Lindsay Craig

President

Stephanie Cates

Regional Development Lead, Southwest

Stephanie Cates is NRI’s Regional Development Lead in the Southwest. Based in Phoenix, she fosters relationships with NRI friends and donors throughout the Southwestern U.S. Prior to NRI, Stephanie spent 24 years directing the marketing and communications for a consumer packaged goods manufacturer in Spokane, Washington.

Stephanie is excited to meet new people who are equally passionate about promoting the conservative movement, while being closer to family in Arizona and Southern California. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, wine tasting, and exploring the unique beauty of the desert Southwest. She graduated from Grove City College with a B.A. in Communications, and laments that she missed having William F. Buckley Jr. as her commencement speaker by one year.

Margaret Farris

Regional Development Lead, Florida

Margaret Farris is NRI’s Regional Development Lead in Florida. With more than 30- years experience leading nonprofits and associations in the areas of marketing and development, Margaret looks forward to meeting both new and old friends of NRI alike, keeping William Buckley’s legacy of conservative, disciplined principles in the forefront of current and future generations.

A fifth-generation Floridian, Margaret comes from a family committed to public service. Recognized for her work with youth and education, she enjoys volunteering her time to the Big Bend of the United Way and Leon County schools. An avid cook, she and her husband enjoy entertaining with friends and family, and spoiling their two dogs, Jack and Emmy.

Frank Filocomo

Program Manager

Frank Filocomo is the Program Manager at National Review Institute. Frank graduated the Wilf Family Department of Politics at New York University. His focus was American government and U.S. trade policy. As an undergraduate student, he attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights. There he chaired the St. Thomas Moore Pre Law Society’s Mock Trial Committee; founded the William McKinley Society, a free speech club and; is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. In his free time, Frank is a jazz guitarist who plays at various restaurants and cafes throughout New York City. He was formerly an intern and development assistant at NRI.

Matthew Jean-Baptiste

Office Services Coordinator

Matthew Jean-Baptiste is the Office Services Coordinator at National Review Institute, where manages reception and provides administrative support. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He holds a BA in Communications from Brooklyn College and has a wealth of office-support experience. He enjoys music and sports and currently resides in Brooklyn.

John Korpacz

Chief Financial Officer

John Korpacz is the Chief Financial Officer at National Review Institute. John was most recently the Vice President of Finance and Controller at Intermix Holdco, LLC. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Finance for Thomson Reuters and Vice President and Controller for Nielsen Business Media. He has extensive experience working in start-up environments as well as Fortune 200 sized organizations. He graduated from City University of New York with a BA in Accounting and Information Systems, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Ashley C. MacLeay

Senior Director of External Affairs

Ashley C. MacLeay is the senior director of external affairs for National Review Institute. Prior to joining NRI, Ashley worked in external relations and coalition development at Independent Women’s Forum and its sister organization Independent Women’s Voice. Ashley received her B.A in Government & Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park and holds a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. She also spent time studying at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

Ashley is currently elected as Washington DC’s national committeewoman to the Republican National Committee and was previously elected to a four year term as the at-large representative to the DC State Board of Education. She serves on the board of directors for the nonprofit organization Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) which helps to preserve elections as the democratic voice of the people. Ashley lives with her husband and three young sons and is active in her local community.

Karlene Maharaj

Database Administrator

Karlene Maharaj is the Development Operations Coordinator at National Review Institute, responsible for managing the direct mail program, providing financial reporting and campaign analysis, and assisting the development staff in outreach, logistics, marketing, follow-up, and events. Karlene has worked in the development arena for almost 10 years. Her passion for fundraising began when she worked for an organization that served veterans and their families, a mission very close to her own story. Throughout her career, she has worked vigorously to connect donors to the stories of “why one gives” and to the messaging of an organization’s mission.

As both a wife and mother, Karlene pursued her academic goals online, attending the School of Professional Studies, CUNY in New York for her B.A. in Business Administration. Her personal and professional affiliations include sitting on the board of her children’s private school PTA since 2008, first as the PTA president and then as the Parent Teacher Liaison. She has also been a participating member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP).

