WHO we ARE

Rebecca is a visionary nonprofit executive recognized for uniting diverse stakeholders, building high-performing teams, and delivering measurable results while preserving mission integrity.

As Senior Vice President at State Policy Network, she oversaw strategic partnerships, development, communications, and donor engagement. Earlier in her career, she served as Vice President of Development at the South Carolina Policy Council, where she led a significant shift to individual philanthropy and grew the donor base. She also held advancement roles at Norwich University.

Rebecca holds a B.A. in Public Relations with a minor in French from the University of South Carolina. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Mason Foundation, which ensures that every child in South Carolina who wants to play sports can. Rebecca lives with her husband, Keith, and their son, Everett.

Kristy serves as the Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, overseeing The Policy Circle’s growing and diverse Membership and engagement programs, and expansion initiatives. Kristy has devoted her career to making an impact through her work in the non-profit sector, bringing more than 20 years of experience focused in organizational building, along with creation and implementation of programs, membership and engagement strategies. Her previous work has been focused in healthcare advocacy, where she successfully built a national organization from the ground-up as a founding staff member and spent 17 years helping to build a thriving and successful non-profit patient organization. Throughout her impressive tenure, Kristy was able to be an active part in key facets to non-profit development with specialized skills in community building, volunteer engagement and management, program creation and member mobilization.

Erica serves as the Director of Partnerships and Development with The Policy Circle’s philanthropic partners to advance the organization’s priorities and grow TPC’s impact across the country.

Over the last 20 years, Erica’s career has focused on C-level business development and sales, stakeholder engagement, disruptive philanthropic fundraising and strategy, marketing and communications, and public policy. Erica is passionate about connecting, building, and stewarding partnerships that create lasting and outsized impact.

She began her career in sales and marketing for John Deere where she spent 10 years working in sales and marketing before transitioning to John Deere’s global Public Affairs team to manage the JDPAC and served as the Public Affairs representative for the Ag & Turf Division. Following her tenure at John Deere, she joined the National Association of Manufacturers, serving as the Southeast Membership Director, and then spent more than 4 years at Stand Together, focusing on development and executive partnerships. Most recently, she consulted on fundraising and partnership strategies.

Erica recently helped launch JUMPSTART North Carolina, an organization that partners with churches, donors, and community partners to disciple the incarcerated and assist returning citizens with re-entry services. She is also actively involved in her children’s school.

Erica is the proud mom of two children and lives in the Charlotte, North Carolina area with her husband.

Kristen Williamson is Director of Communications and Engagement at The Policy Circle, where she leads brand strategy, marketing, and communications to elevate the organization’s national impact. In this role, she serves as the chief storyteller, highlighting the achievements of women civic leaders and showcasing how The Policy Circle’s community-driven model empowers engagement in public policy.

Previously, Kristen managed public relations at a Fortune 22 corporation and led communications for a public interest law firm, where she managed media for over 65 federal cases involving free speech and civil liberties. She also helped launch a nonprofit organization focused on civic leadership and public discourse. Kristen began her career in the U.S. Congress and served as a press secretary for a national policy organization. 

She holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Illinois and an M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University. Kristen lives in suburban Chicago with her husband and two children.

Shari Orr serves as Director of Programs at The Policy Circle, where she leads strategy, engagement pathways, and program operations designed to help women grow as informed and impactful civic leaders.

Shari brings over 15 years of experience leading programs, partnerships, and civic engagement initiatives. Throughout her career, she has focused on connecting people to causes they care about and equipping them to make a difference. Previously, she led national civic engagement programs at the National Park Service and AmeriCorps. She also advises nonprofit organizations on strategy, engagement, and organizational growth.

Earlier in her career, Shari served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in eSwatini, where she launched women’s health and economic security programs and led a grassroots effort that established 30 rural libraries. She began her career in community engagement and communications with nonprofits focused on homelessness, youth development, and girls’ empowerment.

Shari holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Central Florida. She lives in Colorado with her husband and enjoys hiking, skiing, and camping on public lands. She also volunteers as a Master Gardener, raises service dogs, and leads a local women’s giving circle.

Victoria Wakefield is a nonprofit leader recognized for building strategic partnerships, connecting organizations and leaders, and translating vision into execution. Her work sits at the intersection of relationship-building, organizational strategy, and strengthening the networks that advance mission-driven organizations.

As Director of Partnerships at The Policy Circle, Victoria leads the organization’s partnership strategy, cultivating relationships that strengthen national, state, and local networks, expand The Policy Circle’s reach, and deepen engagement with leaders and organizations across the country.

Prior to joining The Policy Circle, Victoria spent a decade at State Policy Network in senior leadership roles spanning development, programs, and organizational strategy. Most recently, she served as Director of Development at the American Institute for Economic Research. Her cross-functional experience has made her a trusted collaborator, known for aligning people, priorities, and processes to advance organizational goals.

