Our Team

Cori Kramer is a centrist leader with over two decades of getting things done for all Americans. As Chief Executive Officer of Center Forward, she leads our mission to provide centrist allies the information and support they need to craft common sense policy solutions to the challenges facing the country today.

As Chief of Staff to prominent Congressional pragmatics Mike Ross of Arkansas and Brad Ellsworth of Indiana, Cori helped move some of the most consequential policy solutions of this century, addressing the nation’s taxation, health care, banking, trade, and manufacturing priorities to build a stronger and more resilient nation.

An experienced political strategist, she has always worked on the competitive front lines, where votes are won not by party affiliation but by direct voter contact and persuasive messaging backed by unifying ideas. She managed the successful re-election campaign of Congressman Mike Ross against significant partisan headwinds, and also managed the re-election campaign of Congressman Charlie Stenholm and the U.S. Senate campaign of Congressman Brad Ellsworth.

Cori is also a member of Women for Economic and Leadership Development, and a mentor and member of How Women Lead.

Cori received her Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes College in 1999. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, Ted, and sons, Jack and Ben.

Community Involvement:

• Member, Women for Economic and Leadership Development
• Mentor and Member, How Women Lead

Speaker Request

Riley Kilburg is a seasoned nonprofit executive and political professional with more than a decade of experience managing teams in campaigns, nonprofits, the private sector, and stakeholder organizations. As the Executive Director of Center Forward, Riley’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission of bringing people together to drive bipartisan, pragmatic solutions to some of the most challenging policy debates in D.C.

In his nearly seven years with Center Forward, Riley has transformed the organization’s work, leading to continued success and growth. Riley leverages his relationships in Congress and the Biden Administration to drive the organization’s success in working with business and advocacy groups to build coalitions and leverage relationships as a way to deliver bipartisan policy solutions.

Riley’s expertise in campaigns and elections is extensive. He played a pivotal role in the 2020 election cycle serving as Communications Director and Senior Adviser for Rita Hart’s race in Iowa’s Second Congressional District — the closest race in the country. In 2015 and 2016, he served on the field, delegate, and political teams for Hillary Clinton’s primary and general election campaigns, ending the cycle as the Deputy Political Director in the battleground state of Iowa. Before the Clinton campaign, Riley worked on President Obama’s reelection campaign and was involved in a number of electoral campaigns and ballot initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels.

Riley is a former member of the board of Q Street, the professional association of LGBTQ+ lobbyists and public policy advocates.

Riley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Spanish, and International Studies, graduating cum laude from Loras College in 2015. Born and raised in Iowa, Riley now resides in Washington, D.C.

Community Involvement:

• Former Board Member, Q Street

Speaker Request

Aidan Clements joined Center Forward in 2025. As the Health Care Program Coordinator, he leads the healthcare track’s programming efforts, educational projects, and operations. Before Center Forward, Aidan worked at the Federation of American Hospitals as their inaugural Justin R. Hunter Health Policy Fellow.

Originally from Charlotte, NC, Aidan earned his B.S. in Public Health and Political Science and an MPH in Health Policy from the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health at Tulane University. Outside of work, Aidan sits on the Young Professionals Advisory Board for Capital Clubhouse, a DC-based non-profit organization that offers people whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness the opportunity to demonstrate that they can lead productive, happy lives.

In his free time, he enjoys playing board games with his friends and taking advantage of the free museums and attractions around D.C.

Flora French joined Center Forward in July of 2026. As Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, Flora organizes, develops, and strengthens stakeholder relationships not only on the Hill, but in the business and advocacy community. 

Prior to joining Center Forward, Flora interned for Senator Bill Cassidy’s healthcare and economic department. She also interned at the Morning Group and Qorvis, a global advisory and strategic communications firm.

Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Flora attended Episcopal High School in Virginia and recently graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a degree in Political Science and minors in Humanities and Rhetoric. At Sewanee, Flora was a class of 2025 Senator for Sewanee Student Government, a member of the Theta Kappa Phi Sorority, and of the Order of the Gown Honors Society. 

In her free time, she enjoys hiking, live music, and needlepoint.

Ellie Gustafson is the Trade Program Coordinator at Center Forward. She joined the team in November 2025 and supports trade-focused programming and operations.

Before joining Center Forward, Ellie was a Program Coordinator at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems supporting democratic resilience and good governance programming in Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. She also completed a two-year Fulbright grant in Vietnam, where she led national youth mentorship programming through the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and developed sexual violence prevention curriculum for high school students and young adults.

Ellie graduated from the University of Maryland with dual degrees in Public Policy and Economics. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, trying new recipes, and spending time with friends and family.

