Thomas Jefferson Institute
For Public Policy

Board of Directors

President

Mr. Christian N. Braunlich

President

Chris Braunlich is president of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, Virginia’s non-partisan public policy foundation. He was appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell to the Virginia State Board of Education, where his colleagues elected him president of the Board. [CLICK TO EXPAND]

He also served eight years on the Fairfax County School Board, the nation’s 12th largest school system, where he was a strong advocate of educational accountability and research-based reading programs.

Mr. Braunlich has served as Chief of Staff to Congressman John LeBoutillier, Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs for the National Association of Manufacturers, president of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, and vice president of the Center for Education Reform.

His articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, The Northern Virginia Journal, The Washington Times, and The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star.

He is a graduate of Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, and resides in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County with his wife, Eileen. They are the parents of four children, and grandparents of four grandchildren.

Chairman

Honorable William J. Howell

Chairman

A Fredericksburg attorney, Bill Howell served 30 years in the Virginia House of Delegates, the last 15 as Speaker of the House.

Mr. Robert v. L. Hartwell

Treasurer

President of Hartwell Capitol Consulting LLC, a public affairs firm, Senior Consultant to American Systems International Corporation and former Chief of Staff for two U.S. Congressmen. He has long been active on the local government and community level.

Stephan Q. Cassaday

Founder and President of Cassaday & Company, a nationally recognized wealth management company. Barron’s named Cassaday as the top financial advisor in Virginia and one of the top 100 in the nation in 2017.

Mr. Peter Lipsett

Vice President at Donor’s Trust, the community foundation of the liberty movement, Mr. Lipsett leads Donor’s Trust’s marketing, outreach, and cultivation efforts and directs the Novus Society, a network of donors under 40.

Ms. Kristi Way

Executive Director at Moelis & Company, a global independent investment bank, Ms. Way previously served as Chief of Staff for Congressman Eric Cantor and Deputy Chief of Staff for Lt. Governor Bill Bolling.

Mr. Gerard Robinson

Vice President for Education at the Advanced Studies in Culture Foundation, and a Fellow of Practice at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia and a Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Mr. Robinson is also a former Virginia Secretary of Education, former Commissioner of Education in Florida and former president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO).

Mr. John G. Ryan

Board Emeritus

Former Senior Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Mr. Ryan worked for several years in the federal government and in the Congress.

Mr. Randal C. Teague

Board Emeritus

Retired Partner in the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, Mr. Teague served as Administrative Assistant to Congressman Jack Kemp. He is currently a noted international attorney who is active with several foundations including the International Foundation for Election Systems, the Fund for American Studies, American Council of Young Political Leaders, and Vote America.

Founder

Mr. Michael W. Thompson

Founder

Michael Thompson was Founder of the Thomas Jefferson Institute, starting the non-profit after twenty years as owner of his own marketing company in Springfield, Virginia. [CLICK TO EXPAND]

During eleven of these years he was also president of a family owned group of furniture stores in Georgia.

He was very active in national, state and local politics as well as a number of community organizations, commissions, and committees.

He was the Past Chairman of the Virginia Leadership Council for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and served as Vice Chairman of the award-winning Fund for American Studies.

Mr. Thompson passed away in September, 2019 after an almost year-long battle against leukemia.