Victoria is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and holds a B.A. from North Carolina State University.

Kim currently serves as National Committeewoman for the great state of Kansas and is the President and owner of Bird Dog Recruitment and Consulting LLC. Kim’s firm focuses primarily on placement of senior talent at the highest levels of state and federal government along with management development. Prior to opening her firm, Kim was the Executive Director of Leadership Development at a national think, the Foundation for Government Accountability, where she created and launched the organization’s Talent Bank Project. Kim has spent 20 years in the grassroots movement starting as a young mom fighting pornography in her public library. She has served in a myriad of roles in politics, starting as a precinct committeewoman and most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff for Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s administration. During Brownback’s tenure, she also served as his Director of Appointments for Boards and Commissions and the Director of Personnel for then Governor-Elect Brownback’s transition team. Upon graduation from the University of Kansas with a degree in Human Biology, Kim’s early career began in the healthcare industry working for TAP Pharmaceuticals. She also worked part-time in the radio business and was afforded the opportunity to create and host a local radio talk show program known as “News You Need to Know” on KMAJ 1440 AM.

Kim’s work on the national level has led her to be recognized by the national Independent Women’s Forum(IWF) in their Champion Women’s Series and as a featured speaker for The Policy Circle’s 2018 Circle Leadership Summit in Chicago. She is also a mentor and coach for women in politics for Michigan’s Women’s League of our Own. 

Currently, Kim serves as a Director for Kansas Delta Dental, a board member for the Eisenhower in Public Service Series, a board member for Cair Paravel Latin School, a volunteer for Topeka Civic Theatre and as an advisor for an anti-sex trafficking task force Freedom Now-USA and JAG-K. Kim and her husband of 25 years, Tim, have three children and reside in Topeka, Kansas.

JoBeth Wood serves as Advisor to the CEO, where she provides strategic counsel, development expertise, and guidance on long-term planning to help the organization maximize its impact and achieve its mission.

Previously, she held development and advisory roles at the State Policy Network. JoBeth began her career as a White House intern and spent more than a decade in Washington, D.C., working for Members of the U.S. House of Representatives while also contributing to congressional campaigns nationwide.

JoBeth earned her degree in communication and theatre from Charleston Southern University. She resides in Florida with her husband and three children. In her spare time, she does photography, volunteers at her children’s school, and is active in her church.

Beth McQueen brings years of experience in education, administration, leadership and outreach. After receiving her BA in Early Childhood Education from Clemson University, Beth began her career as a teacher and developed the prekindergarten program in her county, a first in the state of Florida. She later spent a semester studying literature and writing in Australia through a Michigan State University education abroad program. She then received an MEd in Educational Leadership from University of North Florida. Her passion for people and culture soon brought her to the nonprofit sector where she served as an outreach director for a multicampus, megachurch. Beth has experience developing partnerships, training volunteer teams and traveling globally to provide support and encouragement to missionaries and agency representatives. Beth is an avid reader, loves to travel and enjoys hiking and exploring her surroundings wherever she may be.

Kelsey Griffin serves as the Data and Impact Manager at The Policy Circle. Prior to joining The Policy Circle, Kelsey worked for a national nonprofit and gained experience in large-scale development efforts and data-driven development strategy. She brings her skills in data analysis, strategic research, and coordination of campaigns and communications to The Policy Circle, where her focus is on cultivating a robust network of support.

Kelsey earned her Bachelor of Arts from Harding University, where she concentrated her studies in Political Science and theological studies before graduating Summa Cum Laude and Honors with Distinction. Her passion for investing in communities of women first took off in college when she co-founded the first student-led women’s conference at her university. Kelsey now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, Jarrod.

Lindsay is the founder of Hanwin LLC, a consulting firm specializing in business development, community engagement, and political strategy. Prior to launching her firm, she spent five years as Vice President of Investor Engagement at Greater Fort Wayne Inc., where she led relationships with major public, private, and nonprofit investors and directed initiatives supporting more than 1,300 chamber members. She also developed countywide talent attraction and retention programs.

With degrees in business administration and accounting, Lindsay’s passion for civic leadership is reflected in her extensive community involvement. She serves as a Fort Wayne Policy Circle co-leader, Indiana state delegate, Allen County precinct committeewoman, YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne board member, and a member of the Allen County Plan Commission and Allen County Economic Development Commission. A Leadership Fort Wayne and Lugar Excellence in Public Service alumna, she previously held leadership roles with Habitat for Humanity and Grace Summit Church.

A Fort Wayne native, Lindsay is married with four children and recently became “Lollie” to her grandson, Brooks.