Cliff Maloney Jr.
President

Cliff Maloney Jr. is the President of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL), the most active and effective libertarian youth organization advancing liberty on campus and in American electoral politics.  YAL’s mission is to identify, educate, train, and mobilize youth activists committed to making liberty win.

Justin Greiss
Vice President of Grassroots

In the fall of 2013, Justin founded a YAL chapter at Elizabethtown College and later took the helm as YAL Pennsylvania State Chair. Upon graduation in January 2015, Justin joined the YAL National staff as Southeast Regional Director. Soon after Senator Rand Paul announced his presidential bid, Justin joined the team as Iowa’s 1st District Congressional Director. After the campaign, Justin remained with Senator Paul as Kentucky Political Director for Rand’s Senate run. After a 16 point win in November 2016, Justin returned to YAL as the Director of Mobilization. Justin is a graduate of Elizabethtown College with a B.A. in Political Science and a Pennsylvania native.

Sean Themea
Vice President of  Development

Sean founded the Ithaca College YAL chapter during his senior year of college. He quickly earned the title of New York State Chair, and created over a dozen chapters in his region. Sean was named Northeast State Chair of the Year for 2016, and joined the national staff shortly after. He holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Ithaca College, where he sang with a nationally-touring a capella group.

Daniel Taylor
National Campus Director

Daniel founded the Taylor University YAL chapter in his first semester of college, thus beginning his voyage as a political activist. He quickly took on the role of Recruitment Director in Indiana by leading multiple campus invasions on campuses throughout Indiana, where he created multiple YAL chapters. He was quickly promoted to Indiana State Chair where he continued to build his state to 32 chapters and planned a speaker tour that had 19 speaker events in a single semester. Daniel served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for a little over a year before assuming the role of National Field Director.

Kathryn Brackbill
Director of Operations

Kathryn currently serves as YAL’s Director of Operations where she creates, organizes and runs all of the organizations events. In addition to events, she also maintains the day to day operations of the Arlington office. Kathryn has been involved with Young Americans for Liberty since 2014 when she started her chapter at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. She later became a Pennsylvania State Chair and helped grow the network in the Keystone State. Kathryn also has prior experience in the national office. Kathryn interned twice for Young Americans for Liberty; once as an intern in 2015 and then again in 2016 as a Development Executive. During her time in 2016 she helped organize and run that year’s National Convention. When Kathryn is not busy standing for liberty she enjoys; spending time with her husband, trying out new recipes, playing board games, and being in the great outdoors.

Ted Patterson
Director of Policy

Ted Patterson got involved in the liberty movement with the Ron Paul campaign in 2008 in his home state of Maryland. He narrowly lost a race for State House in 2010, but instead was elected to his local GOP Central Committee. Ted graduated from University of Delaware with a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and ran grassroots liberty activist training at the Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership until 2017. In addition to running for office, Ted has also worked on the inside as a Legislative Aide in the Maryland House of Delegates and over the past two years has operated his own marketing company. Ted now serves as Director of Policy with Young Americans for Liberty to help mentor and develop America’s next generation of liberty legislators.

Kelsey Carroll
Digital Media Director

Kelsey is from Fort Wayne, Indiana where she attended Purdue University – Fort Wayne. She started her YAL chapter during her freshman year and then became a Media Ambassador. Kelsey has been published numerous times in The Washington Examiner, primarily covering campus free speech. She was the Communications Intern for YAL in the summer of 2018.

Reed Cooley
Director of Public Relations

A lifelong writer, Mississippi native, and alumnus of Baylor University, Reed Cooley (like many others within YAL) began his involvement in the liberty movement while in college. After graduating in August 2017, Reed knew that he wanted to spend his life using his passions for writing and oratory to promote the ideals of liberty and limited government. In his spare time, Reed is either writing his novel, playing his guitar, or nursing his embarrassingly unhealthy addiction to Star Trek.

Alexander Staudt
Major Gifts Officer

Alex recently served as the Students for Rand chapter president at the University of Iowa. He previously worked on congressional campaigns and interned with Jamestown Associates. Alex has a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Iowa. As a true Iowan through and through, Alex enjoys hunting for vinyls, cheering for the Hawkeyes, and the outdoors.

Jared LeSage
Foundations Officer

Jared founded the Young Americans for Liberty chapter at UNC – Charlotte and served as a North Carolina State Chair before working on Capital Hill.

