Greg Abbott
Texas Governor
State of Texas
Named “Best Governor in the Nation” in 2020, Governor Greg Abbott is building upon his record as a strong conservative leader who fights to preserve Texas values and ensure the Lone Star State remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
Re-elected to a third term in 2022, Governor Abbott is working tirelessly to build the Texas of tomorrow. He was first elected as the 48th Governor of Texas in 2014. Before being elected Governor, he was the 50th and longest-serving Attorney General in Texas History. He also served as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Texas and as a State District Judge in Harris County.
Governor Abbott has a bold vision for an even stronger Texas of tomorrow that will create more jobs and economic opportunity, educate the leaders of the next generation, protect individual liberties, restore parental rights in education, and secure our southern border in the face of federal inaction.
Governor Abbott is married to Cecilia, a former teacher and principal, who is the first Hispanic First Lady of Texas. They have been married since 1981, and have one daughter, Audrey, who works in the finance industry. They are also the proud dog parents of three Golden Retrievers, Peaches, Pancake, and Biscuit.
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Texas Governor
State of Texas
Nate Dunning
Chairman
Young Conservatives of Texas
Nate Dunning is a passionate conservative leader who embarked on his journey with YCT by founding the YCT chapter at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Committed to spreading conservative values within the UMHB community, he laid the foundation for a vibrant conservative community while pursuing his BBA.
During his tenure at UMHB, Nate not only excelled academically but also demonstrated his commitment to his core interests in politics, finance, and religion. Beyond his academic pursuits, he took the helm of multiple student organizations that mirrored his diverse passions.
Nate's dedication to YCT's mission and principles has been unwavering. He has previously held key roles within the YCT State Board, serving as the IT Director and Senior Vice Chairman. In these capacities, he exhibited his leadership and dedication to furthering the conservative cause. His experience and insights have made him a valuable resource for YCT chapters across the state.
As Chairman of YCT, Nate continues to lead with integrity, a deep understanding of conservative values, and an unwavering commitment to fostering a strong and united conservative movement. Under his leadership, YCT thrives as an organization that empowers young conservatives, promotes individual liberty, limited government, and personal responsibility, and actively shapes the future of Texas and the nation.
Nate's vision and leadership inspire YCT members and supporters to work tirelessly in advancing conservative principles. With a bright future ahead, Nate Dunning remains dedicated to the conservative cause and continues to be a driving force within the YCT community.
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About Nate Dunning
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Chairman
Young Conservatives of Texas
Hillary Hickland
Future State Representative
Texas House of Representatives
Hillary Hickland of Belton is a ninth-generation Texan, wife, and mom of four who is compelled by her faith and service to her community to be a proactive voice for her district in Austin. Her passion for Texans and the future generation led her to effectively advocate for her children and families in the regular legislative session. She now shifts her focus to service in an official capacity as State Representative for District 55 in Bell County, prioritizing issues that affect all Texans: border security, education, and cost of living.
Hillary received her BA from Baylor, and her MA from Boston University. She is fluent in Spanish and taught English in Mexico. She was a Crisis Pregnancy Center Mentor for 10 years, a member of Central Texas Republican Women, The Vice President for the local Daughters of the Republic of Texas group, and served as PTA President for 2 years.
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Future State Representative
Texas House of Representatives
Caroline Harris Davila
State Representative
Texas House of Representatives
Round Rock native
Lifelong conservative Republican
Pro-Life and Pro-Second Amendment
Serves as a Sunday School teacher and member of the Missions Board of her church
Disaster relief and community volunteer
Master's Degree from the University of Texas
Seven years of legislative experience fighting for our conservative values
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State Representative
Texas House of Representatives
Tom Lindsay
Distinguished Senior Fellow, Next Generation Texas
Texas Public Policy Foundation
He has more than two decades’ experience in education management and instruction, including service as a dean, provost, and college president.
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Distinguished Senior Fellow, Next Generation Texas
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Madison Marino
Senior Research Associate in the Center for Education Policy
Heritage Foundation
Her work focuses on higher education reform regarding affordability and accountability. She also writes on K-12 education choice initiatives. Marino is also a visiting fellow with the Maryland Family Institute, where she writes and comments on issues related to education choice, parental rights, and local education. Before this, she served in multiple roles for U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36), most recently as Legislative Correspondent, and managed his religious freedom and values portfolio.
Her work may be found in Fox News, Washington Examiner, Washington Times, The Daily Signal, the Educational Freedom Institute, and more. She graduated summa cum laude from Lamar University with double major in Economics and Finance and has a certificate in Humanizing Education Policy from the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. Marino grew up in Texas (howdy!) but currently lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Edward.
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Senior Research Associate in the Center for Education Policy
Heritage Foundation
Cherise Trump
Executive Director
Speech First
Cherise Trump is Speech First’s Executive Director. Cherise is also the host of Speech First’s new live show and podcast, Well Said, where she interviews experts, activists, professors, and students about free speech, higher education, and American culture.
