Twenty-nine year old Dale Kerns was recently appointed to the borough council in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, where he now gets the pleasure of serving his hometown neighbors and friends. “A typical workday as councilman involves going to meetings, dealing with town emergencies, helping in the office with clerical work, meeting with state legislators, and numerous other jobs,” Dale shared. “Most of all it involves, for me, sticking to your principles and campaign promises, all while fulfilling the needs of your constituents.” Once Councilwoman Suzane Blissick resigned, Dale's was appointed by Magisterial District Judge Phil Turner to fill the vacancy. Dale has volunteered to give his council stipend back to the borough with half going to the Recreation Department and the other half going to the volunteer Fire Department. “I started after high school in the International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers Local 654, and completed a five year apprenticeship as a journeyman electrician. Then immediately I went to Widener University, where I expect to graduate with a bachelor's in professional studies and a minor in sociology in 2014.” Dale is vice chairman of Pennsylvania's Republican Liberty Caucus and active in local politics. With a heart for the less fortunate, Dale and his brothers—Kevin Kerns and Daniel Schmidt—started The Little Angels Foundation. “At the Little Angels Foundation (LAF) our mission is to help children in need—children with life-threatening illnesses,” Dale said. “I believe in giving back to the community through voluntary charity. I do not believe the government should be used to take people's money for charity. Starting a foundation such as LAF and donating my time helps those who are less fortunate and also helps others understand what true charity is and where it's designed to come from—the heart, not forced government.” Dale first learned of the Leadership Institute through Young Americans for Liberty's Executive Director Jeff Frazee, he shared. And in July 2011, he came to LI's week-long Campaign Management School. “Since my time at the Leadership Institute, I have had jobs working for candidates for U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate, and I have run successful campaigns for both delegates to the Republican National Convention and to local town councils,” Dale said. “LI taught me at the Campaign Management School how to correctly manage a campaign through the nuts and bolts! We were taught everything in one week that it takes most people a lifetime to learn. The most effective tools that you need in fundraising, petitioning, and all other aspects of campaign management are learned on the job, but without the Leadership Institute I would not have known where to correctly start.” “LI has given me the tools to be successful, and will give you the winning advantage that is not offered to many that have been in the game for a lifetime,” Dale said. Register now for one of LI's upcoming trainings. “I always tell people they need to see LI for themselves,” Dale said. “LI is like Santa's workshop; somehow all the ‘toys' are made in a short period of time. Those who think they know campaigning don't really know until they have been to the Leadership Institute.” “I loved my time at the Leadership Institute and look forward to coming back in the future. There is always more to learn!” Please welcome Dale Kerns as the LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

"I ran for the United States Senate in 2010, and I'm proud to represent Kentucky there today," Rand Paul said. "The political elites in both parties opposed me, and the 'experts' didn't give me much of a chance. But let me tell you about a 'secret weapon' I had... that 'secret weapon' is top notch volunteers and staff members trained by a remarkable group called the Leadership Institute. "The Institute's grassroots training has been called the best available anywhere in the country. And Institute graduates prove it to be true. "Leadership Institute training teaches conservative activists how to develop an effective campaign strategy for a candidate or strategic plan for an organization, and how to build a powerful grassroots organization, both for a campaign and for a citizens group, such as a local Tea Party. And much more. "If more conservative candidates have the same secret weapon I had -- top staff and key volunteers trained by the Leadership Institute -- you and I will see many more conservative victories in the future."

Kate Miller—a cheery-about-life, red-headed recent college graduate from Washington state—was an intern at the Leadership Institute a little more than two months ago. And, today marks her first day as a fulltime employee doing what she loves most: design! She is the associate designer at VOX Global, a public affairs and strategic communications DC firm with extensive government, political, private sector and nonprofit experience. “I could not be where I am now had I not been at the Leadership Institute,” Kate said. “LI was pivotal to my DC experience being so successful and joyful.” She first learned of her employer—VOX Global—while interning at LI this past fall. “I draw a direct correlation between my time at LI and my current position. At LI's Comprehensive Fundraising School, I went up to my current boss David Payne, an LI faculty member, and expressed how much I genuinely enjoyed his presentation,” Kate shared. “He and I stayed in contact, so when I found out VOX Global had a design internship, I jumped at the opportunity!” After just 1.5 months as an intern, VOX hired Kate on fulltime. “I never would have known about VOX had I not attended LI's fundraising training.” Get registered at next week's Comprehensive Fundraising Training, the same training Kate took a few months ago. As associate designer, Kate will be designing HTML emails, print documents, and web assets. “Basically, I make pretty things--and I love it! But in all seriousness, I am part of a team that strengthens the visual communication efforts of VOX Global's clients,” Kate said. “VOX Global is a unique place. I'm working with some of the best-of-the-best, learning how to communicate messages more effectively. One of my new projects involves some grassroots efforts with former Leadership Institute staff member John Dunagan.” This fall Kate worked in LI's Recruitment department where she assisted with marketing, communications, design, coalition building, and social media. “Being an LI intern was a great opportunity to build skills. Under the deft guidance of Lauren Day and Abby Alger, I planned and implemented the fall Capitol Hill Walk and live tweeted a lot of our trainings,” Kate said. “Those were two of my biggest ongoing projects, and I really enjoyed both.” She also was very helpful to LI's Development department in branding the Building Leadership newsletter, which goes out quarterly to LI donors, through a redesign of the publication. Kate has taken 18 trainings at the Leadership Institute from Public Relations School, Direct Mail School, TV workshops, Youth Leadership School, New Media Workshops, Civil Service Opportunity School, Conservative Career Workshop, and many others. “My favorite aspect of LI was definitely working with its wonderful staff. I had the privilege of working with many different people, and have been thrilled to stay in close contact as I've attended Leadership Institute events in the new year,” Kate shared. While a summer 2012 intern at The Heritage Foundation, Kate learned of the Leadership Institute. “Heritage only had great things to say about LI,” Kate said. “I applied for LI's intern program, took the Youth Leadership School, and turned down a job offer back home because I knew the Leadership Institute could help me pursue a career surrounding politics. Needless to say, I have not regretted the decision for a minute.” Prior to her internships at VOX Global, the Leadership Institute, and The Heritage Foundation – all in DC – Kate was a college student at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington where she majored in graphic design and public relations. During college, Kate was active on campus developing her design skills through campus jobs: graphic and web designer for Pacific Lutheran University's (PLU) School of Arts and Communication; production director of PLU's Impact Creative Solutions; and graphic design intern for PLU's University Communications. “LI is a place you'll get connected with, if you're smart,” Kate said. “The Leadership Institute has everything an aspiring (or thriving) conservative needs to be successful; LI gives you the tools to turn conservative thought into political action. LI schools teach skills, are great networking opportunities with peers, and might even land you a job with a faculty member!” We congratulate Kate Miller for her recent fulltime employment at VOX Global, and welcome her as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

