Jeb
Bush
Organization—Pre-Campaign
more recent
edition >
(page updated June 14, 2015)
Right to Rise PAC
Right to Rise Super PAC
Right to Rise Policy Solutions
News reports suggest that if Bush runs, as expected,
his super PAC will take on areas traditionally
filled by the campaign organization. The reports also suggest a
"data
trust" arrangement underpinning both the campaign and the super
PAC. There also will be a separate policy
entity.
See:
Jonathan Martin and Patrick Healy. "A Shaky Start Compels Bush To
Refine Tone." The New York
Times, June 14, 2015.
Ed O'Keefe and Robert Costa. "How Jeb Bush's campaign ran off
course before it even began." The Washington Post, June 10,
2015.
Marc Caputo and Alex Isenstadt. "Behind the Jeb Bush campaign
shake-up." Politico, June 9, 2015.
Alex Isenstadt. "Jeb Bush names Danny Diaz as campaign
manager." Politico, June 8, 2015.
Ed O'Keefe and Matea Gold. "Jeb Bush leans on nonprofit group as
he prepares likely presidential run." The
Washington
Post, May 12, 2015.
Maggie Haberman. "Jeb Bush's Likely Campaign Starts to Take
Shape." The New York Times, April 21,
2015.
Thomas Beaumont. "Jeb Bush prepares to give traditional campaign
a makeover." The
Associated
Press, April 21, 2015.
Ed
O'Keefe and Matea Gold. "Group with secret donors will aid Bush
on policy." The Washington Post, April 1,
2015.
Haberman (04/21)
cites "a
comprehensive organizational chart," but Bush spokespeople dismiss premature
speculation on structure. Here's a sketch based on Haberman's
article:
Likely Campaign Leadership Sally Bradshaw and David Kochel Danny Diaz Political Director Scott Jennings Analytics Alex Lundry Media Team Jon Downs Cesar Martinez Pollsters David Hill Brenda Wigger Gianiny |
Right to Rise
Super PAC Leadership Mike Murphy and Larry McCarthy Senior Advisor Liesl Hickey Communications Director Paul Lindsay |
Data Trust
Andrew Barkett
Sawan Tivakaran
Right
to Rise
Policy Solutions, Inc.
Leadership Bill Simon
-----
Right to
Rise PAC
Leadership Sally
Bradshaw and David Kochel
[this
is
the
main
vehicle
right
now]
Right to Rise PAC
...leadership PAC launched Jan. 6, 2015.
righttorisepac.org
Tallahassee, FL
Executive Director Sally Bradshaw
Senior advisor to Jeb Bush. Served as one of
five members of the
RNC's Growth
& Opportunity Project. Advisor to Florida House Speaker Will
Weatherford. Advisor to Governor Haley Barbour and his political
action committee. Senior advisor to the Republican Party of
Florida during the 2010 general election. Senior advisor on Mitt
Romney's 2008 primary campaign
(announced Oct.
17, 2006).
Senior campaign advisor to the Bush-Brogan 2002 re-election
campaign.
Chief of staff for Gov. Jeb Bush from Jan. 1999 to Dec. 2000, after
directing the transition.
Managed
Jeb Bush's 1998 and 1994 gubernatorial campaigns. Executive
director
of the Foundation for Florida's Future, a non-profit grassroots public
policy institute. Political director of the Republican Party of
Florida.
Executive director of the 1992 Florida Bush-Quayle campaign.
Staff director for the House Republican Office in Tallahassee.
Has lived
in Florida since 1991. Before moving to Florida, Bradshaw worked
at the White House as an Associate Director for the Office of Political
Affairs from 1989-91. Regional field coordinator for the Bush for
President campaign in 1988. Undergraduate degree in political
science
from The George Washington University. Originallly from
Greenville, Mississippi. twitter
Senior Strategist Mike Murphy
"Semi-defrocked GOP Political Consultant... Meet the
Press Analyst... Senior Fellow at Harvard/JFK Belfer Center... TIME
Columnist... Writer/Prod in Hollywood." Partner in the Revolution
Agency, a strategic communications firm in Washington DC. twitter
Campaign Manager in Waiting Danny Diaz
...following
campaign shake up reported on June 8, 2015. Politico
reports Diaz is to "handle the campaign's day-to-day
operations." Diaz signed
on to the Bush team to do messaging and advertising more than four
months ago, first reported by CNN on Feb. 2, 2015.
Partner and
co-founder (2010)
at FP1 Strategies, LLC.
Owner of Diaz Communications, LLC, 2009-10. Communications
director at the RNC, 2007-Jan. 2009. Deputy communications
director on John McCain 2008, Jan.-July 16, 2007. Deputy
communications
director at the RNC in the 2006 cycle (announced Feb. 9, 2005); oversaw
the
RNC’s
regional media efforts. Regional spokesperson for the
Southwest and Mountain States for Bush-Cheney ’04. Deputy press
secretary for the NRCC. He has also worked for several public
relations
firms in the Washington, DC area.
