R Street’s 2025 Real Solutions Summit

We look forward to seeing you on May 6 at the Planet Word Museum!

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Working Agenda

9:30am: Check-in opens

10am – 10:05am: Welcome Remarks

10:10am – 11:05am: From Tweets to Trust: Reimagining American Discourse in the New Media Era

11:10am – 12:10pm: Beyond the Ban: Market Solutions for Misinformation and AI Governance

BREAK FOR LUNCH

12:30pm – 1:15pm: Lunch and Fireside Chat – The Presidency, Polarization of Political Parties, and Public Trust in American Government

1:25pm – 2:25pm: Rising Tide of Climate Optimism: A New Era of Pro-Market Environmental Reforms

2:45pm – 3:00PM: Keynote – Looking Ahead at America’s 250th Birthday

3:00pm – 3:45pm: Real Insights, “Navigating the Future of Democracy”

3:55pm – 4:55pm: Live Red Tape Podcast, “Who’s Running the Government? Budgets, Congress, and Chaos”

4:55 – 5pm: Closing Remarks

5pm – 7pm: Happy Hour

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Speakers

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Speaker Bios

Eli Lehrer is the President of the R Street Institute. He co-founded R Street in 2012 and has played a key role in establishing it as an important voice in the Washington, D.C. policy scene. Prior to R Street he served as vice president for Washington, D.C. operations at the Heartland Institute, overseeing its D.C. office. Earlier in his career, he worked as a speechwriter to then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.); as a project manager for the Unisys Corp.; as senior editor of The American Enterprise magazine; and as a fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Eli started his career as a reporter for The Washington Times.

Sidney M. Milkis is the White Burkett Miller Professor in the Department of Politics. He was awarded the Cavaliers’ Distinguished Teaching Professorship for 2018-2020, the highest teaching award at the University of Virginia, which recognizes an eminent scholar for outstanding undergraduate teaching.  In 2016-2017, he was named the John G. Winant Visiting Professor of American Government at Oxford University. He has a B.A. from Muhlenberg College and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania. Milkis is co-director of a new all-university initiative, Project on Democracy and Capitalism, which is exploring the complex relationship between self-government and markets.

Devin Hartman is director of Energy and Environmental Policy at the R Street Institute. He leads a team that brings a pragmatic and analytically sound pro-market perspective to energy and environmental policy. He rejoined R Street in 2020 after serving as the president and CEO of the Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON), the national association of large industrial users of electricity. He represented large consumers on the Members Representatives Committee of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation from 2019-2020. He has previously worked for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and various energy and environmental policy nonprofit organizations.

Nick Loris is the Vice President of Public Policy at C3 Solutions. Loris studies and writes about a wide range of energy and climate policies, including natural resource extraction, energy subsidies, nuclear energy, renewable power and energy efficiency. He also studies ways in which markets will improve the environment, reduce emissions and better adapt to a changing climate. Before joining C3 Solutions, Loris served as the Deputy Director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at The Heritage Foundation.

Marc Marie is the president of the Center for Environmental Accountability, where he leads the movement to educate Americans about the lawfulness, efficacy, and tradeoffs of regulatory policy in the energy and environment space. His government service includes senior counsel at the Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division; acting deputy solicitor at the Department of the Interior; and counsel to Sen. Mike Lee on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Erica Schoder is the Executive Director and co-founder of the R Street Institute (RSI). Erica has overseen the strategic growth of RSI from a start-up to a multi-million dollar institution with over 80 staff members across the country. A leadership coach trained at INSEAD Business School, Erica is passionate about building strong, collaborative organizational cultures. She also leads the Artificial Intelligence member group within the Forbes Business Council, focusing on the complex and evolving role of AI in society. Currently pursuing a Master of Science at the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute, Erica’s research explores the intersection of big data, artificial intelligence, and the future of democratic governance. She frequently hosts conversations with think tankers and thought leaders around the globe to ensure that diverse voices contribute to evidence-informed policy solutions.

Megan McArdle is a Washington Post columnist and the author of “The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success.” She’s previously worked for The Atlantic, Bloomberg View, The Daily Beast, Newsweek, and other publications.

Lynne Kiesling is an economist focusing on regulation, market design, and the economics of digitization and smart grid technologies in the electricity industry. She is Director of the Institute for Regulatory Law & Economics in the Center on Law, Business, and Economics, and is an Adjunct Professor in the Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability program, both at Northwestern University. She is also a Research Professor at University of Colorado Denver, a member of the External Faculty of the Santa Fe Institute, and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. In addition to her academic research, she is currently a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee, has served as a member of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Smart Grid Advisory Committee, and is an emerita member of the GridWise Architecture Council. Her academic background includes a B.S. in Economics from Miami University (Ohio) and a Ph.D. in Economics from Northwestern University. Outside of work, Lynne rides her bikes, skis downhill and Nordic, knits, and reads a lot of books.

