CAGW - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate
- State Government Affairs Associate
Alec Mena serves as State Government Affairs Associate for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide.
Alec tracks activities in the state legislatures, highlighting and analyzing wasteful government activity. He also serves as the organization's liaison with state-based think tanks and policy groups, shedding light on costly public spending and regulation across the fifty states, five territories and the District of Columbia.
Originally from Southern California, Alec graduated with high honors from Hillsdale College in 2019 and is currently pursuing a master's degree in public policy at George Mason University.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Alex Abrams serves as Director of Communications for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), a private non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide.
Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole has stated, "CAGW researches and identifies the most blatant waste in government and shows how it can be eliminated. CAGW has a long and successful record of winning major cuts in wasteful spending without sacrificing America's defenses."
Job Titles:
- Director of Health and Science
- Director of Health and Science Policy
Christina Smith serves as the Director of Health and Science Policy for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide.
Prior to joining CAGW in 2021, she worked on public policy for other like-minded organizations, and participated in political campaigns at the presidential, congressional, state, and local levels. Christina also served as Regional Director for Representative Rod Blum (R-Iowa).
Christina is a graduated of The University of Iowa in 2016 with Bachelor of Arts Degrees in English and Philosophy. Go Hawks!
Job Titles:
- House Republican Policy Committee Chairman
House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Christopher Cox (R-Calif.) went even further: "CAGW has fought side-by-side with us for welfare reform and massive cuts in wasteful spending to shrink the size of government and the deficit." Rep. Cox called CAGW "the premier waste-fighting organization in America."
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs
- Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs / Executive Director of CAGW 's Innovation and Technology Policy Center ( ITPC )
Deborah Collier serves as the vice president of policy and government affairs for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide. Appointed to the position in January 2020, Ms. Collier supervises and manages the policy and government affairs personnel for CAGW. Ms. Collier also serves as the executive director for CAGW's Innovation and Technology Policy Center (ITPC).
Ms. Collier joined CAGW in 2011 as the organization's first director of technology and telecommunications policy. In recognition of her work as a leading advocate for connecting people to Wi-Fi and closing the digital divide, she was recognized by WiFiForward as a 2022 Wi-Fi Policy Champion. As executive director of the ITPC, she oversees and promotes the center's work on aerospace, antitrust, biopharmaceuticals, broadband, information technology (IT), intellectual property rights, privacy, and telecommunications issues.
Since joining CAGW, Ms. Collier has co-authored two books with CAGW President Thomas A. Schatz, and authored several issue briefs and reports relating to cloud computing, government-owned networks, federal and state IT procurement, privacy policy, and spectrum.
Prior to joining CAGW, Ms. Collier spent 24 years working for members of the U.S. House of Representatives, most recently as the Republican legislative director for the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. In that capacity, she managed legislative research and assisted with oversight investigations as well as the development and drafting of legislation related to information security, data breach notifications, federal procurement reform and energy sustainability at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
From 1993 until 2005, Ms. Collier was a member of the House Systems Administrators Association, a congressional staff organization comprised of IT professionals within member offices. She served as the organization's president from 2002 to 2005, participating in technology forums and managing monthly meetings that were intended to educate member offices on using technology to streamline office operations, improve constituent services, and increase IT security awareness.
An Ohio native, Ms. Collier holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Ohio University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Elizabeth Wright served as the Director of Health and Science Policy at Citizens Against Government Waste. She has been involved with healthcare since graduating from college with a Bachelor's Degree in Medical Technology from Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts and a Master's in Government from Johns Hopkins University.
Ms. Wright began her D.C. career during the George H.W. Bush administration at the Food and Drug Administration. Since then, she has worked at a heathcare lobbying firm; a free-market technology think tank; the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation under the George W. Bush Administration, and lobbying for a pharmaceutical firm. But, most of her D.C. career was at Citizens Against Government Waste because, "They fight for what I believe in: a smaller government, less regulation, fewer taxes, and a free market that respects property rights." Ms. Wright resides in Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Federal Government Affairs Manager
Eric Maus serves as the Federal Government Affairs Associate for Citizens Against Government Waste, a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide.
Eric coordinates the organization's work with Congress and federal agencies, tracking legislation, and identifying and analyzing key government waste-related issues and trends. He specializes in financial services, budget, appropriations, agriculture, and antitrust issues, and has published several articles relating to these issues. Each year, he compiles the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste's annual Congressional Ratings, and contributes to the organization's biennial report to Congress, Critical Waste Issues.
A St. Louis native, Eric received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri.
