Rick Perry - Pre-Campaign Organization

Gov. Rick Perry Organization—Pre-Campaign
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(page updated May 6, 2015)

RickPAC
rickpac.org
leadership PAC filed with the FEC on July 31, 2014.

Director Jeff Miller

Partner at Russo Miller & Associates from Jan. 2013. Partner at Capitol Advocacy in Sacramento, Jan. 2006-Dec. 2012. Served as voluntary California campaign chair for Perry for President. Senior vice president at ACC Captial Holdings, 2004-06. CFO of the Californa Republican Party, 2000-04. Finance director for the California Assembly Republican leadership, 1998-99. Staff assistant in the U.S. House, 1997. Legislative aide in the California State Assembly, 1995-96. Served in the U.S. Naval Reserves from 1992-98. twitter

Lauren San Miguel

Associate at Russo Miller & Associates from Jan. 2013. Business development specialist at the Texas Office of Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Research and marketing manager in the Greater Waco Chamber, Jan. 2010-Dec. 2011. Master's in educational leadership (2011) and B.S. in agricultural service and development (2008) from Tarleton State University.

Senior Advisor Rob Johnson

Currently at Johnson Strategies, LLC. Managed Perry's presidential campaign in 2011-12; senior advisor to Perry in the Governor's Office after managing his 2010 re-election campaign. Johnson served a brief interlude as senior advisor, then for about a month as campaign manager on Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign before the mass exodus. Chief of staff to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (TX); managed Dewhurst's 2002 campaign for Lt. Governor. Chief of staff to Congressman Jay Dickey (AR). Bachelor's degrees in political science and public relations from Southern Methodist University, 1997. twitter

Eric Bearse

Principal at Bearse & Company LLC, which he founded in 2007, providing general consulting and communications services to candidates, officeholders and officials. Deputy communications director on Perry's presidential campaign in 2011-12. Wrote speeches for Gov. Perry for eight years,1999-2007, and helped Perry write his first published book, On My Honor. Has worked on six campaigns in Texas, including Perry’s campaigns for lieutenant governor and governor. Bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas A&M University, 1993.

COMMUNICATIONS

Spokesperson Lucy Nashed

Served seven years on Perry's communications team in the Office of the Governor: press secretary (from March 2014), deputy press secretary (from Dec. 2010), media relations specialist (Jan.-Dec. 2010), press assistant (May 2008-Feb. 2010) and started as a press office intern (Jan.-May 2008). B.S. in public relations from University of Texas at Austin, 2008. twitter

DIGITAL

Targeted Victory

Senior Advisor for Digital and Television Optimization Michael Beach
Advisor for Digital and Field Operations Chris Gulugian-Taylor

(announced March 4, 2015; first reported by the Wall Street Journal on March 2, 2015) Michael Beach is a co-founder and Chris Gulugian-Taylor is part of the Client Strategy team at Targeted Victory.

Coalitions Director Erin DeLullo

(announced March 16, 2015) Principal at DeLullo & Associates, LLC, has consulted on races around the country including Cuccinelli for Governor in Virginia in 2013 and a senior strategist for, Ken Blackwell for Governor campaign in Ohio in 2006. Director of development for the Patrick Henry Center, a conservative nonprofit. Deputy finance director for U.S. Sen. Bob Smith's 2002 re-election campaign in New Hampshire. Graduate of Shepherd College (now University) in Shepherdstown, WV.

Senior Director Jamie Johnson

(first reported by DMR's Jennifer Jacobs on March 18, 2015) Member of the Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee, 2012-March 2015. Vice President at World-Wide Missions, 2005-March 2015. State coalitions director on Rick Santorum for President, 2011-12. CEO/public affairs broadcaster for the Faith and Freedom Network, 2002-10. Instructor at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, 2001-04; instructor at DMACC in West Des Moines, 2001-02. M.A. in public policy from Regent University, 1997; B.A. in theology from Bethany Global University, 1987 Resident of Stratford, Iowa. twitter