Graduate of George Mason University, 2000. twitter
Senior Strategist David Kochel
...Kochel was in
line to be campaign manager until
shake-up first reported
on June 8, 2015. Now he is to build and oversee a political
operation in the
early states and beyond. He was first reported joining the Bush
team on Jan. 29, 2015 and relocated from Iowa to Miami.
Owner of
Redwave
Communications in Des Moines.
Senior advisor on Romney's 2011-12 Iowa caucus campaign, and earlier
served as treasurer of Romney's PAC. Senior Iowa advisor on
Romney's 2007-08 Iowa caucus campaign. Executive vice president
at DCI Group, Dec. 1996-Feb.
2002. Managed Lamar Alexander's Iowa campaign in 1999.
Executive director of the Michigan Republican Party, April-Dec.
1996. Executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa in
1995-96. B.A. in political science from Iowa State University,
1987. twitter
Senior Advisor/Communications Director in
Waiting Tim Miller
(reported on Feb. 20,
2015...if Bush runs
Miller is expected to become communications
director) Executive director of America Rising LLC since March
2013. Deputy communications director at the RNC from March
2012-March 2013. Press secretary on Jon
Huntsman's presidential campaign, June 2011-Feb. 2012.
Director/kead
digital communications strategist in the Public Affairs division at the
Glover Park Group, from July 2009-Feb. 2011. Communications
strategist at
Berman and Company, 2007-09. Iowa communications director for
John McCain, 2006-mid-2007. Communications director on Jeff
Lamberti for Congress, 2006. Political director on Bill Dix for
Congress, 2005-06. Field on Jerry Kilgore for Governor of
Virginia,
2005. Travel aide on Bill Lee for Governor of Delaware,
2004. B.A. in political science from The George Washington
University, 2004. twitter
Spokeswoman Kristy Campbell
Deputy communications director for media affairs on
Romney for President. Communications
director for the American Conservative Union from June 2011.
Communications director on the McCollum for Governor campaign in
Florida, 2010. Communications director at the Foundation for
Florida's Future, 2008-Jan. 2010. Florida communications director
on the 2007-8 Romney campaign. Press secretary in the Executive
Office of Gov. Jeb Bush, 2006-07. Communications director for the
Florida Department of Community Affairs, 2005-06. Graduate of
Florida State University, 2004. twitter
Allie Brandenburger
Previously director of communications for the Retail Industry Leaders Association from Feb. 2013. A regional press secretary on Romney for President, May-Nov. 2012. Northeast regional press secretary at the RNC, March-June 2012. Communications director to U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (CA) from Jan. 2011-March 2012. Deputy press secretary on Meg Whitman for Governor, July 2009-Nov. 2010. B.A. in communication, psychology from the University of Southern California, 2009. twitter
Matt Gorman
(reported by the Miami
Herald on Jan. 29, 2015)
Rapid response
director at the NRCC in the 2014 cycle from Jan. 2013. Deputy
rapid response director (April-Nov. 2012) and research analyst (May
2011-April 2012) on Romney for President; intern at Romney's Free and
Strong America PAC, Jan.-May 2011. B.A. in political science from
Stonehill College, 2011. twitter
Jesse Hunt
(reported by the Miami
Herald on Jan. 29, 2015)
Deputy
communications director on Scott Brown for U.S. Senate in New
Hampshire, May-Nov. 2014. Digital rapid response manager for the
Republican Party of Florida, March-May 2014. Field research
analyst in Baton Rouge for America Rising LLC, Oct. 2013-March
2014. Deputy press secretary on Gabriel Gomez for U.S. Senate
(MA), May-July 2013; communications on Dan Winslow for U.S. Senate
(MA), March-April 2013. B.A. in communications from Stonehill
College, 2013. twitter
Communications Advisor and Spokesperson for
Hispanic
Media Emily Benavides
(reported by Buzzfeed on April 8, 2015) Communications
director
on
Gov.
Rick
Snyder's
2014
re-election
campaign.
Florida
press
secretary
on
Romney
for
President
in
Fall
2012.
Deputy
press
secretary
for
specialty
media
for
the
2012
Republican
National
Convention,
April-Sept.
2012.
Legislative
aide/systems
administrator
in
the
office
of
Rep.
Robert
Aderholt,
Aug.
2010-March
2012.
Marketing
database
assistant
at
the
National
Geographic
Society, 2009-10. Interned in Rep. Randy Forbes office
(Jan.-April 2009) and Rep. Robert Latta's office (Aug.-Dec.
2008). Legal assistant at Paley Rothman, 2007-08. M.A. in
government from The Johns Hopkins University, 2010; B.A. in government
from The College of William and Mary, 2007. Ohio native. twitter
Senior Advisor
Scott Jennings
(reported by Lexington
Herald-Leader's Sam Youngman on March 9, 2015...possible
political
director) Principal at RunSwitch Public Relations, based in
Louisville, from July 2012. Ohio state director on Romney for
President. Senior strategist at Peritus Public Relations, from
Oct. 2007-July 2012. Senior advisor to Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell's 2008 re-election campaign in Kentucky.
