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.

Due to Hurricane Sandy, the Leadership Institute will be closed on Monday, October 29 after 2 P.M. and all day on Tuesday, October 30. You may leave a voicemail on LI's main line (703-247-2000) or send an email to individual LI staff. You will receive a response as soon as it is possible. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in the storm's path.

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.

Know what you want to say. Say it in a simple manner. Look and sound the part.These were basic principles of the last Friday's Introduction to Television Techniques Workshop taught by Beverly Hallberg at the Leadership Institute.The 16 students learned to effectively communicate via broadcast media: what to wear, how to present themselves, and the type of language to use. Many students came away with the same observation: it's the little things that make a difference.Nicole Hudgens, an intern with the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation, remarked, “I've had a lot of communication classes since it's what I got my degree in, but this covered some things I had not heard before and I really enjoyed it! Beverly gave great practical advice and I'd love to go to another workshop.”In general, keep it snappy. TV and radio are made for soundbites, not lectures. Viewers listening to a dialogue will stay far more engaged than those listening to a monologue. Plus, you're more likely to be invited back when the host feels like they control the conversation.Live interviews are the easiest to control. Whatever is said airs—not the case with recorded interviews. When recorded, your comments are at the mercy of the segment's producer: important statements might get cut because you gave them too much material. For a pre-recorded interview, make sure comments are prepared in advanced. The rules change entirely; you have no control over what is aired, but you are in complete control of your answers. Questions are not typically broadcast, so answering the question is non-essential.Regardless of the type of interview, Beverly cautioned, “Anticipate what you will be asked. Prepare your ammo correctly.”It's essential to practice and prepare statements; even the most knowledgeable person can forget their main points when asked an unexpected question.After receiving these tips (and many more—register for LI's TV training here for all of them), attendees practiced their skills on the camera.Beverly went through and critiqued each person's performance. Everyone stepped in front of the camera for a second time, and each person's improvement was dramatic.Those who were long-winded initially became succinct. The quiet people became more assertive and appeared confident. Everyone was empowered to be an effective communicator for their chosen topic. Megan Moore, an intern at the Leadership Institute's ConservativeJobs.com, observed, “It was incredible to see how quickly everyone improved. Most of us were not engaging the first time. In ‘take two,' we were all persuasive and followed Beverly's rules.”If you want to learn and practice what it takes to be an effective on-camera spokesperson, register for our next Television Workshops on December 14. Or, register for one of LI's other upcoming trainings here. >

Lars Christensen, CEO of Saxo Bank in Denmark, is touring the U.S. this week and meeting with many groups and media to share his experience of European-style socialism.Yesterday he spoke to D.C. conservatives at the Heritage Foundation."Our prosperity and security is to a much larger degree than we realize due to the U.S., and both are threatened by the U.S.' extreme acceleration towards chaos. A chaos that to a large extent is caused by Obama's economic measures that damage and indebt Americans -- and the rest of the world." Op-ed in Danish newspaper Berlingske, February 2009"His indictment of European-style socialism is stunning. His command of history and free-market principles make his presentation enthralling," Leadership Institute President Morton Blackwell said. "As America stands at a crossroads between capitalism and prosperity or European-style socialism and economic decline, his message could neither be more timely nor more important. That's why I hope you'll join me on this speaking tour to hear Lars Seier Christensen, CEO of Saxo Bank in Denmark, discuss his country's socialist policies and why we don't want them."For more information on Lars and his America tour this week, please click here. >

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.

