Program - The Lou Frey Institute

LOU
FREY
INSTITUTE
of POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
at the UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
The Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government is a promotes the
development of enlightened, responsible, and actively engaged citizens. The
Institute accomplishes its mission through civic education programs that
encourage thoughtful debate and discussion about current policy issues;
through experiential learning programs that encourage the development
of civic and political skills; through research, policy analysis, and advocacy;
and, by working with others to help strengthen the civic education capacity
of Florida’s K-12 education system.
In 1968, about 1,900 students were enrolled at Florida’s newest public
university—the University of Central Florida. Today, over 50 years later, UCF
is the second largest in the nation with more than 60,000 students enrolled
and more than 2,000 faculty to carry out President John Hitt’s vision for the
University “to offer the best undergraduate education available in Florida”
and “to be America’s leading partnership university.” UCF now has twelve
colleges, including the College of Medicine and College of Graduate Studies.
In addition to the main campus, UCF has ten regional campuses located
throughout Central Florida.
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Lou Frey Institute Fall 2015 Symposium
2016 Road to the White House
October 5, 2015
University of Central Florida, Student Union, Pegasus Ballroom
9:15-9:30am
Welcome and Introduction of Event
Dr. Daniel C. Holsenbeck, Senior Vice President
for University Relations, UCF
Julia L. Frey, Esq., Shareholder and Chair of
the Private Wealth Services Group, Lowndes,
Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed. P.A.; Executive
Vice President of the Board, Lou Frey Institute
9:30-10:20am
Keynote
Moderator: John C. Bersia, Special Assistant
to the President for Global Perspectives and
Director, UCF
Dr. James A. Thurber, Distinguished Professor
of Government, and Founder and Director of
the Center for Congressional and Presidential
Studies, American University
10:30-11:20am
Advertising Strategies Through the Years
Moderator: Dick Batchelor, President, Dick
Batchelor Management Group
Dr. Jim Kitchens, The Kitchens Group
John Dowless, President and Founder,
Millennium Consulting
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
11:30am-12:20pm
Lunch
12:30-1:20pm
Where’s Campaigning in America Heading?
Moderator: Brian Barrett, Florida State Director,
Republican National Committee
Brian Kirchberg, Former State House Campaign
Manager and Field Operative
Ryan Houck, Communications Strategist & Media
Consultant, Consensus Communications
1:30-2:15pm
Why You Should be Engaged
Moderator: Dr. Stephen Masyada, Director,
Florida Joint Center for Citizenship
Tyler Yeargain, Legislative Affairs Coordinator,
Student Government Association, UCF
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Honorable Lou Frey, Jr.
Julia L. Frey, Esq.
Founder, Lou Frey Institute
Shareholder and Chair of the Private
Partner, Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster,
Wealth Services Group, Lowndes,
Kantor, & Reed, P.A.
Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed. P.A.
Executive Vice President of the
Board, Lou Frey Institute
Roy Lassiter
Chair, Board of Directors, Lou Frey
Institute
Marcia Frey
Retired Chairman, American Pioneer
Community Leader
Title Insurance Company
Frank A. Hamner
Dick Batchelor
Frank A. Hamner, P.A.
Founder and President, Dick
Executive V.P., Lou Frey Institute
Batchelor Management Group, Inc.
Board of Directors
John C. Bersia
Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D.
Special Assistant to the President for
Pegasus Professor and Chair,
Global Perspectives and University
Department of Political Science,
Professor, University of Central
University of Central Florida
Florida
Roger Handberg, Ph.D.
Todd Flemming
Professor and Past Chair,
President and CEO, Advantor
Department of Political Science,
University of Central Florida
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Robert J. Holmes, Jr.
Jim Mahaffey
Chairman, The Mahaffey Apartment
Special Asst. to the President for
Company, Inc.
Principal Gifts Development UCF
Foundation, Inc.