Deputy White House political director and a special assistant to the
president, Feb. 2005-Oct. 2007. New Mexico executive director of
Bush-Cheney '04 (one of only two states to go from blue in 2000 to red
in 2004). Political director on Ernie Fletcher for Governor
primary campaign in Kentucky and then for the Republican Party of
Kentucky's statewide effort in 2003. Political director on the
McConnell Senate Committee, 2002. Communications director for the
Republican Party of Kentucky, 2001; in the early part of 2001 served as
press secretary in the Office of the Senate President. Political
director on the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign in Kentucky. News
reporter for WHAS Radio in Louisville, KY and for the Kentucky News
Network, 1996-2000. B.A. in political science from University of
Louisville, 2000. twitter
Senior Advisor
Jordan Sekulow
(reported by CBN News on
March 6, 2015) Executive director of the
American Center for Law and Justice (founded by his father, Jay
Sekulow, who serves as ACLJ chief counsel). Host of Jay Sekulow
Live! syndicated radio program. Consultant/a vice chair of
Romney's National Faith and Values Steering Committee in 2007-08.
National youth director on Bush-Cheney '04. LL.M in international
human rights from Georgetown University Law Center; J.D. from Regent
University, 2009; undergraduate degree from The George Washington
University. twitter
[-]
POLICY
Policy Advisor
April Ponnuru
(reported by National Review's The Corner on Feb. 24, 2015) Policy director of the YG Network since Dec. 2013. Senior advisor to U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, Sept. 2012-Nov. 2013. Executive director of the National Review Institute, Aug. 2008-Aug. 2012. Vice president of National Review magazine, Jan. 2007-Aug. 2008. Senior policy advisor (Oct. 2005-Jan. 2007) and policy advisor (Jan. 2003-Sept. 2005) to U.S. House Majority Whip, Rep. Roy Blunt. Legislative assistant in the U.S. House, Sept. 2001-Oct. 2002. M.A. in legal and political theory from University College London, 2000; B.S. in political science and government from Liberty University, 1999. twitter
Finance Director Heather
Larrison
Finance director at the NRSC for 2014 (from Sept.
2013).
President of The Larrison Group since 2006. According to The Washington Post Larrison
served as executive director of Haley's PAC, Gov. Haley Barbour's
leadership PAC, when he looked into a presidential campaign in
2010-11. Worked on the finance team of Gov. George W. Bush's 2000
presidential campaign. Undergraduate degree
from Vanderbilt University, 1996.
Finance Ann Herberger
(reported by Bloomberg, Jan. 9, 2015) President of the Woods Herberger Group, which she founded in 1995, based in Coral Gables, FL. A senior finance consultant to Pawlenty for President in 2011. National finance advisor on Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign ("national fundraising strategy with a particular focus on Florida.") Finance director on Jeb Bush's successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign; executive director of the 1996 Inaugural Committee and finance director on Jeb Bush's 2002 re-election campaign. Vice president of The Alexander Company, a full service fundraising and marketing company in Alexandria, Virginia, for two years starting in 1993. Took leave from the RNC to serve as the deputy finance director for the Bush-Quayle ’92 re-election campaign. Western regional director for the RNC’s major donor program, 1989-91. Moved to Washington, DC to work at the RNC for Mary Matalin, national Victory ’88 political director and Margaret Alexander, national Victory ’88 finance director as a part of the national Victory ’88 finance team. Began her political career in 1987 with the George Bush for President campaign during the Iowa presidential caucuses. Native Iowan.
MEDIA OPERATIONS
Jon Downs
(reported by CNN on Feb. 2, 2015) Partner and
co-founder (2010)
at FP1 Strategies, LLC; work
there included some famous ads for Ron Paul's 2012 campaign.
Owner at Bright Media, May 2008-Jan. 2011. Worked for DMN
media. Political director on Mark Earley's 2001 campaign for
governor of Virginia. Following graduation moved to Austin with
the goal of working George W. Bush's presidential
campaign; started as a volunteer Aug.-Dec. 1999, while also working at
an Internet company; finished as executive director of the campaign in
Delaware. Degrees in political science and history from the
University of Wisconsin, 1999. Grew up in Northern
Virginia. twitter
POLLING
Brenda Wigger Gianiny
Founding principal at Axis Research.
Alex Lundry
Senior vice president and chief data scientist at Target
Point.
Josh Venable
Served as legislative and development director and
earlier national
state advocacy director at the Foundation for Excellence in
Education. Deputy finance director at the RNC, Feb. 2011-July
2012. Chief of staff at the Michigan Republican Party in the 2010
cycle; previously held other positions at the Michigan party including
finance director (Nov. 2007 through the 2008 campaign), strategic
planning director (2007) and deputy political director (2005-06).
