The Policy Circle Team

Stacy Blakeley

Executive Director

Stacy Blakeley brings 25 years of professional experience to her role as Executive Director of The Policy Circle. Her career commenced at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. as a staffer for the House Majority Leader Dick Armey. She transitioned from planning events for political leaders and diplomats to event marketing for corporations including Dean Foods, BMW, ATT and Exxon. In 2004, Stacy pursued her life-long dream to become an attorney and graduated from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. As a commercial litigator, Stacy’s practice focused on federal class action, construction and corporate disputes. In 2013, Stacy launched KSG, an event and consulting firm that served international ministries, national nonprofits and corporations. As President of KSG, Stacy and her team built and executed communications and event strategies to fundraise, launch products and build brand awareness. As a nonprofit consultant, Stacy has helped numerous nonprofits raise millions of dollars. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Wezmore, Marketing & Communications Task Force for Girls, Inc., C-Level Advisory Board for 4word, and the Legacy Council for Fair Park.  Stacy and her husband Jeff Blakeley have two teen daughters, 2 adult stepchildren and 5 grandchildren.

Janet Burt

Director of Operations & Programs

As the Director of Programs and Operations, Janet oversees research, development, delivery and success of content and programs offered by The Policy Circle.  She is responsible for continued membership retention, engagement, and delivering a superior member experience.  Janet also oversees the operations of the organization, including team accountability, finances, outcomes, and compliance. Janet has over thirty years of leadership and operational experience in growing the success of private and non profit companies with organizations like Fidelity Investments, the American Heart Association and Catholic Charities, in addition to her senior role as Chief Operating Officer of Westlake Financial Group, Inc.  Janet graduated from the University of Illinois with a liberal arts degree.   She lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her two of her four children, and enjoys travel, decorating, being a grandmother, and investing.

Nicole Cline

Director of External Relations and Expansion

Nicole Cline has spent over a decade working in the public policy space. Currently, she is responsible for The Policy Circle’s national recruitment efforts and strategic growth initiatives. In leading The Policy Circle’s expansion, Nicole plays a leading role in engaging with investors, collaborators and aligned networks to recruit aspiring civic leaders to participate in leadership programming and to become active members of The Policy Circle community. 

The Policy Circle empowers women to take ownership of solutions in their communities by providing pathways to become active citizens who are knowledgeable about the impact of public policy.  

Prior to joining The Policy Circle, Nicole was Public Affairs Manager at the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, the state’s largest business association. She worked with Connecticut’s leading companies to influence the legislative process, frequently employing grassroots and grasstops strategies to achieve legislative and regulatory goals. She is most proud of spearheading the organization’s key contact program, “Adopt a Legislator.” 

Nicole has also worked on over a dozen federal, state and local political races as a campaign manager, fundraiser and writer.

She earned her B.A. in communications and political science from the University of Connecticut. She is also a graduate of the The Campaign School at Yale University and is a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network. 

Nicole is also an accomplished food publisher. Her food photography and recipes have been featured on the websites of Time, Inc., Country Living, Women’s Day, The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed. Her recipes and photos can be found at seasonlycreations.com 

Mary Schaper

Communications Director

As the Communications Director for The Policy Circle, Mary manages the development and execution of The Policy Circle’s strategic communications strategies focused on growth of the brand, driving awareness of The Policy Circle products and initiatives, and increasing engagement through a data-driven approach. Mary brings a decade of experience working at  the intersection of public policy, advocacy and nonprofit communications. Much of her work over the last ten years has been to develop and execute marketing and advocacy frameworks that respond to the challenges of an ever-changing digital age and drive audiences to action. Mary previously worked for the American Petroleum Institute, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowksi, and the State of Alaska.  

She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Performance and Mass Communications from West Texas A&M University. She lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. with her family and lively Springer Spaniel. 

Judi Willard

Associate Director of Engagement

Judi serves as the Associate Director of Engagement for The Policy Circle. She is responsible for recruiting, mentoring and inspiring women across the nation to lead Policy Circle’s in their communities. She also works directly with State Leadership Councils to help them expand the mission and goals of the organization. Judi also directs online programming for our Circle Leadership training and Virtual Circle conversations. She thinks of herself as the biggest cheerleader for our vast number of volunteers. 

Judi has her B.A in communications radio/television from the University of Illinois, Springfield. She is a former radio disc jockey and television host for a non-profit focused on educating underserved communities on parenting issues and skills. Her passion for liberty and freedom led her to work for over five years at the Illinois Policy Institute where she was introduced to The Policy Circle. In 2015 she became the first Circle Leader in Springfield, IL, in 2018 she joined TPC as a full-time staff member. She feels blessed everyday to be working with a team of passionate and caring volunteers and team members. 

Besides working to make the world a better place her greatest accomplishment was raising her three children to be free-thinkers and contributing members of our great society.

Corinne Winters

Policy Editor

As the Policy Editor, Corinne is responsible for curating policy briefs to ensure all information provided to The Policy Circle members is fact-based, unbiased, and reliably sourced. Corinne Winters previously served as a policy intern for The Jack Kemp Foundation through the Koch Internship program in Washington, D.C., where she was able to apply her problem-solving, research, and analytical skills. She now brings her enthusiasm for diving deep into and breaking down complex public policy issues to The Policy Circle team.

Corinne is a graduate of The College of New Jersey and holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. She lives in central New Jersey, where she spends as much time as she can hiking, baking, and planning her next international adventure.

Kim Borchers

Associate Director of Civic Engagement

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 the republican party 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 conservative 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 Republican 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, Dr.Tim, reside in Topeka. Kim and Tim have a newly married daughter and son-in-law, Hannah and Garry, a daughter who is in her 2nd year at Liberty University in VA and her15 year old son, Jude.