Issue Areas:

• Trade and Supply Chains

• Foreign Policy and International Relations

• International Development

• Democracy and Elections

• Immigration

• Housing

• Women’s Health

• K-12 Education

Eddie Huck is the Innovation Program Manager at Center Forward. In this role, Eddie leads Center Forward’s work on innovation, science, technology, and government modernization. He also leads Center Forward’s Innovation Conferences, bringing senior legislative staff delegations to innovation and technological hub cities around the U.S.

Eddie joined Center Forward in 2023 as a Policy Program Coordinator, handling innovation, trade, and workforce policy programs. Before this role, Eddie was a Finance Assistant at Fulkerson, Kennedy & Company, where he planned national and international fundraising trips and advised on PAC strategies for Senate Democrats and Independents. He got his start in D.C. interning for Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) and at Invariant.

Eddie is a native of Greenwood, Indiana, and now lives in Washington, D.C., with his dog, Chopper. He graduated from Miami University in Ohio with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Logic Philosophy. Outside of work, he is a swim coach for the Arlington Aquatic Club and a certified yoga teacher.

Issue Areas:

• Technology and Innovation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Science and Research Policy
• Manufacturing
• Congressional Modernization
• State Capacity and Procedural Reform
• Climate and Sustainability
• Labor, Workforce, and Employment
• Immigration

Community Involvement:

• Swim Coach, Arlington Aquatic Club

James Jablon joined the Center Forward team in January 2026. As Staff Assistant, he manages scheduling for both the Executive Director and CEO, assists with office maintenance and administration, and supports Center Forward’s programming and policy staff.

Before joining Center Forward, James interned for the personal office of Congressman and Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) and for the House Ways and Means Committee in the summer of 2024. Additionally, James interned for The Conrad Group, a congressional fundraising firm in Washington, D.C. Outside of his congressional internship experience, James has worked at four tennis clubs in both the Washington, D.C., area and Madison, Wisconsin.

James is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied History and Political Science and spent his junior year at the London School of Economics, enrolled in the General Course Program. In his free time, James is an avid traveler and a competitive tennis player, having played at the club level for both UW-Madison and LSE. When he isn’t on the court, he can be found reading, watching movies, and learning about history.

Joleena Mundy is the Program Coordinator at Center Forward, where she plans and executes 60+ programmatic events and two annual conferences, bringing together stakeholders across the political and policy landscape to advance bipartisan dialogue on key policy issues.

Before joining Center Forward, Joleena built experience in both program management and policy research. She interned with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation on the International Partnerships team and with former Congressman Lee Hamilton (D-IN) as his administrative assistant, developing a strong grasp of organizational operations and stakeholder engagement. She furthered her analytical skills through research assistant roles with ICPSR at the University of Michigan and with Professor Christopher Lucas at Washington University in St. Louis.

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Joleena is an active volunteer with Girls Inc. and a proud 2024 graduate of Indiana University, where she earned dual degrees in Political Science and Economics. In her free time, she enjoys reading, vintage shopping, and hiking, always chasing whatever hobby brings her the most joy at the moment.

Dominick Porcella serves as Policy Director at Center Forward, where he leads the organization’s policy programming strategy across a broad range of issue areas. He works closely with the program management team to develop the thoughtful, bipartisan programming that defines Center Forward.

Dominick joined Center Forward in August 2026 from the office of Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), where he served in a legislative role advising on a wide-ranging policy portfolio, including health, education, agriculture, veterans’ affairs, and animal welfare, and helping navigate complex legislative priorities on Capitol Hill. Before his time in Congress, he was an adjunct lecturer in philosophy, teaching courses in ethics and logic.

A native of Long Island, New York, Dominick earned a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Philosophy from The Catholic University of America. During his undergraduate studies, he completed a Michaelmas Term program at the University of Oxford. He later earned a Master of
Arts in Philosophy from The New School for Social Research. His academic and professional experience reflects a longstanding interest in constitutional government, public policy, and institution building.

Outside of work, Dominick enjoys the study of the classics, hiking, fitness, and spending time with his family.

Bennett Sproat joined Center Forward as the Financial Services Program Manager in 2025. In this capacity, he leads the financial services track by organizing policy focused programs and events, while also educating congressional offices on leading issues and opportunities in the financial sector. Bennett’s work product is exclusive to Center Forward financial services stakeholders.