72-Hour director on Michigan Victory 2004. Other experience
includes a legislative director in the Michigan Senate; political
director for the Great Lakes Education Project; and service in the
Office of Innovation and Improvement at the US Department of
Education. Degree in political science/psychology from Hillsdale
College, 2002; served as chair of the College Republicans,
2001-02. Michigan native.
Karen Unger
(reported by the Miami Herald on Jan. 29, 2015) Senior advisor for Florida on Rudy Giuliani's campaign, announced Feb. 22, 2007. Deputy chief of staff to Gov. Jeb Bush. Managed Bush's 2002 re-election campaign. Director of external affairs and director of appointments in Gov. Jeb Bush's administration. Field director for Broward and Palm Beach counties on Bush's 1998 campaign. Campaign manager on U.S. Rep. E. Clay Shaw's re-election campaign in 1996 and finance director for Shaw's 1994 campaign. 1992 graduate of University of Florida.
Brandi Brown
(reported by the Miami
Herald
on Jan. 29, 2015) External affairs director at the
Foundation for
Excellence in Education. Opened an event planning firm in
Tallahassee. Deputy chief of staff at Florida's Agency for Health
Care Administration. Started in the Offce of Gov. Jeb Bush as
special events director in 1999 and rose to director of external
affairs. Joined Jeb Bush's campaign team in 1997. Graduate
of The Florida State University. Resident of Tallahasse.
Native Floridian.
Pablo Diaz
(reported by the Miami
Herald
on Jan. 29, 2015) One of two transition leaders for new RPOF
chairman Blaise
Ingoglia in Jan. 2014. Campaign manager on Attorney General Pam
Bondi's 2014 re-election. Legislative director for NFIB/Florida
from Jan. 2012-June 2013. Served in various positions at the
Republican Party of Florida,
including coalitions director, director of field operations, director
of party development and finally deputy executive director.
Regional coalitions coordinator at the RNC. Deputy operations
budget manager for the Bush-Cheney ’04
campaign. Worked on Jeb Bush's 2002 re-election campaign.
Worked in the Florida office of the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign and on
the recount.
Assisting Former Congressman Vin Weber
(reported by the Washington
Post's
Robert Costa on Feb. 18, 2015 >)
Partner
at
Mercury.
Special
advisor
on
policy
to
Mitt
Romney's
campaign,
announced
Aug.
24,
2011;
earlier
policy
advisor
to
Pawlenty
for
President.
Bush-Cheney
'04
Plains
States
regional
chairman.
Opened
Clark
&
Weinstock's
Washington,
D.C.
office
in
1994.
Served
in
the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
from
1981-93
representing
Minnesota's
2nd
CD.
Campaign
manager
and
chief
Minnesota
aide
to
Sen.
Rudy
Boschwitz,
1978-80.
Co-publisher
of
the
Murray
County
Herald,
1976-78.
Press
secretary
to
Rep.
Tom
Hagedorn,
1974-75.
Attended
the
University
of
Minnesota,
1970-74.
TREASURER
Treasurer James P. Robinson
(from Jan. 2015)
Assistant Treasurer for both the PAC and super
PAC
Salvatore Purpura
(from Jan. 2015; already has experience on six presidential campaigns) Treasurer at RickPerry.org, Inc., Aug. 2011-April 2012. Treasurer of Steven Colbert's super PAC, May-Aug. 2011. Treasurer on John Boozman's 2010 U.S. Senate campaign. Director of treasury for Friends of John McCain and for Country First PAC, from Dec. 2008. Director of treasury for John McCain 2008, McCain-Palin 2008 and the McCain-Palin Compliance Fund, from Nov. 2006. Treasurer on Carly for California. Treasurer and comptroller on Bush-Cheney '04. Comptroller on Jeb Bush for Governor and Bush-Brogan '02, July 2001-March 2003. National budget director on George W. Bush for President and Bush-Cheney. Deputy comptroller on Jeb Bush for Governor and Bush-Brogan '98. States budget manager on Dole-Kemp '96. Budget and accounts payable manager on Phil Gramm for President, 1995-96. Legislative staff assistant at the Florida Department of Education, Jan.-May 1995. Accounting assistant on Jeb Bush for Governor and Bush-Feeney '94, Aug. 1993-May 1994. B.S. in political science from Florida State University, 1997.
Director-Designate Annie Kelly
(reported by the Des Moines Register on March 2,
2015) Senior vice president at FP1 Strategies. A regional
political director (top offensive targets) at the NRCC in the 2014
cycle from Jan. 2013. Managed U.S. Rep. Tom Latham’s successful
2012 campaign against U.S. Rep. Tom Boswell in Iowa. Deputy state
director for Tim Pawlenty's Iowa campaign, and earlier
operations director for his Freedom First PAC (announced Oct. 1,
2009). A senior
associate with the Washington-based firm BlueFront Strategies, Feb.
2008-Dec. 2009. Confidential assistant at the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, Aug. 2007-Feb. 2008. Director of
administration on the McCain presidential campaign in 2007.
