Political Science at Elon University.
Future Majority Project
Director, Future Majority Project Neri
Martinez
(announced March 11, 2013) Hispanic coalition
director for North
Carolina Victory, announced April 2012. Legislative department of
Associated Builders and
Contractors. Business development manager at KONE
Elevators.
President of the Free Cuba Foundation. Graduate of Florida
International
University, 2005. Cuban-American; native of Miami, FL.
More
Research and Compliance Counsel Micah
Ketchel
(announced March 11, 2013) Senior research and
legal
analyst on the NRCC IE unit from Feb. 2012. policy
counsel to the House Veterans Affairs Committee. J.D.
from Florida State University College of Law. Florida
native.
also note:
The State Government Leadership
Foundation, a 501(c)(4) shares office space with and is a strategic
partner of the RSLC. The SGLF "spotlights hotbed issues and
conservative policies that state government officials wrestle with
most..." The SGLF "is taking the lead on educating elected and
appointed state government
officials, providing support to local officeholders, and highlighting
meaningful, conservative solutions."
FORMER...
Assistant Communications Director John
Loe
...to
political
director
at
SP&M
(announced March 11, 2013) Worked on Romney for
President on rapid-response
and research in the general election and policy rollouts, ballot access
and get out the vote in the primaries. Worked in the private
sector. M.P.P. from University of Maryland; B.A. in political
science from St. Mary's College of Maryland. Louisiana native.
Deputy Political Director D.J. Eckert ...campaign manager at DeWine for AG in Ohio from Jan. 2014
(May 2012; announced March 11, 2013) Political director of Gov. Bob McDonnell's (VA) political action committee Opportunity Virginia PAC, Jan. 2010-March 2012. Regional field director for Republican Party of Virginia, May 2009-Jan. 2010. Political-voter contact (mail and phone program) on the McCain campaign, April-Nov. 2008. Acquisitions analyst at American Assets, Inc. Sept. 2006-April 2008. Bachelor's in political science from Northwestern University, 2006. Native of Wayland, MA.
President Chris Jankowski ...to Feb. 2014
(Feb. 2011; started at the RSLC as executive director
of the REDistricting MAjority
Project (RED MAP), March-Oct. 2010) Managing principal at Rhumb
Line, LLC government
affairs firm, Jan. 2003-Oct. 2010. Executive director of the
Virginia House Republican
Campaign Committee. Consulted for the RSLC in 2003-04. Director
of
state political affairs and counsel for the American Council of
Life Insurers, Jan. 1998-Dec. 2002.
Assistant Attorney General in South Carolina, Nov. 1996-Dec.
1997. J.D. from University of South Carolina-Columbia, 1996; B.A.
in political science and government from the College of Charleston,
1993.
Chairman Ed Gillespie ... resigned to run
for U.S.
Senate; resignation accepted Jan. 15, 2014
(announced Jan. 25, 2010) Founder of Ed
Gillespie
Strategies. Senior advisor at Romney for President, announced
April 2012. Chairman of Bob McDonnell’s successful campaign for
governor of Virginia in 2009. Counselor to President George W.
Bush in
the last 18 months of the his Administration starting in late June
2007. Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, Dec.
2006-June 2007. Seven years as
co-chairman of Quinn Gillespie and Associates, firm he co-founded in
2000. Chairman of the Republican National Committee,
2003-04. Advisor on Rep. John Kasich's presidential run in
1999. President and CEO of Policy Impact Communications, Inc.,
which he co-founded in 1997 with Haley Barbour. Director
of communications and congressional affairs at the RNC, 1996.
Long-time aide
to former House Majority Leader Dick Armey; as policy and
communications director for the House Republican Conference, he was a
principal drafter of the Contract with America in 1994. A
telephone
solicitor for the RNC. B.A. degree from The Catholic University
of America, 1983.
Author of Winning Right: Campaign
Politics and Conservative Policies (Simon and Schuster,Spring
2006). twitter
Polling and Data Director Caitlin Reed
Events Director Linsey Haynie ...to Dec. 2013
(May 2011) Event coordinator at RIS DC, Sept. 2010-May 2011. Special events/catering manager at the Metropolitan Club, April 2009-Sept. 2010. Events specialist at Two Sisters Catering, March 2008-Feb. 2009. Catering sales manager at Doubletree Guest Suites, Feb. 2006-Feb. 2008. B.A. in communication and media studies from the College of Charleston, 2005.