Roger Pynn, APR
President, Curley & Pynn
Rev. Larry Hopkins
Public Relations & Marketing
Macedonia Missionary Baptist
Communications
Church
Arthur F. Tait, Jr.
Michael Johnson, Ph.D.
President, Venture Associates Corp.
Dean, College of Sciences, University
of Central Florida
Bob Travelstead, AIA, LEED AP
Sr. Architect, Walt Disney World
Oscar Juarez
Resort
President, Juarez and Associates
L. Douglas Dobson, Ph.D.
Drew N. Lanier, J.D., Ph.D.
Executive Director, Lou Frey Institute
Associate Professor of Political
Science, Department of Political
Science, UCF
Fellow, Lou Frey Institute
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T H E H O N O R A B L E LO U F R E Y, J R .
Lou Frey has served our country for most of his life, beginning his journey in
1955 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was on active duty until 1958, and
then continued his military career until 1978, retiring as a Captain in the Navy
Reserve.
In 1961, Lou became the Assistant County Solicitor in Orange County, Florida,
and began his long career in public service and politics. Since that time,
he has served the people of Florida in many different capacities, including
five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 to 1979; he was a
member of the Republican House Leadership in the 93rd and 94th Congress.
Lou was dedicated to his Florida constituents, and they to him. In his last
campaign, he received nearly 80% of the vote in a Democratic district. He
was also a candidate in Florida for Governor and Senator.
The impact of Lou Frey’s time in Congress, and his vision and leadership,
can still be felt today in Central Florida. When it became apparent in the
early 1970’s that McCoy Air Force Base would be closed, Congressman Frey
appealed to President Richard Nixon to let the City of Orlando take over the
property for $1.00 and turn it into a commercial airfield. He then worked to
get it designated as we know it today, Orlando International Airport.
Always thinking of Florida’s future, Congressman Frey worked to halt a
planned relocation of the Navy simulation organization, thereby preserving
the integrity of what today is known as “Team Orlando.” This great effort
was recognized by his induction into the National Center for Simulation’s
inaugural Hall of Fame on March 26, 2014. The Orlando Business Journal
analyzed Lou’s roles in these two events in a May 2, 2014 article entitled, Lou
Frey’s Billion-Dollar Impact on Central Florida’s Economy.
In recognition of the entirety and impact of Lou Frey’s public career, the
U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC) presented him their
Lifetime Achievement Award on the floor of the U.S. House during their Annual
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T H E H O N O R A B L E LO U F R E Y, J R .
Meeting June 17, 2015. This is only the second time that FMC has presented
this award with the first honoree being President George H. W. Bush.
Congressman Frey is past president of the U.S. Association of Former
Members of Congress, and in 2009 he was the recipient of its Distinguished
Service Award. This Award recognizes a former Member of Congress who has
shown an exemplary dedication to public service before, during, or after his
or her time on Capitol Hill. He shares the honor with past recipients Gerald
Ford, Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, Dick Cheney, Al Gore, Bob Dole, and George
Mitchell.
Congressman Frey has also been a leader on the baseball field, and in
2008 he was inducted into the Congressional Baseball Hall of Fame. He was
named the Republican’s most valuable player three times between 1968
and 1978, and helped lead them to eight victories in 10 games against the
Democrats. He was known for his speed on the bases and as a defensive
force to be reckoned with at shortstop. During his years in Congress he was
such an enthusiast for the annual political hardball game that his picture
was included on a Sears, Roebuck and Co. baseball card with Major League
legend Willie Mays that celebrated the Congressional game. That card is
part of a collection at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in
Cooperstown, N.Y.
Though his impact has been long term and important to the state of
Florida, it is Congressman Frey’s dedication to the youth of America and
his commitment to teaching them about public service that has marked
his career. While in Congress, Frey was instrumental in involving young
Americans in their government, and co-authored the 1969 report, Youth of
America: Congress Looks at the Campus. The report called for the 18-year-old
vote, draft reform, expansion of various student loan programs, opposition
to repressive legislation against colleges where protests against the Vietnam
War took place, and establishment of a Commission on Higher Education.