POLICY

Senior Advisor Avik Roy

(announced April 20, 2015) A senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and from Jan. 2014 the opinion editor at Forbes. Served as a health care policy adviser to Mitt Romney in 2012. Author of Transcending Obamacare and How Medicaid Fails the Poor, and co-author of Fixing Veterans Health Care. Founder of Roy Healthcare Research, an investment research firm in New York. Previously, he served as an analyst and portfolio manager at Bain Capital, J.P. Morgan, and other firms. Studied at the Yale School of Medicine; undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Policy Director Abby McCloskey

(announced April 20, 2015) Program director of economic policy at the American Enterprise Institute, Feb. 2013-Aug. 2014. Director of research at the Financial Services Roundtable, July 2010-Jan. 2013. Staffer to U.S. Richard Shelby (R-AL), July 2009-July 2010. Policy associate with the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, June 2008-June 2009. M.S. in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University; B.A. in economics from Wheaton College.

Foreign Policy Coordinator Brett Fetterly

Master’s degree in strategic studies and international economics from Johns Hopkins SAIS, May 2015. B.A. in international relations from Regis University, 2011.

POLLING

Senior Advisor/Pollster Greg Strimple

(reported Feb. 11, 2015) President of GS Strategy Group. Strategist for the NRSC's 2012 IE program. A founding partner of Mercury Public Affairs, a national public affairs consultancy, Jan. 1997-Jan. 2010. Senior advisory roles on Mark Kirk’s victory in the Illinois Senate race in 2010 and on Chris Christie's upset victory in the New Jersey governor's race in 2009. Senior advisor for polling and advertising in Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential bid. Strimple served as director of polling for the NRSC in 1996. Worked for Ed Rollins at the NRCC on Republican House races in 1989-90. Graduate of Denison University, 1988. Resident of Boise, ID since 2010.

FINANCE

Finance Director Margaret Lauderback

(announced March 17, 2015) Political consultant (The Lauderback Group) since Nov. 2010. Finance director on RickPerry.org, Inc., Perry's 2011-12 presidential campaign and senior finance consultant on Perry's 2010 re-elect campaign. Managing director for technology at the Carmen Group starting late 2006. Vice president for government relations at the NYSE Group, March 2005-Dec. 2006. Managing director for government affairs at Archipelago Holdings, Inc, announced March 16, 2005. Various positions with TechNet, a PAC for the hi-tech industry, including vice president of Republican outreach, vice president of membership, executive director of the Texas office, 1999-early 2005. Worked in government affairs for Ameritech. Aide to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Bachelor of journalism degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

Katie Herries

SCHEDULING

Director of Scheduling Stan Gerdes

(March 2015) Deputy director of scheduling and advance (April 2014-Feb. 2015) and Governor's advance (July 2013-Feb. 2015) in the Office of Gov. Perry. State Farm insurance agent, Aug. 2009-June 2013. Reali estate agent in Austin, Aug. 2007-Aug. 2009. Graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, 2008.

COUNSEL

Chief Counsel Don McGahn

(announced March 17, 2015) Partner at Jones Day since May 2014. Partner at Patton Boggs from Sept. 2013-May 2014. Served on the FEC from 2008 to Sept. 2013. Previously general counsel at the NRCC for almost a decade. J.D. from Widener University, 1994; B.A. from University of Notre Dame, 1991.

Treasurer Kathy Wall

(March 3, 2015 FEC filing...succeeded Stefan C. Passantino)

Advisory Board

(announced Feb. 5, 2015)

More Advisors
Politico (April 20, 2014) reports that others advising Perry include:

Gov. Haley Barbour is a founding partner of BGR Group.