Deputy
campaign manager for Pawlenty’s gubernatorial campaign in 2006.
Director of operations for the College Republican National Committee,
June 2004-Dec. 2005. She also interned in
the White House Office of Senior Advisor Karl Rove. B.A. in
literature from The George Washington University, 2007.
Philadelphia native.
national role...see above David Kochel
(reported by the New York Times on Jan. 29, 2015; relocated to Miami) Owner of Redwave Communications in Des Moines. Senior advisor on Romney's 2011-12 Iowa caucus campaign, and earlier served as treasurer of Romney's PAC. Senior Iowa advisor on Romney's 2007-08 Iowa caucus campaign. Executive vice president at DCI Group, Dec. 1996-Feb. 2002. Managed Lamar Alexander's Iowa campaign in 1999. Executive director of the Michigan Republican Party, April-Dec. 1996. Executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa in 1995-96. B.A. in political science from Iowa State University, 1987. twitter
Influential
Supporters
David
Orman
(the
Des
Moines Register reported on March 9, 2015 that Orman helped
organize Bush's Iowa Ag Summit trip) A key Romney supporter in
2011-12. Executive at Earthpark Development, LLC since
2001. Executive at Heritage Communications/TIC/AT&T,
1984-2001. Chief of staff to Govs. Robert Ray and Terry Branstad,
1974-84.
Doug
Gross
(see The Washington Post,
Jan.
16,
2015)
Attorney
at BrownWinick.
2002
Republican
nominee
for
governor
of
Iowa.
Other
experience
includes
chief
of
staff
to
Gov,
Terry
Branstad,
1984-89,
director
of
business
and
finance
at
the
Iowa
State
Board
of
Regents,
administrative
assistant
to
Gov.
Robert
D.
Ray,
1981-83;
director
of
fuels
division
of
the
Iowa
Energy
Policy
Council,
chief
legislative
assistant
and
campaign
co-manager
for
Congressman
Tom
Tauke,
legislative
field
director
for
the
Iowa
Republican
Party
and
legislative
intern
to
the
Iowa
General
Assembly.
Co-chair
of
President
George
W.
Bush's
finance
effort
in
Iowa
and
chairman
of
Gov.
Mitt
Romney's
2008
presidential
campaign
(from
May
2006).
Strategist Rich Killion
(reported by the Boston
Globe's James Pindell on Feb.
12, 2015)
Managing partner at Elevare Communications, LLC since 2004. Senior advisor on
Pawlenty for President, March-Aug. 2011. Consultant
and NH strategist on Romney for President, 2007-08. Director of
the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication at Franklin Pierce
College, 2002-04. Campaign manager on Keough for Governor,
2001-02. New Hampshire state director for Citizens for a Sound
Economy, 1999-2001. Managing director of college relations and
lecturer at Franklin Pierce College, 1995-99. Director of
education, legislation and finance at TCI/Taylor, Hagerty &
Associates, 1994-95. Director of Tele-Consultants, Inc.,
1989-94. M.P.A. from George Mason University, 1994. B.A. in
economic from Stonehill College, 1989. twitter
Senior Advisor Rob Varsalone
(reported by the Boston Globe's James Pindell on
March
11, 2015)
Partner at Global Strategic Partners, LLC since June 2012; founder of
Maven Public Affairs, LLC. Strategist on Ayotte for Senate, April
2010-Jan. 2011. Resident country director in Iraq (May 2008-March
2010), in Pakistan (Dec. 2006-Jan. 2008) and in Afghanistan (Feb.
2005-Dec. 2006) for the International Republican Institute.
Executive director of RNC's NH Victory, Jan.-Dec. 2004. Senior
political advisor and speechwriter fo Gov. Craig Benson, Jan.-Dec.
2003. Strategist on Benson for Governor, Aug. 2001-Jan.
2003. Deputy NH director for Citizens for a Sound Economy, Jan.
1999-March 2000. Member of the NH House of Representatives,
served one term, Jan. 1995-Dec. 1996. Research for the NH GOP,
May-Dec. 1993. twitter
Senior Advisor Nate Lamb
(reported by the Boston Globe's James Pindell on
March
11, 2015)
State field director on NH for Scott Brown, Sept.-Nov. 2014.
Deputy campaign manager on Dan Innis for Congress, Nov. 2013-Sept.
2014. Regional field director for the RNC in Ocean City, NJ,
July-Nov. 2013. Sales associate/independent contractor for
Velocity Performance and for Workforce Extended in Nashua, Dec.
2012-March 2013. Field representative on Ovide Lamontagne for
Governor, June-Nov. 2012. B.A. in political science from
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2012. twitter
Senior Advisor
Brett Doster
(reported by The
State's Andrew
Shain on April 29, 2015) Founder and
president of Front Line
Strategies.
In 2012 Doster was a Florida senior advisor to the Mitt Romney for
President campaign, and an advisor to the Connie Mack for U.S. Senate
campaign. Opened up and headed the Florida office of Revolution
Agency, a media
and communications firm, 2007. Campaign manager for the Tom
Gallagher for Governor campaign from 2005-06. Executive director
of the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election campaign in Florida.