As a “newcomer” to politics, Leadership Institute graduate Bill Wright won a board member seat in his life-long hometown of Vermilion County, Illinois by 55 votes! “The race was a 'vote for three' type arrangement and there were four of us running for the three open positions. I was running against three incumbents, all from the opposite party, who ran as a team,” Bill shared with me. “It should have been an easy win for the three incumbents. Needless to say, it was an uphill battle.” “When all the votes were tallied, I had won one of the three seats and was the second highest vote-getter, just 58 votes shy of the nine-year veteran. I had more votes than the other two opponents by 195 and 210. Those numbers may sound small, but this is a county district where a mere 3000 votes were cast,” Bill continued. “Some say I am the first of my party to win a seat in this district in 50-plus years,” Bill said. Now, he's one of 27 board members from the nine districts in Vermilion County. He sits on two committees and is vice chairman of one. “I am working on one of my campaign promises to build up the economy of my district by getting a Chamber of Commerce office started here,” Bill shared. “It is very important to deliver on what you promised while campaigning and start the process as soon as you can.” “My time is spent learning all I can about how a county operates. There is a lot of self-study,” Bill said. “While this year's budget was already passed before the election, I am looking at ways to cut spending, not raise taxes, and help give the taxpayer the most effective use of their tax dollars.” Bill first learned about the Leadership Institute through a conference—Right Nation—in Chicago in 2010, where LI was an exhibitor. He picked up some LI marketing materials there and then went to LI's website to learn more. In May 2012, Bill came to Arlington, VA to attend LI's week-long Future Candidate School. “LI's Future Candidate School confirmed for me that running for office was something I should do and could do. Since college, I felt that I was meant to run for office and LI's candidate school reinforced this belief,” Bill said. “Learning how and from who I should ask for donations was a crucial part of my education. There were lively discussion at the Leadership Institute on yard signs, campaign literature, fundraisers, how to dress for television, and how to speak to any gathering, be it constituents, fellow elected officials, or the press,” Bill continued. “The cost of the Future Candidate School is very affordable,” Bill said. “Supporters who underwrite most of the LI cost make this possible. It was at LI's candidate school where I first believed I could really run for office and possibly win. This school gave me the confidence I needed for many different parts of a campaign and put them all into perspective.” Sign up for LI's next Future Candidate School here. “The volunteer faculty who speak at the Future Candidate School are an impressive group of people,” Bill said. “I asked a lot of questions while there, and I remember after one presentation, I followed the presenter out into the hallway to chat. After I explained the type of race I was in, he gave me some great advice that I used when my campaign started. I firmly believe his advice played a key role in helping me win.” Are you thinking about running for office? Bill has a little bit of his own learned advice he would like to impart: “First, make sure this—running for office—is something you really want. You should have, as they say, the 'fire in the belly'. “Consult with your family next and make sure they are on-board with your decision because you need everyone to understand this is going to be a lot of work. “Next, go out and get donations. You cannot be afraid to ask people for either financial or in-kind contributions. If you do not have the stomach for this, you probably should not run. The monetary donations determine what you can spend on yard signs, T-shirts, campaign literature, and the like. “Try to learn all you can from the experts in the area about the district, town, or county in which you are running. Know where you need to focus your campaign. Voter lists are crucial. “Keep your campaign platform simple and short. Three to four items are plenty in a local campaign. This might even be said for state representative or state senate office. “The best advice I received was just to have fun with it. You are at your best when you are relaxed while talking to people going door-to-door. Carrying the weight of the election during every move you make will take its toll. “Finally, I suggest that you map out a strategy for each precinct and then personally visit as many homes as you can. When you think you are done, go visit five more houses. When you want to take a break, work 30 minutes more. I campaigned up to, and including, Election Day. It is best not to be over confident or to have a defeatist attitude. You just never give up. Do not listen to people who tell you that you cannot win.” Check out LI's 2013 training schedule here. “The Leadership Institute is an organization that brings together some of the most knowledgeable people to help candidates and those associated with campaigns to learn all about the science of running a campaign, being a candidate, fund raising and the like,” Bill said. “LI does all this at a reasonable cost to the student. The Leadership Institute makes a life-long impression on those who attend because the quality of instruction is second-to-none.” Please welcome Bill Wright as the LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

The Second Amendment – “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” – has been under great scrutiny the past few weeks. Since her May 2012 graduation from Northern Michigan University, Sarah Morrison has been busy. She's been a summer camp head lifeguard, a fall 2012 field representative for the Leadership Institute, and since January, she's been the special assistant to the National Rifle Association (NRA) President David Keene. “The NRA is playing a large role in the public policy debate over the 23 new executive orders, along with Sen. Feinstein's new gun ban,” Sarah said. Sarah helps the NRA president with his many scheduling requests and briefs him on particular issues. Additionally, her responsibilities include processing mail, fielding emails, and filing expense reports. Sarah first learned of the Leadership Institute from her former employer—Mrs. Donna Wiesner Keene—for whom she interned at BrainTrain in the summer of 2011. She quickly enrolled in LI's Conservative Intern Workshop with 122 other conservative DC summer interns from more than 58 congressional offices, government agencies, and organizations. Interns at LI's workshop learned how to network effectively, survive DC housing and meal costs, format their resumes, and strategically plan their careers. Sarah was president of the College Republicans chapter at Northern Michigan University her junior and senior years, where she organized Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum's Marquette, MI event, among other things. Her senior year, Sarah came back to the DC area for the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, where she and 524 others participated in the CPAC Job & Internship Fair, hosted by the Leadership Institute's ConservativeJobs.com. There Sarah learned of the job opportunities LI offered like becoming a field representative. After graduation, Sarah took LI's Youth Leadership School, Field Representative Training, and On-Camera TV Workshop in August before jetting to Wisconsin and upper Michigan as an LI Field Rep to recruit and train conservative college students to create groups on their campuses. “In my LI training, I learned that nothing is impossible. I also learned many organizing, grassroots, and planning strategies,” Sarah shared. “LI provided me with my first legitimate job in my field after graduation from college,” Sarah said. “The Leadership Institute is a useful resource for young, developing conservatives and libertarians.” Check out LI's 2013 training schedule here. Interested in being a 2013 LI Field Representative? Contact Mike Armstrong. Please welcome Sarah Morrison as the LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

“Money really is the mother's milk of politics,” Leadership Institute graduate Fred Cooper said. “Regardless if it's a candidate or an organization, outside of some well-crafted ploys for earned media, you absolutely must have the resources necessary to market and get your message out to your target audience in order to sway opinion. You can't do that without money.”Fred is the political accounts manager for The RainMakers Organization, a conservative fundraising firm located in Springfield, Virginia. His division raised $5 million in 2012 for political organizations and candidates.The RainMakers reach out to major donors, fundraise for DC and congressional leadership PACs, organize and host major donor events, and also conduct online fundraising appeals. “Unlike many traditional Republican fundraising firms, we are very selective in our clientele and only work for the most principled conservative candidates and organizations,” Fred shared.Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was one of their clients this past cycle. Fred supervised The RainMakers' political accounts division staff that were responsible for her national fundraising campaign. Their work “helped her to set a new record for fundraising in a cycle by a candidate for the House of Representatives,” Fred said.The RainMakers were hired in October 2011 as the national fundraising firm for Richard Mourdock's U.S. Senate campaign to help build his appeal nationwide with major donors outside of the state of Indiana. Fred was the campaign's national finance director.“We were instrumental in helping turn Senator Dick Lugar into ‘Barack Obama's favorite Republican' and in making that race the premier conservative versus establishment Senate battle to large-scale conservative donors across the country,” Fred said.“In a campaign where no one in the mainstream political world thought was possible to win just a few months prior, we played a vital role in Richard's primary defeat of Dick Lugar, which proved to be the largest primary defeat of an incumbent Senator in United States history, 61 percent to 39 percent,” he explained. “All told, we raised $1.5 million for his primary and general campaign from out-of-state conservative and establishment donors, increasing the percentage of money raised for his campaign from out of state donors from 11 percent to nearly 45 percent.” Fred supervises account managers at The RainMakers as they write direct mail solicitation packages for Members of Congress and conservative public policy and activist organizations. Additionally, he manages logistics for fundraising events and maintains relationships with high-dollar donors.“Whatever area of interest a young conservative might have to be ‘salt and light' in the political world, the Leadership Institute offers it,” Fred said. “There are a lot of organizations that might talk a big game, but LI without question is the most effective, and has been for a very long time. Lovers of liberty and our founding principles across the nation owe a great deal of gratitude for the work the Leadership Institute has done over the years, and continues to do.”“The movement would not be the same without LI's influence on countless thousands of activists not only in our country, but across the globe. I have and will continue to highly recommend LI to any conservative interested in acquiring the knowledge and information necessary to have a positive impact on their political system.”Fred was raised in Mansfield, Ohio in a Christian and conservative family. He said, “My faith has always been the central influence which guides me in all things, including my political views… Just like Indiana Governor Mike Pence, I am a Christian, and thus a conservative, and (if I have to pick a political party) a Republican, in that order.” At age 15, Fred stayed up all night “nervously awaiting” the results of the 2000 presidential election. He went onto major in political science at the University of Toledo, where he joined College Republicans freshman year, and “had the benefit of cutting my political teeth in the swing state of the 2004 presidential election.”In college, Fred interned for Congressman Mike Oxley (OH-4) and Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH), and in 2006, he became president of the University of Toledo College Republicans, where he increased “the club's presence as the only conservative voice on campus by increasing the its membership five-fold.”The Leadership Institute's field representative in Ohio met Fred on campus, and helped him set up LI's Student Publications Workshop.“This workshop helped give us the tools necessary to launch a conservative alternative to our school's liberal newspaper,” Fred said.During his final semester of college, Fred worked 60 hours a week as the campaign manager for the winning race of Judge Michael Goulding, a Republican, in the city of Toledo.The district “has a 3.5 to 1 Democrat to Republican advantage,” Fred said, so “because of the success of that that race which was highly targeted in an off-election year, I was subsequently hired on as John McCain's Northwest Ohio Victory Coordinator for his 2008 Presidential campaign (while serving as coordinator, my office led the nation in voter contacts on numerous occasions), a position I served in until August of 2008.”Fred's next stop was working for the Leadership Institute as a field representative in the fall of 2008.As an LI field rep, Fred worked with college students in Indiana to help start Second Amendment, pro-life, and liberty-minded groups on their campuses and provide them with the resources necessary to make an effective and meaningful impact on their campus.“As conservatives, we must be resilient and use every tool necessary to take on the left's negative impact on our country and supplant it with the conservative principles we know which are tried and true. LI teaches you, as my Pastor says, to not ‘hate the player, but learn to play the game,'” Fred said.Fred has taken seven Leadership Institute trainings to help him “learn the game.”“One specific example that I learned at LI's Online Fundraising Workshop (which has benefitted me in my current position and is true in any area of sales or marketing) is that you have to give the donor you are targeting a clear and concise reason why they should give to your organization or candidate, and why it is essential that they give now. Our opponents aren't slacking or taking any time off, so we literally can't afford to either.”“The Lord has used the Leadership Institute to open up so many doors for me in personal and professional life,” Fred shared. “Because of the contacts and relationships I built with other LI field reps, I was able to move to D.C. and land my current job with The RainMakers.”“I am still in touch with, and am working together with many of my fellow field staffers from LI to help advance the cause of liberty,” Fred continued. “I will always be extremely grateful to LI for the opportunity they gave me to work for them and for the intricate role they served in helping to advance me both in my personal and professional life.”Check out LI's 2013 training schedule here.LI is hosting the Comprehensive Fundraising Training March 4 -7, which will include three of LI's famous fundraising schools—High-Dollar Fundraising School, Online Fundraising Workshop, and the Direct Mail School—in a full week of training.“The Leadership Institute is without a doubt, the most effective and comprehensive educational and training tool in the country for activists of any political persuasion,” Fred said. “I have often said that I cannot think of an organization in greater DC or around the country which has benefitted the conservative movement in more long-term and meaningful ways than the Leadership Institute. Nearly every conservative activist and those with influence on our side of the fight whom I have met has taken classes at or has been impacted in some way by LI.” Please welcome Fred Cooper as the LI's Graduate of the Week.“I have learned that as long as you can help a cause which motivates you by raising them money, you'll likely always have a job, and also find fulfillment in doing it.” To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org. >

