America Rising Corp.

Announces New
Leadership Structure And Staffing Additions
Pounder Moves To New CEO Position, Koay To President, Kyle Reliford Joins Senior
Team
Creates New Video Team And Content Officer Positions
Arlington, VA America Rising Corp., the GOP research and communications
organization founded in 2013 by Matt Rhoades and Joe Pounder, is announcing its
expansion and new staffing as it launches several research programs in the new
year on behalf of its clients. In 2016 alone, America Risings client roster included
over 100 conservative and GOP organizations.
America Rising founder Matt Rhoades will continue to serve as chairman of the
company. Joe Pounder will move from his role as President of America Rising to
become its CEO overseeing the further development of Risings research mission.
Pounders responsibilities will include the planning and launch of several new
Rising platforms, services, and products in 2017. Byron Koay, previously
Risings Chief Operating Officer, will become its new president with responsibility
for the execution of the companys growing set of research programs.
Also joining the America Rising team is Kyle Reliford, who will serve as Director
of Special Projects. Reliford brings with him years of research experience and will
further advance America Risings field research operations with his creative and
results-driven approach.
With Kyles addition, our leadership team is stronger than ever and ready to
expand its role in ensuring that its clients and partners receive the research they
need to be successful, said Pounder. America Rising will continue to operate a
nationwide tracking program and full research teams focused on Senate, House,
gubernatorial, state AG, and state legislative races and issues battles.
Additionally, it will build out new teams focused purely on video and overall
content creation.
Additionally, America Rising has created several new teams to better enhance its
services on behalf of its clients. Previously, video database and research services
were one combined team with tracking operations. To meet client needs, video
will be its own dedicated team led by Renae Eze as Rising seeks new ways to
communicate research information. America Rising is also creating the positions
of Chief Content Officer and Deputy Content Officer to focus on utilizing research
and tracking information more effectively. Jeff Bechdel and Francis
Brennan will fill those roles respectively.

In total, America Rising is pleased to announce the leadership structure for the
2018 cycle:

Robert Utsey is being promoted to serve as Vice President and Senate

Research Director;
Matt Vollenweider is being promoted to serve as Vice President and
House Research Director;
Aaron Baer will continue to oversee America Risings nation-wide tracking
program as Vice President and Tracking Team Director;
Allan Blutstein will continue to serve as Vice President for FOIA
operations;
Carter Reese is being promoted to serve as Presidential Research Director;
Kyle Sisenstein will move from the Senate team to be promoted to State
Research Director;
Renae Eze will launch a new, dedicated team for video and serve as Video
Operations Director;
Darin Gibbons will continue to serve as Legal Research Director;
Rachael Parry is being promoted to War Room Director;
Jeff Bechdel will move from PAC communications director to serve as Chief
Content Officer;
Francis Brennan will move from War Room director to serve as Deputy
Content Officer.

For more information on each of America Risings team leaders, please see below:
Aaron Baer, VP, Tracking Team Director: Baer has served as America Risings
Vice President for tracking operations since December of 2014. During the 2016
cycle, America Risings 200 full- and part-time trackers attended more than 7,500
events, traveled more than 600,000 miles, and tracked more than 400
Democratic candidates and groups.
Jeff Bechdel, Chief Content Officer: Since 2014, Bechdel has served as
America Rising PACs communications director, focusing on the Presidential
election in 2016 and House and Senate races in 2014. Prior to joining America
Rising, Bechdel served in communications roles for Gov. Mitt Romney, Sens.
Marco Rubio & Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Rep. Connie Mack. He holds a degree in
Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
Allan Blutstein, VP, FOIA Operations: Before joining America Rising in May
2015 as head of FOIA operations, Blutstein served as managing counsel at Cause
of Action Institute, a conservative public interest law firm. Prior to that, he was
the principal legal advisor to the FOIA staff of the U.S. Department of the
Treasurys Office of Financial Stability. He also worked at the Department of
Justices Office of Information Policy, the government's lead FOIA policy office.
Francis Brennan, Deputy Content Officer: In 2016 Brennan was responsible
for setting up and running America Risings War Room, which monitored more
than 150 different targets throughout the cycle. Prior to joining America Rising,

Brennan worked on Bruce Rauner's (R-Ill.) gubernatorial campaign. He has also

worked at the Center For American Freedom and Romney For President in 2012.
Renae Eze, Video Operations Director: Eze joined America Rising in 2014 as
the Colorado tracker for several races, served as a video analyst in 2015, and
then led the video operations during a successful 2016 election year. Prior to
joining America Rising, she worked for then-Rep. Cory Gardner (CO-04) in 2013
and Romney For President/Colorado Victory in 2012.
Darin Gibbons, Legal Research Director: Gibbons leads America Risings
Legal Affairs team, which focuses on candidates with previous legal careers,
specifically in attorneys general and judicial races. Darin is from Massachusetts
where he worked on the policy team of Charlie Bakers 2010 gubernatorial
campaign. Gibbons earned his juris doctor from Suffolk University Law School in
2012.
Rachael Parry, War Room Director: Parry joined America Risings War Room in
2016. Prior to that, she served as a campaign advisor on four Australian election
campaigns. Parry received her Masters degree from Georgetown University.
Carter Reese, Presidential Research Director: Reese was a House research
analyst for the past two election cycles, in addition to working on several Senate
races in 2016. Previously, he worked at the Conservative Reform Network and
earned a degree in History from Yale University.
Kyle Reliford, Director of Special Projects: Prior to joining America Rising,
Reliford served as a senior research consultant to the NRSC during the 2016
election cycle. He also directed the research operations at two firms, in addition
to running his own firm. Since 2001, he has conducted hundreds of research
projects in 48 states. He resides in Missouri with his wife and two children.
Kyle Sisenstein, State Research Director: Sisenstein has been with America
Rising since 2013, serving on the Senate Research Team as a Research Analyst
during the 2014 cycle and as Deputy Senate Research Director during the 2016
cycle. Prior to joining America Rising, he worked as a Research Analyst at
American Crossroads during the 2012 cycle.
Robert Utsey, VP, Senate Research Director: Utsey took the reins of the
Senate Research Team in 2015 after serving as the deputy research director.
Before joining America Rising, Robert worked as an analyst at the Republican
National Committee. Originally from South Carolina, Robert graduated from
Wofford College with a Bachelors degree in government.
Matt Vollenweider, VP, House Research Director: Matt Vollenweider leads
America Risings House team, which conducts research and rapid response about
dozens of congressional races nationwide. Before joining America Rising, Matt
worked in the research and finance departments of the Republican National

Committee. Matt holds a Bachelors degree in Government from Harvard

University.