A Conversation with Matt Schlapp, Chairman of ACU ⋆ ACEK - American Center for Education and Knowledge

Dr. Bruce Abramson Ph.D., J.D.

Bruce Abramson has over thirty years of experience working as a technologist, economist, attorney, and policy analyst. He began his career in the mid-1980s pioneering techniques for statistical modeling in artificial intelligence. Since then, he has applied his analytic methodologies to explore numerous challenging issues, both as a researcher and in the service of his clients. Selected areas in which his analyses have broken new ground include: the world oil market, severe storm forecasting, battlefield intelligence, military logistics, Internet business models, antitrust and intellectual property, strategies for engagement in the Middle East, and American political culture.

Dr. Abramson holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Columbia and a J.D. from Georgetown. He has worked as a University of Southern California professor and a Charles River Associates principal. He has launched and led two tech-law consulting firms, a pro-Israel advocacy group, a nonprofit think tank, and a strategic consulting firm. His clients have ranged from individuals and startups to Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, and international organizations. He has contributed to the scholarly literature on computing, business, economics, law, and foreign policy, and written extensively about American politics and policy.

Ari Storch

Ari has more than 25 years of political and advocacy experience. He began his career in the service of the Government of Israel, working on behalf of four different Israeli Prime Ministers.

After leaving government service, Ari applied his years of international and policy experience to more domestic concerns as the Political and Congressional Affairs Director for the Republican Jewish Coalition, and, later, at Cassidy & Associates, the nation’s then largest federal lobbying firm. Ari co-founded Artemis Strategies in 2003, a firm that was recognized as one of the most effective government affairs firms in Washington, DC.

Ari currently serves as the President of Cascade Strategies assisting businesses, government interests, non-profits and others navigate the complex environment of the Federal Government.

Ari is an active member of the Republican Governors Association serving on their National Finance Committee. He is also the past Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Next Generation Campaign. Ari has been an advisor on four United States Presidential Campaigns as well as numerous candidates for the United States Congress and Governors’ mansions. In 2001, Ari was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad.

Jay Shepard

Jay was elected as the National Committeeman to the Republican National Committee for Vermont in both 2012 and 2016. He currently serves as RNC Vice Chair serving on the Executive Committee as well as the Rules Committee. Previously, he was National Director of Catholic Engagement for the RNC.

In addition, Jay was a member of the Platform Committee, the Committee on Permanent Organization, and the Committee on Arrangements at the RNC National Convention. Jay also serves on President Trump’s Catholic Advisory Committee, and was honored to be selected to give the prime time invocation on the night President Trump and Vice President Pence were officially nominated at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Locally, he serves on the VTGOP State Committee and the VTGOP Executive Committee and is an active member of the Essex Town and Chittenden County Republican Committees. He has served as a media advisor on various U.S Senate, U.S. Congressional, Gubernatorial, state-wide and legislative races.

Jay and his wife are owners of Junction Consulting LLC; a marketing and advertising firm specializing in creating, producing and delivering corporate and political media and messaging. He is also a partner in a Behavioral Science Research Firm.

Robert Chernin

Robert is a longtime entrepreneur, business leader, fundraiser, and former radio talk show host. He studied political science at McGill University in Montreal and has spent over 25 years deeply involved in civic affairs at all levels. Robert has consulted on a variety of federal and statewide campaigns at the gubernatorial, congressional, senatorial, and presidential level. He served in leadership roles in the presidential campaigns of President George W. Bush as well as McCain for President. He led Florida’s Victory 2004’s national Jewish outreach operations as Executive Director. In addition, he served on the President’s Committee of the Republican Jewish Coalition.

Robert co-founded and served as president of the Electoral Science Institute, a non-profit organization that utilized behavioral science to increase voter participation and awareness. He also founded his own national brokerage and risk management firms that specialized in public transportation. He has spent nearly four decades serving the insurance industry. He built his firm into one of the leading transportation insurance brokerages in the country, developing a long- range strategic plan for market consolidation. Additionally, he co-founded a data analytics firm for home mortgages that developed a proprietary and predictive quality-control score for lenders.

In recognition of his business acumen and leadership, Robert was selected to serve on the Small Business Administration’s National Advisory Council.