Terry Nelson and Rob Jesmer are at FP1 Strategies.

and
Mark Miner

(communications director in the Governor's Office to April 11, 2014) "will continue to advise the governor from the private sector."
Communications director to Gov. Perry in the Governor's Office from Sept. 1, 2008; also national press secretary on Perry's presidential campaign and communications director on Perry's 2010 re-election campaign. Director of communications to Lt. Governor David Dewhurst during two legislative sessions and six special sessions. Communications director for the Bill Simon for Governor campaign in California. Communications director at the RNC under Jim Gilmore to the end of 2001. Communications director to then Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore where he was senior communications strategist and chief spokesman for the Gilmore Administration. Press secretary for the Gilmore for Governor campaign in Virginia; communications director to the then Virginia Attorney General Gilmore. Bachelor's degree in communictions from Michigan State University, 1987. twitter

IOWA

(announced Feb. 15, 2015)
Robert Haus

Vice president at Policy Works LLC, Nov. 2010-May 2014. Iowa chairman of the Rick Perry campaign, 2011-12. Co-founder and owner of Eagle Media Group LLC, Nov. 2005-Nov. 2010. Iowa state director on Fred Thompson's 2007-08 Iowa caucus campaign. Managing consultant for public policy and public affairs (corporate communications and issue campaigns) for DCI Group, 2000-06. Senior Iowa consultant on Steve Forbes' 2000 Iowa caucus campaign. Managed Sen. Phil Gramm's 1996 Iowa caucus campaign. Managed Sen. Chuck Grassley's 1992 re-election campaign. Worked for the Iowa Senate Republican Caucus. Graduate of Iowa State University; law degree from the University of Iowa, 1988. Originally from New Hampton, IA. twitter

Andy Swanson

(Feb. 2015. West Des Moines) In 2014 Swanson worked for the Iowa Senate Majority Fund; and earlier as coalitions director for Mark Jacobs for U.S. Senate. A regional manager for the Republican Party of Virginia in 2013. Opposition research-tracker for the NRCC in Des Moines, March-Nov. 2012. Mortgage loan indexer for Wells Fargo, Oct. 2011-March 2012. Iowa ﬁeld rep. on Pawlenty for President, 2011. Consultant to Latham for Congress in 2010 and 2012. Assistant mortgage loan processor, April-Aug. 2009. Regional coalitions director for Ohio and Pennsylvania on John McCain's campaign, June-Nov. 2008; started as Iowa ﬁeld staff in Oct. 2007, and continued on to other states through June 2008. B.A. in history, political science from University of Iowa, 2005. Originally from Dayton, IA.

Dane Nealson

(Feb. 2015. Ames) Outgoing chairman of the Story County Republicans, Feb. 2013-Feb. 2015. State director of the Iowa GOP Senate Majority Fund, Oct. 2013-Nov. 2014. Certified pharmacy technician. Candidate for state representative in House District 45, Feb.-Nov. 2012. Central Iowa ﬁeld director, Rick Perry, Sept. 2011-Jan. 2012; central Iowa ﬁeld director, Pawlenty for President, April-Aug. 2011. Ames field director for the Republican Party of Iowa, 2010. Chairman of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans, April 2009-April 2010. Southeast Iowa ﬁeld coordinator, Huckabee for President, Sept. 2007-Jan. 2008. B.A. in political science from Iowa State University, 2010; attended Iowa Wesleyan College and A.A. in music education from Muscatine Community College, 2007. twitter

Kip Murphy

(Feb. 2015. Missouri Valley) Outgoing chairman of the Harrison County Republicans. Field consultant to Robert Cramer for Congress 2014;
Field consultant (Southwest Iowa) to Rick Santorum for President, Oct. 2011- 2012. Western Iowa coordinator, Americans for Perry, 2011. Southwest Iowa Victory director, the Iowa Republican Party 2010. Political director, Rod Roberts for Governor, 2010. Regional field manager, Mitt Romney for President 2007-08. Murphy also has extensive experience in Nebraska campaigns. Bachelor's degree in history and international affairs from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

and
Jamie Johnson

(see above)