Crystal Bonham
Legacy Society Director

Brandon Borke
Development Officer

Brandon serves as a Development Officer for Young Americans for Liberty. He is a native of northeast Michigan. He graduated in 2015 from Northwood University with a bachelors in International Business Administration. Soon thereafter, Brandon found his calling in politics. He began with Rand Paul’s presidential campaign on Iowa making calls, canvassing campuses, and attending the Iowa caucuses on behalf of Dr. Paul. He then served as the Youth Director for Rod Blum in Iowa. Since then he has been directing field programs and managing campaigns across the country in South Carolina, New Hampshire, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maine on races ranging from State House to U.S. Senate. Brandon hopes to continue the work in tirelessly fighting for liberty at the national office of Young Americans for Liberty.

Bill Rein
Development Specialist

Jeff Lyons
Development Associate

After serving over eight years across two enlistments in the United States Navy, Jeff decided to return to college and chart a new course to serve his country and defend the Constitution.  His involvement with YAL began when he attempted to found a Young Americans for Liberty Chapter at Bunker Hill Community College in Spring of 2017.  When college administrators failed to process the student group’s application for official recognition, Jeff took matters into his own hands. Jef recruited a handful of his classmates and began distributing copies of the U.S. Constitution to their fellow students on campus. Within minutes, the Campus Police were alerted and arrived on the scene to demand the unrecognized YAL students stop distributing unapproved materials.  Jeff replied “This is the Constitution, it doesn’t need to be approved, it has been ratified!” Campus police were not amused and attempted to explain the Student Code of Conduct. Jeff replied “I think the only permission slip I need is the First Amendment, which I know you and I both swore an Oath to Defend with our lives.”  The Campus Police told them to pack it up and reported them for disciplinary action to the Dean of the College. Jeff and his friends found legal assistance with the help of Young Americans for Liberty’s Director of Free Speech (formerly, Alex Staudt) and threatened to sue the school if they did not change their policies.  By the Fall Semester, Bunker Hill Community College was fully compliant with the First Amendment, and the entire Massachusetts Community College System soon followed, bringing liberty to hundreds of thousands of students.  Jeff went on to get two Associates Degrees in Theatre and History/Government from Bunker Hill, while spending his free time working on pro-liberty campaigns and causes across the country, including serving as Campaign Manager for the Boston Globe Endorsed candidate Daniel Fishman for Auditor of Massachusetts.  After graduation, Jeff joined the National Staff in June of 2019 as an intern and was immediately hired as an Associate at the end of the internship.  Outside of the office, Jeff loves travelling, running obstacle course races, live music, playing guitar and singing karaoke, but most of all he enjoys standing like a rock in defense of Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness, and the United States Constitution.

Barrett Young
Mobilization Strategist

Barrett grew up in Nixa, Missouri, the home of Jason Bourne and Peter Quill, a.k.a “Starlord”. Barrett is currently a student at George Washington University studying Political Science and Intellectual History. Barrett previously interned for the Rumi Forum for Interfaith Dialogue and Intercultural Understanding, Denver for Governor, Carlyle Gregory Company, the Office of Congressman Dave Brat, and RAND PAC. When he is not watching midnight showings of The Room at E Street Cinema, you may find Barrett hiking, reading, or praying in the Shenandoah Valley.

Justin Maloney
Candidate Specialist

Justin Maloney founded his YAL chapter shortly after the 2016 Presidential Election at his Alma Mater of Brescia University, in Owensboro, Kentucky. After spending the next semester growing his chapter as a chapter president, Justin spent the summer of 2017 working on various pro-liberty campaigns and ballot initiatives. Justin also began his tenure as a Kentucky State Chair in the summer of 2017, and spent the next academic year growing the Kentucky network and cultivating new leaders in the liberty movement. Justin joined YAL National Staff after graduating from Brescia University in May of 2018 as the Northeast Regional Director. He currently serves as YAL’s Candidate Specialist.

JP Kirby
Director of Free Speech

Stuart Hench
Appalachian Regional Director

Stuart started his journey with YAL in 2017 where he served as Chapter President at Virginia Tech and Virginia State Chair. He began working on Operation Win at the Door campaigns in early 2018, and quickly stepped into a leadership position as Election Director. Stuart now serves in the national office as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director.

Ben Callanan
Appalachian Deputy Regional Director

Prior to joining the YAL staff, Ben did campaign work throughout college for liberty and right-oriented politicians, most recently for Operation Win at the Door. As a sophomore in college he joined his YAL chapter as one of its first members after being recruited by fellow staffer Ryan Jacoby. Disillusioned by the opportunities provided by other groups, Ben fell in love with YAL, it’s principles, and what is has to offer college students nationwide, and has been involved ever since.