“This message is of hope—it's also of despair,” began conservative pundit Jack Hunter at Wednesday's Wake-Up Club Breakfast at the Leadership Institute. The breakfast, held the first Wednesday of each month, brings a leading conservative to speak to LI supporters.Jack encouraged the audience of 70 at this month's event to responsibly vote and hold elected officials accountable. Jack is a columnist for The American Conservative and the Charleston City Paper, and is a Contributing Editor to Young American Revolution. He also regularly appears on Sirius XM and is involved with many other organizations.“The core definition of conservatism in the United States is something I like to call—and I didn't coin this—the Goldwater-Reagan legacy. The idea that the government that governs least governs best,” Jack said. “The idea that government is bad: that is American conservatism.”Jack echoed Reagan's 1981 inaugural address, “Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem.”This is the main ideological discrepancy between true conservatives and their liberal counterparts, Jack argued.“The conservative grassroots desperately want that limited-government champion Republicans have always promised—and yet so many times, time, time and again, have never delivered,” Jack lamented. “They want the real deal.”Jack wants conservative politicians who fight for a decrease in the size of the government.“I do think things are finally getting better. You know, the term ‘conservative' used to be something very unique in our politics,” Jack said. “If you go back to the time of Barry Goldwater, or even right before that, to be a conservative was something sort of out there. It meant something specific.”“Nowadays, especially in the Republican party, the term ‘conservative' is widespread,” Jack said. “Everybody, from the most moderate (or I would dare say ‘liberal') Republicans to the actual conservatives like to call themselves conservatives. It's good branding. It helps get you elected.”“The term ‘conservative' is as popular as it ever was, but actual conservatism still hasn't got the job done,” Jack said.He proposed a solution to this problem.“The Leadership Institute has been instrumental in carrying these conservative ideas forward,” Jack said. “I think, moving forward, whether it's the TEA Party, or pushing forward these conservative candidates—this is, in a large part, a youth revolution. It's just like Barry Goldwater of 1964, and Mr. Blackwell was there.”Jack continued, “We all know that those young ‘damn Goldwater people'—those kids—became the modern American conservative movement. And they changed this country, and they changed American politics. Well, I dare say it's happening again. It's not only the TEA Party, but it's sort of this youth up swell that is represented by groups like the Leadership Institute who are going to reclaim conservatism in the way that Ronald Reagan meant it, and are going to push it forward in the way Barry Goldwater always dreamed it could,” Jack said.Jack ended on a high note, “I'm so excited about the future—despite how much big government we have now. I think we can finally really begin to turn things around.”For future LI Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfasts, please go here. >

Thank you for your support as I accepted the 2012 James C. Dobson Vision and Leadership Award. Your attendance at the Family Research Council's Faith, Family and Freedom Gala was a tangible display of your commitment to defend traditional values against those leftists who seek to fundamentally transform (i.e., ruin) our country. In the late 1960s and 1970s, left-wing efforts to undermine traditional values prompted social conservatives to get involved in politics. Like many of you, I took action. The subsequent formation of ad hoc coalitions grew into oday's conservative movement. Despite numerous conservative victories since then, the assault on family values and religious faith continues. Here are just a few chilling examples of leftist bias and abuse my staff exposed this year through the Leadership Institute's campus website, www.CampusReform.org: ·Professor wants to reduce human population by ‘controlling human fertility' ·Lutheran university announces opposition to traditional marriage amendment ·University of Southern Mississippi professor: ‘Anti-gay' Chick-fil-A needs to be removed from campus ·College professor: 'Jesus was a Muslim' ·Obama's DOJ Forces University to Allow 38 Year Old Male to Access Women's Restrooms ·Same-Sex "Marriage" Supporters Assault, Spit on Pro-Marriage Students The left is relentless, but so is my faith in the Almighty to use our powerful movement to fundamentally save America. That's why your support of the Family Research Council, my Leadership Institute, and other conservative organizations means so much to me. There is truly a crisis in America today. However, I am encouraged by good people like you who actively fight for faith, family, and freedom. On behalf of the Leadership Institute staff (photo enclosed), I thank you for the honor to fight alongside you in this battle. Cordially, Morton C. Blackwell President Leadership Institute

On Election Day 2008, who received more votes? Was it Senator John McCain or Senator Barack Obama, who won the election?The answer might surprise you: Senator John McCain.With the rise of early voting, you must plan for a month of get out the vote efforts.As Jeremy Bird, National Field Director for the Obama 2012 campaign, told the Wall Street Journal: advantage in early voting goes to "whoever is most organized."Let's get organized.Find your state's early voting and absentee voting deadlines in the table below. Then register for LI's free, live webinar this Wednesday at 7pm EST: Early Voting Strategies to Win.You'll learn from and talk with LI faculty about what you must know about early voting -- and how you can apply these lessons to a campaign you care about.Can't make the webinar? Check back on Thursday for a replay.>

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.