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T H E H O N O R A B L E LO U F R E Y, J R .
Additionally, he established a high school intern program where more than
300 students from his district who were elected by their peers, came to
Washington for seven days to learn firsthand about their government.
Today, Frey continues his work with young Americans. He is the founder of
the internationally recognized Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government
at the University of Central Florida, which over the last 13 years, has become
one of the most important institutes in the nation. The Lou Frey Institute is
a nonpartisan nonprofit which promotes the development of enlightened,
responsible, and engaged citizens.
Frey is a partner in the law firm of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed
in Orlando, Florida. He has edited and written two books on the Congress:
Inside the House: Former Members Reveal How Congress Really Works and
Political Rules of the Road: Representatives, Senators and Presidents Share
their Rules for Success in Congress, Politics and Life.
Frey graduated cum laude from Colgate University in 1955 with Honors in
English. He graduated with highest honors from the University of Michigan
Law School in 1961, was a member of the Order of the Coif, the Barristers,
and Assistant Editor of the Law Review.
He is married to the former Marcia Turner and has five children, seven
grandchildren and one great grandchild.
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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
The Institute’s programs and projects are all aimed at a single unifying goal:
to encourage responsible and engaged citizenship. A wide variety of partners
have joined us to help realize that mission.
The Lou Frey Institute Symposia are held in the fall and spring of each year.
They provide opportunities for high school and college students to interact
with local, state, and national leaders as they explore critical issues facing
the state and the nation. Symposia are streamed live and may be viewed at
www.loufreyinstitute.org. Archived videos from previous symposia may also
be viewed at the Institute’s website and at http://www.youtube.com/user/
LouFreyInstitute/videos.
The Florida Joint Center for Citizenship is a formal partnership between
the Institute and the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University
of Florida. Its work focuses on strengthening civic education in the state’s
K-12 education system and on public policy that affects civic education
in Florida. In 2010, the Florida Legislature gave reality to the Frey-Graham
Civics Education Initiative by adopting the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
Civics Education Act. That Act requires the inclusion of civics material in
reading programs from kindergarten through high school and creates a new
emphasis on teaching civics by requiring a statewide civics end-of-course
examination in the seventh grade.
Since the passage of the O’Connor Act, the Institute has received support
from the Florida Legislature to develop a variety of programs and tools to
assist school districts as they implement the O’Connor Act. These include the
following:
The Applied Civics Curriculum for Middle School provides lessons for a
full year of seventh grade civics instruction. Developed by senior faculty
at UCF, UF, and USF working with classroom teachers from Pinellas,
Orange, Hillsborough, Volusia, and Leon counties, it provides professional
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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
development support for teachers and classroom lessons that may be used
with or without a textbook.
The Civics Curriculum for Elementary School, developed in partnership
with Leon County Schools, Just Read! Florida and many other partners,
provides lessons that integrate all of Florida’s K-5 civics benchmarks with
reading and language arts benchmarks.
The Institute’s Professional Development programs are helping teachers
throughout the state to become more effective civic educators. In addition
to workshops and seminars offered on-site, Teaching Middle School Civics
is a self-paced, online training program that helps teachers understand and
teach all of Florida’s middle school benchmarks in civics.
The Civics End-of-Course Review Site, developed in partnership with
Escambia County School (http://www.ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/civics)
provides students with review materials for each of the state’s 7th grade
civics benchmarks. It also provides practice test items that students
and their parents may use as they prepare for the civics end of course
examination.
The Civics Connection is a video-based, internet-delivered set of lessons
that engages former members of Congress to help high school students
understand Congress and the issues it faces. It was developed in partnership
with the College Board and the United States Association of Former Members
of Congress to support instruction in AP U.S. Government and Politics as well
as other U.S. Government and Civics courses.
