WASHINGTON, DC – As Congress works on a host of pressing challenges facing our nation and the world, The Ripon Society hosted a discussion Thursday evening with top staff members from the office of the Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA-04).
The discussion featured remarks from Speaker Johnson’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Garrett Fultz, who shared his thoughts on some of these challenges and the legislative agenda as Congress works through the latter half of the 119th Congress. Fultz also introduced those staff members from Team Johnson who were in attendance. The staff members included:
Chris Bien, Director of Floor Operations; Greg Brooks, Director of House Operations; Courtney Butcher, Director of Member Services; Kaleigh DeGeldere, Deputy Director of Scheduling; Bill Duhnke, Policy Director; Rachel Kaldahl, General Counsel; Dana Planning, Director of Special Events; Brittany Psyhogios-Smith, Director of Scheduling & Operations; Eric Schmitz, Coalitions Director; A.J. Sugarman, Deputy Policy Director; and, Lance Trover, Communications Director.
“These are pivotal times to say the least,” stated Jim Conzelman, the President & CEO of The Ripon Society. “We appreciate Garrett and the rest of Team Johnson for taking the time to join us last night to share their thoughts on the challenges before us and the legislative agenda for the remainder of the year.”
According to Conzelman, yesterday’s discussion was attended by a crowd of over 70 people and was one of a series of discussions The Ripon Society has held with top Leadership and Committee staff in recent years. He added that last night’s discussion was the twelfth event The Ripon Society has held so far in 2026, and that North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis is scheduled to appear before the group next week.
The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.