Sanders Announces Campaign Senior Staff

August 2, 2022

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced the senior staff of her campaign for Governor of Arkansas.

“I am excited to have assembled this talented group of individuals to help me continue to take my message of bold, conservative reforms to all 75 counties of Arkansas. All of them bring unique experiences and expertise, which makes this campaign, along with our incredible supporters, even stronger,” Sanders said.

Sarah For Governor Senior Staff:

Campaign Manager Chris Caldwell is the former federal Co-Chairman of the Delta Regional Authority. A Bryant native and graduate of the University of Arkansas, he worked for U.S. Senator John Boozman (Ark.) from 2010 to 2018 and managed his 2016 re-election campaign. Chris also served on former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s 2008 presidential bid and then-U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson’s 2002 campaign.

Deputy Campaign Manager Jordan Powell is a campaign strategist who has served as a consultant, communications advisor, ad maker, and digital expert for gubernatorial, congressional, state house, and issue campaigns across the country. He has also served as a press secretary on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. In 2016, Jordan served as Deputy Campaign Manager for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign.

Senior Advisor Gretchen Conger joined the Sarah for Governor campaign after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, where she was responsible for budget, policy, and legislative affairs. Prior to her 7-year tenure with Governor Ducey, Gretchen worked on multiple issue-based and candidate-based campaigns in Arizona.

Policy Advisor Jack Sisson is a public affairs professional and consultant with more than 15 years of experience at the state and federal levels. In Washington, D.C., he served as health policy advisor to U.S. Senator John Boozman (Ark.) and aide to then-U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (Kas.). Jack also worked as an advisor to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and as campaign manager for Representative French Hill (AR-02).

Political Director Jamie Barker was born and raised in Smackover. He has worked on campaigns for U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (Ark.) and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, as well as former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s 2016 presidential campaign. Jamie has also previously served as Political Director for the Republican Party of Arkansas. He is a past chairman of the Arkansas Federation of Young Republicans and past member of the state party’s executive committee. He is a political consultant with the Arkansas-based firm, JCD Consulting.

Communications Director Judd Deere is a former White House Deputy Press Secretary for President Donald J. Trump and brings more than a decade of political communications experience at both the national and state levels. Most recently serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), Judd has also worked for U.S. Senators John Boozman (Ark.) and Mike Crapo (Idaho), as well as Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. Judd is a Benton native and graduate of Lyon College.

Finance Director Cathy Lanier is a successful political fundraiser based in the state of Arkansas and has worked for several years to raise campaign funds for candidates at the local, state, and federal levels. She has previously worked for Representative French Hill (AR-02) and U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (Ark.), as well as Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. She also worked as a regional finance director for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign in 2016. Cathy grew up in Magnolia.

Director of Accounting and Compliance Megan Turner is a certified public accountant (CPA) and graduate of Ouachita Baptist University. She spent ten years in public accounting and business before joining the political field. Megan specializes in state and federal campaign finance and served as Director of Accounting and Compliance for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s 2016 presidential campaign, as well as similar roles for numerous other campaigns and political action committees.

Director of Operations Alex Flemister has spent his career in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, he served as Associate Director for the White House Office of Public Liaison under President Donald J. Trump where he was the liaison for the business, veteran, and AAPI communities. Alex is a Little Rock native and a graduate of the University of Arkansas.