Former
Sen.
Rick
Santorum
Organization—Pre-Campaign
more recent
edition >
(page
updated March 30, 2015)
Rick Santorum
Presidential Testing the Waters Committee
...formed April 9, 2015
Patriot
Voices
PAC
National Political Director
Jessica Colόn
[oversees PAC endorsements] Principal and founder (2009) of Colόn and Company, a firm focused on political consulting, message strategy, fundraising initiatives and public affairs. Served as Texas state director and as a member of the national finance team for Santorum for President during the 2012 Republican primaries. In 2010 Colón led the convention campaign for Steve Munisteri for chairman of the Republican Party of Texas and she also ran his 2012 re-election campaign. Managed Joan Huffman’s race for Texas State Senate, District 17 in 2008. Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation, 2007-09. Founded a group called Fix Our Future in 2005. Prior to starting Colόn and Company, she worked for Hines, a global real estate firm from 2002-08, finishing as senior manager for corporate marketing. Campaign manager on Tom Reiser for Congress 2002. Producer and production manager, 1999-2001. Production coordinator/assistant at Stevens Reed Curcio & Company, 1998. B.A. in political science from the University of Florida, 1997. Houston resident. twitter
National Field Director and Senior
Advisor Terry Allen
(announced March
2, 2015) Founder (2006) and president of Fidelis
Government Relations; in
2012 Allen was an advisor on Santorum's victory in the Oklahoma
Republican primary. Partner at one of Washington, DC's top
lobbying firms for six years. Chief of staff to Congressman
Steve Largent (R-OK), Dec. 1994-July 2000. Executive director of
the
Resource Institute of Oklahoma, 1990-94. Policy analyst with the
Republican
Study Committee, 1988-90. B.A. in communications from Oral
Roberts University, 1986.
Finance Nadine Maenza
(announced
Jan. 20, 2015) Executive director of
Patriot
Voices; and
has worked with Santorum in various capacities since he was considering
his first run for the U.S. Senate in 1993.. Served as national
finance director on Rick Santorum
for President. Worked for four years
with U.S. Sen. John Heinz on Capitol Hill, then as controller and as
finance director on his campaign committee. Experience also
includes finance director for the Pennsylvania Republican State
Committee. Started out in politics as a grassroots coordinator on
races in Oregon and Arkansas. Resident of Chester County,
PA. twitter
Senior Advisor for Finance Roy Jones
(announced Jan. 20, 2015) Over 30 years of national fundraising and development experience in both the political and non-profit arenas. Speaker, trainer and author on fundraising www.RoyjonesReports.com. Development advisor/account director at the Russ Reid Agency, the largest fundraising agency in the world serving non-profit organizations, 2010-12. Chief development officer for Liberty University, 2005-09. Vice president of business development at U.S.A. Direct, 1993-2003. Worked for President George H.W. Bush and on the staff of the Bush-Quayle campaign team. Coalition director at the NRSC, 1986-89. Military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, 1978-84. M.A. in human relations-business leadership from Liberty University, 2009.
Finance Director for Patriot Voices PAC
Rob
Bickhart
(announced Jan. 20, 2015) Chairman and CEO of the Capitol Resource Group, a Pennsylvania-based business consulting firm from Jan. 1999. Has known and worked with Senator Santorum for over 30 years. Public strategies at Cozen O'Connor, 2010-Dec. 2012. Bickhart served as finance director at the RNC for about a year, May 2009-May 2010, when he was forced to resign. Finance chairman/state director to Sen. Rick Santorum (PA) from 1994-2007. AGM public and government affairs at SEPTA, 1996-98. Deputy director of finance at the NRCC, 1983-86. Served in the Labor Department during the Reagan Administration as Assistant to the Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs, and on the staffs of former Sens. Hugh Scott (R-PA), Robert Griffin (R-MI) and John Warner (R-VA). M.B.A. from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, MO, 1992; undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University, 1978.