Eli Lake is a columnist for the Free Press and the host of its Breaking History podcast. He is also a contributing editor to Commentary Magazine. He is a former reporter for the Daily Beast, Newsweek and the New York Sun. Lake has also traveled extensively reporting from all three members of George W. Bush’s axis of evil, Iran, Iraq and North Korea. 

Kelli Pierce is the host of RSI’s Red Tape Podcast and also manages content on R Street’s website and assists with digital communications. Prior to R Street, she was the producer of Inside Sources with Boyd Matheson on KSL NewsRadio in Salt Lake City. She was also an award-winning reporter with the same station and is the recipient of the Associated Press, Edward R. Murrow and Utah Society of Professional Journalists awards for her reporting.

Sarah Ladislaw returned to RMI in Sept. 2024 after serving as Senior Director for Climate and Energy, National Security Council at The White House from Jan. 2023 to Aug. 2024. Prior to RMI, Sarah was senior vice president and director of the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she led the think tank’s work in energy policy, geopolitics, and technology analysis. She spearheaded new work at CSIS on climate change and foreign policy, deep decarbonization, and just transitions. Before CSIS, Sarah worked in the Office of the Americas in the US Department of Energy’s Office of Policy and International Affairs, where she covered a range of economic, political, and energy issues in the Western Hemisphere. In addition, she spent a short time working at Statoil as its senior director for international affairs in the Washington office. She is a member of the Strategic Advisory Council for Georgia Tech’s Strategic Energy Initiative and the University of California, Davis, Institute of Transportation Studies Board of Advisors.

Alissa Cooper is the Executive Director of the Knight-Georgetown Institute (KGI). She is a recognized leader in the development of global Internet standards, policy, and governance. Alissa has served in a variety of roles in the tech industry, including Chair of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the world’s premier Internet standards organization. She led the IETF through significant transitions related to Internet security and encryption, network performance, privacy, and real-time voice and video. She previously served as the chair of the IANA Stewardship Coordination Group, which delivered the technical plan that allowed the U.S. Department of Commerce to transfer oversight of Internet governance to the global multistakeholder community. Prior to KGI, Alissa spent a decade at Cisco Systems in senior engineering and executive roles, and before that, she served as the Chief Computer Scientist at the Center for Democracy and Technology.

Shoshana Weissmann manages R Street’s social media, email marketing and other digital assets. She also works on occupational licensing reform, social media regulatory policy, Section 230 and other issues, and has written for various publications, including The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Spence Purnell works on the impact of misinformation on society and public policy, including creating a new framework for information governance. Previously, Spence served as the director of technology policy at the Reason Foundation, where he was responsible for managing fundraising efforts and policy implementation. He also served as a graduate fellow in the Executive Office of the Governor in Florida. Before pursuing his graduate studies, Spence was the business development manager for a technology startup, Dealers United, in Sarasota, Florida. In recognition of his work, Spence won the Policy Paper of the Year award in the Florida Legislature in 2015 for his policy brief on data sharing and software procurement. Spence earned his master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University and his bachelor’s degree in political science from Stetson University.

Matt Perault is the head of artificial intelligence policy at Andreessen Horowitz, where he oversees the firm’s policy strategy on AI and helps portfolio companies navigate the AI policy landscape. Before joining a16z, Matt served as the director of the Center on Technology Policy at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC), a professor at UNC’s School of Information and Library Science, and a consultant on technology policy at Open Water Strategies. He also previously worked as the head of global policy development at Facebook, where he led the company’s global public policy planning efforts on issues such as competition, law enforcement, and human rights. In addition to his work at a16z, Matt is a fellow at the Center on Technology Policy at New York University, the Abundance Institute, and the National Security Institute at the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School. He is also a board member of the North Carolina Institute of Technology Policy. Matt holds a law degree from Harvard Law School, a master’s degree in public policy from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Brown University.

Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Dispatch, based in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, enormous lizards roamed the Earth. More immediately prior to that, Jonah spent two decades at National Review, where he was a senior editor, among other things. He is also a bestselling author, longtime columnist for the Los Angeles Times, commentator for CNN, and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. When he is not writing the G-File or hosting The Remnant podcast, he finds real joy in family time, attending to his dogs and cat, and blaming Steve Hayes for various things.

Matt Germer is director of the Governance Program at the R Street Institute. Before joining R Street, Matt was a policy counsel and strategic planning coordinator at the Washington State House of Representatives. There, he drafted legislation and offered strategic counsel on a variety of legislative matters, including elections, taxes, energy, criminal justice and technology. Prior to that, he served as nonpartisan staff in the Oregon State Legislature, worked as a public policy analyst in the healthcare industry and helped launch a real estate marketing start-up. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles and a JD from the University of California, Irvine School of Law.