Morton Blackwell delivered this speech at the Faith, Family, and Freedom Dinner of the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, September 15, 2012. Thank you for the great and undeserved honor you pay me tonight. Previously you have given this annual award to people who deserve recognition far more than I do. The honor is increased for me because I have such a deep admiration for the great achievements of the Family Research Council and your president, Tony Perkins. Tony and I are both from Baton Rouge. We both are conservative movement activists. Tony and I both now find ourselves leading conservative non-profit organizations officed in the D.C. area. And both of us understand that we depend on generous donors for everything we accomplish. Unlike me, however, Tony is famous. And he deserves his fame. His frequent and eloquent appearances in national print, broadcast, and online media directly reach millions of people, encouraging them and guiding them to take principled actions on public policy questions. In my line of work, I seek out people who are reasonably conservative, persuade them that they owe it to their philosophy to study how to win, and then help them learn how to succeed in government, politics, and the news media. Generous donors have also enabled my Leadership Institute to build a national network of more than 1,350 active, independent, local conservative student groups to fight leftist abuses and bias on college campuses in every state. My Leadership Institute staff deserve more praise than they get for their remarkable skills and dedicated work for conservative principles. I aim to build a movement, not an empire. Increasing the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders by teaching them how to win is not inherently newsworthy, and news coverage of political training programs sometimes is less than helpful. Primarily for that reason, a complete file of the news releases I have generated regarding my work would fit into a slim folder. When conservative graduates of my training win elections, I counsel them that the way to continue successfully in politics is to keep their principles, keep their word, keep their pants on, and keep their fingers out of other people's wallets. Tonight I intend to speak briefly about three matters: 1. The rise of social issue conservatives in politics 2. The creation of a powerful conservative movement from ad hoc coalitions 3. The 2012 elections and what happens afterward. When I first became active politically, in the national groundswell of support for Sen. Barry Goldwater in the late 1950s and early 1960s, what we now call social issues were not political issues. In his entire presidential campaign, I believe Sen. Goldwater was never asked if he favored making abortion legal. Neither was he asked if he favored making bank robbery legal. Abortion and monogamous marriage between one man and one woman were among the many settled legal and moral issues in American culture, and most theologically conservative religious leaders thought political participation was no part of their calling. But then the political left began to bring into politics its hostility to traditional moral principles, and growing government power became the enemy of family values across America. The left continues its efforts to undermine family values and religious faith, most recently evidenced by the Democratic Party's initially forgetting even to mention God in its 2012 party platform. God was an afterthought, inserted because of much criticism. In the 1970s, the left invalidated in every state all laws which protected unborn babies. They began attacking the traditional institution of marriage. And among many other assaults on our culture, they tried to close down conservative Christian schools. Fed up, many conservative pastors decided in the 1970s to defend their beliefs through the public policy process. Dr. Jerry Falwell organized 100,000 pastors who led at least two million un-involved Christians in their congregations to register to vote in 1980. Noting that lightning did not strike down Dr. Falwell, other Christian leaders also formed large and powerful political organizations. In a few years, whole denominations switched parties. Southern Baptists, who had been overwhelmingly Democrats, became overwhelmingly Republicans. The surge of theologically conservative Americans into politics changed the composition of the electorate and contributed mightily to the nomination and election of President Ronald Reagan in 1980. As they do whenever large numbers of conservatives newly decide to become political participants, the leftist politicians, content-free Republicans, and so-called "mainstream" news media warned that what they called "the Religious Right" was a danger to the Republic -- dimwitted, uncouth, and savage people who would destroy the Republican Party. It didn't work out that way, did it? Social conservatives began to organize coalitions for specific purposes. As conservative intellectual Richard Weaver, author of the famous book Ideas Have Consequences, put it, "Organization always makes imperative counter-organization. A force in being is a threat to the unorganized, who must answer by becoming organized themselves." A pioneer conservative coalition builder was Phyllis Schlafly. In her spectacularly successful fight to defeat the so-called "Equal Rights Amendment," she gathered together Evangelicals, Catholics, Mormons, and anyone else willing to fight against the ERA. These allies distrusted each other and had intense differences in theology. They had never worked together before. Phyllis pulled together her coalition by saying, "We must be broad-minded enough to allow anyone to oppose the ERA for the reasons of their choice." The decision points in the public policy process are mostly elections and legislative battles. In specific elections and legislative battles, a wise conservative will seek allies without respect to disagreements on other issues. The object is to win a majority in that election or that legislative battle. Some of us were particularly inspired to participate in coalitions by the wisdom of Whittaker Chambers, the former American Communist who became a hero of anti-Communists everywhere. Chambers wrote, "I do not ask of the man who lets me slip into his foxhole whether he believes in the ontological proof of God, whether he likes me personally, or even whether, in another part of the forest, at another time, he lobbed a grenade at me. I am interested only that, for the duration of the war, he keep his rifle clean and his trigger finger nerveless against a common enemy. I understand that that is all he wants of me." Sometimes social conservatives found themselves working together in coalitions which were very wide-ranging indeed. In 1994, my wife, Helen, and I participated in the United Nations Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt. The leftist celebrity Jane Fonda and former Congresswoman Bella Abzug, who had been a Stalinist in the 1930s and never repudiated her support of Stalin, were appointed to the official U.S. delegation by President Bill Clinton. The left thought the Cairo conference was a golden opportunity to put official United Nations pressure on smaller countries to legalize the killing of unborn babies through abortions. At the last minute, pro-life Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey got himself appointed to the U.S. delegation. A small number of conservative Americans got themselves credentialed at the Cairo conference as representatives of non-governmental organizations. I went there as a temporarily credentialed reporter for the conservative weekly Human Events, but really to help the pro-life forces with