NEW HAMPSHIRE

(announced March 11, 2015)
Mike Dennehy

Co-founder and partner at Dennehy & Bouley. Senior advisor, and initially national political director on John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. Founder and president of The Dennehy Group, based in Concord, NH. Managed Craig Benson's successful 2002 campaign for governor in New Hampshire. New England political director and New Hampshire campaign manager on Sen. McCain's 2000 presidential campaign. Managed Jay Lucas' 1998 gubernatorial campaign in New Hampshire. Executive director of the New Hampshire Republican Party, starting in March 1996 through late 1997. New Hampshire political director on Sen. Phil Gramm's 1996 primary campaign. Special assistant to Gov. Stephen Merrill (R-NH). B.S. from Southern New Hampshire University. twitter

Field Director Dante Vitagliano

Deputy political director for Marilinda Garcia for Congress, Republican nominee in the 2nd CD, April-Nov. 2014. South East Pennsylvania field director for the 60 Plus Association, Aug. 2012-Sept. 2013. Field operations coordinator on Al Schmidt for City commissioner in Philadelphia, 2011-12. B.A. in political science - philosophy from Temple University, 2011. twitter

North Country Field Manager Ryder Selmi

(announced March 11, 2015) North Country field manager for the Garcia campaign. twitter

SOUTH CAROLINA

(announced March 6, 2015)
State Director Katon Dawson

Principal at Dawson Public Affairs in Columbia. Dawson was South Carolina chairman of the Rick Perry campaign in 2011-12, after starting out as Newt Gingrich's top advisor in South Carolina. He was candidate for RNC chairman in Feb. 2009, finishing second to Michael Steele. Elected Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party in spring 2002 and unanimously re-elected in 2004 and 2007, he served to May 2009. President and general manager of family-owned Burns Auto Parts in Columbia. Active in Republican Party politics for more than 40 years. "On Halloween night 1964, Dawson was just 8 years old when his mother drove him to the downtown auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina, to hear Ronald Reagan stump for Republican presidential nominee Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona." B.S. in management from the University of South Carolina, 1979.

Senior Advisor Walter Whetsell

Founder (in 1996) of Starboard Communications based in Lexington, SC. Whetsell was South Carolina senior advisor for the Rick Perry campaign in 2011-12. He has advised Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, and SC Reps. Tom Rice, Mick Mulvaney and Jeff Duncan, and implemented and developed voter contact programs for numerous state-wide races. Advisor/in-state consultant on Friends of Fred Thompson in 2007-08. Coordinated the voter contact direct mail program for Gov. Mark Sanford's successful re-election campaign in 2006. In 2004, Whetsell played an important role in helping Rep. Jim DeMint in both his successful primary and general election bid for the U.S. Senate. Graduate of Furman University in Greenville, SC.

Managing Day to Day Le Frye

At Starboard Communications. Served as Perry's South Carolina political director in 2011-12. twitter

Field Director Jeff Alderman

In the 2014 cycle managed successful countywide, state representative, and solicitor races in South Carolina.

Field Representative Jonathan Davis

Recent graduate of Presbyterian College who interned for U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan’s successful campaign.

Texans for Rick Perry
rickperry.org
Finances - Texas Ethics Commission

Executive Director Gaye Lynn Mackie

(May 2013) Previously office manager from Aug. 2011-May 2013. Operations manager at James R. Meyers Mediation & Arbitration Service. Account executive at J.A.M.S./Endispute, Feb. 1991-June 1998. B.S. in political science and government from University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Press Travis Considine

Communications director on Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's re-election campaign from 2013 to April 2014 (resigned before the May 27 runoff). communications director on Josh Mandel for U.S. Senate in Ohio. 2008 graduate of The George Washington University. twitter

Americans for Economic Freedom
www.usaeconfreedom.org | USAEconFreedom | @USAEconFreedom
501(c)(4) formed Sept. 2013

Director Jeff Miller

Lauren San Miguel

Rob Johnson

Eric Bearse

Advisory Board
Arthur Laffer, chairman of Laffer Associates
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House
August Busch III, businessman and philanthropist
Carly Fiorina, chairman of Good 360, former CEO of Hewlett Packard
Marc Rodriguez, chairman of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Tom McKernan, chairman of AAA

pro-Perry super PAC

Pre-Campaign Organization (to Nov. 4, 2014)

Americans for Economic Freedom
www.usaeconfreedom.org | USAEconFreedom | @USAEconFreedom
501(c)(4) formed Sept. 2013

Director Jeff Miller

Lauren San Miguel

Rob Johnson

Eric Bearse

More Advisors
Politico (April 20, 2014) reports that others advising Perry include:

Gov. Haley Barbour is a founding partner of BGR Group.

