From Passion to Policy

Randy Fitzgerald, Attorney, USDA Office of General Counsel, DMV Hub Member, Former Miami Branch Member

Randy Fitzgerald is an attorney at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Office of General Counsel, where he provides legal advice to the Secretary of Agriculture and on behalf of the USDA on matters of fiscal law, federal procurement statutes and regulations, and trial and appellate litigation. He is a four-time alumnus of the University of Miami. He earned his BA, with Honors, and quad-majored in Economics, History, Political Science, and International Studies. He earned his MA in Latin American Studies from the Graduate School at the University of Miami, and his JD and LLM in Taxation from the University of Miami School of Law, where he was the recipient of an endowed scholarship and served as the two-term President of the school’s Federalist Society chapter. Randy was previously a visiting civil rights fellow at the Center for Equal Opportunity, and a pro-bono law clerk at the Institute for Justice. He has also previously worked or interned in all three branches of the US federal government, including the White House, the US House, and the federal judiciary. He has been involved with ACC since college, where he was active with the Miami chapter, has attended ACC’s summits in DC and Utah, and has previously assisted ACC Action’s advocacy efforts for conservative conservation and energy policy with Capitol Hill lawmakers. Randy is now a member of ACC’s DMV chapter, and continues to be an enthusiast of the US National Park Service.

Will Haines, Legislative Director, Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources

Will Haines has accrued significant work experience both in Washington DC and Indianapolis, IN. This experience includes serving as a Legislative Correspondent, Legislative Aide, and Legislative Assistant respectively for Senator Mike Braun and a Legislative Director for Indiana Department of Natural Resources; staffer for a top-level government lobbying firm; and a staffer for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) during the 2020 election cycle. His writing has been featured in The Hill, Fox News, the Global Trade Magazine, Politico, and other media outlets. During Will’s tenure he has worked to hold the federal government accountable through letters to the Government Accountability Office on foreign investment of U.S. agricultural land; the Department of the Interior on implementation of funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for Abandoned Mine Reclamation; and Inspector General Soskin at the Department of Transportation on Freight Fraud and Theft, among others important issues. Additionally, Will has presented on complex topics which include foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) staffing shortage/FAA Reauthorization, and environmental stewardship.

Sara Sutherland, Lecturer, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Davis, Research Fellow, Property & Environment Research Center

I am a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Davis and a Senior Research Fellow at the Property and Environment Research Center, where I co-direct the Lone Mountain Fellow Program and serve as External Research Coordinator. My research focuses on the political economy of natural resource policy and regional economics, with particular emphasis on natural resource and public lands management. I study how institutional design, incentives, and governance structures influence environmental outcomes and shape the economic dynamics of fisheries-dependent communities. At UC Davis, I teach undergraduate courses in agricultural and resource economics, with an emphasis on applied microeconomics, environmental policy, and resource management. At PERC, I work with scholars and practitioners advancing property rights approaches, market-based environmental solutions, and institutional reform in natural resource governance. Across both my research and teaching, I aim to bridge economic theory and practical policy, focusing on the institutional foundations of sustainable natural resource management.

Joel Castro, Property Tax Reform with Americans for Prosperity Texas, Former City Council Member

Joel Castro is a Texas Gulf Coast native and second‑generation American with a lifelong commitment to public service. At just 18 years old, he was elected to City Council, becoming the youngest elected official in Texas. Known for his principled, conservative approach to governance, Joel champions fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and respect for taxpayers to help make his hometown a great place to live, work, and worship. After serving three terms on the City Council, Joel now works with Americans for Prosperity–Texas, where he leads the organization’s Property Tax Reform efforts across the state. Outside of work, Joel is a proud dog dad to Sinatra. Together, they enjoy traveling to Texas state parks, hiking, and spending time outdoors appreciating the natural beauty God has given us

Mark Seme, Talent Acquisition Leader, Stand Together

Mark is a Talent Acquisition Leader with Stand Together and is responsible for the recruiting team hiring for Americans for Prosperity, Concerned Veterans for America, The LIBRE Initiative, and yes. every. kid. He has split his career between grassroots activists and talent acquisition and has been working in the liberty movement since 2015.  He lives in the greater Cleveland area with his wife and children and is a long-suffering fan of the Cleveland Browns.

Eshter Ki, Operations Assistant & Energy Policy Intern

Esther Ki is a junior at George Washington University studying political science and geographic information systems. She is currently an intern at the House of Representatives and an operations assistant at ACC. Previously, she has interned at Cheniere Energy and the Energy and Environmental Policy department at the Cato Institute. She hopes to pursue a career in government affairs in the future. Esther is originally from Orange County, California, and enjoys long drives, beach trips, and biking in random cities.