Finance Director Liz Murray ...to
Nov. 2013; doing national fundraising for Jindal's America Next
(announced April 2013) Owner of the E.H.
Murray Group from Jan. 2000; joins the RSLC
with nearly two decades of political fundraising experience including
for Orrin Hatch from Jan. 2008; Olympia Snowe, Feb. 2010-Feb. 2012;
John McCain, Jan. 2008-Nov. 2010; and Saxby Chambliss, 2002-08.
B.A. in political science and government from University of Arizona.
Communications Assistant Jessica
Carroll
...to Nov. 2013
(started at the RSLC in July 2012; interned for
RAGA) Field rep.
on U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus' (AL) primary campaign. Degree in
history from Samford University. Native of Montgomery, AL.
Republican Attorney Generals Association ...became a separate organization in Jan./Feb. 2014
Director Jessica Medeiros Garrison
(July 2011) Also of counsel for Balch &
Bingham LLP from
Sept. 2011. Chief counsel to Deputy Attorney General of Alabama,
Jan.-July 2011. Campaign manager at Luther Strange for Attorney
General, June 2009-Jan. 2011. Partner at Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson
& Fowler, LLP, Dec. 1998-Dec. 2010. Director of public
relations and legislative affairs for Alabama Attorney General's
Office, 1997-98. J.D. from University of Alabama Law School,
2000; B.S. in consumer sciences from University of Alabama, 1997.
Deputy Director Amanda Gonzalez
(Oct. 2013; assistant director at RAGA from Dec.
2012-Oct. 2013 and
started at the RSLC as a finance assistant in Jan. 2012)
Paralegal in the Alabama Attorney General's Office, April 2011-Jan.
2012. Real estate paralegal for Ready Mix USA, May 2010-April
2011. Paralegal at Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson & Fowler, Aug.
2005-May 2010. Volunteer on Luther Strange for AG in 2009-11 and
on Luther Strange for Lt. Gov. in 2006. B.S. in education from
University of Alabama, 2005.
Political Director Scott Will
(Jan. 2013; announced March 11, 2013) Campaign
manager on Patrick Morrisey for Attorney General (WV), June 2012-Jan.
2013. Camapign manager on Justin Bernier for Congress, May
2011-June 2012. Deputy campaign manager on Linda McMahon for
Senate 2010, Aug. 2009-Dec. 2010. Republican Party of Iowa Senate
field director, Aug.-Nov. 2008. Campaign manager on Northup for
Congress, April-Aug. 2008. Iowa political director on Friends of
Fred Thompson, July 2007-Jan. 2008. Regional field director on
John McCain 2008, Dec. 2006-July 2007. Field director on Lamberti
for Congress, June-Nov. 2006. B.A. in political science from
University of Iowa, 2006.
Assistant Political Director Robert Simpson
(Feb. 2014) Legislative aide to Connecticut
House Republicans,
Dec. 2011-Dec. 2013. Field manager at Pawlenty for President,
May-Aug. 2011. Field representative on McMahon for Senate,
2009-10.
Policy Director Brian Sanderson
(March 2014) Also president of Cardinal Group,
LLC from
2013. Attorney at Brunini Grantham Grower & Hewes,
2010-13. President of the Gulf Coast business Council,
2006-10. Deputy director at the Office of Recovery and Renewal
for Gov. Haley Barbour, 2005-06. Attorney at Butler Snow LLP,
1995-2005. J.D. from University of Mississippi School of Law;
B.B.A. from University of Mississippi.
Director of Operations Jason Heath
(Sept. 2013) Lead advance at Romney for
President, May-Nov.
2012. Political director on Bernier for Congress, Oct. 2011-May
2012. Director of operations New Hampshire at Jon Huntsman for
President, May-Sept. 2011. Director of operations at Linda
McMahon for Senate, 2009-10. Advance on John McCain campaign in
2008. Bachelor's degree in communications from University of
Connecticut, 2004.
Executive Assistant Mary Louise Stephenson
(2014) Also legal administrative assistant at Shook, Hardy & Bacon.
2011-12 Cycle Bottom Line: Raised $39 million, direct political spending $27 million, invested in 42 states. The RSLC's Future Majority Project spent $5 million to identify 125 new Republican Hispanic candidates and 185 women candidates, and supported the successful elections of 15 new Hispanic legislators, and 84 new women officials in state offices across the country.