procedural advice and with communications. The U.N. conference operated under strange procedural rules. Decisions weren't made by majority votes of the national delegations. Decisions could be made only through a weird sort of consensus, so a substantial, determined opposition could block the leftist attempt to force small countries to legalize abortion. Congressman Chris Smith found himself a minority of one on the U.S. delegation. Supported logistically by our handful of private U.S. conservatives, he formed an ad hoc alliance of socially conservative delegates from Latin American countries, the Holy See, and (Listen to this.) a number of delegations from Muslim countries who strongly oppose abortion. Consensus wasn't achieved at the conference. No pro-abortion mandate was passed. U.S. Delegates Jane Fonda and Bella Abzug went home badly disappointed, and a lot of babies weren't aborted. Starting in the 1970s, U.S. conservatives grew some existing conservative organizations dramatically and created many large new ones. Time and again, they formed coalitions in election contests and legislative battles where conservative principles of limited government, free enterprise, strong national defense, and traditional family values were at stake. Time and again, the same conservative leaders sat around the same tables to fight on the same side against their common enemies on the left. Over the years, the diverse coalition of allies coordinated their activities so often that they became rather comfortable with each other. Each element of the coalition frequently worked with the others while maintaining its own institutional independence. For the first time there arose what could fairly be called an effective conservative movement. The realization spread, for example, that there could not be political victory for economic conservatives without a working alliance with social conservatives -- and that, to win public policy battles, social conservatives must work often with economic conservatives and libertarian conservatives. Let me turn now to a brief consideration of where we are now and where we should go from here. Everything is on the line this year. Personally, I am strongly supporting Mitt Romney, both financially and otherwise. In the last few decades, I have recruited and trained many thousands of conservative activists and leaders who also now support Mitt Romney and are working hard for his election. I am happy and perhaps a little proud about that. President Barack Obama is the personification of leftist ideology. The fundamental changes he is making in America are all fundamentally ruinous for our country. He must be replaced if we can do it. With hardly any exceptions, the entire conservative movement agrees with me and wants Gov. Mitt Romney to win. Good. The presidential election still could go either way, but I believe it's more likely that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will the next President and Vice President of the United States. If so, what happens then? Next would come close to three months of a transition period while the President-elect puts together his new Administration. In late 1980 and early 1981, I worked full-time in the Presidential Personnel Office of President-elect Ronald Reagan. Then I worked for three years on President Reagan's White House Staff. The greatest lesson conservatives learned in that period is that personnel is policy. Where the right people are given responsibility, good things tend to happen. As we staffed up his new Administration, President-elect Reagan gave us an explicit instruction that, among their other qualifications, he wanted to hire people who were principled conservatives. Many such people were in fact hired, and they helped make the Reagan Administration productive in many ways for conservative principles. Not all those hired were actually conservative, of course. In part, this was because some of the decision-makers in our Presidential Personnel Office were primarily head-hunters who had no clear idea what conservative principles are. I could discuss at some length many who were good choices and some who were not. But this is neither the time nor the place for that. Suffice it to say that Ronald Reagan's mandate to hire solid conservatives made possible the many excellent policy achievements which made him a successful President. There are, of course, other ways to staff a new President's Administration. I believe that the most important factor for hiring during the transition for President-elect George H.W. Bush was loyalty. He was and is a very nice man, but if you hadn't proved your long-term loyalty to that President-elect, you were probably wasting your time to apply. Thus it was no coincidence that, if you had supported Ronald Reagan for the nomination in 1980 and were serving in the Reagan Administration in 1988, you were not hired by George H.W. Bush. You might as well have been marked with a black spot. You had virtually no chance for a job in the new Bush Administration. For conservatives in the late Reagan Administration, it was "Prove you were never for anyone but Bush, or you're out." Loyalty as a hiring requirement can have at least two meanings. It could mean loyalty in the sense of commitment to principles, or it could mean loyalty in the sense of willingness to do exactly what you are told to do. Every Presidential political appointee has some power to make things happen. A principled appointee will look for ways to implement his or her principles. Those without principles will tend to do nothing unless they are told to do it. A too centralized organization cannot achieve as much as an intelligently de-centralized one. As my grandmother, who lived to age 95, wisely put it, "Why keep a dog if you're going to bark yourself?" If Mitt Romney wins the presidency, there will be no shortage of unattached sycophants seeking jobs and ready to do whatever they are told to do. Gov. Romney is running on a solidly conservative platform. He has staked out conservative positions on almost every relevant policy issue. This may, and I hope will, result in his victory in November. But I pray that he will see to it that his new Administration, if it comes to pass, will hire many, many people who have distinguished themselves by long and effective endeavors for the conservative principles he now espouses. This reminds me of something that happened in the Bush 41 White House. After the President broke his "no new taxes" campaign promise, I asked for and was granted a meeting with his White House Political Director, Ron Kaufman of Massachusetts. I had served earlier for three years as President Reagan's White House liaison to all U.S. conservative organizations. I was then in my first term as Virginia's Republican National Committeeman. And I was the current executive director of the Council for National Policy, an organization whose membership includes the heads of most of the major conservative movement organizations. In his office I told Ron Kaufman that the President's conservative base was eroding away and that he was in great danger of losing the 1992 elections. I urged that by hirings and policy initiatives the Administration should take immediate steps to restore the confidence of the conservative grassroots in the President's commitment to conservative principles. Mr. Kaufman replied, "We have carefully studied this, and we know that the Republican Party has a lock on the White House." It didn't work out that way in 1992. I'll close these remarks by returning to the presidential campaign now in progress. Here's a question which should stir up the enthusiasm of every American conservative. Barack Obama. Barack Obama? What did you expect from an ACORN organizer?