Partnerships are a key component of the Institute’s work. With support
from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, for example, the Institute
partnered with Leon County Schools in the development of a district-wide
K-12 Applied Civics Initiative. That Initiative’s goal was to foster opportunities
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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
for active, experiential learning that builds civic knowledge, develops civic
skills, and encourage civic dispositions that are consistent with democratic
governance. The lessons learned from the Leon County partnership are
now being used to assist other districts throughout the state. Currently, the
Institute is working with Pinellas County Schools, Miami-Dade County Public
Schools and the Lake Wales Charter System to help address the challenge of
integrating civics in the already crowded elementary classroom.
Florida’s Civic Health Index is the result of a partnership with the National
Conference on Citizenship. Now entering its seventh year, the Index measures
the condition of the state’s civic health and, over time, will allow us to chart
progress in efforts to strengthen our civic culture. Recently, the Institute’s
work on the Florida Civic Health Index has transitioned to an interactive
website that will permit citizens and leaders to track the state’s progress in
strengthening its civic culture.
The Institute’s newest initiative, The Partnership for Civic Learning,
will bring together state and local education policymakers and education
researchers to develop a long-term, data-driven, continuous improvement
process to ensure that all students in all parts of the state receive the quality
civic education they deserve. With rigorous analysis of data drawn from the
state’s unique Education Data Warehouse and other sources, the Partnership
will develop and test outcome-driven curricular materials, instructional
pedagogies, and professional development focused on improving student
learning outcomes. The Partnership will also study the implementation of
the O’Connor Act provisions in schools and districts, helping to strengthen
accountability in K-12 civics education.
The newest book by Lou Frey and Aubrey Jewett, Political Rules of the Road:
Representatives, Senators, and Presidents Share Their Rules for Success in
Congress, Politics, and Life is a collection of insider wisdom and advice that
focuses on politics in America. The book is the result of materials that Lou
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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
Frey collected from friends and colleagues over a period of 20 years. It is
published by the University Press of America and was a joint project of the
Institute and the United States Association of Former Members of Congress,
who are the recipients of the proceeds of all Congressman Frey’s books.
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SPEAKER BIOS
Brian Barrett
Brian Barrett recently served as the RNC Victory Director for the State of
Georgia, overseeing the grassroots program for both Governor Nathan Deal
and Senator David Perdue’s successful 2014 campaigns. Brian also oversaw
the ground operations that helped unseat Democratic incumbent John
Barrow in Georgia’s 12th Congressional District. Brian started working in
Victory in 2009, where he was the Absentee Ballot Director for the Republican
Party of Virginia, which helped Governor Bob McDonnell win office with
historic margins.
Dick Batchelor
Dick J. Batchelor, who is a former member of the Florida House of
Representatives, is uniquely qualified with more than 40 years of political
experience. His intimate knowledge of the political landscape on all levels
makes him one of the most savvy analysts and coveted strategists in the
state of Florida. From his offices in Orlando, Mr. Batchelor is dedicated to
helping clients near and far achieve their goals and prepare for what’s next.
Dick is first and foremost a savvy businessman who prides himself on
delivering results for his clients. He has been named one of “The 50 Most
Powerful People” by Orlando Magazine (2004 to 2014), the 2002 “Central
Floridian of the Year” by The Orlando Sentinel, the 2002 “Businessman of
the Year” by Orlando Business Journal, and the 2008 & 2009 “Best Corporate
Citizen” by Orlando Magazine.
He is one of the youngest individuals ever to serve in the Florida House
(1974-1982), where he was chairman of the Auditing Committee, the Health
and Rehabilitative Services Committee and the House Energy Committee. He
was also chairman of four subcommittees and is the recipient of more than
50 awards for his legislative service.
Dick Batchelor is a longtime Orlando resident and received degrees from the
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University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College. He is a veteran
of the Vietnam War, having served in the United States Marine Corps.