Sunday America swore in her 44th president for a second term. Twenty-eight years ago—in 1985—America bestowed a second term to the 40th President Ronald Reagan. His personal assistant Peggy Grande, a Leadership Institute graduate and volunteer faculty member, worked a decade for the former president who was loved dearly by many conservatives. "From the time I was young my dad always said, ‘Someone has to have that job you want – and it might as well be you!' How right he was,” Peggy shared with me. “I never could have predicted that a small town girl like me who dreamed of going to DC but stayed in southern California and studied communications and business, not politics or government, would wind up sitting at the feet of greatness! Likewise, only in America can a young boy named Ronald Reagan, from a poor family with an alcoholic father, raised in the Midwest grow up to be president and not only lead our nation, but become the leader of the free world.” Peggy worked for President Ronald Reagan from 1989 to 1999 during his post-presidency years in Los Angeles, and was his personal assistant for six of those ten years. She was the liaison between him and his staff, the public, local dignitaries, and world leaders. She drafted correspondence for his original signature, reviewed invitations, scheduled visitors, made appointments, answered phone calls, and attended to a wide range of office and personal needs. “Ronald Reagan was known as ‘The Great Communicator' and most of the world remembers him for his written words, his famous speeches, and his public statements. However, I was blessed to know him ‘behind the scenes' and was constantly amazed at how his actions spoke even louder than his words,” Peggy shared. “The gentlemanly ways in which he treated me as his personal assistant – like holding my elbow as we would walk up and down stairs, always waiting for me to walk in front of him into a room or event, and always offering to assist if there was a need,” Peggy continued. “There was no difference between his public persona and his personal persona. He didn't behave differently when he knew people were watching than he did in private. He was kind and humble, polite and genuine – always. He had an awareness of others and trusted his staff which inspired their loyalty. He generously gave respect rather than demanding it and didn't take himself too seriously. Though not a day went by without my realizing the unique and overwhelming honor of serving such a great man, he always communicated gratitude for my work, which gave me the confidence I needed to serve him with excellence.” Peggy was born and raised in southern California and grew up in a family of educators. Her mom was a college professor and her father was a superintendent of schools. She met her husband, now of 22 years, in school at Pepperdine University. Together they have four children who range in age from 11 to 19. After school and before going to work for President Reagan, Peggy worked as a salesperson at Nordstrom where she learned about customer service and how to diplomatically deal with others. Still today, Peggy works to preserve her boss' legacy. For the past 20-plus years, she has worked with the Reagan Foundation in variety of capacities, including assisting with the President's funeral, helping Harper Collins publish a book on Reagan, and working for the Reagan Centennial Office. “I facilitated many of the complex logistics involved in the centennial birthday weekend and was involved in implementing both celebratory and substantive events all year long here domestically and around the world,” Peggy told me. “It was like a ‘victory lap' of Ronald Reagan's life, which was an honor to be part of, especially since I had known him personally and worked so closely with him for so many years.” Peggy recently founded The Quiggle Group, which promotes and expands excellence in leadership through retreats, corporate training, and keynote speaking. The premiere program, called The Reagan Experience, is unique training held at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California for CEOs, top executives, and management teams. Peggy met Dan Quiggle, her current business partner, while working for President Reagan. He's a volunteer faculty member at the Leadership Institute and for years has encouraged Peggy to come teach at LI's Youth Leadership Schools. “Once I did, I was hooked,” Peggy said. “LI's ‘bootcamp of politics' teaches young people why they should be involved in the political process – and equips them to be successful and effective in their area of interest or passion.” Peggy is now a regular volunteer faculty member at LI's Youth Leadership Schools, and has even taken LI's One-on-One Television Workshop. Since 2009, she's traveled with the Leadership Institute to eight states to train hundreds of conservative college students. “After President Reagan passed away I felt an incredible burden of responsibility as a first-person observer to the greatness of Ronald Reagan – to share all that I had learned and observed,” Peggy said. “I am proud to serve on faculty for the Leadership Institute and travel the country sharing my ‘front row seat of history' with others. LI provides me with an incredible opportunity to take the leadership lessons I learned directly from President Reagan and invest them in the next generation of great leaders through LI's programs. I am confident that I am right where Ronald Reagan would want me to be – on the front line – connecting directly with those who will eventually lead our great nation.” Peggy is thrilled to mentor young conservative women. As a wife and mother of four, Peggy helps young women determine their roles in the public policy process while encouraging them to pursue their professional and personal dreams. "Ronald Reagan kept a plaque on his desk which said, ‘It CAN be done.' I believe it, and I enjoy sharing his optimism with others,” Peggy said. Come pursue your political aspirations. Register now for one of LI's already scheduled Youth Leadership School trainings, or contact Matt Kneece or Daryl Ann Dunnigan to schedule one on your university campus. Just maybe Peggy will be teaching, and you'll get the opportunity to hear firsthand some of her stories about America's 40th president. Check out LI's 2013 training schedule here. LI's President Morton Blackwell also worked with President Reagan. In 1980, Morton organized and oversaw the national youth effort for Ronald Reagan, and then served as special assistant on President Reagan's White House staff from 1981-1984. “Every person plays a unique and vital role in the democratic process,” Peggy said. “I like to say that politics happens -- and it happens to matter. We all have an obligation to be informed, involved, and learn how to be influential. If we are not part of the process then we are part of the problem and have no one to blame but ourselves when we are victims of our own government.” Please welcome Peggy Grande as the LI's Graduate and Faculty of the Week. “I appreciate the LI model as a 'do-tank,' not a think-tank. We aren't looking to recruit people to join the Leadership Institute, but instead we aim to empower others to be more effective in promoting or advancing the conservative cause or candidate to which they are already committed,” Peggy said. “LI brings together individuals from a wide range of political ideology on the right, and unites them in a common commitment to excellence in strategy, media, messaging, events – and winning!” To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