Join the Leadership Institute's staff this weekend at the Values Voter Summit at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. and at the Liberty Political Action Conference at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, Virginia.LI is partnering with Family Research Council for the Values Voter Summit and with Campaign for Liberty for the Liberty Political Action Conference.For information and schedules for the Liberty Political Action Conference, please go here.For information and schedules for the Values Voter Summit, please go here.Some LI highlights at the Values Voter Summit include:- LI's VP of Programs David Fenner will introduce Senator Jim DeMint (LI trained his campaign manager, his speechwriter/senior communications advisor, and even his son in law!) Friday morning during the general session.- LI's ConservativeJobs.com Job Fair is Saturday from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. where 14 employers will be hiring.- LI's Grassroots Get-Out-The-Vote Workshop is from 3:15 – 5 p.m. and in partnership with the Faith and Freedom Coalition- Morton will be given Vision and Leadership Award at their Saturday night Gala.- This dinner is being held in his honor. Four speakers will introduce him: - Becky Norton-Dunlop, Vice President, External Relations, The Heritage Foundation - Dr. Michael Farris, Chancellor, Patrick Henry College - Dr. Ronald Godwin, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, Liberty University - Lila Rose, President, Live Action >

As Morton Blackwell wrote, now is the time for you to work hard for the candidates of your choice. Roll up your sleeves and get to work.But if you're new to activism or brand new to political volunteering, where do you go and what do you do? How do you get in touch with a campaign and find out how to help?Follow this simple, easy, and quick five-step process -- and you'll be well on your way to helping the candidate of your choice win and spending Election Day 2012 knowing you did your part for your principles.1. Find the campaign HQ or offices online. Call the number listed, introduce yourself, and say you'd like to help.Every campaign website should have a page called "Volunteer," "Take Action," or "Get Involved" that will provide information. Alternatively, you can click on a page labeled "Contact" to get a phone number. If you'd like to volunteer for a presidential or statewide race (e.g. a campaign for governor or Senate), try to find the contact information for the campaign office closest to you.Then punch in the numbers and give the office a call. Here's a simple script: "Hi, my name is [Name]. I would like to get involved with your campaign. Is there someone I can speak with?"Your call likely will be forwarded to the volunteer coordinator, who directs the activities of volunteers like you. He or she can explain the best times to stop by and answer any questions you have.2. Walk into the office, smile (of course!), and say you want to volunteer. You'll be directed to the right person.Campaign headquarters are always in motion. Don't be intimidated, especially if this your first time walking into a campaign office.Smile and say hello to the first staff member you see. If you explain you're there and you're happy to help, you'll be welcomed with open arms.3. If possible, bring a friend or two. It's more fun for you and more help for the campaign -- win-win!Most events in life are more fun with a friend. Volunteering for a campaign is no exception.Children in middle school and high school may also enjoy volunteering with you. Check with the campaign office when you call and see if there will be age-appropriate activities. It's a free family night out -- and a great way to model civic engagement.But if you don't have friends or family to bring with you, don't worry. Volunteering for a campaign is a great way to meet like-minded, engaged people like you. Plus, spending the coming days and weeks hard at work for a common campaign will help you forge new friendships.4. Be flexible and ready for anything. The work may not be glamorous, but it's important (and you'll learn a lot).You may be asked to stuff envelopes, walk door-to-door, call voters, set up for or clean up from an event, or much more. Campaign work is as unceasing as it is varied. It will help you to be ready for anything and walk into the office with an open mind.Always give a good try at whatever you're asked to do. But if -- for example -- you've spent 45 minutes calling voters and you know it's just not for you, kindly ask the volunteer coordinator how else you can help the campaign. There's always another job that needs to be done.5. Ask questions about your tasks, especially if you're new. There's no such thing as a stupid question.No one is born a campaign pro; the knowledge and skills are built over time through political training and first-hand experience.So don't be afraid to repeat the instructions to make sure you understand. It's much better to ask questions beforehand than to apologize for a mix-up or misunderstanding later.Pass on your new knowledge with this handy graphic. Download the image, and email, tweet, share, or pin it across the web. >