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the nation's premier taxpayer watchdog organization, is pleased to announce a record $6.6 million bequest to the J. Peter Grace Legacy Society from the Dawn H. Potter Revocable Trust. CAGW President Tom Schatz stated, "On behalf of the board of directors and employees of CAGW, it is an honor to receive this gift; we are truly humbled by the generosity of Mrs. Potter."
A great admirer of Grace Commission chairman and CAGW co-founder J. Peter Grace, Mrs. Potter was a Charter Member of the organization, joining in 1993. "It was always a great pleasure discussing CAGW's activities with Mrs. Potter," said Schatz. "Her sharp intellect and commonsense views on the policy debates in Washington were refreshing and emblematic of so many of the concerned taxpayers who support our organization. Mrs. Potter's gift will be an important boost to CAGW's mission of eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government."
Mrs. Potter had a strong commitment to philanthropy. She was a donor to Hillsdale College, endowing the Paul Ermine Potter and Dawn Tibbetts Potter Professor of Politics, and supported several other conservative public policy organizations.
Mrs. Potter's bequest is helping CAGW enhance its public and media outreach activities, including underwriting an annual video series; as well as broaden its impact on state tax and spending issues by funding a new staff position dedicated to state policy work.
Job Titles:
- Pulitzer Prize - Winning Columnist
Jack Anderson will be sorely missed. He was a devoted family man and an inspiration to the taxpayer movement.
As a journalist, he was the last of the great muckrakers. There will not be another like him. His investigative style set the standard for a generation of journalists and instilled fear in the hearts of some ofWashington's most powerful figures, ranging from the likes of J. Edgar Hoover to President Richard Nixon.
As a syndicated columnist, Jack Anderson's column, "Washington Merry-Go-Round," appeared in more than 1,000 newspapers across the country. His in-depth investigations led to breakthrough news stories involving some of the biggest scandals of the last half-century, including: the CIA hiring members of the mafia to kill Fidel Castro and a possible connection to President John Kennedy's assassination; publishing secret transcripts from the Watergate grand jury; President Nixon's latent favoritism toward Pakistan in its war with India for which he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1972; and the uncovering of the Iran-Contra Arms-for-Hostage deal in 1986.
Jack Anderson's ability to unearth Washington secrets led him into some very precarious situations, a true testament to the high regard in which the elites of the city held him. He was threatened by the mafia, noted first on President Nixon's "Enemies List," and the subject of several illegal investigations by the CIA and J. Edgar Hoover's FBI. He was even the subject of a murder plot by Nixon aide, G. Gordon Liddy.
In 1984, fresh off of working on President Reagan's Grace Commission, the late industrialist J. Peter Grace teamed up with Jack Anderson to co-found CAGW in an effort to make the commission's recommendations on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government a reality. His connections to the inner workings of Washington and his knack for conveying complex topics to everyday Americans madeAnderson the perfect fit.
One of Jack's favorite expressions was to communicate ideas so that "the milkman in Kansas City" could understand. That quaint, but apt, expression guides CAGW today in its attempt to translate complex legislative issues into plain English. This knack for popularizing the message of fiscal conservatism has helped CAGW become one of the most widely quoted taxpayer groups in the world.
After Peter Grace passed away in 1995, Jack Anderson assumed the chairmanship of CAGW. His leadership and ability to reach out to people helped CAGW grow to the organization it is today. The watchdog group now boasts more than 1.2 members and supporters, with the vast majority of its contributions coming from individual taxpayers.
Jack spent the last years of his life inspiring the organization to become the most prominent group to uncover, publicize, and eliminate waste at all levels of government. He was a wellspring of innovative ideas for using CAGW's information in a manner that would capture the public's imagination. In a little over two decades, CAGW has helped save taxpayers $825 billion through the implementation of Grace Commission findings and other recommendations.
Jack will be remembered for his inner strength, a byproduct of his faith and upbringing. He had the fortitude to withstand numerous investigations, libel suits, and physical challenges. His work earned him a renowned place in American history and serves as a testament to the spirit of vigilance that is necessary to keep government honest and accountable.
As committed as he was to his work, he was even more devoted to his large and loving family. Jack had nine children and 41 grandchildren.
In a confluence of events that cements Jack's legacy as an inspiration to all that followed him, Washington finds itself in the midst of yet another major scandal borne of buying influence on Capitol Hill. Without Jack and his mentor Drew Pearson, it is less likely that the media would be so eager to turn over every stone in the pursuit of truth.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Advocacy Professional
Mike Rose is a political advocacy professional based in Washington, DC. He has an extensive record of advocating for business interests, managing Republican campaigns, and supporting voter advocacy initiatives. Since he began his professional career in Idaho, Mike has worked on more than 30 political campaigns across the country, ranging from statewide races to presidential campaigns to managing a national issue campaign for the "FairTax."