Bennett brings three years of financial experience to Center Forward, working in both investment banking and wealth management. At BMO Capital Markets, Bennett worked as an analyst for their real estate investment banking sector. He then spent two years in wealth management at Fidelity and Northern Trust, addressing the financial needs of clients and helping them navigate the complexities of capital markets. In 2024, he began to pivot toward a career in public policy. Bennett served in the Office of Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) and joined Forbes Tate Partners working on a variety of financial and economic issues.

Bennett is a native of Illinois and spent four years living in Chicago, IL before moving to Washington, D.C. He graduated from Indiana University with a major in finance and accounting. While not at work, he enjoys hiking and is attempting to visit all 63 national parks.

Issue areas include:

• Public and Private Capital Markets
• Housing
• Financial Institutions and Regulations
• Digital and Alternative Assets
• Retail and Commercial Banking
• Emerging Financial Technology
• Financial Reporting and Compliance

Robert “Bud” Cramer leads Center Forward’s Board of Directors as its Chairman. Bud was one of the founding members of the organization to support the pragmatic policymakers and influencers in Washington D.C. and across the country.

Bud represented the 5th congressional district of Alabama from 1991 to 2009. During his time in the House of Representatives, Bud served on the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and was the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations within the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Bud co-founded the Blue Dog Coalition to help bring fiscally-responsible Democrats together, and many of the principles from his work with the Coalition continue to guide Center Forward in its mission.

As a former congressman, Bud has deep expertise in advocacy, community relations, government relations, and issues management. Throughout his career, Bud has been an advocate for commonsense policy on aerospace and defense, criminal justice, intelligence, and transportation issues. In 1998, the Minority Leader of the House appointed him to the Open World program board of the Library of Congress. In Congress, he co-chaired the Missile Defense and House TVA caucuses and co-founded the Anti-Terrorism and Missing & Exploited Children caucuses.

Since departing Congress, Bud was managing director at FTI Consulting, vice chairman of Capitol Hill Consulting Group, and chairman of Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates.

Bud holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a law degree from The University of Alabama, and an honorary doctorate of law from The University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Cori Kramer is a centrist leader with over two decades of getting things done for all Americans. As Chief Executive Officer of Center Forward, she leads our mission to provide centrist allies the information and support they need to craft common sense policy solutions to the challenges facing the country today.

As Chief of Staff to prominent Congressional pragmatics Mike Ross of Arkansas and Brad Ellsworth of Indiana, Cori helped move some of the most consequential policy solutions of this century, addressing the nation’s taxation, health care, banking, trade, and manufacturing priorities to build a stronger and more resilient nation.

An experienced political strategist, she has always worked on the competitive front lines, where votes are won not by party affiliation but by direct voter contact and persuasive messaging backed by unifying ideas. She managed the successful re-election campaign of Congressman Mike Ross against significant partisan headwinds, and also managed the re-election campaign of Congressman Charlie Stenholm and the U.S. Senate campaign of Congressman Brad Ellsworth.

Cori is also a member of Women for Economic and Leadership Development, and a mentor and member of How Women Lead.

Cori received her Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes College in 1999. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, Ted, and sons, Jack and Ben.

Community Involvement:

• Member, Women for Economic and Leadership Development
• Mentor and Member, How Women Lead

Speaker Request

Cindy is a partner in FTP’s federal government relations practice and leads the firm’s Democratic advocacy. She works at the center of Democratic policymaking, with relationships across House and Senate leadership and the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Senate Finance Committees, where the party’s economic agenda takes shape. She guides Fortune 500 companies, industry innovators, investors, and trade associations across tax, trade, technology, energy, education, healthcare, and life sciences, providing direct access to the centrist Democrats who often decide outcomes in Congress.

As chief of staff to Representative Ron Kind (D-WI), Cindy led legislative efforts on the Ways and Means Committee and helped relaunch the New Democrat Coalition, building its first PAC and recruiting its first executive director. She maintains deep relationships across the New Democrat Coalition—now the largest bloc in the House and a pro‑growth center of gravity in Democratic politics—and is a leading fundraiser for the party, raising for committee leaders, front‑line members, and Midwestern candidates at the center of the fight for the majority.

Previously, Cindy served as vice president of legislative strategies at the Campaign to Fix the Debt and held senior roles at several government‑relations firms. She began her career on Capitol Hill in the office of Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI).

Libby is a partner and head of FTP’s government relations practice. She advises Fortune 500 corporations, investors, and major trade associations on their most consequential fights in Washington, from high-stakes legislation and regulatory threats to congressional investigations, reputational crises, and the political risk that can reshape an industry overnight. She holds longstanding, trusted relationships across House Democratic leadership, the Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees, and the committees and members who drive critical outcomes across the American economy. A former House chief of staff who came up with winning campaigns in Alabama and red-leaning districts across the country, she has built her career on a conviction that real wins are achieved through bipartisan strategy designed around a durable coalition of support.

