Program Overview

Your next opportunity is waiting around the corner. Are you prepared?

The new 119th Congress will be here before we know it and staff positions are open in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. These positions represent a unique opportunity for professionals like you to advance conservative principles and impact public policy. Ready, Set, HILL! is here to assist you in landing your first Hill job and preparing for success.

Ready, Set, HILL! distills the training and skill-building sessions you need into a two-day, intensive learning program. Heritage's team of instructors are Capitol Hill veterans who teach the entry-level skills you need to be successful in any Hill office. You'll hear from current and former Hill chiefs of staff, skill coaches, and other professionals on a wide range of practical knowledge. Whether you're looking for opportunities as a legislative, communications, or scheduling professional, this program is for you.

What you will learn:
  • Opportunities: Who Does What in a Hill Office?
  • How the House and Senate Really Work
  • Writing Fundamentals for the Hill
  • Constituent Communications: The Art of Letter Writing
  • Engaging Outside Resources
  • Acing the Interview
  • Professional Polish for the Hill
  • Oversight Basics

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Program Details

FORMAT: Ready, Set, HILL! is available for both in-person and virtual attendance. Space is limited for in-person attendance: early applicants will be prioritized. 

DATE: Ready, Set, HILL! is being offered on the below date:
 
Program Date: Application Deadline:
Status:
November 21 - 22 November 18 Open

Whether virtual or in-person, participants should prepare for two full days of jammed packed programming. The schedule will run 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on the first day and 9:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. on the second day. All times are EST. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for in-person attendees and the program will include in-class discussion, Q&A, and homework. 

Those who fulfill all requirements of the program will receive a certificate of completion. Heritage’s Job Bank will work with credentialed graduates on placement into open staff positions in the U.S. House of Representatives or Senate.


Faculty

Kyle Bonnell is the Assistant Director for the Job Bank and Talent Placement at The Heritage Foundation. Through the Heritage Job Bank, Kyle has placed over a thousand conservatives into key positions on Capitol Hill, in the Executive Branch, and with conservative organizations across the country. He has worked on staff at Heritage for eleven years. He graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science.

Kyle Brosnan serves as Chief Counsel for the Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project. He recently joined Heritage after serving as Chief Counsel to Senator Ron Johnson on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Kyle served in the Trump administration in senior roles at the Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security directing the administration's responses to congressional oversight and investigations. Before the administration, Kyle served as counsel to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee under Senator Johnson and as a legal fellow at the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under Senator John McCain.

Aaron Calkins is the Chief of Staff for Congressman Eric Burlison. He previously served as Legislative Director and Counsel for Congressman Andy Biggs and Raul Labrador. His experience in the executive branch includes serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Legislative Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security and as Chief of Staff for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Mike Connolly is Founder and Principal of Inkling Communications, where he provides writing and strategic services to candidates, senior executive branch officials, U.S. Senators and Representatives, major corporations and nonprofits, the Republican National Committee, and others. He served multiple stints on Capitol Hill, last serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Mike Lee.

Dani Doane is the Director of Government Relations at the Heritage Foundation. She previously served on Capitol Hill as a Chief of Staff and Legislative Director. She additionally has experience in the lobbying and grassroots arena.

Karalee Geis is the Director of Coalitions and Outreach for the House Judiciary Committee and Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government under Chairman Jim Jordan. Prior to this role, she was Director of Capitol Hill Outreach for Young America's Foundation where she launched the House and Senate Campus Free Speech Caucus and authored articles for the organization's news site and The Federalist. She previously served on Congressman Bruce Westerman's team on Capitol Hill. A graduate of Samford University and a West Virginia native, Karalee interned for Congressman Gary Palmer and Senator Joe Manchin. She is an avid Pittsburg Steelers and fan.

Andrew Guernsey serves as a Policy Advisor to Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), handling outreach to conservative coalitions. Previously, he served as Executive Director of the Senate Pro-life Caucus under the chairmanships of Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Steve Daines (R-MT). His prior experience also includes serving as a Legislative Assistant for Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), and as a Senior Legislative Assistant at the Family Research Council. Andrew earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University. Originally from Ave Maria, Florida, Andrew lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Claire and their children.

Beverly Hallberg is the Founder and President of District Media Group. Hallberg is an expert media coach, lecturer, and public speaker dedicated to coaching others to be their "best self" for both print and broadcast media. She is a Fellow at the Independent Women's Forum, a guest columnist for The Daily Signal, Washington Examiner, and The Hill and is a frequent contributor on Fox News.

Jeremy Hayes is a Senior Advisor for Government Relations for defense and national security. His areas of legislative expertise include military and federal acquisition laws and regulations as well as border security. He served in the U.S. Senate in the offices of Senator Tom Coburn, Ted Cruz, John Barrasso, and Joni Ernst. He also worked as a committee staffer for the Homeland Security and Government Affairs and Armed Services committees. Jeremy also worked for Chairman Jim Jordan on the House Judiciary Committee during the passage of H.R. 2 - the Secure the Border Act. Jeremy was an Army officer from 2001 - 2006 and is a veteran of the Afghanistan war.

Tom Jipping is a Senior Legal Fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation. Previously, he served for 15 years on the staff of U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), including several as his Chief Counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He spent the previous 13 years in legal policy positions at Concerned Women for America and the Free Congress Research & Education Foundation. Jipping received a bachelor's degree with honors from Calvin College and both a master's degree in political science and a juris doctorate, cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo. While at SUNY-Buffalo Law School, Tom was a founding member of the Buffalo Federalist Society and served as the Head Note and Comment Editor of the Buffalo Law Review. Before coming to Washington, Tom clerked for Judge William D. Hutchinson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Maggie McKneeley currently serves as the Legislative Strategist for Concerned Women for America. Previously, she worked on the Home School Legal Defense Association as their Federal Relations Liaison. She also spent time as a Tom and Kipp Gutshall fellow at the Media Research Center. Originally from Fredericksburg, VA, Maggie received her B.A. in Government from Patrick Henry College and is currently pursuing her Master's in Government from Hillsdale College. When she needs a break from politics, Maggie enjoys Irish dancing and collecting new passport stamps.

Michael Rogenmoser is director of government relations at Heritage Action. He worked in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate for a combined seven years, most recently for Senator Roger Marshall.

Stephen Siao is the Chief of Staff for Congressman Mark Green. Prior to his appointment as the youngest Chief of Staff at the start of the 116th Congress, he held grassroots and communications roles at Heritage Action for America and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Siao has served nine years on the executive committees of four different Republican parties and auxiliary organizations, including five years as chairman.

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Have Questions? Email Kaitlin Stumpf at [email protected]