A concerned and caring neighbor, Batchelor continued his commitment to
his community when he left the Florida Legislature in 1982. He currently
serves as board chairman for Florida Hospital for Children, Florida Hospital
Foundation, Orange County Children’s Leadership Alliance, and he is cochairman of the Orange County Domestic Violence Commission and the
Orange County Children’s Summit.
Batchelor also serves as a board member with First Amendment Foundation,
Florida’s Children First and Florida Tuskegee Airmen. Most recently,
Batchelor was named to the board of directors for Leadership Florida,
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando, and Boys & Girls Clubs of
Central Florida.
In 2014, Batchelor was appointed by City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer
to serve as a Commissioner for the Orlando Housing Authority. In 2015,
Batchelor was asked by Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to lead the
Family Homelessness Committee of the Central Florida Commission on
Homelessness.
He served for more than 30 years as honorary chairman of the “Dick
Batchelor Run for the Children,” an annual 5-K run that raised funds—more
than $1,000,000 to date—to treat abused children.
His knowledge of international affairs also has garnered recognition by The
White House, including presidential appointments as a delegate to observe
elections in South Africa and as a delegate to United Nations Human Rights
Commission.
Dick Batchelor currently appears weekly as an on-air political analyst for
Central Florida News 13, and has served as a regular on-air political analyst
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for FOX WOFL-TV, WMFE (NPR) radio and WDBO radio (Cox Broadcasting)
for a number of years. He is frequently interviewed for political analysis and
expertise by other television, radio and print journalists.
He and his wife, Orlando news media veteran Andrea Coudriet, have three
sons.
John C. Bersia
John C. Bersia, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 2000, is a global educator and
journalist. He serves as Special Assistant to the President for Global
Perspectives, as Director of the Global Perspectives Office and as a University
Professor at the University of Central Florida. He also writes a weekly foreignaffairs column that is internationally distributed by McClatchy-Tribune
Information Services. Bersia previously served as a Foreign-Affairs Columnist
and Editorial Board Member for the Orlando Sentinel. During that time, he
won the first Pulitzer Prize of the 21st century for the Sentinel, as well as for
its parent organization, the Tribune Co. Additionally, he is the recipient of
the Walker Stone Award of the Scripps Howard Foundation, the first-place
“Green Eyeshade” editorials award of the Society of Professional Journalists,
the annual Media Award for Editorial Excellence of The National Association
of Consumer Advocates and other national awards.
Earlier, Bersia worked in the global political-risk analysis and publishing
businesses, as well as for the federal government. He is the author of World
War 4: Confronting Terrorism (2003), serves as Editor of the Worldviews
for the 21st Century monograph series, and has written thousands of
commentaries on global issues. He hosts the “Global Perspectives Show”
on the UCF Channel, co-chairs the UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program’s
advisory board and co-directs The India Program at UCF.
Further, he is the Chair (a voluntary position) of the Global Connections
Foundation, a non-profit, non-ideological, non-political, regional,
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educational network that promotes international awareness and
understanding. Bersia holds an M.Sc. in International Relations from
the London School of Economics; an M.S.P.I.A. in Public Information
Administration from The American University; an M.A. in Government
(Foreign Policy) from Georgetown University; and a B.A. in Political Science
(International Relations) and French from UCF.
John Dowless
John Dowless is President and founder of Millennium Consulting, a political
public relations and marketing firm based in Orlando, FL. John is a native
Floridian with more than 20 years of experience in Florida elections that
includes two presidential campaigns, a United States Senate race and
multiple state legislative, county commission and municipal elections. In
between campaign cycles, Mr. Dowless works with various corporate clients
to build community support on local, state and federal issues and projects.