Nicholas Mosvick

Buckley Legacy Project Manager (Made possible by the Apgar Foundation), Regional Coordinator, Burke to Buckley Fellowship Program, Philadelphia

Nicholas Mosvick serves as the Buckley Legacy Project Manager at National Review Institute. He was previously a Senior Fellow in Constitutional Content at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota, where he studied history and political science, before getting his J.D. and M.A. at the University of Virginia in legal history in 2010 and his PhD in US history from the University of Mississippi in 2019. His research interests include nineteenth century American constitutionalism, the Lochner Era, the history of American military conscription, and originalism and the common law. He is currently under contract with the University of Kansas Press to publish his first book, Legalizing the Draft: Jacksonian Constitutionalism, the American Civil War, and the Legitimization of Military Conscription. He lives with his wife Lindsey and two sons Connor and Lincoln in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

Alexander Ross

Development Assistant

Alexander Ross serves as a development assistant at National Review Institute. He graduated from Bates College with a degree in politics and history while being a four-year two sport varsity athlete. During his time at Bates College, Alex was elected as the vice-chairman of the Maine College Republicans as a sophomore, and served as the president of his respective college’s Republican Club. Alex has previously worked as an executive assistant for The Fund for American Studies and The Madison Coalition. He is also a current member of The Barker Welfare Foundation as a Grants Committee officer. In Alex’s free time he enjoys playing the saxophone and playing baseball in the Central Park league on the weekends.

Sherri Rowton

Regional Development Lead, Southeast

Sherri Joullian Rowton is NRI’s Regional Development Lead for the Southeast. She joined NRI after retiring from her alma mater, Auburn University, where she spent over two decades as a development officer with the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

Her career in fundraising began at The Dallas Arboretum as its membership manager. Sherri is involved in several community organizations, including the Opelika Historic Preservation Society and East Alabama Youth for Christ. She is based in Opelika, Alabama, and she and her husband Philip are parents to two sons, both of whom are current Auburn students.

Kristen Welch

Executive Assistant

Kristen Welch is the Executive Assistant at National Review Institute, responsible for maintaining Lindsay Craig’s schedule and for completing administrative tasks around the office. Kristen graduated from Grove City College in Western Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Political Science and Economics.

Manfred Wendt

Student Outreach Coordinator

Manfred Wendt is the Student Outreach Coordinator for National Review Institute. He is responsible for the NRI on Campus program and the WFB Communicators program, building relationships between the Institute and college students and recruiting for internships and fellowships. He is a proud graduate of Trinity University with a political science degree in 2018. His previous experience includes serving as Executive Director for the Young Conservatives of Texas Foundation, Congressman Chip Roy, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He is a proud member of the Philadelphia Society. In his spare time, he enjoys Crossfit, country western dance, sports, and slowpitch softball. His teams of choice are the Green Bay Packers, TCU Horned Frogs, Texas Rangers, and Trinity Tigers.

Lydie White

Board of Trustees Liaison

Lydie White is the Board of Trustees Liaison, responsible for updating, coordinating with, and providing information to NRI’s board. Previously, she worked as the Director of Finance and Operations at NRI, overseeing internal operations, accounting, and event planning and providing administrative assistance directly to NRI’s president. Prior to joining NRI, Lydie worked in operations and finance for the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. Originally from Georgia, Lydie earned her B.A. in History from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina and her J.D. from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. She and her husband, John Anderson, reside in Georgia.

Jason Wise

Regional Development Lead, Northwest

Jason Wise is the Regional Development Lead for the Northwestern United States, managing and facilitating donor outreach and development. Having read National Review since the early days of the website, his association with the magazine started in 2002 when he sailed the Mediterranean on what was to become the first of many NR cruises—now up to 17. He served as an NRI trustee from 2005 to 2015. Prior to joining NRI, Jason worked as an equity trader in the hedge fund industry for 19 years in San Francisco, New York City, and Connecticut. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington. He now lives in his hometown of Seattle.