These famous words in the Bill of Rights have stirred countless emotion and action for centuries: “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." The right to keep and bear arms is what Leadership Institute graduate Phil Watson has devoted his time and talent toward preserving. “You are born sovereign with rights given by God, not government. The right of self-defense is one of those rights,” Phil told the Leadership Institute. “Gun rights groups are here to protect your human and civil rights. The police can't be everywhere at once and are technically not even bound by law to protect you, so you have to take your Second Amendment rights seriously.” Phil is the Second Amendment Foundation's (SAF) director of special projects, where he researches Second Amendment court litigation and news surrounding gun issues on a national and international scale. “Keeping track of the dozens of current Second Amendment lawsuits and opposing the UN Arms Trade Treaty takes up a lot of my time,” Phil said. “Our network of member groups now extends to 23 groups in 15 different countries. Communicating with your base and your members in a timely manner is very important. I also assist in writing and editing various Second Amendment publications.” Additionally, he's executive director at the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arm Rights. “The numbers don't lie: gun-free zones suffer from high crime rates and only create more victims,” Phil said. “People who have a problem with self-defense usually have a problem with other freedoms and rights as well, which are historically why tyrannical governments like to disarm their people. We are here to stick up for your rights and speak out against those that would force others to be helpless.” However, Phil hasn't always been involved in public policy. It's been a career in the making. Phil was raised in a “minimum-wage-working world,” where he delivered newspapers to neighbors to earn an extra dime. He also remembers doing yard work and washing dishes at a local restaurant to collect some additional money. “After I graduated high school, I entered the military and waited awhile to start college,” Phil said. “History, economics, and politics became my favorite subjects after trying most other classes. Later, I had the pleasure of graduating from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Political Economy.” With a degree in hand, he met some political activists who were regular patrons at the large neighborhood convenience store where he worked. After several long talks, one of the individuals invited him to work on his campaign. “It sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. Several people highly recommended the Leadership Institute, so I took the Campaign Management School and was off and running,” Phil shared. In April 2010, Phil came to LI's headquarters in Arlington, Virginia to attend the week-long Campaign Management School. Shortly after, he was asked to be the deputy campaign manager for the 2010 WA-6 congressional race. The opponent was a 17-term incumbent, Rep. Norm Dicks, and while Phil's candidate didn't win, Phil valued the experience he gained. After the election, Phil fought against Proposition 1 – a local sales tax increase. “We won with some creative campaigning and tactics I picked up from LI's Campaign Management School,” Phil said. “We were outgunned on money by 95 percent, but ended up winning. We defeated the sales tax increase.” After the campaign, Phil came to the Leadership Institute in the spring of 2011 to intern in the Grassroots department. He's taken 16 LI trainings from Public Speaking, Campaign Management, New Media, High-Dollar Fundraising, Television Techniques, Youth Leadership, and Conservative Career workshops and schools. “LI is a political boot camp in many ways,” Phil shared. “I jumped in the political world and was serious about learning how to be effective as an activist. The Leadership Institute taught me how to be effective within a political organization and I still talk with a lot of the people I met there. LI is a great place to learn and connect with other people on the same path.” After LI's internship, Phil received a press internship in the office of Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, vice chair of the House Republican Conference and highest ranking Republican woman in Congress. Next, he trekked across America back to his home state of Washington to influence public policy and protect the right to keep and bear arms. Read Phil's interview with the Russian Legal Information Agency here. His employer—the Second Amendment Foundation—has their 2012 Gun Rights Policy Conference in Orlando, Florida in a few weeks. To learn more, go here. “LI trainings helped give me a good foundation for the journey ahead,” Phil said. You too can build a good foundation for your public policy career. Register for one of LI's upcoming trainings here. Please welcome Phil Watson 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.