One of Washington’s leading healthcare and life sciences advocates, Libby was a key strategist on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry throughout the Affordable Care Act negotiations. In the years since, she has worked on every major piece of healthcare legislation and the defining fights over drug pricing, PBMs, the 340B program, physician reimbursement, and FDA reform. She fights to get new therapies into the hands of the patients who need them, to protect the reimbursement frameworks that put new cures within reach, and to keep American biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation ahead of global competition. Her work extends across medical devices and diagnostics, most recently working to pass the 2026 law extending Medicare coverage to multi-cancer early detection, bringing a new generation of cancer screening to millions of Americans and changing the odds in the fight against cancer.

Across healthcare and the broader economy, Libby is sought out for the highest-stakes corporate battles, steering companies and industries through congressional investigations, reputational crises, and the political risk around mergers and acquisitions. Libby advises clients on the policy and politics that will define their industries, from food and agriculture to retail and trade, technology, AI, and the live events economy.

On Capitol Hill, Libby served as chief of staff to Representative Allen Boyd (D-FL) for nearly a decade, helping lead the Blue Dog Coalition to the height of its influence, growing its political operation tenfold, and recruiting and mentoring the moderate candidates who delivered the Democratic House majority in 2006. She helped write the Blue Dogs’ pay-as-you-go budget rules, enacted into federal law and still in force today, that require Congress to pay for what it spends, a cornerstone of the coalition’s fiscal legacy. Today she sits at the heart of the centrist coalition that decides close votes, the moderate members who hold the balance in a narrowly divided House. That work extends through Center Forward, the bipartisan organization she co-founded in 2010, now one of Washington’s leading conveners of cross-party dialogue. Libby’s political career began in Alabama, where she rose through state campaigns and Democratic politics before joining a national fundraising practice in Washington. She went on to serve as Representative Allen Boyd’s chief of staff for nearly a decade before joining Jeff Forbes in 2009 at the firm that would become Forbes Tate Partners (now FTP). A native of Birmingham, she holds a B.A.in English from Birmingham-Southern College, where she graduated with Distinction in Leadership Studies.

Jefferies Murray is a founder and Partner at 535 Group. He was previously Managing Director in the FTI Consulting Strategic Communications segment and is based in Washington, DC.

As a senior member of the firm’s Public Affairs team, Mr. Murray advised executive teams, boards of directors, and senior decision-makers on public policy issues that pose opportunities and challenges to their organizations’ enterprise values.

Mr. Murray represents a variety of clients in many industries – energy, technology, financial services, automobile manufacturing and consumer products and helps direct their legislative and political strategies in Congress. Mr. Murray also specializes in coordinating clients’ interests in the Blue Dog Coalition of the House. Most recently Mr. Murray became a co-founder of the Blue Dog Research Forum (now Center Forward) and currently serves on the board of directors and as their treasurer.

Mr. Murray is part of C2 GROUP, a highly regarded bipartisan government relations and lobbying firm, which was acquired by FTI Consulting in 2013.

Prior to joining C2 GROUP, Mr. Murray served as Chief of Staff for Congressman Bud Cramer (D-AL), a member on the Appropriations Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman Cramer was a founding member of the Blue Dog Coalition where Mr. Murray served as executive staff for the coalition during Congressman Cramer’s Chairmanship during the 106th Congress. Mr. Murray also directed the Blue Dog political operations during the 107th Congress.

Before joining Congressman Cramer’s team, Mr. Murray served for six years as Government Relations Director for the American Gas Association (AGA); the AGA is the trade association representing the natural gas distribution industry in the USA. Mr. Murray also served as Executive Director of the GASPAC (AGA’s Political Action Committee) and Executive Director of the American Gas Foundation. He also has extensive experience working on political campaigns for Congressman Bill Brewster (D-OK) and Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM).

Mr. Murray completed his undergraduate studies at the University of the South and holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.

Liz Murray is a highly experienced fundraising strategist with over two decades of success leading multimillion-dollar campaigns for national advocacy and political organizations. As the Principal of The E.H. Murray Group, LLC in Washington, D.C. since 1996, she has spearheaded comprehensive fundraising strategies, cultivating relationships with high-net-worth individuals, corporate donors, and industry partners. She is known for her exceptional relationship-building skills within the donor and government affairs communities.