Communications Director Virginia Davis
Virginia Davis Partners, LLC of Havertown, PA. Senior communications advisor and spokeswoman on the Rick Santorum for President campaign; communications advisor to Santorum's America's Foundation PAC, 2007-11. Press secretary on Santorum's 2006 re-election campaign. Press secretary and earlier deputy press secretary to Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), 2002-05. Deputy press secretary on Rep. John Thune (R-SD)'s 2002 U.S. Senate campaign. A press assistant to Sen. Santorum, 2000-02; interned in Santorum's office in 1999. Graduate of George Mason University. Pennsylvania native; lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia. twitter
Spokesman Matt Beynon
Managing partner of Madison Strategic Ventures in
Arlington, VA. Deputy communications director on the Santorum
for President campaign; an advisor for Santorum's America's Foundation
PAC from March 2010. Worked as a consultant at Urish Popeck &
Co. starting in June 2008. Assistant to Sen. Santorum at Eckert
Seamans, 2007-08. Legislative correspondent for Sen. Santorum,
Feb. 2004-Jan. 2007. M.A. in political science from American
University, 2005. B.A. in political science and economics from
Gettysburg College, 2003. twitter
Senior Advisor and Media Consultant John
Brabender
Chief creative officer at BrabenderCox,
which has worked on over 200
campaigns; this grew out of the direct marketing firm Brabender and
James Cox founded in Erie, PA in 1982. Brabender has served as
Santorum's media consultant since his first race for Congress in
1990. He was also part of Rudy Giuliani's media team in
2007-08. Before direct marketing he was a management trainee at
Uarco Inc. B.S. in marketing from Gannon University; M.B.A. from
Cleveland State University. Originally from Erie, PA. twitter
Chair State Rep. Walt Rogers
(announced March
16, 2015)
First elected to the Iowa House in 2010 defeating an incumbent
Democrat; represents District 60, Cedar Falls; elected as an
assistant Majority Leader in his freshman term. Candidate for the
1st CD Republican nomination, but withdrew in Feb. 2014.
Leadership
consultant. Also has experience as a concert/event planner,
including founding and
directing Onefest, one of the largest indoor musical festivals in the
Midwest. Bachelor's degree in technology from University of
Norther Iowa, 1984. (Note Rogers also endorsed Santorum in 2011 +)
twitter
State Director Jon Parker
(announced March
19, 2015; CNN's Alexandra Jaffe reported on Jan. 29, 2015
that
Parker "confirmed
to CNN he plans to head up the South Carolina operation for Patriot
Voices") Consultant at Richard Quinn and Associates; in
2014, Parker directed the SC election efforts of U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson,
Attorney General Alan Wilson, Superintendent of
Education Molly Spearman, and Treasurer Curtis Loftis.
Directed Santorum's campaign in the March 6, 2012 primary in
Tennessee. Managing partner at Innovative Campaign Strategies
from
Jan. 2011. twitter
MORE
STATES
Pennsylvania Honorary Chairman State
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman
(announced Feb. 19, 2015)
and
Key Financial Backer Foster Freiss
Wyoming billionaire and philanthropist. With
wife Lynn launched
Friess Associates in 1974. Degree in business administration from
University of Wyoming. fosterfriess.com
Patriot Voices
www.patriotvoices.com
501(c)(4) launched June 8, 2012. As of April 2014 Patriot voices
claims 307 chapters,
in
all
50
states,
DC
and
Puerto
Rico.
Co-Founder
and
Co-Chair
Rick
Santorum
Co-Founder and Co-Chair Karen Santorum
Executive Director Nadine Maenza
Served as national finance director on Rick Santorum
for President and
has worked with Santorum in various capacities since he was considering
his first run for the U.S. Senate in 1993. Worked for four years
with U.S. Sen. John Heinz on Capitol Hill, then as controller and as
finance director on his campaign committee. Experience also
includes finance director for the Pennsylvania Republican State
Committee. Started out in politics as a grassroots coordinator on
races in Oregon and Arkansas. Resident of Chester County,
PA. twitter
Communications Director Virginia Davis
Virginia Davis Partners, LLC of Havertown, PA.
Senior communications advisor and spokeswoman on the Rick Santorum for
President campaign; communications advisor to Santorum's America's
Foundation PAC, 2007-11. Press secretary on Santorum's 2006
re-election campaign. Press secretary and earlier deputy press
secretary to Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), 2002-05. Deputy press
secretary on Rep. John Thune (R-SD)'s 2002 U.S. Senate campaign.
A press assistant to Sen. Santorum, 2000-02; interned in Santorum's
office in 1999. Graduate of George Mason University.
Pennsylvania native; lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia. twitter
Scheduler Nancy Garver
(began working with Santorum in Jan. 1990 as his
scheduler for his first U.S. House race and continued during his two
terms in the House and 12 years in the U.S. Senate as well as a
scheduler for the Rick Santorum for President campaign. B.A. from
Temple University.