Ilana Wolf

Accounting and Operations Manager

Ilana Wolf is the Accounting and Operations Manager at NRI. In this role she is responsible for NRI’s accounting and finance, manages human resource-related functions, and supports management and development operations. Ilana came to NRI from Airline Pros in New York City, where she was responsible for all accounting duties for many of their foreign and domestic entities. She has payroll and HR-related experience with former employers. She majored in Accounting at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Ilana lived in Russia and Israel before moving to the U.S. She and her family live in New Jersey.

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Lynn Gibson

Manager, Burke to Buckley Fellowship Program

Lynn Gibson serves as the Manager of the Burke to Buckley Fellowship Program—a multi-session program that consists of in-person meetings around the country, as well as two levels of virtual courses. Her professional career has spanned the academic, governmental, nonprofit, and private sectors. She currently works for a small family foundation. Her previous employers and/or consulting clients have included the National Math and Science Initiative, The Philanthropy Roundtable, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Senate, The Heritage Foundation, and her alma mater, Grove City College. Lynn has a B.S. in Biology from Grove City College and a Master’s degree in Student Personnel from Slippery Rock University. She is from Youngstown, Ohio.

Michael Brakey

Regional Coordinator, Burke to Buckley Fellowship Program, Dallas 

Michael Brakey is a Managing Director and the Head of Strategic Client Solutions for Rockefeller Capital Management. Mr. Brakey also serves on the Rockefeller Capital Management Committee. Prior to joining Rockefeller, Mr. Brakey was a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, which he joined in 2011 to accelerate the firm’s banking growth strategy. At Morgan Stanley, he developed and led the High Net Worth lending and Private Banking Group strategy. Previously, Mr. Brakey spent 17 years at Merrill Lynch, later Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he finished as a Managing Director and Head of Global Wealth Credit Strategy and Investment Lending. Mike is an accomplished public speaker and graduate of the Wharton Securities Industry Institute. He began his career in the Corporate Lending unit of Bank One (now JPM) and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Mike received his MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Mike and his wife of 32+ years, Gigi, have recently moved back home to Dallas from New York. They have 2 children, Jolie and Chris, both serving as officers and on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. Michael can be reached at dallas@nrinstitute.org. 

Matt Driskill

Regional Coordinator, Burke to Buckley Fellowship Program, New York City

Matt Driskill proudly hails from Birmingham, AL. He has spent 20 years serving the country, first as a Naval Flight Officer and now as an Air National Guardsman with the 117th Air Refueling Wing in Birmingham. Matt has accrued over 2,000 flight hours in the F/A-18F and EA-18G, flying in Operations such as Iraqi Freedom, Odyssey Dawn, and Enduring Freedom, while also leading government/industry teams in the development and application of emerging technologies. After active duty, Matt entered the private sector as the Director of Strategic Growth for Modern Technology Solutions Inc, a technology services company. Some of his other affiliations include co-founding a military & veterans initiative with the Milken Institute, the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Carrington Charitable Foundation, along with his church and other non-profit endeavors. His educational affiliations include degrees from Vanderbilt, Auburn, and the Naval War College. Matt can be reached at newyork@nrinstitute.org. 

Aramis L. Perez

Regional Coordinator, Burke to Buckley Fellowship Program, Miami

Aramis L. Perez is an independent consultant based in Miami, the natural crossroads between the United States, Latin America, and Europe. He provides clients strategic communications management services, as well as custom research and writing products. His other areas of work include media relations and advocacy, as well as financial services, having recently served the anti-financial crime community by creating learning opportunities for industry professionals. He is a native Miamian and supporter of the Free Cuba cause. Aramis holds an A.B. in Government from Harvard and considers political philosophy and theory among his enduring interests.

Fun fact: Aramis enjoys volunteering for the Church and frequents Miami’s cultural scene, particularly musical events. He has been known to utter such witticisms as, “If it ain’t baroque, it should be,” and, “Early modern is plenty modern,” between turns on the dance floor. He loves to play tour guide and is always ready with recommendations for a concert to enjoy, a historical site to visit, and art to appreciate. Aramis can be reached at miami@nrinstitute.org. 

For information about the Chicago program, email chicago@nrinstitute.org.