Staff Members
Maya MacGuineas
Maya MacGuineas is the president of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Her areas of expertise include budget, tax, and economic policy. As a leading budget expert and a political independent, she has worked closely with members of both parties and serves as a trusted resource on Capitol Hill. MacGuineas testifies regularly before Congress and has published broadly, including regularly in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, and numerous other outlets. She also appears regularly as a commentator on television.
MacGuineas oversees a number of the Committee’s projects including the grassroots coalition Fix the Debt; the Committee’s Fiscal Institute; and FixUS, a project seeking to better understand the root causes of our nation’s growing divisions and deteriorating political system, and to work with others to bring attention to these issues and the need to fix them. Her most recent area of focus is on the future of the economy, technology, and capitalism.
Previously, MacGuineas worked at the Brookings Institution and on Wall Street, and in the spring of 2009 she did a stint on The Washington Post editorial board, covering economic and fiscal policy. MacGuineas serves on a number of boards and is a native Washingtonian. Contact her at MacGuineas@crfb.org and find her on Twitter @MayaMacGuineas.
Marc Goldwein
Marc Goldwein is the Senior Vice President and Senior Policy Director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he guides and conducts research on a wide array of topics related to fiscal policy and the federal budget. He is frequently quoted in a number of major media outlets and works regularly with Members of Congress and their staffs on budget-related issues.
Previously, Marc served as Associate Director of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (The Fiscal Commission) and senior budget analyst on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (The Super Committee). He also conducted research for the Government Accountability Office, the World Bank, the Historian's Office at the Social Security Administration, and the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley.
In addition to his work at the Committee, Marc serves on Martha's Tables' Business Advisory Council and teaches economics at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California DC. Marc is the recipient of the Johns Hopkins University Excellence in Teaching award and was featured in the Forbes "30 Under 30" list for Law & Policy. He holds a BA and MA from Johns Hopkins University. Contact Marc at goldwein@crfb.org and find him on Twitter at @MarcGoldwein.
Mike Murphy
Mike Murphy is Chief of Staff for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he manages policy research and analysis on a variety of topics related to fiscal policy and the federal budget, as well as coordinates a wide array of projects related to advancing the Committee’s policy related initiatives. He is also the Director of FixUS, a special initiative of the Committee that through a number of efforts and partnerships seeks to better understand the root causes of our nation’s growing divisions and deteriorating political system, to work with others to bring attention to these issues and the need to fix them, and to build support for necessary changes. Prior to joining the Committee, Mike worked for the Comeback America Initiative, a non-profit founded by David Walker, Former Comptroller General of the United States, whose mission is to educate and engage the public about federal, state and local fiscal issues. Previously, Mike also worked as a Senior Transportation Program Analyst for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as well as in legislative affairs for the American Cancer Society and on Capitol Hill. Mike received his bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from the State University of New York at Albany, and a Masters of Public Administration and a Certificate of Health Services Management and Policy from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Contact him at murphy@crfb.org.
Colin Achilles
Colin Achilles is a Program Associate and Assistant to the Chief of Staff for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he works on various projects and initiatives, primarily focusing on the political process behind fiscal policy. Prior to joining the Committee, he worked for federal and state officeholders from Virginia, as well as a nonprofit organization specialized in tax and spending issues. Colin received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Flagler College, and his master’s degree in Political Management from The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. He is originally from Flint Hill, Virginia. Contact him at achilles@crfb.org.
Chris Dreibelbis
Chris Dreibelbis is a Digital and Creative Media consultant for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Prior to joining the Committee, he was the Communications and Economic Policy Director at the Reform Institute. Before that he worked at the Committee for Economic Development, where he was actively involved in their successful effort to achieve campaign finance reform and also worked on issues such as the federal budget and Social Security reform. He received his B.A. in public policy from Washington & Lee University and holds a master's in public policy from George Mason University. Contact him at dreibelbis@crfb.org.
Simone Frank
As Senior Advisor, Finance and Operations, Simone Frank is responsible for assisting the organization with its day-to-day business, legal, financial, human resources and administrative operations. Ms. Frank has over 25 years of financial management experience, including banking, investment banking, strategic planning and operating finance.
Prior to assisting the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Ms. Frank was the Vice President of Finance and Operations for the New America Foundation for 10 years. Ms. Frank also served as Chief Financial Officer for Best Doctors, Inc., as a Senior Director of Finance for Marriott International, and as Finance Director for various operating divisions of Tricon Global Restaurants and PepsiCo, Inc. In addition, Ms. Frank started her careeer in banking as an Associate in mergers and acquisitions for Manufacturers Hanover Trust and as an Assistant Vice President for Den Danske Bank.
Ms. Frank earned her bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Kate Generelli
Kate Generelli is a Policy Analyst for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where she works on the policy team to conduct research and analysis on economic and budgetary issues. Prior to joining the Committee, Kate was a Tax and Financial Services Associate at the government relations firm, Venn Strategies. She holds a master's in public policy from George Mason University and a B.A. from the University of Mary Washington. Contact her at generelli@crfb.org.