Before his election to the Edgewood City Council in March 2011, John was
appointed to Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs’ Jobs and Economic
Summits Commission. Prior to that, he also served on Orange County’s
Membership, Missions and Review Board (MMRB) and was appointed by the
Florida Secretary of Transportation to serve on the LYNX Citizens Advisory
Council from 2002-2004. John’s extensive career in politics includes previous
positions with the National Republican Congressional and Senatorial
Committees, the Republican Party of Florida and serving as the Executive
Director of the Florida Christian Coalition. In 1999, John served as Florida
Director for the Steve Forbes Presidential Campaign and temporarily
relocated to work the Iowa Caucuses.
John’s client list of current and former elected officials span from
Presidential, U.S. Senate, multiple Congressional, legislative and municipal
elections. Some currently elected officials include Orange County Mayor
Teresa Jacobs, State Representatives Chris Dorworth, Eric Eisnaugle, Mike
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Horner, Kelli Stargel, Jason Brodeur, Orange County Commissioners Scott
Boyd and Jennifer Thompson, Seminole County Commissioner Dick Van Der
Weide, Osceola County Commissioners John Quinones and Frank Attkison,
and several school board and city council members in Orange, Seminole,
Osceola and Lake Counties.
John graduated from Auburn University with a Business Degree in Economics
and from the American Campaign Academy in Washington, DC. John
currently resides in the Orlando area and serves and supports several
charitable organizations including House of Hope for troubled teens, the
Central Florida Employment Council/ Christian HELP, BETA Center for unwed
mothers and Quest for those with developmental disabilities.
Julia L. Frey
Julie Frey is board certified by The Florida Bar in Wills, Trusts and Estates and
is Past President of the Orange County Bar Association. Her principal areas
of practice are estate planning, probate, trust administration, guardianship,
elder law and federal tax. Julie counsels a broad range of clients, including
high net worth clients with needs for sophisticated estate planning
techniques, physicians and others who have specific needs with respect to
asset protection, couples who are in second marriages, same-sex couples,
domestic partners, “sandwich generation” individuals who have planning
concerns for their parents, their children and themselves, and individuals
with a net worth that may not be subject to estate tax but who have planning
needs and concerns for children, special needs trusts and other important
issues.
In 2006, Julie was selected as a Top 50 Female Attorney by Super Lawyers.
She has been featured as a “Best Lawyer in America for Trust & Estates Law,”
in The American Lawyer. Julie was selected for inclusion in the 2006-2015
Florida Super Lawyers and listed in Best Lawyers in America 2005-2016. Julie
received the “40 under 40” Award from the Orlando Business Journal.
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Since 2003, Julie has been Executive Vice President of the Board of the Lou
Frey Institute of Government and Politics at the University of Central Florida.
She is a member of the 7th Congressional District Service Academy Advisory
Board. Julie is Chair of WMFE Board of Trustees, and Secretary of the
American Red Cross of Greater Orlando.
Daniel C. Holsenbeck
Dan Holsenbeck is currently Senior Vice President for University Relations
and Director of Governmental Relations at the University of Central Florida.
In those positions, he supervises UCF’s state legislative, local government,
and congressional liaison. He also serves the President of the University of
Central Florida in numerous public relations and advisory capacities. He has
held similar positions at four institutions including Auburn University.
Dan holds a B.S. in Mathematics (with honors) from Auburn University, a
M.Ed. from the Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education
Management Systems from the Florida State University.
In 1999, Dan received the highest national recognition for his state relations
activities, the Swede Johnson Award sponsored by CASE, NASULGC and
AASCU. He has written, spoken, published, and taught extensively on all
aspects of public relations, governmental relations, teaching and testing in
postsecondary education.
Dan is a Captain (Retired) in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was Director of Basic
Enlisted Mathematics for the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power School from 1967-69.
Ryan Houck
A nationally recognized writer, director and communications specialist,
Ryan creates advertising and strategy for leading companies, campaigns
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and causes. His work has headlined The Drudge Report, earned millions
of hits on YouTube and received coverage from Fox News, MSNBC, The Hill,
RealClearPolitics, Rush Limbaugh and numerous others.
