Institute Team

Prior to joining BRI in 2021, Adam worked for eleven years as an events professional in the Heritage Foundation’s Lectures and Seminars department. He also helped launch several educational programs for interns, and authored a successful political blog during the 2008 presidential election. Adam holds a B.A. in political science with a focus on global politics from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and is passionate about civil discourse, international politics, and forging creative coalitions across political and ideological lines. Contact Adam at abrickley@mybri.org.

Ally joined the BRI Development team in the fall of 2022 after ten years working in public history and museum education. She has created and delivered educational programming to bring history to life for all ages. She is especially enthusiastic about teaching K-12 students and providing them with experiences that leave a real and lasting impact.  Ally is now eager to help BRI expand its base of support to allow our organization to create outstanding resources and programs for America’s civics and history educators and their students. Ally looks forward to the new opportunities in fundraising at an organization whose mission is her passion. Contact Ally at asilva@mybri.org.

Andrew joined BRI as an intern in January 2022 and is now a member of the Content team where he handles aspects of media production including video & audio editing, photography, videography, graphic design, social media management, and live stream production. He is a graduate of The Catholic University of America with a BA in Media and Communication Studies, summa cum laude. Before joining BRI, he worked in non-profit radio. Contact Andrew at asnaith@mybri.org.

Anthony started at the Bill of Rights Institute in February of 2022, bringing extensive accomplishments developing and implementing strategic sales and marketing plans, coaching and leading sales teams and creating trusted relationships with relevant stakeholders, in both non-profit and for-profit settings. Anthony employs a leadership style that is empathetic and inclusive. He has had long tenures at trade associations, insurance and securities firms, and in the non-profit sector as a manager, developer, and volunteer leader. Anthony’s passion for the mission of The Bill of Rights Institute stems from a youth spent wandering the battlefields of the American Revolution in the Northeast, receiving a degree with a concentration in Federal American History, and maintaining a strong interest in developing an ever-deeper understanding of and appreciation for the ideals of the American Experiment. Anthony has been a syndicated columnist and writes frequently on American history, music and prose. Contact Anthony at asimone@mybri.org.

Becky joined BRI as an intern in Fall 2020 and has now joined the Development team where she works on data organization, moves management organization, and gift acknowledgement. She is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University with an MA in Museum Studies and Certificate in Nonprofit Management, and of Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a BA in History and German. Prior to her role at BRI, Becky worked for 5 years in the title insurance industry. Contact Becky at bleakway@mybri.org.

Chris graduated from West Virginia University in 2007 with a journalism degree and began his career as a newspaper reporter. He comes to the Bill of Rights Institute after spending nearly 10 years as a communications specialist and analyst at GEICO. In his spare time, Chris enjoys watching TV, exercising, and spending time with his friends, niece, and nephew. Contact Chris at chuntemann@mybri.org.

Before joining BRI full time in February of 2017, Chris worked for seventeen years in sales and marketing for The Washington Post’s Newspaper in Education program. He has also done marketing, public relations, and fundraising for several small theater companies in Washington, D.C., has worked as an education aide and consultant for The Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery and has written curriculum for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s TeachUNICEF program. Chris has a B.A. in History and Drama from Thomas More College in his native state of Kentucky, and an M.A. in Theater History, Literature, and Criticism from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Contact Chris at cjanson@billofrightsinstitute.org

Emily Trapani joined the BRI education team in July 2021 as a programs specialist for teacher & student programs. Prior to joining BRI, she worked as a classroom teacher in Beaufort County, South Carolina. During her time as a teacher, she taught U.S. history, law education, government, AP psychology, and IGCSE global perspectives. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in Integrated Social Studies and an M.Ed. in Secondary Education. Contact Emily at etrapani@mybri.org.

Grace began her career with BRI as an intern in January 2022. She is now a member of the Development team as the Development Marketing Coordinator where she promotes BRI’s mission, educational curriculum, professional development programs, and other various projects of the organization. She is a soon to be graduate of Siena College, with a BA in Political Science (PPA) and American Studies. Before joining BRI, Grace worked in local government and was the chair for the Student Conduct Review Board at her college. Her passion for the organization’s mission stems from her love of American History. She is eager to continue to be a part of BRI’s continuous growth. Contact Grace at gvarcadipane@mybri.org.

Haris joined BRI in the Fall of 2022. Before joining BRI, he worked in Salesforce administration and development for more than seven years. He holds a few certifications in Salesforce management and development. He is very passionate about his work and software engineering, resolving problems, and designing the best solutions. His skill set extends beyond Salesforce; he is also knowledgeable in integrating external systems with Salesforce for excellent data management. Contact Haris at htahir@mybri.org.

Jennifer began her career with BRI in 2023 as a culmination of her professional endeavors.  After serving as an award-winning Advanced Placement US History teacher who used BRI’s curriculum, she worked in the nonprofit sector raising funds for organizations large and small. Jennifer served most recently as the President of the Putnam City Schools Foundation, which nearly doubled in size under her leadership. Jennifer received several awards for teaching, fundraising and leadership, including the James Madison Fellowship, the Gilder Lehrman Teacher of the Year Award, and Outstanding Achievement in Fundraising, Her school district honored her with their proclamation of Jennifer Seal Day in June 2022. Her enthusiasm for this mission stems from a palpable belief that finding our commonalities will preserve our nation, and that our children are the ideal place to build a future of which our Founders would be proud. Contact Jennifer at jseal@mybri.org.

Joe Schmidt joined the Bill of Rights Institute in 2022 after spending seventeen years working in social studies and civics education. In his role as Director of Programs he designs, manages, and leads educational programs for teachers and students across the country. Joe has served in the classroom as a high school teacher and college professor for elementary pre-service teachers. He has also held roles in district and state-level leadership in support of both rural and urban schools. Throughout his career, Joe has served in a variety of leadership positions with numerous social studies related organizations across the United States including the National Council for the Social Studies, iCivics, Learning for Justice, the National Council for Geographic Education, and ThinkerAnalytix. Joe is always looking to support educators in providing inspiring and impactful civic instruction in their classrooms. He has a B.A. in Secondary Social Studies Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and an M.A. in Education from Viterbo University. His first book, Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities is available from Corwin. Contact Joe at jjschmidt@mybri.org.