Andre Gobbo
Sarah Goodell
Sarah Goodell has over 20 years of experience as a health policy analyst. She is currently working as an independent consultant focusing on the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, health financing, and health delivery systems. She is part of a team at the Committee for the Responsible Federal Budget working on the Health Savers Initiative to develop and disseminate policy options to lower health care spending. She previously served as Director of the Synthesis Project, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. At the Synthesis Project she managed projects on a variety of topics including risk adjustment, Medicaid managed care, hospital consolidation, the primary care workforce, care management, and medical malpractice. Prior to her work as a consultant, Ms. Goodell spent five years as a policy analyst in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Her work at ASPE focused on private insurance and patient protections, including external appeals processes and privacy. Ms. Goodell holds a B.A. from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN and a M.A. in Public Administration with a focus on Health Policy from the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota.
Joshua Gordon
Joshua B. Gordon is the Director of Health Policy for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he leads its research into the effect of federal policies on health and the health care system. He spearheads the Health Savers Initiative, a joint project of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Arnold Ventures and West Health Policy Center, which works to identify bold and concrete policy proposals to make health care more affordable.
Prior to joining the Committee, Gordon was a policy communications consultant and a Senior Health Care Policy Fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute. Before that, he spent 18 years as the Policy Director of The Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to educating the public about federal budget issues and their consequences for the future.
Gordon currently serves on the faculty of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. He was a research advisor for the Sundance Film Festival Documentary I.O.U.S.A. (2008). He received his Bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Florida. Contact him at gordon@crfb.org.
Emma Griffin
Emma Griffin is the Database Manager for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where she manages the Committee’s quickly growing database in addition to assisting with other engagement and development initiatives. She received her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from George Mason University and spent 4 years working in non-profit information services and data management prior to joining the Committee. Contact her at griffine@crfb.org.
Jordan Haring
Jordan Haring is a Policy Analyst for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where she conducts research on a variety of economic and budget issues. Before joining the Committee, Jordan interned at Americans for Tax Reform, The Heritage Foundation, Americans for Prosperity, and Freedom Partners Shared Services. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and a master’s in Public Policy from The George Washington University. Contact her at haring@crfb.org.
Alexander Holt
Alexander Holt is a Policy Analyst for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he works on a wide variety of fiscal and monetary economic policy issues with a focus on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He previously researched and wrote on the economics of higher education and the federal student loan program at the Pew Charitable Trusts and New America and has written op-eds and long-form articles for major national publications. He graduated from the George Washington University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Communication. Contact him at holt@crfb.org.
Aaron Kahn
Aaron Kahn has served as Senior Program Manager at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget since November 2021. His primary assignments are on the legislative strategy and communications/engagement teams. He also contributes to the Committee’s internal operations and program evaluation efforts. A staff member at the Committee since November 2019, the first two years of Aaron’s tenure were spent as Special Projects Manager on the FixUS team. Prior to joining the Committee, Aaron gained experience as a Legislative Analyst with the firm Williams & Jensen, PLLC. He also completed a legislative fellowship with Representative Anthony Gonzalez. Aaron received his Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and his Master of Public Administration from Cleveland State University. Contact him at kahn@crfb.org.
Matt Klucher
Matt Klucher is the Communications Associate for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he supports the communications team in promoting and advancing the Committee’s work. He previously coordinated research and communications for a D.C. nonprofit think tank, where he worked to promote economic mobility for poor and working Americans. He graduated with a B.A. in Public Relations and Strategic Communications and a minor in Political Science from American University in 2019. Contact him at klucher@crfb.org
Kim McIntyre
Kim McIntyre is Director of Media Relations for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Her areas of expertise include analyzing the news cycle to develop forward-thinking opportunities to showcase and promote the Committee's analyses to national and regional media outlets. In her previous position, she served as the head of broadcast media outreach for a prominent Washington, D.C. public affairs and communications firm where she worked on multi-faceted communications and public relations campaigns for Fortune 100 companies. She is also a former national news correspondent for CNN. Kim received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. She's from Dubuque, Iowa, the "big" city close to the Field of Dreams. Contact her at: mcintyre@crfb.org
Be Owusu
Be Owusu is the Project Associate for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. She conducts research for various Committee and FixUS programs, and provides logistical support and engagement outreach assistance. She graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina Asheville in 2020. Contact her at owusu@crfb.org.
Nick Pernas
Nick Pernas is a Program Associate for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. He works with the legislative and engagement teams, conducting research on a variety of the Committee's initiatives, assisting with outreach to policymakers, and providing logistical and operational support for the organization. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Nick received his B.A. in Political Science, Religion, and History from Emory University. He is currently pursuing a M.S. in Finance at Georgetown University. Contact him at pernas@crfb.org.
