August 19, 2016

Improving Our Future is More than an Idea

By: Matthew Hartill

How Christian Rice has reached hundreds of Capitol Hill Staff with Free-Market Ideas.

Is Washington, D.C. a graveyard for good ideas? That was the message Christian Rice got while interning for a national think tank. He developed creative regulatory reforms during his internship and his ideas attracted interest from various state governments. But Christian needed skills to put his ideas into action, so he joined America’s Future Foundation.

Christian organized events, moderated panels in front of large audiences, and refined his professionalism. Because of your support, Christian landed a job on Capitol Hill. He started “Staff for Liberty” and recruited hundreds of attendees. Members came together to learn about free-market policies and limited government solutions. Your support of rising stars like Christian prepared him to lead and implement change.

“To start this program, I used the exact same skills that AF gave me. ‘Staff for Liberty’ broadened staffers’ minds and offered think tanks a way into our community. That was only possible because of AF. It made nonprofits realize how important Capitol Hill outreach is. There’s so much we can do when we simply connect policy experts to legislators.”

Christian now works in government relations and is a founding member of AF’s Capitol Hill Advisory Board. With AF, he works with Capitol Hill staff to create innovative and exciting programs. In the last year, AF’s Capitol Hill events drew more than 500 staffers. In the next few years, Christian hopes to use the strong foundation you’ve given him to attend law school and run for office.

“I love working on these policies because I can genuinely make a difference. In the next few years, I want to keep fighting for what I believe in and make an even bigger impact.”

With your support, AF can help other young professionals like Christian get the skills they need. Young professionals arrive in D.C. every day, hoping to spread their love of liberty. They need your help to build skills and experiences that they can apply in their careers.