Associate at Uhlfelder & Associates,
P.A. in Tallahassee, starting Feb. 2003. Executive director for
the Coalition to Protect Florida in 2002. Deputy Director
of the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development,
focusing
particularly on developing new high technology business in the state,
2001-03.
Florida political director for the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign, and in
the fall statewide
political director for Florida Victory 2000. Special assistant to
Jeb Bush in his first gubernatorial campaign in 1993 and on his
1997 campaign and worked on Bush's 2001 campaign. Graduated from
The Citadel. Fifth
generation native of Florida. Also
president of
Doster Broker Group, a commercial real estate firm from 2008. twitter
Senior Advisor
Jim Dyke
(reported by The
State's Andrew
Shain on April 29, 2015) Founder (2005) and
president of JDA
Frontline (originally Jim Dyke
&
Associates). A senior advisor to the 2012 Republican National
Convention. Communications advisor to Gov. Haley Barboour when he
looked at a presidential run in
2011. Senior
communications advisor to the Rudy Giuliani Presidential
campaign. A communications advisor to President George W. Bush
and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's VOLPAC in the first half of
2006. Communications director at the RNC during the 2004 cycle
after starting there as press secretary. Press secretary at the
U.S. Department
of Commerce under Don Evans. Worked at Quinn Gillespie &
Associates
building coalitions and developing communications strategies for
clients.
A one-time assistant to the brewmeister at Capital City Brewing
Company,
Dyke became a lobbyist for the Beer Institute. He started his
career
in Washington, DC as a Senate parking lot attendant. Graduate
of the University of Arkansas with a degree in history. Resident
of Charleston, SC. twitter
See: James Hohmann.
"Jeb's South
Carolina firewall fails to take shape." Politico,
March
24,
2015.
Advisor Ryan
Erwin
(reported May 2015)
President anod owner of RedRock
Strategies, from March 2011; owner of
Ryan Erwin Associates from Oct. 2005. Senior advisor on Mitt
Romney's
2011-12 and 2007-08 Nevada campaigns. Partner at November, Inc.
2003-05. Chief operating
officer of the California Republican Party starting in mid-2001 to
2003.
Executive director of the Nevada Republican Party from 1999 to July
2001. Worked for the Ohio Republican Party in 1990-91.
Studied at the Ohio State University. twitter
Advisor Scott
Scheid
At RedRock Strategies since
Jan. 2013. Nevada political director
on Romney for President, Oct. 2011-Dec. 2012. Regional political
director on Meg Whitman for Governor, Sept. 2009-Dec. 2010.
Deputy campaign manager on Citizens for Andal, June 2008-Oct.
2009. Grassroots campaign manager on Doug Ose for Congress,
2008. Worked on Mitt Romney's NH primary campaign. A
regional field director on Californians for Schwarzenegger, 2006.
Administrative/legislative aide at Platinum Advisors, 2004-05.
and
Former
Digital Matt Lira
(reported by Politico on June 9, 2015)
Deputy executive director at the NRSC in the 2014 cycle. Senior
advisor in the Office of House Majority Leader Eric
Cantor from Jan. 2011, with a leave from Aug.-Nov. 2012 to servd as
digital director for VP nominee Paul Ryan at Romney for
President. Director of new media for House Minority Whip
Cantor, 2008-10; deputy communications director to Chief Deputy
Minority Whip Cantor 2006-08, with a leave to serve as webmaster for
the McCain campaign from April
2008. Associate director of e-campaigns at the RNC,
2005-06. B.A. in international studies from University of Denver,
2004. From Denver. twitter
Chief Technology Officer Ethan Czahor
(reported by Time
on Feb. 9,
2015; resigned on Feb. 10, 2015 amid controversy over old Tweets)
Vice
president of engineering at The Honest Company, May 2012-May
2013. Co-founder (May 2010) and CTO of Hipster.com, a photo
sharing site acquired by AOL in 2012. Platform/reporting engineer
for SocialVibe, Oct. 2009-May 2010. Graduate of East Stroudsburg
University of Pennsylvania, 2009.
Rob Engstrom
(The Washington
Examiner reported on Jan. 6 that
Engstrom "announced in
an
email to friends and colleagues that he will take a 'short leave' to
work for Bush's PAC.") On "short leave" from position as senior
vice
president for political affairs and federation relations and national
political director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Senior
vice
president
of
political
and
state
affairs for
the
U.S.
Chamber
Institute
for
Legal
Reform
(ILR).
Director
of
the
Division
of
Political Education
at
the
RNC,
1998-2002.
Staffer
on
Speaker
Newt
Gingrich’s campaign
in
Roswell,
GA,
Jan.-May
1998.
Degree
in
political
science
from
Baylor
University,
1997.
twitter
Right to Rise
Policy Solutions, Inc.