If you've met Leadership Institute graduate Lynda Fairman you have been graced with a gentle powerhouse of knowledge and dedication. The blonde-headed, bouncy-curled, and smile-beaming woman works with a tenacity second to none. It's no wonder she was selected as the Republican Party of Virginia's ‘Volunteer of the Year.' “This award is quite an honor, especially since so many volunteers throughout Virginia dedicated hundreds of hours to our candidates in the critical 2012 election,” Lynda told me. “This award is less of a reflection of what I did, and more on what all of the volunteers in York County did through our 2012 Campaign Plan and Campaign Victory Headquarters.” Lynda is serving a two-year term as chairman of the York County Republican Committee in Virginia, where her focus has been on developing the headquarters building and operations manual as well as putting together the campaign plan. “When I ran for county chairman in March 2012, my focus was three-fold: learn to win (through education/training); plan to win (set plans with goals); and work to win (provide areas for citizens to put boots on the ground for our candidates),” Lynda said. “When we were able to secure a headquarters for the 2012 election, I was able to use many of the lessons learned from my Leadership Institute training,” Lynda said. “I still remember LI President Morton Blackwell's session on making sure your volunteers were comfortable in clean surroundings and made to feel welcome. As every candidate and state official visited our headquarters, the common comment was, ‘This is the nicest headquarters in the entire state!' My focus is on doing the needed jobs the best we can, on a budget, and with style. The number of general citizens who stopped by just to get yard signs and then stayed to volunteer and help phone bank, man the headquarters, and door knock was proof that we're on the right track. ” On the right track so much so that the Republican Party of Virginia's Newport News Victory Headquarters Director Mike Young said the “York County satellite headquarters was ‘the most productive satellite HQ in the region,'” Lynda shared. “We did more than 23,000 total phone banking calls by November. Just in October, we called 8,000 homes and knocked on 1,000 doors. Mike also said that our York County HQ operation with its Campaign Victory Plan ‘is heads above what others are doing.' The reason for this was two-fold: former Delegate Melanie Rapp Beale was instrumental in sharing her campaign expertise in planning the needed jobs, and the Leadership Institute courses I had taken taught me what was important and should be done. In addition, the two Air Force ROTC instructors I had at the University of Florida, Col. Mayer Littman & Major C. Wharton Cole, taught me well: ‘If something's worth doing, it's worth doing well and with class!'” And doing her job well and with class is exactly how Lynda led her county's GOP activists. She created a volunteer thank you wall, which highlighted each volunteer's name and specific job area on a yellow star sticker. By Election Day, they had filled the wall in the lobby with star stickers, the walls next to the front office doors, and even the walls down the hallway. Her leadership in recruitment and retention of volunteers allowed for 600 new York County contacts to be identified. “Since we didn't take the White House and Senate, the races for Virginia's Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and Delegates are even more critical to protect Virginians and follow our Constitution,” Lynda said. “Our local elected officials and some area businessmen have been so impressed with our York County Headquarters that they've pledged to donate funds for our monthly rent through next November's election. This will allow us to maintain a foothold and visible presence in York County the entire year which will help us reach out to more voters for our candidates. The next goal is to encourage more members to get campaign training so they can help with campaigns or run for office themselves – hopefully they will consider the Leadership Institute's outstanding training.” Lynda first learned of the Leadership Institute through Virginia Delegate Brenda Pogge, she said. When she discovered that LI was coming to Radford, Virginia for a Saturday half-day training, Lynda made the several hour drive and booked an overnight hotel stay. “That short session left me wanting more, so I registered for the Campaign Manager's week-long course in Arlington, staying in LI's basement dorm – a fantastic experience that allowed me to connect with wonderful people on LI's staff and my classmates,” Lynda said. “The conversations in the dorm lobby each evening were great!” Lynda has taken eight LI trainings from Campaign School in September of 2010, a Campaign Management School in February 2011, Advanced New Media Workshop in March 2011, Future Candidate School in August 2011, two Online Fundraising Workshops in August and September 2011, High-Dollar Fundraising School in September 2011, and the Comprehensive Online Activist School in September 2011. “LI classes truly are like drinking from a fire hose! I haven't taken notes like that since college! The Leadership Institute's Campaign Management School helped me know what needed to be done to win my chairman position during the elections at the March Mass Meeting. It was a close race: 113 to 103. Knowing the importance of personal contact with York County voters was crucial to turn out people to vote for me,” Lynda said. “From the moment I announced my candidacy, I had a plan with stated goals, passed out flyers with my goals and background information, and hit the ground running – calling people every night for a month and tracking my supporter numbers. LI classes gave me the confidence to know what to do for a winning campaign.” “I remember LI Vice President of Development Steve Sutton's lecture which focused on reaching the youth; it set root and helped us reach out to gather local high school volunteers for phone banking, door knocking, and sign waves,” Lynda shared. “Now, several students want to start a TeenAge Republicans (TARS) club in their high school so I'm working with them to try to be their faculty sponsor. High school outreach was one of my goals when I ran for chairman because we need to make sure our youth are involved in the conservative movement and understand the importance of our conservative constitutional values before they go to liberal colleges.” When not working on campaigns, Lynda is a York County School District tutor for homebound students and also Virginia's first congressional district coordinator for the We the People, a nationwide program that encourages public, private, and home schools to teach the U.S. Constitution using non-partisan curriculum materials from The Center for Civic Education through Montpelier's Center for the Constitution. Lynda graduated from the University of Florida in 1982 majoring in English and speech with a minor in drama. Her senior year, Lynda was selected by the Air Force Association to be their national protocol officer, where she traveled the country giving briefing to cadets and active duty Air Force members. She's also been on many executive boards for Air Force Officers' Wives Clubs as her husband's career took her on many global adventures; in fact, she received the Langley Air Force Base Spouse of the Year award in 1993. For years, Lynda has been a teacher in middle schools helping them win national distinctions, and was even nominated as Teacher of the Year several times. She was selected in 2003 as a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholar by the Japanese government and was the first ever Virginia Air & Space Center Camp-In coordinator for aerospace education programs. And, as a lover of learning she went through the Republican Party of Virginia's Jennifer Byler Institute in 2009 to advance her political leadership in the Commonwealth. Additionally, Lynda won a U.S. Novice Ladies' Figures gold medal as champion of the 2000 U.S. Roller Figure Skating National Championships. “LI has given me the knowledge to work with campaigns to turn out as many people as possible,” Lynda said. “There's always room for improvement, so I called a York County Republican Committee Executive Board meeting with our campaign coordinators so that I could gather their input for analysis on what worked, what didn't, what needs improvement, etc. for next year's 2013 state campaigns. These analysis reports will be kept in a Campaign Plan Standard Operating Procedure Manual so we're not starting from scratch and ‘reinventing the wheel' each election cycle, but rather having better continuity and focusing on how to improve for more success.” Come get trained. Check out LI's 2013 training schedule here. “The Leadership Institute is both the landing field and take-off zone for anyone involved in campaigns – whether as a candidate, manager, or general volunteer. LI's staff is knowledgeable and willing to share their expertise to help you succeed. I highly recommend all of their classes. There's so much to know when you work on campaigns, and LI gives you the winning information, the confidence to use it, and the desire to know even more,” Lynda said. “Running for office isn't a simple, easy process, but the Leadership Institute breaks down the necessary steps so that even a novice will recognize what's needed and know how to tackle the job to achieve success. With each class you take, you'll grow in knowledge and confidence, and have the power to win.” Please welcome Lynda Fairman as the LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Leadership Institute graduate and former intern Chris Perkins was recently named the top Texas pollster by Capitol Inside's bi-partisan “Political Consultants Power Rankings.” Maybe you've heard of some his clients: Texas Rep. Doc Anderson, Texas Rep. Greg Bonnen, Texas Senator Donna Campbell, Texas Rep. Stefani Carter, Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Texas Rep. Tony Dale, Texas Senator Kelly Hancock, Texas Rep. Charles Perry, Texas Senator Larry Taylor, Texas Rep. James White as well as Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Texas Republican Representatives Campaign Committee, and Conservative Republicans of Texas, just to name a few. Helping Ted Cruz win and head into the U.S. Senate this month was one of Chris' professional highlights. “Ted Cruz's win was huge—for many reasons,” Chris told me. “It was great to be involved with such a great man—Mr. Cruz—knowing his heart is in the right place and knowing he'll do great things for conservatives in the U.S. Senate.” “The first poll I did for Cruz was in July 2011 and had him at 2 percent (with only a quarter of likely Texas voters that had ever heard him) - and the margin of error was 3 percent. So it was a tall order and a full team effort taking him from 2 percent in the polls into the United States Senate,” Chris said. “For me personally, it validates our firm's polling accuracy – which is the best in the country – and validates the methodological tools we provide to campaigns that show how voters move behind certain messages, how they gravitate toward candidates based on what type of information that they are receiving, and what issues we are attacked on that we leave alone.” Chris' firm WPA took the 1.4 million Republicans who cast Republican primary ballots and used four key demographic variables—age, gender, region, and voter history—to generate a probability score for how likely each person would be to support Ted Cruz in the runoff. These numbers enabled the Cruz campaign to target individual voters with selected pieces of information such as direct mail and phone calls and get the voters to turnout in favor of Cruz on Election Day. “This individual level targeting was essential to cutting Dewhurst's lead in the primary, and eventually overtaking him in the weeks leading up to the runoff,” Chris said. “We are very proud of the work that we have done in the past year and very proud to have worked for Ted Cruz.” Chris smiled, “Some media folks have called me the ‘young buck' in the polling business because of my age in comparison to other pollsters, and this victory solidifies my standing in the industry in providing solid, accurate survey research and strategic advice.” When asked about how Chris learned of the Leadership Institute, he said: “When I was 19-years-old back in 1996 I was working for my first boss in politics – Congressman Steve Stockman. He encouraged me to attend the LI schools on the weekends during the summer months of his campaign. I'm glad to see that Mr. Stockman has returned to Congress this session.” Chris took LI's Candidate Development School in July 1998, the Youth Leadership School in July 1998, Public Relations School in June 1998, Capitol Hill Writing School in June 1998, Youth Leadership School in March 1998, Public Relations School in March 1998, and the Broadcast Journalism School in August 1996. “All of the LI schools taught me valuable tools in how to engage voters using skillful campaign techniques. They have been invaluable to me,” Chris said. So invaluable that he volunteers his time to share his expertise as a LI faculty member at campaign, fundraising, lobbying, future candidate, and youth leadership trainings. “It's important to continue training young conservatives for the future of the conservative movement,” Chris shared with me. “Voters are receiving information in substantially different ways today than they were just 8 to 10 years ago. It's important that the conservative youth are learning the proper communication techniques so our public policy goals can be advanced.” Chris is a partner at WPA Opinion Research, which helps elect senators, Members of Congress, and other leaders; helps not-for-profit organizations grow donor support; and helps companies weather crises, enter new markets, and thrive in current ones. In the 2010 election cycle, Chris polled for 16 winning Republican candidates in the state legislature, U.S. House of Representatives, and in statewide office in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Virginia. Chris teaches ‘Polling and Targeting' for the Annette Straus Institute's New Politics Forum at the University of Texas at Austin, which provides college students a bi-partisan look at how modern political campaigns are managed. From 2006 to 2008 Chris worked as the independent expenditure unit manager at the Republican National Committee. And, from 2001 to 2006 he was the executive director of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority PAC. Chris graduated in 1999 from my alma mater—Abilene Christian University in West Texas—with a political science degree. While in college, he came to the Leadership Institute and interned. “Leadership Institute training is necessary for any conservative who wants to learn campaign and communications techniques to advance our public policy goals,” Chris said. Come get trained. Check out our 2013 training schedule here. Lots of LI graduates and faculty were on Ted Cruz's campaign. Click the links to read about Cruz's Deputy State Field Director Nick Dyer and Cruz's Digital Strategist Vincent Harris. Please welcome Chris Perkins as the LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

