Jankowski and Fehrer to Further Strengthen RSLC Team

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) Chairman Ed Gillespie and Vice-Chairman Tom Reynolds announced, today, that J. Christopher Jankowski will serve as Executive Director of the RSLC’s REDistricting MAjority Project (REDMAP) and Sarah Fehrer will join as Senior Vice President for Development of the RSLC.  REDMAP, a program of the RSLC, is dedicated to winning state legislative seats that will impact Congressional redistricting and the next decade’s political landscape.

“Chris has been instrumental in the RSLC’s growth over the years and is a natural fit for Executive Director of REDMAP,” said Reynolds.  “And with Sarah’s experience in spearheading significant fundraising endeavors for a variety of notable organizations, both of these professionals have proven they have the vision and track-record needed to successfully manage this important effort.”

Through REDMAP, the RSLC will raise an unprecedented amount of funds to target key state legislative seats across the country that impact the drawing of district lines for as many as 25 new Republican U.S. House seats. As Executive Director, Jankowski will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the REDMAP campaign as the RSLC expands and strengthens a political operation that has a proven record of winning Republican majorities across the country since its 2002 inception.  In the role of Senior Vice President of Development, Fehrer will lead the national outreach and development activities for the RSLC’s Chairman and Vice-Chairman on REDMAP, as well as help guide the RSLC’s overall fundraising efforts.

Jankowski played a pivotal role in Virginia’s 2009 landslide election of Governor Bob McDonnell, along with Republican victories for lieutenant governor and attorney general.  His efforts also contributed to a net pick-up of six House of Delegates seats by Republicans, including the defeat of eight Democratic House incumbents. Jankowski has organized and led issue campaigns and independent expenditures in state legislative, attorneys general, and judicial elections throughout the country. Jankowski will leverage more than a decade of experience raising funds for such efforts to help REDMAP raise and spend millions of dollars in a short time period with absolute efficiency and tremendous emphasis on delivering measurable results.

Fehrer, now returning to the Republican fundraising arena, comes to the RSLC from the Smithsonian Institution where she served as Director of Corporate Relations. In this role, she built the operation and provided oversight for all corporate development activities for the Institution’s 19 museums, nine research centers and the National Zoo. She has more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, development, special events, strategic planning, management and administration. Prior to the Smithsonian, Sarah served as an Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in the position of Vice President for Corporate Development, managing the National Accounts Program and Field Sales Operation.  She has held director level fundraising positions at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Republican National Committee and also served in the White House during the first Bush Administration.

“The Republican resurgence in America will, no doubt, be guided by a Republican team effort including the expertise of individuals such as Chris Jankowski and Sarah Fehrer,” said Gillespie.  “Chris has quietly built a record of mustering resources and winning down ballot elections in key states. His record is highly regarded in Virginia and he will be an asset to the successful execution of REDMAP in the coming months.  Sarah’s extensive fundraising achievements span the political, trade association and non-profit universes, and I believe she will be the perfect addition to help ensure the success of not only REDMAP, but also the RSLC in the years to come.”

The RSLC is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders and the only national organization whose mission is to elect down ballot, state-level Republican office-holders.  Since 2002, the RSLC has been working to elect candidates for the office of attorney general, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and state legislator.  The RSLC consistently raises and spends an average of more than $20 million, per two-year cycle, from more than 80,000 donors and from all 50 states.