...501 (c)(4) formed Feb. 2, 2015. >
Bill Simon
(Michael Barbaro of the New York Times reported on Feb. 20,
2015 that Simon "is in charge of assembling Mr. Bush's policy
operation") President and CEO of Wal-Mart U.S. and
executive vice president of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. from June 29, 2010 to
August 8, 2014; joined Wal-Mart in 2006. Senior vice president of
global business development at Brinker International, Feb. 2005-March
2006. Headed the Florida Department of Management Services;
appoined by Gov. Jeb Bush in 2003. At Diageo PLC from 1998
starting as vice president of consumer marketing, then president of
North American Ready-To-Drink, then president of Diageo
Southeast. Vice president of marketing for Dr. Pepper/Seven
Up. B.A. in economics (1981) and M.B.A. in management
and marketing (1988) from University of Connecticut. Served 25
years in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve, retiring as a Lt. Commander in
2005.
Michael Steel
(reported by the Washington
Post
on
May
12, 2015, expected to join campaign) Press secretary to
Speaker John Boehner, with a leave in Fall 2012 to serve as travelling
press secretary to vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan on the
Romney for President campaign; earlier at the House
Republican Steering Committee. Press secretary to Rep. Jim
McCrery (LA) and director of communications at the House Ways and Means
Committee. Press secretary to Rep. John Shadegg (AZ), 2003-06,
and for some of that time also press secretary for the House Republican
Policy Committee. Master's degree in journalism from Columbia
University; undergraduate degree from University of North
Carolina. Native of Durham, NC. twitter
Environment and Energy Marcus Peacock
(reported by the Washington
Post
on
May
12, 2015) A visiting scholar at The George Washington
University's Regulatory Studies Center from Sept. 2013. Minority
staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget, Jan.
2011-June 2012. Director of Pew Charitable Trusts'
Subsidyscope.org, May 2009-Dec. 2010. Deputy administrator at the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Aug. 2005-Jan. 2009.
Associate director for natural resource programs at the U.S. Office of
Management and Budget, Feb. 2001-Aug. 2005. Staff director (Jan.
1999-Jan. 2001) and staff member (Jan. 1995-Dec. 1998) for the
Oversight and Emergency Response Subcommittee of the U.S. House
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Program manager
at Jellinek, Schwartz & Connolly, June 1990-Jan. 1995. Deputy
chief of the natural resources branch (March 1989-June 1990) and desk
officer (June 1986-March 1989) at the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget. Engineer/bindery supervisor at RR Donnelley printing
plant in Los Angeles, CA, 1982-84. M.P.P. in energy and
environment from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of
Government, 1986. B.S in industrial and systems engineering from
U.S.C., 1982.
Consultants on Foreign Policy (reported by the Washington Post 's Ed O'Keefe on
April 10, 2015)
Robert S. Karem
Most recently senior policy advisor to House
Majority Leader Kevn
McCarthy and previously to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
John Noonan
Most recently spokesman for the House Armed Services
Committee. twitter
See:
Ed O'Keefe and Matea Gold. "Jeb Bush leans on nonprofit group as
he prepares likely presidential run." The
Washington
Post, May 12, 2015.
Ed
O'Keefe and Matea Gold. "Group with secret donors will aid Bush
on policy." April 1, 2015, The Washington Post.
Right to Rise
Super PAC
Treasurer Charlie Spies
(from Jan. 2015) Leads Clark Hill's
national
political
law
practice.
Co-founder
and
counsel
to
Restore
Our
Future
super
PAC
in
the
2012
cycle.
CFO
and
counsel
on
Mitt
Romney's
2008
presidential
campaign.
General
counsel
and
CFO
for
the
Republican
Governors
Association
in
2005-06.
Election
law
counsel
at
the
RNC
in
the
2004
cycle;
started
at
the
RNC
in
2001.
Legal
and
policy
advisor
to
FEC
chairman
Darryl
R.
Wold.
J.D.
from
Georgetown
University
Law
Center,
1998;
B.A.
from
University
of
Michigan,
Ann
Arbor,
1995.
Assistant Treasurer for both the PAC and super
PAC
Salvatore Purpura
(from Jan. 2015; already
has experience on six presidential campaigns) Treasurer at
RickPerry.org, Inc., Aug. 2011-April 2012. Treasurer of Steven
Colbert's super PAC, May-Aug. 2011. Treasurer on John Boozman's
2010 U.S. Senate campaign. Director of treasury for Friends of
John McCain and for Country First PAC, from Dec. 2008. Director
of treasury for John McCain 2008, McCain-Palin 2008 and the
McCain-Palin Compliance Fund, from Nov. 2006. Treasurer on Carly
for California. Treasurer and comptroller on Bush-Cheney
'04. Comptroller on Jeb Bush for Governor and Bush-Brogan '02,
July 2001-March 2003. National budget director on George W. Bush
for President and Bush-Cheney. Deputy comptroller on Jeb Bush for
Governor and Bush-Brogan '98. States budget manager on Dole-Kemp
'96. Budget and accounts payable manager on Phil Gramm for
President, 1995-96. Legislative staff assistant at the Florida
Department of Education, Jan.-May 1995. Accounting assistant on
Jeb Bush for Governor and Bush-Feeney '94, Aug. 1993-May 1994.