Adam Rosenberg
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he works on a wide variety of budget and economic issues conducting research and writing reports and for the Committee's The Bottom Line blog. He earned a Masters in Public Policy in 2020 at The George Washington University and a B.A. in 2011 at GW in political science with minors in economics and jazz studies. Contact him at rosenberg@crfb.org.
Chris Rotella
Chris Rotella is the Director of Development for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he manages and coordinates all fundraising and donor activities. He came to the Committee from The George Washington University, where he spent ten years in a variety of roles covering both development and alumni relations. Most recently, he was Director of Development for the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM), where he helped oversee the largest campaign in the school’s history. He received his B.A. in political science in 2008 from The George Washington University, where he also received an MBA, with a finance focus, in 2012. Contact him at rotella@crfb.org.
John Schuler
John Schuler is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he works on the policy team to conduct analysis on a wide variety of budgetary and economic issues. John came to the Committee from Capitol Hill, where he served for more than four years as a Legislative Assistant to Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, and Rep. Mark Sanford of South Carolina. Prior to his time on the Hill, John worked for Heritage Action for America as a Government Relations and Executive Assistant. A native of Kansas City, John first came to Washington to attend the American University School of International Service, where he graduated with a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Political Science in 2011. Contact him at schuler@crfb.org.
Adam Shifriss
Adam Shifriss is a Co-Director of Legislative Strategy for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he guides interactions with policymakers and staff on a wide range of issues. Adam previously worked in the U.S. House of Representatives where he handled a broad variety of issues including Energy and Commerce and Appropriations Committee work. In 2007, he contributed to a Government Accountability Office review of public infrastructure reconstruction efforts by FEMA after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Adam also has experience in health advocacy, database management, and political campaigns. He studied Public Policy Analysis at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, where he received his bachelor's degree and the Hutton Honors notation. In addition to his work at the Committee, Adam is an active member of the board of the DC Chapter of the Indiana University Alumni Association. Contact him at shifriss@crfb.org.
Annie Shuppy
Annie Shuppy is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where she researches economic, tax, budgetary, and health care issues. Annie previously covered Congress as a legislative analyst and staff writer for CQ Roll Call for more than nine years. While at CQ, Annie wrote primarily for the CQ House Action Reports legislative analysis service while also contributing to the company’s other publications. Prior to joining the Committee, she also worked for a financial news startup. Annie received a bachelor’s degree in economics and journalism from the University of Iowa, where she served as an editor at The Daily Iowan. Contact her at shuppy@crfb.org or follow her on Twitter at @ashuppy.
Mike Sistak
Mike Sistak is the Engagement and Coalitions Director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he leads building groups and coalitions of civic, business, thought and political leaders, former elected officials, and activists across the country to support the Committee in its bipartisan work.
Mike came to the Committee from the American Farm Bureau Federation, where he served as the Director for Grassroots Program Development. In this capacity he developed and led digital advocacy initiatives for over 19,000 nationwide members of the advocacy program, consulted with state organizations to enhance their grassroots programs, hosted legislative engagement trainings, conducted analysis of federal elections, and taught a nonpartisan campaign management school for candidates running for local office.
Mike has previously worked in senior government relations and advocacy positions with The University of Arizona and the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board. He has additionally worked on multiple political campaigns, including John McCain’s 2010 re-election, and Mitt Romney’s 2012 race for the White House.
Originally from Phoenix, Mike is a double alumnus of The University of Arizona, where he received a bachelor's degree in Political Science, and a master’s degree in International Security Studies. Contact him at sistak@crfb.org.
Ben Tomchik
Ben Tomchik is the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he handles a wide variety of issues, including engagement and VIP communications. Prior to joining the Committee, he worked in public affairs for the American Insurance Association, managed the George Washington University School of Business philanthropic advisory board, and served in The White House under President George W. Bush. Originally from Pittsburgh, Ben received a bachelor’s degree in Government and International Politics from George Mason University, and a master's degree in Strategic Public Relations from the Graduate School for Political Management at the George Washington University. Contact him at tomchik@crfb.org.
Chris Towner
Chris Towner is the Research Director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he analyzes budget, tax, health, and retirement policy as well as manages the day-to-day workflow of the policy team. Prior to this, Chris advocated for children in federal budget issues at First Focus on Children, leading the annual production of First Focus's Children's Budget. This is Chris's second stint at the Committee; he was previously a policy analyst after serving in a variety of positions beginning as an intern. Chris was the lead analyst for the McCrery-Pomeroy SSDI Solutions Initiative, where he managed the production and publication of two volumes on improving the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Chris was elected as a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance in 2022. Originally hailing from just outside Chicago, Illinois, Chris holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree in Political Science from Boston University. His pronouns are he/him/his. Contact him at towner@crfb.org.
Darbin Wofford
Darbin Wofford is a Research Associate for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he conducts research on a variety of economic and budget issues. Before joining the Committee, Darbin worked as a staffer in the Texas Senate, interned on Capitol Hill, and worked on health policy for Stateside Associates. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Texas State University and a master’s in Legislative Affairs from The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. Contact him at wofford@crfb.org