We were talking about New Year's resolutions in the office today, and aside from the regular ‘get in shape' resolutions, I heard a couple of great ideas. To help you think up a good list of resolutions, and then make it easy to keep them, I'll share a few ideas with you.* Become a great public speaker – For public speaking skills, practice is key. But, practice doesn't make perfect. You can just end up cementing bad habits and embarrassing yourself. So, start by learning from public speaking experts at the Leadership Institute's Public Speaking Workshop.*Change your community – Do you want to make a difference in your community, but don't know where to start or how to be effective? Go to the Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership School and Political Activism Trainings in your area to learn techniques from seasoned activists. *Be more tech savvy – The internet and smart phones are taking over our everyday lives. Learn to harness technology to make your voice heard online at LI's Online Activism and Strategy Trainings.*Run for local office – Sounds scary, huh? See if running for office is for you and learn how to be an effective candidate at the Leadership Institute's Future Candidate School. Learn from the experts – former candidates and consultants.*Pay the rent – You can't save the world if you can't pay the rent. Excel at raising funds in your current position, or get a job raising money for conservative orgs or campaigns. Learn how to effectively raise money at LI's Comprehensive Fundraising Training.Hope you enjoyed the holidays, and good luck with your 2013 New Year's resolutions! >

Winning a U.S. senate seat is no small feat. It takes integrating thoughtful strategy with hard work months before Election Day. Leadership Institute graduate Sam Stone has volunteered and worked on campaigns since he was 17 years old, and he's not stopping now. Sam works as the Arizona state director for FreedomWorks, an organization that recruits, educates, trains, and mobilizes millions of volunteer activists to fight for less government, lower taxes, and more freedom. “FreedomWorks for America ran a statewide grassroots campaign in support of Jeff Flake for Senate. We set goals to make over 100,000 phone calls, knock on 200,000 doors, and distribute 15,000 signs,” Sam said. “It's not glamorous stuff. It just wins races. Every day, we organized teams of volunteers to go out there in the Arizona sun and grind out the win.” And “grind out the win” they did. Republican Jeff Flake, having served in the lower chamber of Congress since 2001, will now return to Washington, D.C., but this time as a senator from Arizona. When former Arizona Senator Jon Kyl retired, two candidates emerged to fill the vacancy: Jeff Flake and former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who campaigned as an Independent. Flake brought home the victory in November with 49.7 percent of the vote, while Carmona carried 45.8 percent. “Jeff Flake can save America. No, seriously,” Sam shared with the Leadership Institute. “Other than perhaps Paul Ryan, there is no greater advocate for limited government, fiscal sanity, and reduced spending than Jeff Flake. He led the fight against earmarks. He's one of the few congressmen who understand the risks of our ballooning national deficit. Ten years ago, Greece was in a very similar economic position to where we are today. Jeff Flake is exactly the kind of man we need in the Senate to change that trajectory.” Long days are always the best, Sam said, because he loves to campaign and there's much to do. “One thing I've learned, though, is to take a little time each day for myself,” he said. “We've all seen campaigns filled with burned out operatives ‘Red Bull-ing' their way through the day. Taking just a little time each day for me keeps me moving at full speed.” So, each morning he used the first hour or two to take care of personal things. He took walks, ran errands, and read. During the day, he made calls, knocked on doors, organized and trained volunteers, staffed events, and distributed yard signs. During the evenings without events, Sam said he used the “quiet time to focus on developing earned media opportunities, following up with all our vendors and suppliers, and strategic planning work -- making sure we're ready to act, not react, to whatever opportunities are available to us. And I never got enough sleep,” he then added with a smile, “That's what November 7th is for.” Since age 17, Sam's been a volunteer on campaigns, but five years ago his friend called and asked him to run his City Council campaign. Sam responded, “I laughed. And hung up on him. He called me back. I ended up taking the job and my life changed forever.” Although the City Council race was unsuccessful, Sam was led to a new opportunity. “I was offered a job running a U.S. Congressional primary campaign, and I panicked,” Sam admitted. “I knew I didn't have the knowledge or skills to run that race. So I started asking around. Everyone I talked to said the same thing: go to the Leadership Institute. I took the one small check I'd gotten from the City Council race and booked my tickets. And I've never looked back.” In December 2009 Sam came to the Leadership Institute's week-long Campaign Manager School. There, he learned from the expertise of 26 volunteer faculty along with 110 other attendees. “The Leadership Institute brought in the best-of-the-best: real professionals who had run and won the big races,” Sam said. “Before LI, I was a social media infant. I had never given an interview or scheduled a press conference. I had organized volunteers, knocked on a lot of doors, made some calls, and written a bunch of press releases, but that was about it. I had no idea how to put those skills together, add the ones I needed, and turn the whole thing into a professional campaign.” Sam continued, “LI filled the holes and gave me the tools to match my strengths to the needs of the campaigns I've worked on. I took the models in my LI binder literally. I used the sample campaign plan the Leadership Institute gave me and pretty much just copied it. In fact, I stole every idea I could from the instructors at LI. Over time, I was able to start making my own additions and changes to the strategies I learned, but I would never have been able to do that without the foundation the Leadership Institute gave me.” LI is offering the same campaign management training Sam took this February 4-7. Click here for more details and to register online. “Just having that training from the Leadership Institute on my resume has opened a lot of doors,” Sam said. “Candidates and political organizations know that LI grads have the skills and training they need to be effective campaign staffers and managers from day one.” “The professional contacts I made while I was at LI have paid off time and again over the last few years,” he continued. “I met and formed relationships with some of the best people in the business, relationships that have led to job opportunities, and given me the insights to find the right outside consultants when I need them.” Please welcome Sam Stone as the LI's Graduate of the Week. “The Leadership Institute is the single best way for someone who wants to make a difference in electing conservatives to develop the skills and connections they'll need for a lifetime of effective advocacy,” Sam said. “LI will give you the tools; you have to put them to work.” To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

