Kendel Ehrlich is the Executive Director of the American Journalism Institute. She has a comprehensive background in criminal justice, management, and politics. As the former First Lady of Maryland, she emphasized drug abuse prevention, education, and health care throughout the state. She was extensively involved in her husband’s campaigns for Congress (MD2, 1994–2000) and Governor (2003–2007), and spent 14 years in Maryland as a prosecutor and defense attorney in criminal law. During the Trump Administration, she served as Deputy Director of the Drug Czar’s office (ONDCP), moved to OJP/DOJ as Director of SMART (managing a staff of 20 and $20 million in grant funding), and eventually served as Acting Director of BJA, the DOJ’s largest grant provider (approximately $7 billion). Kendel co-hosts the podcast Bottom Line with Bob and Kendel Ehrlich and has two sons: Drew (26) and Josh (22).
Neil Patel is the chairman of the Daily Caller News Foundation, which he co-founded with Tucker Carlson. He is also a co-founder and publisher of The Daily Caller, as well as a co-founder and managing director of Bluebird Asset Management, a hedge fund investing in mortgage-backed securities. Neil served in the White House from 2005 to 2009 as the chief policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney, and from 2001 to 2004 as his staff secretary. Prior to joining the administration, Neil was assistant general counsel at UUNET Technologies, practiced law with Dechert Price & Rhoads, and served as counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People’s Republic of China. Neil received his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as associate editor of the Journal of Law and Policy in International Business.
Carter DeWitt is the president of the Daily Caller News Foundation. She’s been with the DCNF since 2017 and brings a wealth of experience in business as an award winning small business owner and over 30 years in public relations, marketing, fund development and leadership at the national, state and local levels. She’s taught at the Leadership Institute and served as a panelist and speaker in national conferences. Importantly, she’s had the honor of mentoring dozens of young people as they launched or changed careers.
Thomas Phippen is our editor-in-chief. Thomas is himself the product of the DCNF Fellowship program, and returned to the company after working in local journalism and a stint as an editor for Fox News Digital. He lives in Northern Virginia.