Republican State Leadership Committee - 2011

disclaimer | 2010 edition | (page updated November 26, 2010)

RSLC  || DLCC Organization

Chairman  Ed Gillespie

(announced Jan. 25, 2010) Founder of Ed Gillespie Strategies. 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. Seven years as co-chairman of Quinn Gillespie and Associates, firm he co-founded in 2000. Chairman of the Republican National Committee, 2003-04. Director of communications and congressional affairs at the RNC. 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. Graduate of The Catholic University of America. Author of Winning Right: Campaign Politics and Conservative Policies (Simon and Schuster,Spring 2006).

Vice Chair  Tom Reynolds

(announced Jan. 25, 2010) Senior strategic policy advisor at Nixon Peabody. Elected to Congress in 1998 and served five terms representing Upstate New York; did not seek re-election in 2008. Reynolds served two terms as chairman of the NRCC (elected in Nov. 2002 and re-elected in Nov. 2004). Served in the New York State Assembly,1989-98, including as Minority Leader from 1995. Member of the Erie County Legislature from 1982-88. Served on the Concord Town Board from 1974-82. Prior to his election to Congress Reynolds worked as a licensed real estate and insurance broker.

Chairman of the Board  Tim Barnes

Executive director of the RSLC from 2002-07, overseeing all major donor and direct marketing fundraising. Executive director of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) from 2000-02. Director for major donor programs at the RNC. Deputy finance director at the NRSC. Director of development for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Graduate of Creighton University.

EXECUTIVE

President and General Counsel  Scott Ward

He is also the general counsel for and serves on the executive committee of the D.C. Republican Party. Prior to joining the RSLC, Ward served as an associate at Arent Fox. Field director for Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee and worked on Capitol Hill on the majority staff of the House Budget Committee. J.D. from Wake Forest University; B.A. in political science from the University of Richmond.

Associate General Counsel  Erin Berry

(joined the RSLC in 2008) Previously worked at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel as a legal advisor and deputy director of congressional relations. Legislative counsel to U.S. Rep. John Hostettler (IN). J.D and M.P.P. from Regent University in Virginia; B.A. in government from the University of Texas at Austin.

Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer  Staci 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.

Director of Operations  Amy Wells

Previously held the position of administrative assistant/office manager. Joined the RSLC in 2008. 2008 graduate of Virginia Tech, where she majored in English and communications.

Senior Vice President for Development  Sarah Fehrer

(2010) Came to RSLC from the Smithsonian Institution where she served as director of corporate relations. More than 20 years of experience in fundraising, development, special events, strategic planning, management and administration. Prior to the Smithsonian, she served as Vice President for Corporate Development at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, managing the national accounts program and field sales operation. She has held director level fundraising positions at the NRSC and the RNC and also served in the White House during the first Bush Administration.

POLITICAL

Political Director  Ben Cannatti

Principal at Caleb Consulting, which he started in 2005. Political director for the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), 2000-02. Worked on federal, state, and local campaigns across the United States in the 1990s. Native Texan.

Regional Political Director  Casey Phillips

Joined the RSLC in 2009. Field representative for the NRCC during 2008, overseeing races in 19 states. Phillips has logged over 200,000 miles while serving as campaign manager, press secretary, political director and general consultant for local, statewide and federal campaigns. Degree in government and international affairs from Augustana College; also attended University of Wyoming. Native South Dakotan, grew up on the family cattle ranch.

Regional Political Director  Michael Luethy

General consultant, campaign manager, finance director, and caucus director for U.S. Senate, Attorney General, U.S. House, State House, and local campaigns. M.A. from the University of Florida’s Political Campaigning Program; B.A. in political science from Bob Jones University. Resides in Raleigh, NC.

Executive Director of the REDistricting MAjority Project (RED MAP)  J. Christopher Jankowski

(2010) Managing principal at Rhumb Line government affairs firm. Executive director of the Virginia House Republican Campaign Committee. Consulted for the RSLC in 2003-04. Director of state political affairs for the American Council of Life Insurers. Served as an Assistant Attorney General in South Carolina.

COMMUNICATIONS

Press Secretary  Adam Temple

South Carolina press secretary for the John McCain 2008 presidential campaign. Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-SC) press secretary and spokesman. Began his career at the NRCC where he was deputy press secretary during the 2002 and 2004 election cycles. Degree in journalism/public relations from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. From Greenville, SC.

NEW MEDIA

Director of New Media  Robert Sechrist

Joined the RSLC in 2007 as a research analyst. Worked on the Van Hilleary for U.S. Senate and the Jack Johnson for State Senate campaigns in Tennessee. B.A. in political science from the University of Tennessee.

FINANCE

Finance Director  Erica Astleford Sechrist

Part of the organization since 2001. Previously served as a corporate fundraiser at NRSC under U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. B.A. in business administration from the University of San Diego. Native Californian.

Deputy Finance Director/RAGA  Director Kate Reed

Joined the RSLC in 2006 while completing her Master's of professional studies at The George Washington University School of Political Management. Previously served as an analyst for the Minority Leader in the West Virginia Legislature.

RLCC Program Director  Jill Pasqualetto

Prior to joining the RSLC, Pasqualetto managed successful PAC fundraising programs for U.S. House incumbents and candidates. B.A. in international relations from the University of San Diego. Born and raised in California.

RLGA/RSSC Program Director  Danielle Muckley

Joined RSLC finance team in 2008. Moved to Washington D.C. after interning at the Republican Governors Association. B.B.A. in marketing from Kent State University. Born and raised in Ohio.

Events Manager  Catherine Pepper

Prior to joining the RSLC in 2007, Pepper served as scheduler for U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). B.S. in public relations and a B.A. in government from The University of Texas at Austin. Texas native.

Director of Marketing  Mike Anton

(since 2006) Prior to joining the RSLC, Anton worked at IBM Business Consulting Services in the Strategic Change sector. Previously, he served as NRCC deputy finance director; RNC major donor program director and NRSC major donor direct marketing director. M.B.A. from The George Washington University and a Bachelor's degree in political science from University of Colorado. He also currently serves as Vice Mayor of Clifton, Virginia.