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld met with friends and supporters of the Leadership Institute this morning at the monthly Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast. Secretary Rumsfeld was America's 13th and 21st U.S. Secretary of Defense serving in the Bush and Ford administrations.“Let me just thank the Leadership Institute for all you folks do,” Secretary Rumsfeld said. “This is a terrific organization and what LI is doing is enormously important…LI is something that deserves recognition.”In his remarks for breakfast attendees, Secretary Rumsfeld gave his thoughts on current affairs and answered many questions from the audience.“I worry about intelligence,” Secretary Rumsfeld shared today at the Leadership Institute. “I worry about the fact that we live in a dangerous and difficult world and there are a number of closed societies. It's very difficult to have a good grip on what's taking place in the world. It's even more worrisome that weapons have become increasingly lethal and the proliferation of highly lethal weapons has increased.”He continued, “What worries me most is American weakness. Throughout my adult life, the United States has been an important presence in the world. The fact that we've existed and the fact that we've behaved responsibly with respect to how we've managed our economy…that provided stability in the world, a deterrent. It suggested to people that the United States was there, we were part of the rib cage in the world, the structure, and people had to take account of that.”He then recounted a phone call he received from a statesman in Southeast Asia: “Don, I never dreamt I'd live to see the day when adults in the White House would be modeling America after Europe, a failed model. And of course, that's basically what we're doing,” Rumsfeld said.“You cannot accumulate and incur, what is it today or yesterday, $16 trillion of debt and not place an almost impossible burden on the next generation,” he said. “We have demonstrated to the world and this statesman that we as a nation are not behaving in a responsible way from the management of our economy. And that signal goes out across the globe and it's registered in people's heads and it gives them the freedom to know they can do things that they otherwise wouldn't be able to do.”When Secretary Rumsfeld served in the Navy during the Eisenhower administration and then in Congress, the United States spent 10 percent of its GDP on defense, he explained. Today, we spend less than 4 percent.“The debt and the deficits have not been a result of defense budgets, but a result of entitlements,” he argued.He added, “Throughout our history, when things got bad, good people changed their priorities, got out of their chairs and did more than they were doing previously. They were energized by their concern…If there's ever been a time in my 80 years where good people needed to get out of their chairs and push that pendulum back, this is it. And it is particularly important for the coming generations that we do not leave them a country where youngsters coming along will have to look forward to a future that was not as bright and not as optimistic as it has been for each of us in this room.”Mr. Rumsfeld recently completed writing his number one New York Times bestselling memoir, Known and Unknown. The book spans his career and includes extensive primary documentation, much of which has been made public on a supporting website, www.Rumsfeld.com.To watch the full video remarks from today's breakfast, please go here.For more on Secretary Rumsfeld's bio, please go here.For future LI Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfasts, please go here. >