You are never too young to make a difference in the public policy process, and for some, to run a winning campaign and serve in an official capacity is the way to do it. Red Alert Politics recently named Derek Merrin as one of its Top 30 Influential Conservatives Under the Age of 30, and rightly so. At just 19 years old and still a college student at the University of Toledo, Derek Merrin was elected in 2005 as councilman for the 5,500-person City of Waterville in Ohio. Derek broke the all-time record by receiving the most votes for a council seat, he said. While a councilman, Derek supported placing a 115 percent limit on capital spending, through which the city could not spend 115 percent more than it anticipated receiving in revenue. The five-year capital budget was readjusted and saved taxpayers more than $600,000, Derek shared. The following year--in 2006--Derek came to the Leadership Institute to take the week-long Campaign Leadership School, now called the Campaign Management School, which prepares campaign managers and candidates for their rigorous races. "At the Leadership Institute, I gained a better understanding of how to win elections. Specifically, I learned how to optimize limited resources by identifying voters based on their voting history,” Derek said. One year after Derek took LI's campaign training--then at age 21--he was elected in 2007 as mayor of Waterville, beating a three-term Democratic incumbent and becoming the youngest mayor in the state of Ohio. "I ran a grassroots campaign where I knocked on virtually every door in Waterville. My message of fiscal conservatism and open government rang true with voters," Derek said. “I ran for mayor to instill fiscal discipline in Waterville,” Derek continued to share with the Leadership Institute. “While in office, I reduced longevity bonuses by 50%, raised employee health contribution from 10% to 15%, reduced employees paid sick days from 18 to 10 days, and reduced the Public Works Department staff by one-third by contracting out many services. I helped stop the use of employees taking public vehicles home and eliminated Council's discretionary slush fund.” As mayor, Derek testified before the Ohio Senate's Ways and Means Committee, where he advocated for the repeal of the Ohio death tax. He was only one of two mayors in Ohio that supported the unpopular repeal, he said, adding: "...because 80 percent of the estate tax revenue goes to local governments." In 2009, the 23-year-old became a field representative for the Leadership Institute; he started conservative student groups on university campuses in his beloved Buckeye State. “As a LI field representative, I helped start pro-life, 2nd Amendment, and other conservative groups on college campuses throughout Ohio,” Derek said. “LI helped me form long-lasting relationships with liberty-minded individuals. The Leadership Institute and the friendships I've made there have been a huge encouragement to me.” Besides taking LI's Campaign Leadership School in July 2006, Derek has taken LI's Campus Elections Workshop, Youth Leadership School, and Field Representative training – all in 2009. “The Leadership Institute is a premiere training organization for any conservative that desires to have an impact on public policy,” Derek said. Check out LI's 2013 training schedule here and get registered now. Currently, Derek is a performance analyst for the State of Ohio Auditor. “As a performance analyst, I help local governments and state agencies save tax dollars,” Derek shared. “I work to identify opportunities to streamline operations and become more efficient. I examine staffing levels, benefits, energy practices, and services to privatize.” Derek is a 2008 graduate of the University of Toledo, where he received his bachelor of art's degree in history and in 2009 he received his master's in public administration from Bowling Green State University. Derek spends several hours reading every day. His reading list includes the Bible, four newspapers, and another book, which is usually either a biography or financial investments book. Please welcome Derek Merrin as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

North Carolina was a bright spot for conservatives in the 2012 election, and it took solid work from people like Leadership Institute graduate Ashton Godwin, a native of Wilmington, North Carolina, to get the job done. Ashton, in his twenties, served as the campaign manager for Brian Brown, the newly elected District 9 Representative in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Brian ran against Democratic incumbent Marian McLawhorn, first elected in 1999. “We were the new guys as far as local politics goes, but in the end our efforts illustrated what a motivated, energetic, qualified, and concerned citizen/candidate Brian Brown is,” Ashton said. “We were able to effectively reach out to voters in our district and promote our message. In the days leading up to the election, the GOTV methods presented in the Leadership Institute's Campaign Management School provided me with the ability and confidence to motivate voters to get to the polls.” “My candidate, as well as myself, were new to running for office,” Ashton said. “We agreed that we needed to be seen and heard by as many voters as possible. We utilized multiple methods to connect with voters. One of the most effective and inexpensive methods was door to door canvassing. Personally, I knocked on hundreds of doors in the last two weeks leading up to Election Day.” “We also identified a large number of undecided voters and either my candidate or I personally called each one,” Ashton reported. “We knew that Voter ID was a highly important aspect to gaining the advantage in a campaign.” He continued, “This is where Leadership Institute training became indispensable; I was able to utilize and implement numerous methods taught during the Campaign Management School. As a newcomer to campaigning, the material covered during the course at LI was paramount to our daily campaign and ultimately our victory in the election.” Ashton first learned of the Institute through his friend and fellow LI graduate Chazz Clevinger. “He suggested I attend the Campaign Management School before I came onto Brian's campaign,” Ashton said. “He spoke so highly of LI's courses I knew it was an opportunity that I could not pass up.” Ashton attended LI's Political Voter Mail Workshop and Campaign Management School in April of this year. “LI has been very helpful in my professional journey. It provided me with political knowledge and skills that in turn provided confidence when in professional situations,” Ashton said. “Most importantly though, LI allowed me to meet and network with some likeminded conservative individuals. I met, interacted, and learned from some of the best political professionals in the country.” Ashton owes a large part of who he is today to his family, his education at East Carolina University, and the United States Marine Corps, he says. “The Marine Corps provided me with the confidence to achieve goals, which would have otherwise been overlooked or seen as unachievable. The Marine Corps instilled in me a sense of honor and integrity that is typically uncommon among so many young Americans today.” This victory has offered 32-year-old Brian Brown his first elected position -- and at a young age. The ninth district House seat covers North Carolina's Pitt County. You too can be trained in the best campaign techniques. The Leadership Institute regularly offers the week-long Campaign Management School. Go here for dates and more details. Contact Heather Homan at Heather.Homan@LeadershipInstitute.org for these trainings. “I would recommend the Leadership Institute to any young conservative,” Ashton said. “LI offers multiple courses that prepare any person involved in politics with a better understanding of the world of political activism. I was very impressed at the caliber of speakers and there was always a knowledgeable and overwhelmingly qualified instructor providing relevant information at each training.” Ashton will now go with Brian to the North Carolina State Legislature as a legislative aid. Please welcome Ashton Godwin as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren (Hart) Day at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.

