Learn More about the Staff at the Yankee Institute:
Executive Director: Fergus Cullen
Fergus Cullen joined the Yankee Institute in 2009 as Executive Director. Before coming to Yankee, Fergus was chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, the youngest state chairman in the country when elected at age 34. His term included the nationally-watched first in the nation presidential primary and in the general election, his party defied national trends by gaining 17 seats in the state legislature.
He has managed statewide, congressional, and local political campaigns. Previously Fergus was an editorial page columnist for the Union Leader newspaper. He has also been published in the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, and Runner’s World magazine among others. He has appeared as a commentator on numerous television and radio programs, including nationally broadcast interviews on C-SPAN, CNN, FOX, and most New England stations.
As a small business owner, Fergus built a contracting business to a million dollars in annual sales before selling that company.
A competitive distance runner with personal bests ranging from 15:23 for 5K to a 2:32 marathon, Fergus has been a high school boys and girls cross country running coach for ten years. He has hiked the Appalachian Trail across New H ampshire and is a member of the 4,000 Footer Club, having climbed all 48 such peaks throughout the White Mountains.
Fergus is a graduate of Yale College (BA, History, 1994) and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (Masters in Public Administration, 2002), where he was named a Littauer Fellow for academic achievement, contributions to the school, and potential in public service.
He and his wife, Jenny, are raising two sons.
Policy Director: Heath W. Fahle
Heath W. Fahle (Fah-LEE) is the Policy Director of the Yankee Institute, overseeing the Institute’s policy operations, online communications, and also conducting research with a particular focus on government reform, elections, and voting procedures.
His first research report, Slanting the Playing Field, was published in October 2009 and he authored the Institute’s 2010 Connecticut Voter Guide.
Fahle lives in East Hampton, CT, with his wife, Emily. For more information, visit his website: www.heathwfahle.com
Policy Scholar: Dr. Lewis Andrews
Dr. Lewis M. Andrews is a writer and researcher specializing in public policy innovations. He has served as the executive director of the Yankee Institute for Public Policy, located at Trinity College, and founded the CEO Foundation of CT, one of America’s largest privately-funded school voucher programs. His work appears frequently in both professional journals such as Policy Review and popular publications including the Wall Street Journal and Investors’ Business Daily.
Investigative Reporter: Zach Janowski
Zachary Janowski is an investigative reporter for the Yankee Institute and is responsible for the material posted to Raising Hale. Most recently he was editor of The Southington Citizen, a weekly community newspaper, and he has daily reporting experience from the Willimantic Chronicle. He lives in Plantsville.
Director of Operations: Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Buchanan joined the Yankee Institute in 2010 as Director of Operations. She coordinates events, office management, and donor relations.
In 2008, she graduated from Patrick Henry College with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy. The following year she completed the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation Associate Program. Subsequently, Jessica worked for two years at the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, Yankee’s sister think tank located in Pennsylvania.
Jessica lives in Hartford with her husband, Jesse.