ABOUT US

Jane Andersen - Executive Director

Jane Andersen was raised in the Washington DC area, which piqued her interest in the political process and community engagement. She received a B.A. in economics from Brigham Young University and a M.A. focused on constitutional law and political theory from The City University of New York. Jane's varied experience includes working as an analyst addressing  government-related clients on Wall Street with JP Morgan, public affairs work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York City, and as a college professor teaching political science. Jane currently serves on a statewide coalition aiming to prevent political violence, as Team Lead for Valley Leadership's Civic Engagement Impact Team, and on the boards of RightCount, For Our City-Chandler, and Ryan House.  Jane and her husband of 26 years, Jon, have four children. Their identical twins face the challenges of autism, blindness, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. Caring for them has allowed Jane to better understand marginalized populations and the importance of seeing things from different perspectives. 

Don Henninger - Chairman

Don Henninger has been a top media executive and business leader in Arizona for over 35 years, including time as managing editor of the Arizona Republic and publisher of the Phoenix Business Journal. He currently is co-chair of the Arizona Democracy Resilience Network, via the Carter Center, and also served on the Governor’s Bipartisan Elections Task Force. He is founder of the Scottsdale Coalition of Today & Tomorrow, which works to advocate on issues in that city. He serves on a number of boards, including Family Promise and Independent News Media. He is the senior warden at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church and is on the advisory councils of Scottsdale Leadership and Scottsdale Community College. 

Matt Kenney -
Advisor

Matt Kenney, a Founding Partner of Echo Canyon Consulting, is a specialist in public affairs with nearly a decade of experience. He has led national, statewide, and local political campaigns as well as corporate public affairs projects. Matt and his team have successfully assisted corporations, associations, and trade groups in creating effective communications and advocacy campaigns on a broad range of issues.

Previously, Matt served as the executive director of a multi-million dollar independent expenditure effort to re-elect Senator John McCain in 2016 before becoming the Executive Director of the Arizona Republican Party. During his tenure, Matt oversaw three special elections and managed the RNC’s National GOTV Program for Arizona, demonstrating his capability in steering significant political efforts.

Since transitioning from political campaigns, Matt has been a lead consultant on advocacy initiatives for veteran and military reforms, public safety causes, energy policies, and numerous other issues. His expertise in navigating complex public affairs challenges has made him a valuable asset to his clients, enabling them to achieve their strategic goals and effectively influence public policy.

Before his public affairs career, Matt served as a US Army Infantry Officer and is a combat veteran. He holds Bachelor’s and Juris Doctor degrees and certificates in American Public Policy and International Studies from Arizona State University. Currently, Matt serves as a Commissioner of the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services and on the Attorney General’s Military and Veteran Families Advisory Group. He is also an active member of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, AZ Defense and Industry Coalition, and the American Legion.

Residing in Phoenix, Arizona, Matt lives with his wife Brittany and their three children, Braiden, Eden, and Rowan. His dedication to his family, community, and country is evident in his professional accomplishments and ongoing public service.

Lorna Ferguson - Advisor

Lorna Romero Ferguson is the owner of Elevate Strategies, a communications and public affairs firm based in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to this role, Lorna served as the Chief Strategy Officer for the Arizona Chamber Foundation and the co-founder and Executive Director of Chamber Business News. Previously, Lorna served as the Vice President of Communications and Advocacy for Molera Alvarez where she led public relations strategies and assisted with policy development and analysis. Lorna was also the Communications Director for the 2016 John McCain for U.S. Senate Campaign where she served as the Senator’s spokeswoman and developed targeted messaging for the campaign. Previously, Lorna was an Associate Director at Veridus where she focused on government affairs and public relations.

Lorna was able to further develop her policy expertise while serving as Director of Legislative Affairs for Governor Brewer, a role in which she helped spearhead cornerstone policy initiatives such as Medicaid Restoration, anti-human trafficking legislation and child-safety reform. She was also Governor Brewer’s policy advisor for commerce and economic development issues. Earlier, Lorna was the Director of Government Relations for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, where she played a key role in enhancing the state’s business climate through education, tax, labor and regulatory reform efforts.