Unlocking Potential Launches Iowa Leadership Team

Conservative Women’s Group to Ramp up Ground Game

 DES MOINES, IOWA – Carly Fiorina’s Unlocking Potential Project (UP) launched its Iowa leadership team today, which is comprised of former Iowa State legislators Renee Schulte and Annette Sweeney serving as State Co-Chairs, Angie Hughes as the State Director, and Mary Earnhardt as the Political Director.

“This team’s expertise will be great assets as we work to spread the word that conservative values greatly benefit women both here in Iowa and across the country,”  UP President Carly Fiorina stated. “Women in the Hawkeye state deserve to be treated as the intelligent, well-rounded decision makers that they are – not fed the liberal lies about a so-called Republican ‘war on women.’ The only ‘war on women’ that’s occurring is the one being perpetuated by liberal policies that increase regulations for women starting small businesses, take more money out of their hard-earned paychecks, and restrict health care access.”

The UP Project will engage women at the grassroots level to help conservatives close the gender and technology gap. It will utilize cutting-edge technology and techniques to target, persuade, and turnout female voters in six key states with competitive Senate races: Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Virginia. For more information visit: www.up-project.org.

“As a former legislator, I have had the privilege of listening to Iowans share their opinions on all issues – from health care, to taxes, to education,” said Ms. Schulte. “All issues are ‘women’s issues’ and I am offended every time another dishonest liberal tries to put us in a box.  Unlocking Potential recognizes that women across the state are intelligent and are deeply affected by all decisions made by politicians.”

“Liberals push for government to take more money and create more bureaucracy,” said Ms. Sweeney. “Unnecessary regulations force businesses to spend more money complying and keep them from hiring and giving raises to their current employees. We won’t stand for liberals telling us what we do and don’t care about and allow them to try and divert our attention while they hide behind policies that are failing women.”

“I am tired of being told by the left what issues I should care about simply because of my gender,” said Ms. Hughes. “I am looking forward to working with this team to engage Iowa women voters on all of the decisions. It is important that we share how across the board, implementing conservative ideals of lower taxes, more choices in health care, and more localized decision making will benefit women across the state.”

Renee Schulte, Co-chair of the Unlocking Potential Project is the CEO/Founder of Schulte Consulting, LLC, a mental health therapist, and former Iowa state legislator.  Renee worked as a campaign field organizer for Mitt Romney in the 2008 campaign. After winning her election in 2008, she continued as an Iowa State Co-chair for the Romney 2012 campaign.  As an Assistant Leader in the Iowa House, Renee assisted in recruiting and training candidates to capture and maintain the majority in the House.

Annette Sweeney, Co-chair of the Unlocking Potential Project continues the farming tradition with her husband and two sons on the same farm in which she was raised in Buckeye, Iowa.  She is a former Iowa state legislator and currently plays an active role in community programs in Iowa such as Agri Women (president), Angus Association (past executive director), Charolais Association (past president), and Agriculture Education advisory boards at Ellsworth College and South Hardin High School.  Annette was the first Republican woman to be Chair of the House Agriculture Committee and the first woman to be recognized by her colleagues in the Iowa House as a Herbert Hoover Uncommon Public Servant.  She has also been the Sportsmen’s Animal Owners Voting Alliance and Crop Life American Legislator of the Year.

Angie Hughes, State Director of the Unlocking Potential Project has spent more than a decade involved in Iowa’s local, state, and federal political landscape.  Upon taking a leave of absence to serve as Iowa Director for Unlocking Potential, Angie served as an assistant to Iowa House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer – Iowa’s first female Majority Leader.  Before her time in the Majority Leader’s office, Angie served as the Director of Government Affairs at LS2group, a well-known and highly-respected public relations, public affairs, and marketing firm in Des Moines, Iowa.

Mary Earnhardt, Political Director of the Unlocking Potential Project grew up in Davenport, Iowa and has spent over thirteen years working inside the Iowa State Capitol.  Mary worked in the Iowa Legislature for eight years, first as an aide to the House Majority Leader.  For the seven following legislative sessions, Mary served as the senior Republican staff member for the House Ways and Means Committee. From 2008 to 2011, Mary worked as the Policy Director for Iowans for Tax Relief (ITR) and served as ITR’s lobbyist to the Iowa Legislature and Executive Branch.    Mary has worked on political campaigns since 1994, beginning at the volunteer level for local candidates to managing a top-tier Congressional campaign during the 2012 election cycle.  Earnhardt joined the Des Moines government affairs firm PolicyWorks in 2012.