In 2014, Ryan published a book on generational politics with Post Hill Press
called Will America Fail? Upon its release, the book quickly shot to the top
of Amazon’s National Politics, Elections and Commentary titles. Ryan’s work
also includes multi-million hit viral videos, innovative ads for Fortune 500
companies and winning TV spots in campaigns across the country—from
Florida and North Carolina to Alabama and Minnesota.
Prior to joining Consensus Communications, Ryan was executive director
of the historic Vote No on 4 campaign in 2010—a $16 million statewide
campaign that transformed a 30-point deficit into a 2-to-1 victory. He is
also a veteran of Mel Martinez’s successful U.S. Senate bid in 2004 and an
alumnus of his Senate staff.
Ryan has periodically written for conservative national news outlets,
including The Daily Caller, CNS News, and Townhall.com A frequent public
speaker, Ryan serves as spokesman for the national free market watchdog
group, Free Market America. His work includes numerous published print
articles as well as documentary directing credits.
Ryan lives with his wife, Jennifer, in Orlando, Florida, where in 2012 he was
honored as one of the Orlando Business Journal’s “40 under 40.”
Brian Kirchberg
Brian Kirchberg is a graduate of the Political Campaigning Graduate program
at the University of Florida. He has worked as a campaign operative in
numerous campaigns at the local, state, and Congressional levels in both
Florida and Minnesota and has advised dozens of local candidates on the
best ways to grow grassroots support within a community. His campaign
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experience is mainly as a field organizer, though he has also acted as
communications director and campaign manager when called upon. He is
currently teaching AP United States Government and Politics at Braden River
High School in Bradenton, FL.
Dr. Jim Kitchens
Dr. Jim Kitchens is an attitude and mass persuasion specialist with a Ph.D. in
political communication from the University of Florida. He was a professor
at the University of Alabama and Texas Christian University. To date, Dr.
Kitchens has published 20 articles in academic journals. He has guest
lectured at the University of Florida, the University of Kansas, the University
of Alabama- Birmingham, Western Kentucky University, and Eastern Illinois
University. In the spring of 2016 Dr. Kitchens will join the faculty of the
Graduate Program in Political Campaigning at the University of Florida. He
will be teaching survey research to Master’s and Doctoral candidates.
In 1983, Dr. Kitchens founded The Kitchens Group, now one of the oldest
public opinion research firms in the country. Dr. Kitchens has served as
a pollster and strategist for campaigns at all levels of American politics,
advising more than 40 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Dr.
Kitchens has consulted for numerous statewide campaigns for U.S. Senate,
Governor, and State Cabinet positions.
In addition to political campaigns, Dr. Kitchens has served as a public
opinion consultant for major trade associations and corporations. His clients
have included Jos. A. Bank, Verizon, SWEPCO (Southwest Electric Power
Company), Lowes Home Improvement Stores, SEIU, The Nature Conservancy
and the Louisiana AFL-CIO.
To date, The Kitchens Group has interviewed more than 5 million Americans
on a wide spectrum of subjects including Presidential elections, purchasing
men’s suits, the use of social media by Wall Street investors, and retirement
plans for the Boomer Generation.
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In addition to being one of the oldest public opinion research firms in the
country, The Kitchens Group is one of the most innovative research firms.
Starting in 2011, The Kitchens Group began executing random sample
surveys via the Internet. With Pew Research indicating that nearly half the
population in America was no longer reachable by telephone and 80% of
Americans were using the Internet every day, The Kitchens Group realized
obtaining a true sample of the population would require a new methodology.
The Kitchens Group is now one of the leaders in Internet polling in America.
Dr. Steve Masyada
Dr. Steve Masyada is director of the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship at the
Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government. Prior to becoming director,
he spent more than two years as a state level K-12 social studies consultant
with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. He has also taught
middle and high school social studies in North Carolina and Florida, and
is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. Dr. Masyada earned his
Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida in 2013.