National Grassroots Director Shelly
Ahlersmeyer
National grassroots goordinator on the Rick Santorum
for President campaign. Previously served as a national
coordinator for HUCK PAC. Resident of Kosciusko County, IN.
twitter
Deputy Grassroots Director Jenifer Lee
Connecticut state coordinator for Rick Santorum’s
presidential campaign; field director for Brian K. Hill for U.S. Senate
and also for Christopher Coutu for State Senate. Resident of
Southeastern CT; with her husband co-owns and independent hardware
store. twitter
Deputy Grassroots Director Cari Pemberton
Active in the 2008 and 2012 presidential
campaigns. Director of outreach and training for Family Manager
Coaching in 2009. Launched The Clutter Cutters in 1998. Degree in
organizational management from Colorado Christian University.
Resident of Colorado Springs, CO. twitter
Membership Coordinator Angela Moore
Involved in ministry as a church planter with her
husband. Indiana state coordinator and assistant to the national
grassroots coordinator on Rick Santorum for President.
Communications director to Henry County Councilman Clay Morgan during
the 2012 election. Worked in the banking industry and has a
degree in finance. Originally from Illinois. Lives near
Indianapolis, IN. twitter
Administrative Assistant to Karen Santorum
Jennifer Morano
Administrative assistant on the Rick Santorum for
President campaign, Feb.-April 2012. Stay at home mom.
Office manager/assistant to the chief of staff at the Senate Republican
Conference (SRC) when Sen. Santorum was chairman, 2001-02; staff
assistant/scheduler to Sen. Santorum, 1996-2001. Previously a
second grade teacher in Gallup, NM. Graduated from Franciscan
University in Ohio. Grew up in Devon, PA.
Special Assistant Elizabeth Santorum
Eldest daughter of the Santorums. Degree in
history from
University of Dallas, Dec. 2013. Active surrogate on the
presidential camapign. Co-authoring a book with her parents about
the life of her little sister, Bella. twitter
Pre-Campaign Organization (to Nov. 4, 2014)
Patriot Voices
www.patriotvoices.com
501(c)(4) launched June 8, 2012. As of April 2014 Patriot voices
claims 307 chapters,
in
all
50
states,
DC
and
Puerto
Rico.
Co-Founder
and
Co-Chair
Rick
Santorum
Co-Founder and Co-Chair Karen Santorum
Executive Director Nadine Maenza
Served as national finance director on Rick Santorum
for President and
has worked with Santorum in various capacities since he was considering
his first run for the U.S. Senate in 1993. Worked for four years
with U.S. Sen. John Heinz on Capitol Hill, then as controller and as
finance director on his campaign committee. Experience also
includes finance director for the Pennsylvania Republican State
Committee. Started out in politics as a grassroots coordinator on
races in Oregon and Arkansas. Resident of Chester County,
PA. twitter
Communications Director Virginia Davis
Virginia Davis Partners, LLC of Havertown, PA.
Senior communications advisor and spokeswoman on the Rick Santorum for
President campaign; communications advisor to Santorum's America's
Foundation PAC, 2007-11. Press secretary on Santorum's 2006
re-election campaign. Press secretary and earlier deputy press
secretary to Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), 2002-05. Deputy press
secretary on Rep. John Thune (R-SD)'s 2002 U.S. Senate campaign.
A press assistant to Sen. Santorum, 2000-02; interned in Santorum's
office in 1999. Graduate of George Mason University.
Pennsylvania native; lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia. twitter
Scheduler Nancy Garver
(began working with Santorum in Jan. 1990 as his
scheduler for his first U.S. House race and continued during his two
terms in the House and 12 years in the U.S. Senate as well as a
scheduler for the Rick Santorum for President campaign. B.A. from
Temple University.
National Grassroots Director Shelly
Ahlersmeyer
National grassroots goordinator on the Rick Santorum
for President campaign. Previously served as a national
coordinator for HUCK PAC. Resident of Kosciusko County, IN.
twitter
Deputy Grassroots Director Jenifer Lee
Connecticut state coordinator for Rick Santorum’s
presidential campaign; field director for Brian K. Hill for U.S. Senate
and also for Christopher Coutu for State Senate. Resident of
Southeastern CT; with her husband co-owns and independent hardware
store. twitter
Deputy Grassroots Director Cari Pemberton
Active in the 2008 and 2012 presidential
campaigns. Director of outreach and training for Family Manager
Coaching in 2009. Launched The Clutter Cutters in 1998. Degree in
organizational management from Colorado Christian University.