Katie Harbath is the founder of Anchor Change, a newsletter and consultancy that explores the complexities of the digital age and global politics. Through her writing, speaking, and advisory work, Katie helps leaders navigate an ever-evolving landscape by combining deep analysis with compelling storytelling to make sense of rapid change. Described by Foreign Policy Magazine as an “election whisperer to the tech industry,” Katie is a trusted guide for leaders seeking clarity and transformation in a fast-moving world. Her career spans political campaigns, civil society, and global technology leadership. At Facebook, she spent a decade building and leading international teams that managed elections and empowered governments, political figures, and organizations to connect meaningfully with their audiences. Prior to her time at Facebook, Katie held senior digital roles at the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the DCI Group. She is a board member at the National Conference on Citizenship, Democracy Works, R Street, and the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Madison-Wisconsin. Katie graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is from Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Emily Chamlee-Wright is the president and CEO of the Institute for Humane Studies, which supports and partners with scholars working within the classical liberal tradition to advance higher education’s core purpose of intellectual discovery and human progress. She joined IHS in 2016 with an accomplished record as an academic leader, scholar, and educator. From 2012 to 2016 she served as provost and dean at Washington College and was previously the Elbert H. Neese Professor of Economics and associate dean at Beloit College. Emily earned her PhD in economics from George Mason University. She is a former W.K. Kellogg National Leadership Fellow and received the excellence in teaching award from Beloit College and a Distinguished Alumna Award from George Mason University. She has six books to her credit, including Liberal Learning and the Art of Self-Governance and The Cultural and Political Economy of Recovery. 

Sabrina Schaeffer is R Street’s vice president of Public Affairs. She helps maintain, protect and enhance R Street’s brand by overseeing and supporting communications, outreach and editorial. Prior to R Street, Sabrina was a senior director for the White House Writers Group. She was also the vice president for The Herald Group. Sabrina spent five and a half years as the executive director of the Independent Women’s Forum. She held events all around the country; published multiple books; appeared in thousands of media interviews; and had a significant impact on the conversation around women and public policy. She co-authored Liberty is No War on Women: How Big Government and Victim-Politics Undermine America’s Progress (2012) and contributed to Lean Together: An Agenda for Smarter Government, Stronger Communities, and More Opportunity for Women. Sabrina received her master’s degree in American politics from the University of Virginia (2005), master’s degree in American history from the University of Virginia (2003) and a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College (1999). She lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband Adam and three kids: Findley, Penelope (Poppy) and Spencer. They have a bearded dragon named T.J. and many fish with complicated names.

Jennifer Condon Jennifer Condon brings two decades of public affairs, communications, development and project management leadership experience in the non-profit, public, and private sectors to her position as Interim Executive Director of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and Executive Vice President of America250.org, Inc. Condon formerly served in the roles of Vice President of Outreach and Engagement and Chief of Staff at America250. She also served as Lead Federal Project Manager at Oracle Cerner Corporation, where she led cross-organizational teams on the Veterans Affairs’ EHRM initiatives. Before Cerner, Condon served as the Confidential Advisor to the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. She held several other leadership positions, including as Corporate Communications Manager for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and Executive Director and Chief Development Officer at Joint Council on International Children’s Services. Condon served on the Board of Directors of The Campagna Center, the Development Committee of the National Council for Adoption and on the Forbes Communications Council. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a certified SAFe Agilist (SA), and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200). She holds an MBA in Organizational Management from Eastern University and Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Religion from Bucknell University.

Nan Swift researches, writes and builds relationships across party lines to promote R Street’s Governance Program with Congress. Prior to R Street, Nan worked as professional staff for the U.S. Senate Budget Committee. She was responsible for outreach to coalition partners to get support and feedback for the Committee’s oversight, budget and budget process reform efforts. Nan also worked as Director of Federal Affairs for the National Taxpayers Union. In this role, she worked closely with members of Congress—and other organizations—on both sides of the aisle. She advocated on behalf of taxpayers for lower spending, budget process reform, and a reduction in the unfair federal subsidies and policies that distort so many key industries. She has degrees in political studies and English literature from Gordon College (Wenham, MA).

Chad Russell Chad Russell oversees R Street’s administration, people operations, IT, contract processes and facilities. Chad also supports the executive director in developing and implementing organizational strategy, processes and priorities. Prior to joining R Street, Chad was a gubernatorial speechwriter, finance and operations director for a presidential campaign, managed strategic planning and branding for nonprofits and corporations, and was a public health lobbyist. Chad received his bachelor’s degree in economics and Spanish from the University of Iowa.

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