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Executive Director
Speech First
Chuck Devore
Chief National Initiatives Officer
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Chuck Devore is the is the Chief National Initiatives Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He was a member of the California Assembly and served in the Reagan Pentagon. He has also worked in the aerospace industry.
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Chief National Initiatives Officer
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Mike Gonzalez
Angeles T Arredondo E Pluribus Unum Senior Fellow
Heritage Foundation
Mike Gonzalez, the Angeles T Arredondo E Pluribus Unum Senior Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, writes on identity politics, Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory, multiculturalism, assimilation and education, as well as foreign policy in general. He spent close to 20 years as a journalist, 15 of them reporting from Europe, Asia and Latin America. He left journalism to join the administration of President George W. Bush, where he was speechwriter for the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission before moving on to the State Department’s European Bureau. Gonzalez was a member of President Donald Trump’s “1776 Commission,” and a national security advisor to the 2016 Ted Cruz presidential campaign.
Gonzalez, who joined Heritage in March 2009, became a Senior Fellow in June, 2014 and a chaired fellow in 2019. He is a widely experienced writer and public speaker and holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Boston’s Emerson College, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
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Angeles T Arredondo E Pluribus Unum Senior Fellow
Heritage Foundation
Glyn McKay
Executive Director
Club for Growth Foundation
Glyn McKay is the executive director of the Club for Growth Foundation where she leads the effort to educate emerging leaders and the public on the foundational principles that make America a beacon of freedom and prosperity.
At the Foundation, she directs and manages its three core programs: a fellowship; a federal and state economic scorecard program; and a burgeoning policy program to equip conservative leaders and the public on the principles of economic freedom and limited government.
Glyn first joined the Club for Growth in 2016 as a field director tasked with identifying the rising conservative talent in the states. In 2020, she was promoted to National Field Director where she continued the work on a larger scale.
Prior to joining the Club, Glyn served as the executive director of Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum in Washington, D.C., leading all federal lobbying and grassroots efforts as well as political activities for Eagle Forum PAC. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Eagle Forum.
Glyn is originally from Snyder, Texas, a small town in the Texas panhandle, and is a fourth-generation graduate of Baylor University. She lives in Texas with her husband and three young children where she is actively involved in her church, her community, and her children’s schools.
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Executive Director
Club for Growth Foundation
Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan
Konni Burton is Founder and CEO of The Texan. Previously, she was a grassroots activist who worked on numerous campaigns for local, state and federal races. Konni then went on to run for office and was elected in 2014 to serve Tarrant County’s Senate District 10 in Austin. Her experience as a grassroots activist, elected official, and taxpaying citizen provides a unique and valuable perspective on the political landscape in Texas.
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Founder and CEO
The Texan
Chris Putnam
CEO
Dallas Express
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CEO
Dallas Express
Josh Evans
Associate Director
Collegiate Network
Josh Evans is the associate director for the Collegiate Network, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s student journalism program which supports independent campus publications and provides internships and fellowships to outstanding student reporters, writers, and editors. He earned a BA in political science with a minor in communications from Grove City College, where he also worked on the student newspaper, The Collegian. Most recently, he managed the Writing Fellows Program at America’s Future, along with a number of the organization’s other professional development offerings. Originally from Plant City, Florida, he currently lives in Berlin, New Jersey.
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Associate Director
Collegiate Network
Tony Kinnett
Investigative Columnist
Daily Signal
Tony Kinnett is an investigative columnist for The Daily Signal, and the host of The Tony Kinnett Cast on 93WIBC in Indianapolis. He is a former award-winning teacher, junior education policy advisor for Gov. Walker of Wisconsin. His investigation have resulted in federal actions, vetoes, state investigations, and very grumpy libs.
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Investigative Columnist
Daily Signal
Kyle Bonnell
Assistant Director for Job Bank and Talent Placement
Heritage Foundation
Kyle Bonnell is the Assistant Director for the Job Bank and Talent Placement at The Heritage Foundation. Through the Heritage Job Bank, Kyle has placed over a thousand conservatives into key positions on Capitol Hill, in the Executive Branch, and with conservative organizations across the country. He has worked on staff at Heritage for eleven years. In 2016, he served on the Trump Transition Team in the domestic policy appointments group. In the fall of 2021, he was part of the personnel team for Governor Youngkin’s transition team. He is a proud Ohio native, born in Dayton and raised in Middletown. He graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
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Assistant Director for Job Bank and Talent Placement
Heritage Foundation
Mike Garcia
Executive Director
Texas Freedom Caucus
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Executive Director
Texas Freedom Caucus
James Mayville
Engagement Director
Americans For Prosperity
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Engagement Director
Americans For Prosperity
Julia Crusius
Chief of Staff
Representative James Frank
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Chief of Staff
Representative James Frank
Joel Castro
City Councilman
Alvin, TX
About Joel Castro
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City Councilman
Alvin, TX