This week's national political scene has most Americans full attention. However, as LI's President Morton Blackwell writes in his 27th Law of the Public Policy Process, “Remember it's a long ball game.” Initially, politics starts locally. And, for 27-year-old Zachary Holder, he's running as a Republican for circuit clerk in his home county of Richland in Illinois. Richland County is comprised of 16,233 people and has not elected a GOP circuit clerk since 1968. “The race is turning out to be very competitive and I am using all the Leadership Institute tricks I learned,” Zachary said. “A conservative win would allow a different approach to county government. A conservative would look at the office differently. I would look to see how they can make the office more efficient, save money, and integrate technology to be more productive. Currently, the circuit clerk's office does not have a website or accept any electronic form of payment.” The circuit clerk serves as the administrative arm of the judiciary. “I have worked for the Republican National Committee, the Illinois House Republican Organization, and other races,” Zachary said. “It is not too different to be the candidate running in your hometown. My days are spent making phone calls, walking door to door, attending dinners, and trying to raise money. I am taking on the last liberal strong hold in the county.” Zachary first learned of the Leadership Institute when he attended LI's Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast in March 2006 featuring Congressman Mike Pence (ID-6). One year later, he was working for the Institute as a development fellow. “I worked in different areas of LI's development department,” Zachary said. “This allowed me to build my resume and attend different LI courses.” Now, he's has taken 14 trainings at the Leadership Institute including the Campaign Management School in June 2008, Conservative Career Workshop in November 2007, and several TV trainings and new media workshops. “I used this time to become more politically savvy,” Zachary said. “LI's training taught me many things that I have used. I still remember learning that you lose IQ points once you become a candidate. My training through the Leadership Institute allowed me to avoid many of the pitfalls young candidates make.” Go here to read the ten worst mistakes of losing candidates. Similarly, here are the ten worst mistakes of winning candidates. “I could not have achieved many of my dreams if I did not start out at the Leadership Institute,” Zachary said. “I was asked to manage a 2008 Presidential Campaign Victory center at age 24. This allowed me to see a presidential campaign first hand. I managed campaigns in Illinois and I have used my training for private sector jobs also. The Leadership Institute gave me the knowledge and experience to run as a candidate in my home county.” Are you considering a run for an elected office? Then, perhaps you would like to attend LI's Future Candidate School coming up the first week in December. This training will help you think through all the necessary things that will be thrown at you as a candidate, and will help you prepare now to run the best campaign possible. Register now to enjoy a $50 discount. To register for one of LI's 41 types of political trainings, go here to see the full schedule. “LI is a great place for conservatives to develop skills to utilize in their communities, states, and federal governments,” Zachary said. “You can also build a good network of colleagues, friends, and advisors. I still consult with people I have met from the Leadership Institute and they direct me to other people connected with the Institute.” Please welcome Zachary Holder as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Since Kansas native David Guenthner moved to Texas in 1989 to attend college at Trinity University in San Antonio, he's stayed put. The Lone Star state's charm has kept him in Austin since graduating 19 years ago, minus a short stint in fall 1994 when he interned at the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia. “The Leadership Institute is an invaluable resource for the conservative movement,” David said. “It has been a privilege to watch it grow from a small organization teaching college students how to run meetings and make Burma Shave signs into today's Leadership Institute which is meeting the comprehensive training needs of a professional and broad-based conservative movement.” David's college education in political science and speech communications with a minor in economics began his journey. The end result: merging policy research with strategic communications to inform government with recommendations and actions. And ever since, David has worked to influence policy for Texans through some government relations or communications capacity. He's held many jobs, from writing and editing articles for Texas Risk Retention Association (1995 – 1996), to being the managing editor (Nov. 1996 – 2003) of the Lone Star Report, a political newsletter influential with Capitol insiders, to running his own firm meeting the communications needs for trade associations (2004), to being the government relations liaison (2004 – 2006) for the Texas Workforce Commission, a state agency with more than 3,000 employers and a budget of more than $1 billion. In 2007, David went to the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) first as its director of media and government relations and then as the senior communications director from 2011 to 2012. Now, David is the senior director of public affairs at TPPF, an organization that promotes and defends liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation by educating and affecting policymakers and the Texas public policy debate with research and outreach. “A common flaw in conservative thinking has been that we expend all our energy to get good candidates elected to office and then expect them to know what they're doing from that point on,” David explained to the Leadership Institute. “But too often, the issues legislators are called upon to decide are ones where they have little experience and may not have even given much thought,” David continued. “Many think tanks have experts with deep philosophical grounding, but the Texas Public Policy Foundation has become a dominant force in Texas by combining our policy expertise with a public affairs program that gives our research legs with both policymakers and the public.” Every month the TPPF Austin office, located just two blocks south of the Texas Capitol, hosts a “Policy Primer” lunch on the key issues facing the state. TPPF also hand delivers the latest research to every legislator's Capitol office twice a month. The Foundation's policy experts testify more than 100 times during a typical legislative session and conduct more than 1,000 substantive meetings each year with officeholders, their staffs, and senior state agency personnel. For more information on TPPF, please visit http://www.texaspolicy.com. “There is no such thing as a typical work day,” David shared. “It all depends on what is needed to translate our research into policy results. That could mean developing a media plan around a particular piece of research, or facilitating meetings between our policy experts and key legislative offices, or pitching content to bloggers or editors, or coordinating strategy with allies across Texas and around the country.” The Foundation has developed relationships with the top 45 conservative bloggers in the state, David shared, and has also worked to include Tea Party and conservative activists around the state through Monday night conference calls where they explain how best to influence the legislative process. “The Tea Party movement has led to a dramatic turnover in the Texas Legislature. When the 83rd regular session convenes next January, at least 65 of the House's 150 members will have one term of experience or less,” David said. “The Foundation has been proactive in educating these new lawmakers on the issues they will face so that their legislation and votes keep faith with their promises to their constituents.” David has been recognized by many for his work in Texas politics. In 1994, he received the Coby Pieper Award for Conservative Dedication, the highest honor bestowed by the Young Conservatives of Texas. In 2009, he was one of the first recipients of the Austin American-Statesman's Texas Social Media Awards. And in September 2010, the charter school media project David managed received the State Policy Network's SPNovation award. “I first learned of the Leadership Institute in the fall of 1991 when I became president of the College Republicans chapter at Trinity University,” David remembers. “LI was hosting a Youth Leadership School at the University of Houston, and several leaders from other chapters planned to attend. It was a grueling weekend – made more so by our crash pad being an hour away from the campus – but very educational.” After graduating, David came to the Leadership Institute in fall 1994 to intern and take several other trainings. “LI's Youth Leadership School provided the base knowledge for understanding how to make a difference in politics. LI's Direct Mail School helped me understand when and why to break the rules of grammar and how to construct an effective fundraising appeal. LI's Television Workshop was put on for the benefit of our policy analysts and has helped their presentation skills immensely,” David shared. Maybe you would like to attend a Youth Leadership School, like David. LI hosts them year-around, but one's coming up in Arlington, VA December 1 -2. Register here now. To register for one of LI's 41 types of political trainings, go here to see the schedule. Please welcome David Guenthner as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

With an international studies degree in hand from the University of North Carolina in 2002, Noel Fritsch began teaching English, and later Spanish, to high school students. “I taught school and coached high school sports for most of my professional career to date, until I decided to make the jump to politics,” Noel said. Now, he's working as the communications director for Gary DeLong, candidate for California's newly created 47th congressional district that covers Long Beach and West Orange County. “HTML is now my friend,” Noel said. “I manage the communications effort, from managing messaging and properly positioning the candidate on issues to drafting email blasts and keeping the website updated, and managing the social media effort. It's pretty all-consuming, especially during the last few weeks before Election Day.” Gary DeLong is Long Beach's Councilman, and has been since 2006. He's also president and CEO of The RTP Group, a telecommunications consulting firm and software development company. When he moved to Washington, D.C. in 2005, Noel learned about the Leadership Institute through the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. In June this year, Noel attended LI's Conservative Intern Workshop. “Without a doubt having the opportunity to hear LI's faculty member Mike Rothfeld speak was the highlight. The combination of his construct of political power and his passion for affecting positive change was infectious,” Noel said. “After attending the workshop, I couldn't wait to get moving.” Noel's current position is a result of his training at the Leadership Institute. “I received a job offer within a month of attending my first Leadership Institute workshop, and the offer was a direct result of attending of the Conservative Intern Workshop,” Noel said. "I was able to briefly meet Mike Rothfeld through LI's Conservative Intern Workshop, and after sending my cover letter and resume to him, and a subsequent email interview, I scored an in-person interview," Noel explained. "He recommended that some of his friends reach out to me, and I got another interview, and was ultimately hired. LI was integral in helping me generate movement in my job search that ultimately led to several offers of gainful employment. None of that would've been possible without my having attended LI's training. And, of course, a little perseverance." “The capacity LI offers for personal growth and networking opportunities is astounding. I'd recommend LI training to any conservative looking for a place in the movement.” LI will offer the Conservative Career Workshop in five weeks weeks on Capitol Hill. Register early to enjoy a discount on the price. Email LI's Career Services Coordinator Alyssa Condrey at ACondrey@LeadershipInstitute.org for more details. “If those places are ‘think tanks,'” Noel said about other conservative organizations he's learned from, “LI is a ‘do-tank.' LI does. LI acts. LI moves.” Please welcome Noel Fritsch as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Raised in Ridgeland, South Carolina, Eric Dell volunteered on political campaigns from the age of 14. In college, Eric majored in political science at the University of South Carolina (USC), where he was chairman of USC's College Republicans chapter and first heard about the Leadership Institute. “I attended my first Leadership Institute Youth Leadership School in the early 1990s during my undergraduate years at the University of South Carolina,” Eric said. “I have used this knowledge in each of the political campaigns that I have been involved in since the training.” After finishing law school at USC, Eric ran congressional campaigns for Rep. Floyd Spence in 2000 and for Rep. Joe Wilson in 2001. He got ready for those roles with a second Leadership Institute training. “I attended the Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership School again in July 1998 and it prepared me for my role as the deputy campaign manager for the Floyd Spence for Congress Campaign,” Eric shared. After his campaign work, he served as the chief of staff for the South Carolina State Senate Transportation Committee. Now, Eric is the chief of staff to Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02) in Washington, D.C., and has been so for nine of the 11 years Rep. Wilson has been in office. (Eric took two years off, from 2006 to 2008, to practice real estate law in South Carolina and lobby at the federal level.) “The Leadership Institute has been very helpful to me in my professional journey,” Eric said. “My first LI class prepared me to succeed in leadership positions in college and in my political, private sector, and government sector careers. The Leadership Institute helped me establish a basis for leading organizations, which has helped me in both my private sector and government careers.” When Congress is in session, life for a chief of staff is go-go-go! “I usually begin with breakfast with my boss, a Hill staffer, or someone wanting to discuss an issue before Congress,” Eric shared. “Once breakfast is done, I spend most of my day managing the office staff and making sure that my boss's schedule is flowing smoothly. We frequently have constituents stop by unannounced and we always try to make sure they get to visit with the Congressman.” For lunch Eric either attends working lunches with Rep. Wilson or dines with constituents visiting from South Carolina. After work, Eric attends dinners and receptions with the congressman. “Due to my boss's service as the chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, we have many meetings with military leaders and constituencies interested in issues before the House Armed Services Committee,” Eric said. When not in session, Eric travels back to the congressional district in South Carolina to meet with constituents and businesses, or he catches up on office work in DC. “If you are interested in working on Capitol Hill, I would recommend that you contact your Member of Congress and either intern for them or volunteer on their campaign,” Eric shared. “If you do not agree philosophically with your Member of Congress, I urge you to become involved with other Members in your state delegation. This is an easy way to get your foot in the door. It is much easier to obtain a job on Capitol Hill if you have Hill experience on your resume, even if it is volunteering or interning.” Aspiring Hill staffers, Eric continued, should contact chiefs of staff in their home states. “Send them an email and contact them by phone to set up a time to meet,” Eric said. “You should offer to meet them in their office. First inquire of job openings in their office. If there's none, I recommend asking them if they know of any openings in the delegation or anywhere else on Capitol Hill. Once you have exhausted your home state contacts, branch out to other states you have a connection to. Be professional and be willing to start at the bottom. Always remember, be nice to everyone. If you have a good work ethic and integrity, you can move up quickly on Capitol Hill.” But before Eric started hiring Hill staffers for a congressman's office, he took Leadership Institute training. “I attended my first Leadership Institute Youth Leadership School in the early 1990s,” Eric shared. “I learned how to organize an effective communications plan and a youth campaign. I also learned how to effectively start and organize a student organization on a college campus. This was very helpful during my tenure as the USC College Republican chairman.” Rep. Joe Wilson also took LI training. Rep. Wilson attended LI's on-camera TV training in 2002 and again in 2005. Also, some of his staffers have been trained at the Institute. Eric has volunteered as faculty for the Leadership Institute, giving back his knowledge and talents to train the next generation of conservative activists, students, and leaders. He taught at LI's Conservative Career Workshop in November 2008, Capitol Hill Job Seminar in June 2008, Grassroots Campaign School in March 2008, and Capitol Hill Job Seminar in November 2007. “I describe LI as a conservative leadership training school. I encourage people to use the Leadership Institute as a way to network within conservative circles and a way to enhance their leadership skills,” Eric said. “I always recommend LI's employment placement service to people searching for a job on Capitol Hill.” Launch your career in “conservative circles” by registering for LI's Conservative Career Workshop coming up November 27-28. Or maybe you want to attend a Youth Leadership School, like Eric. LI hosts them year-around, but one's coming up in Arlington, VA December 1 -2. Register here now. Please welcome Eric Dell as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