Resident of Colorado Springs, CO. twitter
Membership Coordinator Angela Moore
Involved in ministry as a church planter with her
husband. Indiana state coordinator and assistant to the national
grassroots coordinator on Rick Santorum for President.
Communications director to Henry County Councilman Clay Morgan during
the 2012 election. Worked in the banking industry and has a
degree in finance. Originally from Illinois. Lives near
Indianapolis, IN. twitter
Political Director for Patriot Voices PAC
Jessica Colόn
[oversees PAC endorsements] Principal and founder (2009) of Colόn and Company, a firm focused on political consulting, message strategy, fundraising initiatives and public affairs. Served as Texas state director and as a member of the national finance team for Santorum for President during the 2012 Republican primaries. In 2010 Colón led the convention campaign for Steve Munisteri for chairman of the Republican Party of Texas and she also ran his 2012 re-election campaign. Managed Joan Huffman’s race for Texas State Senate, District 17 in 2008. Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation, 2007-09. Founded a group called Fix Our Future in 2005. Prior to starting Colόn and Company, she worked for Hines, a global real estate firm from 2002-08, finishing as senior manager for corporate marketing. Campaign manager on Tom Reiser for Congress 2002. Producer and production manager, 1999-2001. Production coordinator/assistant at Stevens Reed Curcio & Company, 1998. B.A. in political science from the University of Florida, 1997. Houston resident. twitter
Administrative Assistant to Karen Santorum
Jennifer Morano
Administrative assistant on the Rick Santorum for
President campaign, Feb.-April 2012. Stay at home mom.
Office manager/assistant to the chief of staff at the Senate Republican
Conference (SRC) when Sen. Santorum was chairman, 2001-02; staff
assistant/scheduler to Sen. Santorum, 1996-2001. Previously a
second grade teacher in Gallup, NM. Graduated from Franciscan
University in Ohio. Grew up in Devon, PA.
Special Assistant Elizabeth Santorum
Eldest daughter of the Santorums. Degree in history from University of Dallas, Dec. 2013. Active surrogate on the presidential camapign. Co-authoring a book with her parents about the life of her little sister, Bella. twitter
and
Spokesman Matt Beynon
Managing partner of Madison Strategic Ventures in
Arlington, VA. Deputy communications director on the Santorum
for President campaign; an advisor for Santorum's America's Foundation
PAC from March 2010. Worked as a consultant at Urish Popeck &
Co. starting in June 2008. Assistant to Sen. Santorum at Eckert
Seamans, 2007-08. Legislative correspondent for Sen. Santorum,
Feb. 2004-Jan. 2007. M.A. in political science from American
University, 2005. B.A. in political science and economics from
Gettysburg College, 2003. twitter
Senior Advisor and Media Consultant John
Brabender
Chief creative officer at BrabenderCox,
which has worked on over 200
campaigns; this grew out of the direct marketing firm Brabender and
James Cox founded in Erie, PA in 1982. Brabender has served as
Santorum's media consultant since his first race for Congress in
1990. He was also part of Rudy Giuliani's media team in
2007-08. Before direct marketing he was a management trainee at
Uarco Inc. B.S. in marketing from Gannon University; M.B.A. from
Cleveland State University. Originally from Erie, PA.
BrabenderCox Senior Political Advisor
Hogan Gidley
and
Key Financial Backer Foster Freiss
Wyoming billionaire and philanthropist. With
wife Lynn launched
Friess Associates in 1974. Degree in business administration from
University of Wyoming. fosterfriess.com
Former
Senior Communications Advisor Alice Stewart
Host of “The Alice Stewart Show” on KHTE-FM 96.5 The Voice in Little Rock. National press secretary on the Rick Santorum for President campaign from mid-Feb. 2012. Press secretary/spokeswoman on Rep. Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign from June 2011 to conclusion. Deputy Secretary of State/press secretary to Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin through June 13, 2011. Worked on communications for the NRSC and the NRCC in the 2010 midterm elections. Managed State Sen. Gilbert Baker's 2010 campaign for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination in Arkansas. Press secretary on Mike Huckabee's 2008 presidential campaign; previously press secretary to Huckabee in the Governor's Office starting in September 2005. A weekend anchor and reporter for KARK-TV in Little Rock; joined the station in 1998. Started at a television station in Dothan, AL, and later worked at stations in Atlanta, GA and Savannah, GA. Graduate of the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia in Athens, 1988. Atlanta native. Resident of Little Rock, AR. twitter
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Eric M.
Appleman/Democracy
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