Her key achievements include directing PAC fundraising and major donor development for high-profile clients such as Governor Doug Burgum and U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, Cindy Hyde-Smith, John McCain, and Orrin Hatch. She has also led development efforts for The President’s Dinner, a 5,000-guest event, and served as Finance Director at the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC). Liz is currently working with the campaign of Jay Feely, Republican Nominee, Arizona District 01.

Liz has a B.A. in Political Science from The University of Arizona, Tucson.

Former Congressman John Tanner is Vice Chairman of Prime Policy Group. He joins the firm after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for 22 years where he represented Tennessee’s 8th congressional district. While in Congress, John served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Ways and Means Committee, where he chaired both the Social Security Subcommittee and the Trade Subcommittee. John also served on the House Armed Services and House Science Committees and served as Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic Congress in the 109th, 110th, and 111th Congresses.

John is known and respected for his leadership as a co-founder of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition and was a leader in Congress advocating for a fiscally conservative agenda, specifically directed at balancing the budget and decreasing the nation’s debt burden. John also chaired the U.S. House delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the alliance’s legislative branch, for several years. In November 2008, legislators from all NATO member nations elected John to serve as President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly for two years.

Before he was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1989, John served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for twelve years. He served in the Tennessee Army National Guard from 1974-2000, when he retired at the rank of Colonel, and in the United States Navy JAG Corps, from 1968-1972. John has also served on the board of Visitors for the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy.

Since retiring from Congress in 2010, John has joined the boards of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Center Forward, and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. John is also a Paul Harris Fellow and Rotary member.

John, a native Tennessean, received both his undergraduate degree and law degree from the University of Tennessee. John and his wife, Betty Ann, maintain residences in Union City, Tennessee, and Washington, DC. They have two children and four grandchildren, all of whom reside in Tennessee.

Ms. Vickie L. Walling has been a member of the Center Forward Board of Directors since its foundation. 

Ms. Walling served as the Managing Director of Prime Policy Group until 2018, transitioning to Consultant before retiring. She worked at a variety of firm clients, including domestic businesses, multinational corporations, and trade associations, on Federal legislative and regulatory issues. She developed expertise in the health care and hospitality industries after years on Capitol Hill. She is also an expert on campaign finance. She served for 34 years at senior-level Capitol Hill experience. She is widely recognized for her creation of the highly visible and successful PAC for and providing strategic legislative and fundraising counsel to the Blue Dog Coalition, a coalition of moderate House Democrats. 

Ms. Walling served as the Chief of Staff to Representative John Tanner (D-TN), who she had worked for since 1989. In this position, she helped hire, train and supervise an 18-personal legislative and administrative staff as well as three district offices and also prepared and managed the office budget; and assisted the Representative. She also prepared and delivered speeches and statements of record as the Congressman’s representative and helped manage fundraising activities. Prior to her work at Congressman Tanner, Ms. Walling worked for Congressman Ed Jones (D-TN), where she directed management for House services; established the legislative agenda; drafted legislation; directed an active constituent mail program; supervised and trained staff; prepared speeches and statements; and gave the Congressman daily briefings on legislative activity in the House. 

Ms. Walling is one of the most legendary and practiced liaisons between the Washington business community and Capitol Hill and her moderate, bipartisan approach has earned her allies on both sides of the aisle. 

Ms. Walling received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Katie Vlietstra Wonnenberg is a small business advocate and political strategist with a track record of finding solutions to national policy and market challenges. Katie has delivered results at the highest levels in Washington, D.C., corporate boardrooms, and in legislatures across the country. Appreciated for her strategic and inclusive leadership style, Katie has been a respected voice in the policy and market conversation for over 17 years.

Katie has served as the chief architect of government relations strategies that have delivered crucial legislation on topics ranging from financial reform to immigration, and she’s helped secure billions of dollars in investment to create jobs and drive recovery efforts following natural disasters. She has over 17 years worth of policy experience advocating for the micro-business, self-employed, and entrepreneur community. 

Today, Katie is a principal at Public Private Strategies and President of the Business for America’s Future Fund, where she works with governments and businesses across the country – from the White House to Fortune 50 corporations to Main Street businesses – to solve pressing policy challenges. In these roles, she advises leading policy makers, foundations, nonprofits, and corporations.

Katie continues to advise and support the federal advocacy and public affairs activities of the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). 

Previously, Katie served as a member of the Texas Federal Relations team where she worked on issues from internet sales tax and hurricane recovery to immigration and housing. 

Katie has consulted for several presidential campaigns, including McCain-Palin and Romney-Ryan. She is a frequent contributor to many news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Politico, as well as Fox News, C-SPAN, and MSNBC. She lives in Washington, D.C.