For Immediate Release

January 9, 2015

NRCC Executive Director Rob Simms Announces Senior Staff For 2016 Cycle

 
WASHINGTON – National Republican Congressional Committee Executive Director, Rob Simms, today announced the committee’s senior staff for the 2016 cycle.
 
“This exceptional team is already working to gain and maintain our majority in the 2016 cycle,” said Simms. “We are very fortunate that many members of the team who built the historic majority in 2014 are moving into senior positions to continue helping successful Republican campaigns. Our all-star team will use their experience to engineer an even stronger committee and maintain our historic House majority.”
 
The NRCC senior staff for the 2016 cycle will include John Rogers as the head of the Political Department with Jon Reedy, George Nassar, Joe Pillegi, and David Watts continuing on as Regional Political Directors. Megan Cummings will head the Finance Department and both Lucy Noell Croxton and Creigh Behnke will serve as Deputy Finance Directors. Todd Johnson will remain the head of the Research Department with Sean Philbin serving as Deputy Research Director. Jessica Furst Johnson will also continue her role as Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel with Christine Martin serving as the Deputy General Counsel. Tom Newhouse will head the committee’s impressive Digital Department. Katie Martin Prill will serve as the Communications Director and Ian Prior will serve as National Press Secretary.
 
Deputy Executive Director/General Counsel: Jessica Furst Johnson
 
Jessica is entering her second cycle serving as the NRCC’s Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel, and her fourth cycle heading up the NRCC’s legal department. Jessica previously worked as an associate in Foley & Larder LLP’s Washington office in the Political Law Practice Group, where she represented various U.S. House and Senate candidates, party committees, and nonprofit organizations. Prior to that experience, Jessica served as Communications Director to Congresswoman Katherine Harris’ successful 2004 Congressional campaign. Jessica hails from Sarasota, Florida, and is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law. She currently lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband, Todd, and her son, Liam.
 
Political Director: John Rogers

For the past two years, John has served as the NRCC Deputy Political Director and Strategy Department Director, developing the committee’s data and analytics operation. Prior to this role, John served as a Regional Political Director at the Committee, advising races in a 14 state region, primarily in the northeast. Over the past 15 years, John has worked full time on eight campaigns and advised dozens of others, from the local to national level. John has a B.A. in Marketing and Management from Siena College in NY. Originally from upstate NY, John now lives in Alexandria, VA with his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Grace.  

Finance Director: Megan Cummings
 
Megan is stepping into the NRCC Finance Director role after serving as a Deputy Finance Director for the NRCC in the 2014 cycle and as the committee’s PAC Director in the 2012 cycle.  Prior to working at the NRCC, she worked at the Bellwether Consulting Group, a PAC-fundraising and consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.  She is a graduate of the University of Richmond and a native of Washington, D.C.

Policy Director: Jordan Davis
 
Throughout his career on Capitol Hill, Jordan has served in the official offices of some of the highest profile Congressional races in the nation, including the legislative office of former-Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA), and as Chief of Staff to former-Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND) during his 2012 Senate bid.  Jordan originally got his start at the NRCC serving in the Research Department as Legislative Director during the historic 2010 election cycle, which resulted in a net 63-seat gain and the majority in the House for the GOP.  Jordan came back to the NRCC for the 2014 cycle, serving in a new role of Policy Director & Communications Advisor.  In the 2016 cycle, Jordan will expand that role to help the NRCC protect and grow the largest GOP majority since 1928. Originally from Kentucky, Jordan is a graduate of the University of Central Florida (2003) and now lives with his wife and daughter in Washington, D.C.
 
Research Director: Todd Johnson
 
Todd is entering his second cycle as the NRCC’s Research Director and sixth consecutive cycle at a party committee.  A native of Tucson, Arizona, Todd began his research career at the NRCC in 2006. After a cycle in the Research Department at the NRSC, Todd returned to the NRCC in 2010 as the committee’s Deputy Research Director helping Republicans win control of the House.  In 2012, Todd served as Research Director for the NRCC’s Independent Expenditure unit before being named the committee’s Research Director in 2014 and overseeing the Republicans’ research efforts in a cycle that led to a historic Republican majority.  A graduate of Pepperdine University, Todd lives in Alexandria with his wife Jessica Furst Johnson and their newborn son. 
 
Digital Director: Tom Newhouse
Tom joined the NRCC from the digital agency Targeted Victory this past April in the capacity of Digital Political Director. In that role, Tom consulted and advised Republican congressional campaigns on digital strategy. While at Targeted Victory, Tom worked with groups such as the American Action Network and the Congressional Leadership Fund to manage and execute their online advertising strategies. Prior to the 2014 cycle, Tom focused primarily on corporate and advocacy clients before making the transition to the NRCC. Tom's role is now expanding as the newly named Digital Director, where he will work to continue to grow the NRCC’s digital capabilities and fundraising. A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Tom currently resides with his fiancé in Washington, D.C.
 
Communications Director: Katie Martin Prill
Katie’s role at the NRCC is expanding after working as the Southeast and Midwest regional press secretary at the committee. Originally from the Metro Detroit area, Katie got her start in politics working as Communications Director for a home state gubernatorial campaign and has since worked as Communications Director on senatorial and congressional races across the United States. Before her time at the NRCC, she served as Communications Director for West Virginia Congressman David McKinley.