While Charlotte, North Carolina will host the Democratic National Convention this week, there are many conservatives making a mark throughout North Carolina. “Public service is a calling,” stated Leslie Goodman, now a legislative assistant in Rep. Virginia Foxx's (NC-05) office, a district about an hour or so from Charlotte. “For me personally, the Leadership Institute was a valuable foundation for my career in politics and public service,” she said. As a native of Southwest Virginia near Roanoke, Leslie grew up as the oldest of five children. She and her siblings were homeschooled and encouraged to pursue their passions. “My parents made sure I had the opportunity to explore the world of government and politics even during high school,” Leslie shared. “They were involved in local politics and elections, and I remember working the polls as an elementary school student handing out sample ballots.” In high school, Leslie attended a hands-on government class in Richmond where she “learned the best way to make a difference in government was to be personally involved,” she shared. Later, Leslie went on to study government (politics and policy) with a minor in English at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. While there, she took LI's Grassroots Campaign School in October 2005 and LI's Capitol Hill Job Seminar in October 2007. “As a Capitol Hill staffer, the Leadership Institute's Capitol Hill Job Seminar was the most help to me in my journey to Capitol Hill,” Leslie said. “I learned about the structure of the Hill, the various positions in a Member's office, and House and Senate procedure,” Leslie continued. “It was also during this seminar that I met Steven Sutton (a former chief of staff to several Members, and now LI's vice president of development). After the seminar, Mr. Sutton was kind enough to answer questions, and I asked him specifically what would be a good minor to add to my degree in terms of getting a job on Capitol Hill. It was Mr. Sutton who encouraged me to minor in English, and as my various positions in Congresswoman Foxx's office have always been writing intensive, the minor has served me very well. Mr. Sutton is a valuable resource and I am grateful to have met him during the Leadership Institute's Capitol Hill Job Seminar.” Writing is an everyday affair for Leslie. She manages Rep. Foxx's responsibilities as chair of the House Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee and drafts legislation and amendments consistent with her boss' positions. “One highlight was drafting an amendment to a health bill that successfully passed the House in 2011,” Leslie shared. “The amendment was consistent with the Congresswoman's strong pro-life stance and prohibited taxpayer funding for abortion doctors through a funding stream in Obamacare.” Leslie's policy areas include: education, family/values issues, health care, homeland security, judiciary, labor, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, Telecommunications, and welfare. “I would not be the person I am today without my relationship with Jesus Christ,” Leslie said. “He gives me the strength to face each day and seek integrity in every aspect of my life.” She admitted, “I still have the binder from my LI Capitol Hill Job Seminar in October of 2007 and have browsed through it from time to time.” You can register for a similar training—LI's Conservative Career Workshop—hosted November 27-28. Learn about different paths in the conservative movement. Whether you dream of working on Capitol Hill, in a think-tank, or for a non-profit, this workshop will teach you the skills needed to succeed on your career path. “The Leadership Institute provides practical education regarding Capitol Hill and campaigning, and has been helpful to me in teaching me the structure and procedure of Capitol Hill prior to my internship here,” Leslie said. “I have devoted my time and career to public service because I strongly believe in individual freedom,” Leslie said, “and felt the best way to protect liberty was on the ground in Washington, D.C.” Please welcome Leslie Goodman 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.

Now is the time for you to work hard for the candidates of your choice. Roll up your sleeves and get to work.Here are some of the advantages to you of campaign work right now. You may be crucial to a win for a good candidate in a close race. Win or lose, you will gain valuable experience. No matter what your future activity in the public policy process, campaign work is a durable credential. It's a surefire way for you to make useful contacts.It's often a lot of fun. Be careful what you commit to do; then do it well. Under-promise and over-perform. In short, if you're not active in a campaign now, find and contact a candidate whom you like. Volunteer and follow through. This short piece was first published in a September 18, 1992 mailing to Leadership Institute graduates. >

This week is big for the Grand ‘Ole Party as they convene to officially nominate their candidate for president. Tens of thousands of people are flooding to Tampa, as is the hurricane-filled weather. Evan Draim, a 17-year-old from Alexandria, Virginia, is America's youngest elected delegate and a graduate of Leadership Institute trainings. While he's not quite eligible to vote, in November, he will be. Rules say a person may be a delegate so long as they are of age before Election Day. Evan turns 18 on September 14. Evan was one of seven people running for three slots representing Virginia's eighth congressional district. He ran on a platform of electing a younger face, and it was a winning message. Evan took the Leadership Institute's Conservative Intern Workshop in June 2012 and LI's Public Speaking Workshop in July 2012, and then also celebrated Independence Day with LI at the 41st Fourth of July National Conservative Soiree. “My jobs as delegate and youth coordinator involve representing the party to certain groups of voters, which includes conducting many speeches and interviews,” Evan said. “The Leadership Institute's public speaking training has taught me how to more effectively bring our message to these voters.” Evan has been fielding constant media requests all week from Politico, CNN, the Washington Post, radio stations, newspapers, and more. “I plan to use my LI training to engage an audience and keep people interested in what I'm talking about. It is especially important in reaching out to younger voters who often have shorter attention spans,” Evan said. “The Leadership Institute's public speaking training really opened my eyes to how important, yet subtle aspects of public speaking are,” Evan said. In addition to being the youngest elected delegate to the Republican National Convention, Evan is chairman of Young Ambassadors for George Allen. He also stays busy completing homework and enjoys extracurricular activities. Please welcome Evan Draim as LI's Graduate of the Week, and as the GOP's youngest elected delegate. 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.