"I have provided for CAGW in my will because I want my children to live in an America that is free, strong, and honors the sacrifices of those who came before us, which will only happen if our government is based on fiscally solid ground," said longtime CAGW President's Club member Patricia (Patty) Presti when she joined the J. Peter Grace Legacy Society in 2018.
A lifelong resident of St. Louis, Mo., Patty learned as a girl to value the liberty and economic opportunity that America affords its citizens when she visited then-communist Bulgaria on several trips with her father, a Bulgarian immigrant. She recounts how miserable the Bulgarians were under communist rule, with soldiers on the corners of the cobblestone streets and long lines at the grocery stores, while the government was exporting goods to subsidize its leaders' luxurious lifestyle.
Job Titles:
- Director of Membership
- Manager of Membership Services
Paul Sullivan serves as Manager of Membership Services for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide. Prior to joining CAGW, Paul was an intern for former Michigan Congressman Dan Benishek and worked in field operations for the Michigan Republican Party.
Born and raised in Allen Park, Michigan, Paul received his B.S. in political science with a concentration in international relations/comparative politics from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Paul is an avid runner and news junkie.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman / Principal, Capital City Partners
- Public Affairs Consultant
Robert C. Heckman is a veteran political and public affairs consultant with 30 years of experience in national, state, and local campaigns and issue advocacy efforts. He has served in seven presidential campaigns, including the candidacies of Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Jack Kemp, and Phil Gramm. He was a Senior Advisor for Lindsey Graham 2016, and previously served as a director of conservative outreach and member of the Senior Staff in the 2008 presidential campaign of John McCain. Heckman was deputy director for national coalitions for the Bush-Quayle campaign in 1992, and directed the "Citizens for Reagan" independent expenditure campaigns in 1980 and 1984.
Heckman is a recognized expert in coalition building and grassroots outreach. As chairman of the Fund for a Conservative Majority from 1979-1996, he helped more than 200 successful Republican candidates for Congress, including former Speaker of the House John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Heckman also served as executive director of Young Americans for Freedom.
Job Titles:
- Director of Policy and Research
Sean Kennedy serves as Director of Policy and Research for Citizens Against Government Waste, a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide.
Sean specializes in defense and national security policy, the congressional appropriations process, and increasing transparency and good governance. He also helps design and implement communications strategies. Sean received his B.A. from Westminster College, and earned a master's degree from American University focusing on security studies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director of Tuesday 's Children
Terry Grace Sears is the Executive Director of Tuesday's Children, a nonprofit family service organization which was founded to provide long-term support to those impacted by the events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. While keeping the promise to all those impacted by 9/11, Tuesday's Children now serves individuals and communities who lives have been forever changed by terrorism and mass-violence. Terry has been pivotal in Tuesday's Children's evolution from a 9/11-focused organization to a nationally focused nonprofit serving military families of the fallen and communities around the world impacted by violence related to terrorism.
A graduate of Fordham University, Terry serves on the Board of the Sarita Kenedy East Foundation, the Santa Maria Foundation and Tuesday's Children. She is a former Board Member of the Grace Institute in Manhattan, NY, Our Lady of Grace Montessori School and the Schools of St. Mary in Manhasset, Long Island. Terry and her husband, Richard have four children and live in Manhasset, NY.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- President
Thomas A. Schatz joined Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) and its lobbying affiliate, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), as director of government affairs in 1986. He has been president of both organizations since 1992.
Job Titles:
- J. Peter Grace Legacy Society Member
- Member Profile
CAGW President's Club and J. Peter Grace Legacy Society member Vincent J. Stanley was a philanthropist, family man, community leader, entrepreneur, and conservative activist.
Born in 1916 in Scranton, Pa., Vincent founded V.J. Stanley, Inc., a wholesale supplier of hot water controls, circulators, and heaters in 1951. As a businessman, he maintained a lifelong commitment to putting service before profit, and told us he was drawn to CAGW in part because of this commitment: He wanted the federal government to follow his lead and take care of its customers - America's taxpayers.
Vincent revealed that his support for CAGW was also driven by his concern over "the size of the federal deficit" and national debt. When he made that statement in 2005, the debt stood at $8 trillion; today it has surpassed $22 trillion.