About Us

Rachael Leman has held senior staff positions in government and nonprofits for over 20 years. She served as the Associate Vice President of U.S. Advocacy at CARE, a global development and humanitarian organization. In this role, she oversaw CARE’s U.S. policy agenda and strategy, including government relations, grassroots mobilization, and a Congressional delegation program. She also launched CARE Action, CARE’s 501(c)(4) sister organization, which engages with Congressional and Presidential candidates. Prior to joining CARE, Rachael was the Policy Director for Senator Lindsey Graham’s 2016 Presidential campaign. She crafted Senator Graham’s international and domestic policy platforms, including his strategies on global development, national security, and climate change. Previously, Rachael worked as a House staffer for over thirteen years, including a decade at the House Rules Committee. She served as the Committee’s Deputy Staff Director for Policy and Strategic Communications, where she worked on Chairman David Dreier’s top policy priorities. She also served as the Staff Director of the House Trade Working Group and the staff lead on the House Democracy Partnership, a legislative strengthening commission. During her tenure, the commission launched 17 programs throughout the developing world, including partnerships with the national parliaments in Kenya, Liberia, Haiti, Colombia, and Afghanistan. Rachael has worked on a number of Congressional campaigns as a policy and communications advisor, fundraiser, field organizer, and FEC compliance manager. She has done extensive international policy consulting in Asia and has served as an international elections observer on three continents.

Paul Kennedy served for 34 years in the Marine Corps and retired as a Major General. A career infantry officer, he led combat formations in the War on Terror, first as a battalion commander in Iraq and later as regimental combat team commander in Afghanistan. He also wrote the invasion plans for the 1st Marine Division into Iraq under Major General Mattis in 2003. As a general officer, he led the initial U.S. Military response in 2013 to Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the response to the Nepal earthquake in 2015. He continues to work within the international humanitarian community as a consultant. Paul also worked extensively to cultivate the branding and messaging of the Marine Corps. He served on multiple tours of recruiting duty, culminating as Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruiting Command and Chief Diversity Officer. While Paul served in that role, combat exclusion of women was lifted, and he increased the officer and enlisted diversity accessions to historic levels. He also served as the Marine Corps’ Public Affairs Chief during several crises in both international and domestic operations. He worked with the United States Congress as the Chief Liaison to the House of Representatives and, later, as the director of Legislative Affairs for the Commandant of the Marine Corps.