Renowned democratic political strategist Jim Messina and former Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) delight audiences with their shrewd, timely, and (at times) downright funny commentary on today's top political issues.
From healthcare to immigration, the 2020 campaign trail to the White House, dynamics in Congress to the evolving American electorate, Messina and Flake draw on decades of political experience on either side of the aisle to illuminate the road ahead.
Renowned Democratic strategist and international consultant Jim Messina is widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful political advisors. Messina is the mastermind behind former-President Obama and then-Vice President Biden’s 2012 re-election campaign, which Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt called “the best-run campaign ever.” The “Campaign Strategist of the Year” merged technology and politics and established the modern presidential campaign. While serving as the Obama-Biden administration’s Deputy Chief of Staff, he earned the nickname “The Fixer,” building bipartisan support for the historic Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the landmark repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” For over two decades, Messina served as Chief of Staff for various Senate and House offices, developing strong relationship on both sides of the aisle. Messina has gone on to elect over a dozen Presidents and Prime Ministers on five continents including: the UK’s Theresa May and David Cameron, Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto, Argentina’s Mauricio Macri, Italy’s Matteo Renzi and Spain’s President Mariano Rajoy, who he helped secure a surprising re-election win. Messina has upended the way that cutting-edge organizations think about strategy, and he delivers tangible takeaways with substance and some much-needed humor.
Messina is an in-demand voice at the crucial intersection of politics, business, and technology. He is a fixture on news outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, FOX News, Bloomberg, BBC, and more, and serves on the boards of Blockchain.com, Fortera, Vectra.ai, LanzaTech, the United States Soccer Foundation, and the Montana Land Reliance. At the helm of The Messina Group as CEO, Messina provides strategic consulting to top businesses around the world, including Uber, Airbnb, Google, Delta Air Lines, Hutchison Whampoa, and over 300 others. Among the most sought-after legislative D.C. insiders, Messina provides illuminating, actionable insights on our political and business landscape.
Former U.S. Senator and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Ambassador Jeff Flake’s experience representing America overseas, combined with nearly two decades of knowledge and experience on Capitol Hill, make him a truly unique asset to companies and organizations trying to navigate through complex global developments, topics, and trends. Known for his genial nature while in Congress, Senator Flake was confirmed unanimously by his former colleagues for his current ambassadorial post. Before his Ambassadorial appointment, Ambassador Flake served on the Advisory Board of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University, as a Distinguished Fellow at Arizona State University, and at the Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership at Brigham Young University. He also served on the board of Directors of Taylor Morrison, the nation’s fifth-largest homebuilder. Ambassador Flake is the author of the New York Times best-seller Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle. He is also the recipient of the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from the University Philosophical Society at Trinity College, Dublin. He offers a timely and unique perspective on U.S. foreign policy and the geopolitics of Europe and the Middle East. Senator Flake engages with audiences without partisan rancor or vitriol, making him capable and competent without being controversial.
A sought-after speaker, Senator Flake delivered a commencement address at Harvard Law School. He has been a frequent guest on NBC’s Meet the Press, ABC’s This Week, CBS’s Face the Nation, FOX News’ Sunday, and CNN’s State of the Union. He has guest lectured at Stanford, Princeton, and Yale, was a Resident Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, and is the board chair for World Trade Center Utah.
JIM MESSINA
CEO, THE MESSINA GROUP
Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff and President Barack Obama’s 2012 Campaign Manager
Jim Messina is arguably one of the world’s most successful political advisors. The mastermind behind former-President Obama and then-Vice President Biden’s 2012 re-election campaign, Jim Messina seized the reins on what Bloomberg Businessweek dubbed “the highest-wattage crash course in executive management ever undertaken”—and succeeded, earning the President another term in the White House. With the guidance of technology’s foremost leaders, Jim abandoned every step of a traditional presidential campaign and merged technology and politics in a way that was both unpredictable and unprecedented.
Jim’s strategies established the modern presidential campaign—Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt called it “the best-run campaign ever.” The American Association of Political Consultants later crowned him the Campaign Strategist of the Year (2013).
Messina is among the most sought after legislative DC insiders, having worked in the Obama-Biden administration as Deputy Chief of Staff where he worked closely with both former-President Obama and President-elect Joe Biden on the passage of the historic Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , which has been credited with saving the U.S. economy, and the landmark repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” Jim earned the nickname “The Fixer” as he worked closely with President Obama and Vice President Biden and Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to pass the Affordable Care Act. For over twenty years, Jim served as Chief of Staff for various Senate and House offices on Capitol Hill where he worked to pass key legislation such as multiple tax cut bills, the Medicare prescription drug bill, and several trade agreements.
Since then he has gone on to elect over a dozen Presidents and Prime Ministers on five continents including: the UK’s Theresa May and David Cameron, Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto, Argentina’s Mauricio Macri, Italy’s Matteo Renzi and in 2016 helped Spain’s President Mariano Rajoy win a surprising re-election margin.
In 2013, Messina launched The Messina Group. In this role, Messina provides strategic consulting to businesses around the world. The firm has been involved in winning public policy campaigns on five continents. Clients include Uber, Airbnb, Google, Delta Air Lines, Hutchison Whampoa, and over 300 others.
Previously, Jim served as Deputy Chief of Staff in President Barack Obama’s White House, where he was integral to the passage of the historic health care bill, the economic stimulus act credited with saving the US economy, and the landmark repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”
Messina continues to advise and guide Democratic candidates and organizations at all levels, as well as providing insight on news outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, Bloomberg, BBC and others.
Jim serves on the boards of Organizing for Action (OFA), Virgin HyperloopOne, Google’s Advanced Technology Panel, Vectra.ai, Pillpack, Patient Safety Movement Foundation, LanzaTech, Hyp3r, the United States Soccer Foundation, Fortera, the Montana Land Reliance, and Blockchain.com.
Ambassador Flake currently serves as the United States Ambassador to The Republic of Türkiye. He was confirmed to this post without opposition by the United States Senate in October 2021.
Prior to his ambassadorial service, Ambassador Flake represented Arizona in the United States Senate from 2013 to 2019. He also represented Arizona in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013.
Prior to entering Congress, Ambassador Flake served as Executive Director of the Goldwater Institute in Arizona. He also directed the Foundation for Democracy in Namibia during that nation’s transition to independence. Ambassador Flake holds a BA degree in International Relations and an MA degree in Political Science from Brigham Young University.
Ambassador Flake has been a contributor to CNN and CBS News, where he partnered on a series called “Common Ground.” He has guest lectured at Stanford, Princeton and Yale, and he was a Resident Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics.
Ambassador Flake delivered the 2018 commencement address at Harvard Law School. He has been a frequent guest on NBC’s Meet the Press, ABC’s This Week, CBS’ Face the Nation, Fox News Sunday and CNN’s State of the Union.
Prior to his Ambassadorial appointment, Ambassador Flake served on the Advisory Board of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University, as a Distinguished Fellow at Arizona State University and at the Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership at Brigham Young University. He also served on the board of Directors of Taylor Morrison, the nation’s fifth largest homebuilder.
Ambassador Flake is the author of the New York Times best seller Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle. He is also the recipient of the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from the University Philosophical Society at Trinity College, Dublin.
Ambassador Flake and his wife, Cheryl, are the parents of five children.
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