He is married to Susie and is raising his seven year old daughter Meghan as a
proper Red Sox and Patriots fan with a passion for civics.
James A. Thurber
James A. Thurber is University Distinguished Professor of Government and
Founder (1979) and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential
Studies (american.edu/ccps) at American University, Washington, D.C.
Under his direction, CCPS organizes biannually the Campaign Management
Institute and the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute over the last two
decades. He was the principal investigator of a seven-year grant from The
Pew Charitable Trusts to study campaign conduct. He was also the principal
investigator of a four-year study of lobbying and ethics for the Committee for
Economic Development and is working with The Organization for Economic
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SPEAKER BIOS
Co-operation and Development (OECD-Paris) on international lobbying and
ethics reform.
Dr. Thurber has been on the faculty at American University since 1974 and
was honored as the University Scholar/Teacher of the Year in 1996. He was
awarded the Senator Mark O. Hatfield Public Policy Scholar of the Year for
2013 by Portland State University. He was also received the 2010 Walter
Beach Pi Sigma Alpha American Political Science Association award for his
work combining applied and academic research. He was given the 2010
School of Public Affairs award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research, and
Professional Contributions. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public
Administration. He is a member of the American Bar Association’s Task Force
on Lobbying Law Reform.
He is author of numerous books and more than eighty articles and chapters
on Congress, congressional-presidential relations, congressional budgeting,
congressional reform, interest groups and lobbying, congressional ethics,
and campaigns and elections. His forthcoming book is American Gridlock:
The Sources, Character and Impact of Political Polarization (with Antoine
Yoshinaka). He is an author or editor of Rivals for Power: PresidentialCongressional Relations (2013, 5th Ed.), Campaigns and Elections, American
Style (with Candice Nelson, 2013, 5th Ed.), Obama in Office (2011), Congress
and the Internet (with Colton Campbell, 2002), The Battle for Congress:
Consultants, Candidates, and Voters (2001), Crowded Airwaves: Campaign
Advertising in Elections (with Candice J. Nelson and David A. Dulio, 2000),
Campaign Warriors: Political Consultants in Elections (2000), Remaking
Congress: The Politics of Congressional Stability and Change (with Roger
Davidson, 1995), Divided Democracy: Cooperation and Conflict Between
Presidents and Congress (1991), and Setting Course: A Congressional
Management Guide (with Chaleff, Loomis, Light, and Serota, first three
editions starting in 1988, 1990, and 1992). He co-produced three BBC-TV
documentaries on the U.S. Congress and elections.
22
SPEAKER BIOS
Dr. Thurber earned a BS in political science from the University of Oregon
and a Ph.D. in political science from Indiana University and was an American
Political Science Association Congressional Fellow.
He served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, U.S.
Senator William Brock, U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III, and Representative
David Obey. He was Director of the Washington DC based Human Affairs
Research Centers of the Battelle Memorial Institute and served as acting
Dean of the School of Government and Public Administration at American
University.
Tyler Yeargain
Tyler Yeargain is a senior at the University of Central Florida majoring in
Political Science—Pre-Law. He currently serves as the Legislative Affairs
Coordinator in the Student Government Association, and is tasked with
organizing voter registration drives, maintaining relationships with federal,
state, and local policymakers and elected officials, and shaping the SGA’s
legislative priorities. During the 2014 election cycle, he worked as the Deputy
Regional Director for Voter Expansion for the Charlie Crist campaign, and has
a deep level of experience as an organizer for other local campaigns.
23
LFI PATRONS
Congressman and Mrs. Lou Frey, Jr.
Julia Frey and Dr. David J. Carter
Frank A. Hamner and Lauren Frey Hamner
Christine E. Frey
Venture Associates Corporation
James W. Mahaffey
Arthur F. Tait
Bryce L. West Foundation, Inc.
Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.
George L. Mackay Trust
The National Center for Simulation
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OUR SPONSORS
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