PA GOP STAFF
ADMINISTRATION:
Luke Bernstein, Executive Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 126
Luke Bernstein serves as the Executive Director of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. A former staffer for Senator Rick Santorum, his campaign experience includes working on the Bush/Cheney 2004 and serving as Senator Rick Santorum’s Deputy Campaign Manager in 2006. In 2008, he was listed by Politics Magazine as one of the country’s “Rising Stars.” He is a graduate of Dickinson College.
Jordan Smith, Staff Assistant
Phone: 717-234-4902, ext 100/120
Jordan Smith serves as the Staff Assistant for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. He is currently attending Millersville University, majoring in Government and Political Affairs.
COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT:
Michael Barley, Communications & Technology Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 115
Michael Barley serves as the Communications & Technology Director for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, where he has been employed since 2005. Michael also serves as the Editor of the PA GOP’s monthly newspaper, The Pennsylvania Republican. Michael is a graduate of Millersville University.
Megan Sweeney, Deputy Communications Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 116
Megan Sweeney is the Deputy Communications Director at the PAGOP. Megan has also worked for the U.S. Department of Education, and graduated from Cornell University in 2007 with a degree in government and history.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT:
Zack Rimmele, Finance Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 131
Zack Rimmele serves as the Finance Director of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. He returns to PAGOP having served as 72 hour/Absentee/Voter Registration Director during the 2008 election cycle. Previously, he worked on campaigns in Montana and Texas and on Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s staff when Jindal was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a graduate of Lehigh University.
ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT:
Joel Jukus, Comptroller
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 117
Joel Jukus serves as Comptroller for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.
Gretchen Svitko, Database Coordinator
Gretchen serves as the Database Coordinator for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.
POLITICAL OUTREACH DEPARTMENT:
Michael Downing, Political Outreach Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 151
Michael Downing is the Political Outreach Director at the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. Mike was previously served as Deputy Political Director and Staff Assistant for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, and an intern on the Santorum 2006 campaign. He graduated from Loyola College in 2007 with a degree in political science.
Colleen Anderson, Youth Outreach Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 153
Colleen Anderson is the Youth Outreach Director for the PAGOP. Colleen graduated from Millersville University in 2006 with a degree in Sociology and Anthropology.
Jerry Morgan, Congressional Liaison
Phone: 412-458-0068
Jerry Morgan serves as the Congressional Liaison for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. Jerry is charged with helping our Party recruit strong candidates to help our Party win key Congressional seats.
Joe DeFelice, Philadelphia Director
Phone: 215-756-4158
A veteran Victory staffer and attorney, Joe DeFelice has served as Philadelphia Director since January 2008. Joe has served as our Election Day Operations Director and has worked to prevent election fraud in the city of Philadelphia. A graduate of La Salle University, he also serves as the Director of Election Day Operations.
Al Schmidt, Senior Advisor in Philadelphia
Phone: 215-680-4094
Al Schmidt serves as Senior Advisor in Philadelphia. Al is a former candidate for City Controller; executive director of the Republican City Committee of Philadelphia; senior analyst at the U.S. Government Accountability Office; and policy analyst at the U.S. Presidential Commission on Holocaust Assets. He holds a Ph.D. in political history from Brandeis University and a B.A. in history from Allegheny College.
ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT:
Bob Bozzuto, Elections Department Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 140
Bob Bozzuto is currently serving as the Judicial Manager for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. He has been employed with the PAGOP since early 2007, and formerly worked for Senator Rick Santorum as a staffer as well as on his re-election efforts in 2006. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.
VICTORY 2010:
Ryan Mackenzie, Victory Director
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 163
Bryan Troop, Deputy Victory Director/72 Hour Effords, Central Regional Field Co-Manager
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext 141
Brian Troop will act as co-manager of the central region for field activity as well as the 72 Hour Director for the state for Victory 2010. Brian is a Lancaster native who has worked in the field in the Northwest, Southwest and Central regions. Brian graduated from the University of Pittsburgh before joining Victory 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Colleen Weldon, Deputy Victory Director/Ab Ballot/Voter Registration
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 100
Colleen Weldon is a Deputy Victory Director with the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. Colleen is a graduate of Gettysburg College.
Brian Sheaffer, Deputy Victory Director/Technology
Phone: 717-234-4901, ext. 118
Brian Sheaffer serves as a Deputy Victory Director for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. He is a 2009 graduate of Franklin & Marshall College.
Cassie Marsh, Central Regional Field Co-Manager
Phone: 814-418-3713
Cassie Marsh is the Republican Party of Pennsylvania’s Central Regional co-manager, the same area she oversaw during the 2008 Victory campaign. She is a graduate of St. Francis of PA with a degree in political science and Pre-Law.
Matthew Willis, Southeast Regional Field Director
Phone: 610-389-6675
Matthew Willis serves as the Southeast Regional Field Director for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. He has previously worked for the New Jersey Republican State Committee and, most recently, as a staffer for State Senator John C. Rafferty, Jr. He has a degree in history from Hampden-Sydney College.
Rebecca Sorenson, Northwest Regional Field Director
Phone: 814-380-0697
Rebecca Sorenson graduated from Allegheny College in 2009 with a degree in Biology. She served as Chair of Allegheny College Republicans during the 2008 Presidential election and successfully managed the re-election campaign for Chautauqua County Executive in my home state of NY in 2009.
Jeff Whalen, Northeast Regional Field Director
Phone: 570-567-4762
After working more than ten years in the finance industry, Jeff left to pursue his passion for politics. He previously worked as the regional director of West Philadelphia. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in finance.
Ben Wren, Western Regional Field Director
Phone: 412-804-1612
Ben Wren serves as the Western Field Director for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. A native of the Pittsburgh region, Ben previously worked for state Senator Kim Ward. He has a degree in history and political science from Gannon University.