Terry Nelson and Rob Jesmer are at FP1 Strategies.

and
Mark Miner

IOWA
Robert Haus

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mike Dennehy

SOUTH CAROLINA
Katon Dawson

RickPAC
rickpac.org
leadership PAC filed with the FEC on July 31, 2014.

Advisory Board

(announced Feb. 5, 2015)

Treasurer Stefan C. Passantino

Head of the Political Law practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, including counsel to Newt 2012. Prior to joining McKenna Long & Aldridge, Passantino worked as an associate at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, a large New York law firm. J.D. from Emory Law School, 1991; B.A. from Drew University, 1988.

Texans for Rick Perry
rickperry.org
Finances - Texas Ethics Commission

Executive Director Gaye Lynn Mackie

Press Travis Considine

twitter

Governor's Office >
www.governor.state.tx.us/ | TexasGovernor | @TexGov

Chief of Staff Kathy Walt

(announced Aug. 12, 2013) Most recently executive manager of governmental affairs at Lower Colorado River Authority from Sept. 2012. Deputy chief of staff, senior advisor and press secretary to Gov. Perry, 2007-12. Reporter at newspapers in Texas, Ohio and Virginia including the Houston Chronicle, 1987-2000. B.A. and Master's degrees in journalism from The Ohio State University.

Deputy Chief of Staff Mike Morrissey

(announced Feb. 27, 2013) Has worked for the Governor's Office since 2001, most recently as senior advisor and previously as director of the Budget, Planning and Policy Division. Morrissey previously served as director of fiscal policy for former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, budget director for Perry when he was lieutenant governor, and budget director and special assistant to former Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock. He also worked at the Legislative Budget Board from 1986-1994 as legal counsel/ budget examiner. Morrissey received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Oklahoma and a law degree from the University of Arkansas.

Deputy Chief of Staff MacGregor Stephenson

(announced March 25, 2013) Served as assistant commissioner for workforce, academic affairs and research for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Texas A&M University system. Worked for the Office of the Governor as a member of the governor's review team, advisor for higher education budgets and policy, and interim chief of staff to the Texas Building and Procurement Commission, 2002-06. Law degree from the University of Denver, and a PhD in higher education administration from Texas A&M University.

Senior Advisor Teresa Spears

Served as director of appointments to Sept. 2012.

Communications Director Felix Browne

(announced April 7, 2014) Comes to the Governor's Office from Boston, where he worked for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, as well as former U.S. Senator Scott Brown. Most recently, Browne worked on behalf of a coalition of high technology businesses that successfully defeated the Massachusetts Legislature's attempt to tax custom software and related services - a key sector of the state economy. He is a graduate of Georgetown University.

Deputy Communications Director Rich Parsons

(announced March 25, 2013) Served as communications director for the Texas Secretary of State since 2011. He served as press secretary to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and was an award-winning a reporter for KXAN-TV in Austin, as well as other TV stations in North Carolina and Virginia and Mississippi. Parsons has a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Washington.

Press Secretary Lucy Nashed
Deputy Press Secretary Travis Considine
Speechwriter Matt Thompson
Press Assistant Harrison Thomas
Digital Strategist Baylis Atherton
Webmaster Jeremy Newman

Director of Scheduling and Advance Hugh Addington

(announced April 7, 2014) Addington has spent the past nine years as a private event and public relations consultant to various governmental and political organizations. Prior to this, he spent time in Washington, D.C. as director of external affairs for the U.S. Small Business Administration. He is a Virginia native and a graduate of Denison University. He has lived in Austin for 15 years.