Michael A. Needham

Chief Executive Officer

Mike Needham is the Chief Executive Officer for Heritage Action for America. He is responsible for setting the strategy and vision of Heritage Action, ensuring it advances the mission of The Heritage Foundation while building it into a permanent presence in Washington. He also oversees all policy decisions that hold Members of Congress accountable.Prior to his role at Heritage Action, Mike served in four different roles at The Heritage Foundation, including Chief of Staff, advisor to the President, and a director in The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies.

Tim Chapman

Chief Operating Officer

Tim Chapman is the Chief Operating Officer of Heritage Action for America. He oversees the day-to-day operations while working closely with our sister organization, The Heritage Foundation, to ensure both organizations work towards common goals.Prior to his role at Heritage Action, Tim previously served as Chief of Staff to Heritage Foundation President Ed J. Feulner, Ph.D. In this position, Tim advised Dr. Feulner on public policy matters and activities of the conservative movement. He also managed Dr. Feulner’s office staff and Heritage’s day-to-day operations.

Jessica Anderson

Deputy Political Director

Jessica Anderson is a Deputy Political Director for Heritage Action for America. She first started with Heritage Action as the North Carolina State Director. Previously, she led the get-out-the-vote effort, campaign and new media training for the John W. Pope Civitas Institute in Raleigh, NC. Today, you can find her identifying, equipping and training activists for Heritage Action on the ground throughout the country. She is a University of Florida graduate.

Tripp Baird

Director of Senate Relations

Tripp Baird is the Director of Senate Relations for Heritage Action for America. He leads Heritage Action’s efforts in the Senate, pushing for conservative policies, providing conservative analysis of upcoming votes. Tripp also works with Senators and their staffs to introduce Heritage-inspired legislation that advance conservative principles.Prior to his work with Heritage Action, Tripp was a Partner at the Watts Consulting Group, leading business activities in corporate strategy and public affairs, with an emphasis on public policy matters before the U.S. Congress and the Bush Administration.

Dustin Carmack

Government Relations Deputy

Dustin Carmack is the House Relations Deputy for Heritage Action for America.  Previously, he held numerous positions at The Heritage Foundation before spending a year in Israel studying Hebrew and Arabic.  A Missouri native, Dustin is a graduate of Truman State University.

Dwayne Carson

House Relations Deputy

Dwayne Carson is the House Relations Deputy for Heritage Action for America. Previously, Dwayne served with the Senator Burr (R-NC) campaign as a Regional Political Director. He also worked in North Carolina politics as a consultant for Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) building coalitions in the 5th Congressional district. Dwayne began his career working for Members of Congress as a Legislative Correspondent and Legislative Assistant. Carson holds a degree in Communications and Arts from Oral Roberts University.

Hugh Fike

Sentinel Coordinator

Before joining Heritage Action, Hugh worked as an NRA Field Representative in Wisconsin campaigning for various federal candidates. Hugh has over three years of campaign experience and has worked on Congressional races in California and Wisconsin as well as on Bob McDonnell’s successful gubernatorial campaign in Virginia. Originally from Northern California, Hugh is a graduate of George Mason University. He is currently a graduate student at George Mason’s School of Public Policy and resides in Northern Virginia.

Kathryn Gunter

Development Associate

Before joining Heritage Action Kathryn served as the Finance Director for the Washington State Republican Party. She has participated in and facilitated successful fundraising events for organizations and institutions including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The University of Washington, The Republican National Committee as well as for various conservative candidates across Washington State. Originally from Minnesota, Kathryn is a graduate of The University of Washington.

Dan Holler

Communications Director

Dan Holler is the Communications Director for Heritage Action for America. He is responsible for Heritage Action’s media outreach, pushing for conservative policies, providing conservative insights on upcoming votes and explaining how and why Conservatives often break ranks from the Establishment. Dan also manages Heritage Action’s blog and social media outreach.Prior to his work with Heritage Action, Dan was the Deputy Director of Senate Relations for The Heritage Foundation, where he was responsible for educating Senators and their staffs about think tank’s latest research and policy recommendations, with an emphasis on energy and environment, taxes, health care and national security.

Andrew McIndoe

Development Manager

Andrew McIndoe is the Development Manager for Heritage Action for America. He leads Heritage Action’s fundraising efforts, ensuring the organization has the resources it needs to remain the tip of the conservative spear in Washington. Previously, Andrew was the Director of Development at the Bill of Rights Institute and Development Associate at The Fund for American Studies. He was Morton Blackwell’s intern at the Leadership Institute, a Sarah T. Herman Scholar at the Young America’s Foundation Reagan Ranch Center, and a development intern at The Heritage Foundation. Originally from North Carolina, Andrew graduated with high honors from Grove City College.

Josh Robbins

Government Relations Deputy

Josh Robbins is a Government Relations Deputy for Heritage Action for America.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Studies at Yale University.  Prior to graduation, he was a summer intern in Heritage’s Center for International Trade and Economics and at Heritage Action for America.  He was born in New York, NY and grew up in Lexington, KY.

Katherine Rosario

Communications Deputy

Katherine is the Communications Deputy for Heritage Action for America. Before joining Heritage Action, Katherine completed internships at the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Legal and Judicial Studies and on the Hill in the office of Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-Fl). She graduated from Ave Maria University with a BA in politics. She was born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Erin Kanoy Siefring

Director of House Relations

Erin Kanoy Siefring is the Director of House Relations for Heritage Action for America. She leads Heritage Action’s efforts in the House of Representatives, pushing for conservative policies, providing conservative analysis of upcoming votes and holding Representatives accountable to conservative principles. Erin also works with Representatives and their staffs to introduce Heritage-inspired legislation that advance conservative principles.Prior to her work with Heritage Action, Erin served as the Director of House Relations at The Heritage Foundation, where she developed and implemented strategy for advancing conservative principles in the House of Representatives.