Unlocking Potential Project Announces Iowa UPP Women’s Advisory Board

Des Moines, Iowa – Carly Fiorina, founder of the Unlocking Potential Project (UPP) along with the Iowa UPP leadership team (Renee Schulte, Co-Chair; Annette Sweeney, Co-Chair; Angie Hughes, State Director; and Mary Earnhardt, Political Director) announced the Iowa UPP Women’s Advisory Board. The Iowa UPP Women’s Advisory Board is assisting in the development of a robust ground game to combat the Democrats’ “war on women” scare tactics head-on, woman-to-woman, person-to-person, neighbor-to-neighbor.

This announcement comes in advance of Saturday’s Iowa UPP event featuring Carly Fiorina and House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer. The free event, being held at the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel from 1:30pm-3:30pm, will equip attendees with strategies to help bring common sense conservative values back to Washington, D.C.

“I’m thrilled to have these women working with Iowa UPP to show Iowans that they don’t have to settle for the failed policies of Barack Obama,” said Fiorina. “These women are strong, passionate leaders in their communities and will work with the Iowa UPP leadership team to ensure that women are mobilized in November for Joni Ernst to defeat Bruce Braley and sideline Harry Reid.”

Iowa UPP Women’s Advisory Board

Sen. Amy Sinclair, Allerton
Louise Lorenz, Anamosa
Linda Stickle, Anamosa
Carmine Boal, Ankeny
Erin Strawn, Ankeny
Alice De-Rycke, Belle Plaine
Rep. Linda Miller, Bettendorf
Nicole Schlinger, Brooklyn
Lisa Dierks, Cedar Falls
Althea Cole, Cedar Rapids
Cindy Golding, Cedar Rapids
Barbara Hames-Bryant, Cedar Rapids
Brenda Hart, Cedar Rapids
Mary Korch, Cedar Rapids
Kathy Pearson, Cedar Rapids
Debbie Mason, Cedar Rapids
Tammy Pink, Cedar Rapids
Kathy Potts, Cedar Rapids
Peggy Smithson, Cedar Rapids
Barbara Solberg, Cedar Rapids
Sharon Trumm, Central City
Rep. Linda Upmeyer, Clear Lake
Mary Kramer, Clive
Gloria Mazza, Clive
Lynn McRoberts, Clive
Deb Foster, Coggon
Karen Fesler, Coralville
Mary Kate Know, Coralville
Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, Council Bluffs
Carol Crain, Davenport
Carol Earnhardt, Davenport
Gwen Ecklund, Denison
Brenna Findley, Dexter
Sen. Nancy Boettger, Harlan
Judith Colquhoun, Hiawatha
Mary Day, Hiawatha
Marilyn Felker, Hiawatha
Rep. Sandy Salmon, Janesville
Marlys Popma, Kellogg
Greta Johnson, LeMars
Donna Witte, Marengo
Lauren Kamienski, Marion
Brenda Krause, Marion
Kim Reem, Marion
Joni Scotter, Marion
Diana Stadtmueller, Monticello
Rep. Dawn Pettengill, Mount Auburn
Dianne Southard, North Liberty
Trudy Caviness, Ottumwa
Rep. Megan Hess Jones, Sioux Rapids
Julie Blumer, Springville
Shari Schnebbe, Victor
Sarah Bowman, Waukee
Kellie Paschke, Waukee
Josie Albrecht, West Des Moines
Adrianne Branstad, West Des Moines
Sara Craig, West Des Moines
Melissa Gesing, West Des Moines
Sarah Lukan, West Des Moines
Karen Slifka, West Des Moines
Karen Joseph, Williamsburg

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The UP Project will engage women at the grassroots level to help conservatives close the gender and technology gap. It will utilize cutting-edge technology and techniques to target, persuade, and turnout female voters in six key states with competitive Senate races: Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Virginia. For more information visit: www.up-project.org.