B.S. in political science from Florida State University, 1997.
In Line to Be Finance Director for the Super
PAC
Mason J. Fink
(reported by the Washington
Post's
Robert Costa on March 18, 2015 assisting the Right to Rise PAC w/
fundraising strategy for now) Finance director on Mitt Romney's
2012 campaign. Worked at Solamere Capital. Deputy to
Spencer Zwick on Romney's 2008 campaign.
Senior Advisor Sally Bradshaw
Served as one of five members of the RNC's Growth
& Opportunity Project. Advisor to Florida House Speaker Will
Weatherford. Advisor to Governor Haley Barbour and his political
action committee. Senior advisor to the Republican Party of
Florida during the 2010 general election. Senior advisor on Mitt
Romney's 2008 primary campaign
(announced Oct.
17, 2006).
Senior campaign advisor to the Bush-Brogan 2002 re-election
campaign.
Chief of staff for Gov. Jeb Bush from Jan. 1999 to Dec. 2000, after
directing the transition.
Managed
Jeb Bush's 1998 and 1994 gubernatorial campaigns. Executive
director
of the Foundation for Florida's Future, a non-profit grassroots public
policy institute. Political director of the Republican Party of
Florida.
Executive director of the 1992 Florida Bush-Quayle campaign.
Staff director for the House Republican Office in Tallahassee.
Has lived
in Florida since 1991. Before moving to Florida, Bradshaw worked
at the White House as an Associate Director for the Office of Political
Affairs from 1989-91. Regional field coordinator for the Bush for
President campaign in 1988. Undergraduate degree in political
science
from The George Washington University. Originallly from
Greenville, Mississippi.
Strategist Mike Murphy
"Semi-defrocked GOP Political Consultant... Meet the Press Analyst... Senior Fellow at Harvard/JFK Belfer Center... TIME Columnist... Writer/Prod in Hollywood." Partner in the Revolution Agency, a strategic communications firm in Washington DC. twitter
Spokeswoman Kristy Campbell
Deputy communications director for media affairs on
Romney for President (reported by the New
York
Times on April 19, 2012). Communications
director for the American Conservative Union from June 2011.
Communications director on the McCollum for Governor campaign in
Florida, 2010. Communications director at the Foundation for
Florida's Future, 2008-Jan. 2010. Florida communications director
on the 2007-8 Romney campaign. Press secretary in the Executive
Office of Gov. Jeb Bush, 2006-07. Communications director for the
Florida Department of Community Affairs, 2005-06. Graduate of
Florida State University, 2004. twitter
Josh Venable
Served as legislative and development director and earlier national state advocacy director at the Foundation for Excellence in Education. Deputy finance director at the RNC, Feb. 2011-July 2012. Chief of staff at the Michigan Republican Party in the 2010 cycle; previously held other positions at the Michigan party including finance director (Nov. 2007 through the 2008 campaign), strategic planning director (2007) and deputy political director (2005-06). 72-Hour director on Michigan Victory 2004. Other experience includes a legislative director in the Michigan Senate; political director for the Great Lakes Education Project; and service in the Office of Innovation and Improvement at the US Department of Education. Degree in political science/psychology from Hillsdale College, 2002; served as chair of the College Republicans, 2001-02. Michigan native.
Jeb Bush chaired two
Tallahassee-based foundations, both focused on education, through to
the end of 2014...
The Foundation for Florida's Future, formed in 1995, served as a
vehicle for Bush following his defeat in the 1994 gubernatorial race
and leading up to his 1998 campaign. The Foundation for
Excellence in Education, formed in 2007, is the more active and high
profile organization, holding a National Summit on Education Reform
since 2010. Patricia Levesque served as CEO and executive
director of the Foundation for Excellence in Education and executive
director of the Foundation for Florida's Future.
Foundation for Excellence in Education
"To build an
American education system that equips every child to achieve his or her
God-given potential." (from 2007)
Foundation for Florida's Future
"To make Florida's education system
a model for the nation." (...from 1995)
Chief Executive Officer Patricia Levesque
Executive director of the FEE and of the Foundation
for Florida's Future since Jan. 2007. Also, managing partner of
Meridian Strategies, LLC, a communications, strategic planning, and
governmental consulting firm in Tallahassee, since Jan. 2007.
Served as Gov. Jeb Bush’s deputy chief of staff
for education,
enterprise solutions for government, minority procurement, and business
and professional regulation. Previously served six years in
the Florida Legislature in the Speaker's Office and as staff director
over education policy. M.B.A. from Rollins College's Crummer
Graduate School of Business, 1995. Bachelor's degree from Bob
Jones University, 1991.
In Dec. 2014 the FEE website showed 26 staff.