Russ Vought

Political Director

Russ Vought is the Political Director of Heritage Action for America. He provides Heritage Action with key strategic advice on all political and policy issues of concern. He also manages Heritage Action’s issue campaigns and grassroots department, working to identify and empower key activists in order to help them influence elected officials.Before coming to Heritage Action, Russ spent 12 years on Capitol Hill, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, specializing in efforts to control spending and limit the federal government. Most recently, he was the Policy Director for the House Republican Conference, chaired by Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN).

Drew White

Government Relations Deputy

Drew White is a Government Relations Deputy for Heritage Action for America. Previously, he worked in development as part of the Koch Associate Program after spending a year in Israel studying Hebrew and Arabic at Tel Aviv University. He has worked on numerous campaigns at both the local and national level. A native of Alabama, Drew is a graduate of Auburn University.

Nathanael Yellis

Deputy Political Director

Nathanael Yellis is responsible for Heritage Action for America’s web efforts. He was formerly the Business Developer at Yellis & Foley CPAs, an accounting firm serving small and medium businesses in Southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire. A Maine native, Yellis is a graduate of Patrick Henry College and the Acton School of Business.

Elizabeth BeShears

Birmingham Regional Coordinator

Elizabeth BeShears is a life-long Alabamian who worked for Alabama Governor Robert Bentley as a constituent services specialist and policy assistant. Prior to joining the Heritage Action team she worked at the Alabama Policy Institute as a policy analyst and grant coordinator. A graduate of the University of Alabama, she has been active in state, local, and federal campaigns since 2008.

Chip Borman

Chicago Regional Coordinator

Lance “Chip” Borman, Jr. was born and raised in Florida, graduating from Florida State University. Chip has worked for the US Department of Defense and USAID in Iraq, and in various Washington-based policy and political organizations including the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 3M, and the Conference for Republican Majority. He has been involved in congressional, senatorial and presidential elections. Chip worked as a lawyer for the Bush-Gore recounts in Florida in 2000 and in the Norm Coleman Minnesota Senate recount in 2008. Chip completed a 2,162-mile hike of the Appalachian Trail. Before joining Heritage, Chip founded and operated a small business, renovating and refurbishing homes in Northern Virginia.

Kurt Brown

Pittsburgh Regional Coordinator

Kurt Brown, a Pittsburgh native and life-long Steeler fan, became Regional Coordinator after leading a successful voter survey program for Heritage Action in Pennsylvania’s new 12th congressional district. He previously worked for the Evan Feinberg congressional campaign, and is a graduate of The College of Wooster.

Ben Evans

St. Louis Regional Coordinator

Ben Evans has been working with grassroots conservatives since he graduated from law school in 2009. The vibrant tea party community in St. Louis provided many opportunities to become active in the political arena. Ben started with promoting the Missouri Health Care Freedom Act (Prop C) through new media and then managed the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition’s election HQ in 2010. He continued serving on the executive board of the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition while actively promoting conservative ideals to the Missouri Legislature in 2011. He wrote for 24thstate.com, worked a few political campaigns, and then joined Heritage Action. Ben strives to see the tea party movement grow and thrive. Ben graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia (Mizzou) in 2005 with a double major in political science & history, and he graduated from Barry University School of Law in Orlando, Florida in 2009.

Mike Henry

Philadelphia Regional Coordinator

Mike Henry ran a local outreach campaign as an intern for American Majority Action in southeastern Pennsylvania. During the campaign, he worked closely with local tea party groups to organize their canvassing efforts. He is an alumnus of Archmere Academy, in Claymont, Delaware, and will be a 2013 graduate from Pennsylvania State University.

Karen Jaroch

Tampa Regional Coordinator

Karen Jaroch is a University of South Florida graduate and licensed professional engineer from Tampa, FL. After working several years in manufacturing, Karen changed professions and followed her passion into politics. In 2009 she co-founded a vibrant, active tea party and then co-led a successful campaign that defeated a local sales tax increase for light rail despite overwhelming odds. Her efforts led to her board appointment to the local transit agency HART. During the 2012 election cycle she served as a field coordinator in the Tampa area building grassroots relations with conservative organizations while managing a top-producing volunteer phonebank and canvassing center.

Wade Miller

Dallas Regional Coordinator

Wade Miller served in the United States Marine Corps and is an infantry combat veteran with multiple deployments including Iraq and the Horn of Africa. After completing his military service, Wade enrolled at The University of Texas at Dallas and majored in Political Science. While attending university, Wade served as a Bill Archer Fellow and as an intern for the President of The Heritage Foundation, Dr. Edwin J. Feulner. After completing his Heritage Foundation internship, Wade went on to the American Enterprise Institute Summer Institute.

Melody Himel Scalley

Richmond Regional Coordinator

Melody Himel Scalley was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. Melody is a life-long entrepreneur having founded and operated businesses in the hospitality, realty, and communications industries. She was the first woman to run for the 100th Legislative District in Virginia and has worked on numerous state and federal campaigns. She is an avid equestrian and also hosts a conservative talk-radio show.