As a student at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Todd Hollenbeck attended College Republican meetings. But it wasn't until he read books by Frederic Bastiat, Milton Friedman, F.A. Hayek, and Ayn Rand in a college course that he began his personal pursuit of liberty. “That class completely blew my mind and opened my eyes to the way the world is and how it could be and ought to be,” Todd shared with the Leadership Institute. Now Todd is the college program coordinator at the Foundation for Economic Education and the executive director of the Free Minds Film Festival LLC. His story has been years and many internships in the making. Todd found out about the Leadership Institute when an LI field representative visited his campus. He decided to take time off from school and apply for the job. Todd was a field representative in the fall 2007 and spring 2008 in eastern Washington and in Colorado, respectively, where he helped start conservative student groups on campuses. “The field rep program was great,” Todd said. “Those were two of the best semesters I had in college. I learned a lot and have many great memories.” “As a Field Rep, I was given a lot of autonomy, which allowed me to experiment with ways to reach out to and locate students. This process taught me a lot about how to utilize Facebook, how to table, how to communicate with students on campuses, and how to organize student organizations,” Todd explained. “This helped bring out my creativity and taught me to be entrepreneurial and innovative.” Later, he spent the summer as an intern for the Independence Institute in Colorado where he wrote a paper on the Taypayer's Bill of Rights and an op-ed about privatizing health inspections. In fall 2008, Todd came to DC for an internship with the Leadership Institute. “The biggest benefit of LI's internship was the networking opportunity. It allowed me to spend time in DC where I met people and learned about pro-liberty organizations that I otherwise wouldn't have,” Todd said. “As an intern for LI, I learned about all of the organizations I didn't know existed while I was in Colorado, like Foundation for Economic Education, Institute for Humane Studies, Americans for Tax Reform, and Students for Liberty.” Todd returned to Colorado to finish his undergraduate degree, but then came back to DC to intern for six months at Americans for Tax Reform. He was offered the position while still an intern for LI. “I would have stayed longer [at Americans for Tax Reform], but I couldn't afford to, so I returned home and applied for the Koch Summer Fellowship Program and went back to school for my MBA,” Todd said. “That year I also attended my first International Students for Liberty Conference. Both were amazing experiences. I met so many brilliant, passionate young libertarians and objectivists that I really felt kind of stupid and incredibly encouraged about the future of liberty.” Through the Koch Fellowship, Todd was able to intern for a second time with the Independence Institute. He later became a campus coordinator for Students for Liberty, and also began planning the first Free Minds Festival, for which he's now the executive director. Todd took 15 LI trainings from fundraising to the Youth Leadership School to a conservative career workshop to activism workshops. “The Leadership Institute was a stepping stone in helping me find the right path. LI exposed me to a lot of great people and organizations, and taught me valuable skills many of which I still use, and others that were still great exposure to new things that helped me discover my own interests and skill sets.” Launch your career by registering for one of LI's upcoming trainings here. “I am still figuring my path out. Every new experience creates new paths, but I now know that I was to affect social change through education of the ideas of liberty and free markets, which is exactly what I am doing with Students for Liberty, Foundation for Economic Education, and the Free Minds Film Festival.” Perhaps you want information to become a LI Field Rep or Intern. Click the links for more information on the Free Minds Film Festival or Foundation for Economic Education. Please welcome Todd Hollenbeck as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

The key to winning an election is much more than simply turning out more voters than your opponent. You must learn the techniques that successful campaigns have been using for years, and then adapt them to fit your winning formula.A successful door-to-door effort could be the difference you need to win!

This week kicked off with Constitution Day, celebrating one of our founding documents. Remember the Constitution's Preamble: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Sarah, a graduate of Leadership Institute trainings, has devoted her professional career to speaking on behalf of those that have little to no voice and working for those whose rights are violated. Born in the Caribbean's Saint Lucia island in the 1960s, Sarah Flood-Beaubrun founded and is currently running the Caribbean Centre for Family and Human Rights (CARIFAM), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting families. “We believe that the right to life is the most fundamental human right from which all other rights gain their validity, and as such, the right to live must be protected from conception to natural death,” Sarah told the Leadership Institute. “We believe that the natural family is the fundamental cell unit of society and must be protected because strong, healthy families are essential for building strong healthy societies.” CARIFAM's programs seek to alleviate poverty, improve access to quality health care and education, and give people the tools and information to empower themselves and their communities. But for Sarah, CARIFAM isn't the first time she's advocated for the freedoms of people. She's a public servant at heart. Sarah was an elected as a Member of Parliament in Saint Lucia, becoming the second woman ever in this body, and where she served for eight years. Later, she became the first woman to hold the Office of Speaker of the House of Assembly in Saint Lucia. Within the Government of Saint Lucia, Sarah has served as a Minister for various departments for which she has overseen the transfer of a 100-year prison system to a more modern system that now meets international standards. She established the first and only 24-hour women's support shelter for women fleeing violence and she's started the first mother to child HIV prevention of transmission program in the Eastern Caribbean. Sarah first learned of the Leadership Institute through a friend working for Human Life International. “LI's trainings were excellent,” Sarah said. “I learned how best to articulate conservative ideas to promote the common good and how to effectively communicate and campaign to rally support for these ideas. I became even more convinced of the soundness of the arguments we use to promote true development of the human person and society as a whole.” She's taken LI's Advanced Public Speaking Workshop and LI's International Leadership Training Seminar. “Training at the Leadership Institute is a must for anyone or organization which is serious about a conservative approach to development,” Sarah said. “The courses are thorough, extremely relevant, well developed in theory and practice, where the information is cutting edge and can be immediately put to use.” Sarah continued, “The Leadership Institute gave me the relevant tools that I can immediately put to use.” Learn the tools and then use them to advance the conservative movement around the world. Register for one of LI's upcoming trainings here. For more information on CARIFAM, please go here. Please welcome Sarah Flood-Beaubrun as LI's Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.