Maggie Anders
Northeast Regional Director

Maggie Anders was born and raised in Louisiana. She was introduced to the liberty movement at a young age when her mother knocked doors for Ron Paul’s 2008 presidential campaign. During her freshman year, she joined the YAL chapter at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and that summer she participated in Operation Win at the Door. She became the Louisiana State Chair in 2018 in hopes of bringing her home state back from the brink of overregulation and mass incarceration. In Spring 2019, she became the Great Plains Field Coordinator, driving to different campuses and training chapter presidents. Now she works as the Regional Director for the Northeast Region. She enjoys cajun food, live music, and empowering others to take action in their communities.

Matthew Castaneda
Northeast Deputy Regional Director

Ryan Jacoby
Mid-Atlantic Regional Director

Ryan founded the Franklin & Marshall College YAL chapter in Lancaster, Pennsylvania during the fall of his sophomore year. He built his home chapter from scratch into a 25 member chapter at a school with only 2,500 students. His YAL chapter quickly became the largest and most active political club on campus. Shortly after that, he took on the role of Recruitment Director in Pennsylvania leading multiple campus invasions on campuses throughout Pennsylvania, where he created a YAL chapter his first week! He was quickly promoted to Pennsylvania State Chair where he and his army of recruitment directors have since created 15 chapters and built a network of over 100 active YAL members within PA. Ryan later served as the National Field Intern this past summer helping other Regional Directors grow their networks. He was named the Best State Chair in the country for his work within Pennsylvania this past summer and after graduating Franklin & Marshall College he became the newest Mid-Atlantic Regional Director.

Diego Rivera
Coastal Regional Director

Diego Rivera is a first generation American of Cuban descent. The disastrous stories of Cuba’s demise made it quite clear to him that central authorities should be treated with extreme skepticism. Diego is a veteran and shortly after he got out he studied psychology and neuroscience. He worked at the Cognitive Neuroscience lab which focused heavily on biology, physiology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, and evolutionary theory.

Nathan Moore
Coastal Deputy Regional Director

Nathan Moore was a native of the Republic of Texas before immigrating to the United States of America. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in International Relations and a minor in Economics in 2016.

Daniel Stuart
Northern Regional Director

Daniel has been a long time fan of the liberty movement. During his first month at Illinois State University he helped to start up the Young Americans for Liberty chapter and oversaw it’s growth and development. In March Daniel became the Illinois State Chair and took his leadership to the next level with YAL. He oversaw the growth of the liberty movement in Illinois and worked to grow his network and foster good relationships with his chapter presidents. He has since left Illinois State University and is now helping grow the Northern Regional network.

Heath DeGaramo
Midwest Regional Director

Heath DeGaramo was born and raised on a dairy farm in the mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He woke up to Liberty in 2008 when Ron Paul ran for president and spent several years trying to wake up his family, friends, and local community. In 2016, he was recruited to start a YAL chapter at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and after a successful semester of action on campus, he was hired as a Pennsylvania State Chair in Summer 2017. After 8 months as State Chair and in the midst of a spring internship at the national office, Heath accepted the position of Midwest Regional Director on April 9, 2018. Heath attended Mansfield University of Pennsylvania from fall of 2012 til fall of 2017 studying opera. He also plays classic rock in his band back up in Pennsylvania on the weekends and enjoys writing country music, hiking, hunting, spending time with his extended family back on the farm, and reading the Bible in his spare time.

Christian Dawson
Midwest Deputy Regional Director

Originally from Toledo, Ohio; Christian first came to the ideas of liberty in his freshman year of college at Lee University after watching Rand Paul in the 2016 GOP Presidential Debates. After, he quickly became involved with his campus YAL chapter, moving from member, to Public Relations Officer, to Chapter President. He then began to serve YAL as an Election Coordinator on multiple campaigns, including their first win. He continued as a Tennessee State Chair before becoming the Midwest Field Coordinator.

Ian Brennan
Great Plains Regional Director

Tony Guajardo
Great Plains Deputy Regional Director

Isaac Edikauskas
West Coast Regional Director

Isaac first got involved with YAL in high school as a homeschool student and he attended his first state convention in 2014. He helped to found his chapter at Michigan State University where he was promoted to Michigan State Chair. After leading his chapter at Michigan State University for 3 semesters, he decided that he was finished with college and came to intern at our national office. After his internship, Isaac moved to California so that he could build the liberty movement as a California State Chair. During his time as a State Chair in both California and Michigan, Isaac helped to reform five unconstitutional speech codes.

Andrew DiGiovanna
West Coast Deputy Regional Director

Prior to joining the national staff, Andrew served as the California State Chair and was the recipient of YAL’s 2017 Top Activist of the Year Award.  He is determined to promote the ideas of individual freedom and personal responsibility, and to effectively cultivate a network of competent, like-minded individuals who are committed to winning on principle. When he is not fighting the good fight for liberty, Andrew enjoys hiking and theological research.

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