Mike Leland is the campaign director for the Election Protection Project. He is an outreach and policy professional with more than 10 years experience working with DC-based non-profits, state and federal government, state-based think tanks, and grassroots audiences. Most recently he served as senior director of outreach and operations at the Committee for Economic Development (CED), the public policy center of the Conference Board, and was responsible for the creation and relaunch of their external affairs and government affairs capacities. While at the CED Center he oversaw event management and execution of outreach and communications plans for interactions with more than 160 C-Suite members of the business community focused on issues such as sustaining capitalism, regulatory reform, and health care reform.
Previously, Leland served as an officer at the Pew Charitable Trusts supporting campaign logistics and a center-right liaison role for the Dental and Public Safety Performance Projects and assisted in passage of legislative reforms related to those issues in eight states. Other experience includes serving as associate director of state outreach for the Mercatus Center at George Mason University supporting projects such as the Economics of Medicaid book, Freedom in the 50 States Rankings, and State Fiscal Rankings project. Mike got his public policy and outreach start in the coalition relations department of the Heritage Foundation working to support their 10 Leadership for America Initiatives.
Leland holds a BA in English from Penn State University and an MA in political science from American University.