North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation

John Rustin is Executive Director of the North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation, a statewide, nonpartisan research and education organization that serves business and industry by conducting extensive research and analysis of North Carolina’s political arena.

Prior to joining the Foundation in April 2009, John spent 15-years as a full-time lobbyist before the North Carolina General Assembly. In addition to serving as Vice President and Director of Government Relations for the North Carolina Family Policy Council from 1997 to 2009, John represented a variety of corporate interests before state legislative and regulatory agencies including General Electric, Abbott Laboratories and the American Plastics Council. During the 2005 and 2007 legislative sessions, John was recognized as one of the 50 “Most Influential Lobbyists” in the state by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research in a biannual survey of legislators, lobbyists and the media.

John credits much of his interest in North Carolina politics to a year he spent in the mid-1990’s with the North Carolina Forum for Research and Economic Education (NCFREE), the predecessor organization to the N.C.FreeEnterprise Foundation. John received a BA in Industrial Relations from UNC-Chapel Hill and lives with his family in Raleigh.

Jonathan Kappler is the Research Director for the North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation. Prior to joining NCFEF, Jonathan served as the Associate Manager for Research at the Partnership for Public Service in Washington, DC. At the Partnership, he led several major reports and studies as well as serving as an Instructor at the Graduate School. Previously, Jonathan was a Graduate Fellow at the National Association of Development Organizations, and served as an intern with a public policy think tank, the U.S. Senate, and the North Carolina State Senate.

Jonathan has become a recognized source for nonpartisan political analysis in North Carolina. His research through NCFEF has been cited in local, state, and national publications. In 2011, he was named by the Washington Post as on of the best state-based political tweeters, you can follow him on twitter @jonathankappler.

Jonathan holds a Master of Public Policy from American University’s School of Public Affairs. He also graduated summa cum laude from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina with Honors degrees in Political Science and Spanish. He currently serves as the Secretary of the Appalachian Alumni Council and was a Fall 2010 Fellow of the Institute of Political Leadership.

Meaghan Lewis serves as the Administration & Development Manager for the North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation.  Meaghan is a graduate of Appalachian State University, graduating magna cum laude with an Honors degree in Political Science.  While attending Appalachian, she was heavily involved in her sorority and the Appalachian Student Ambassadors.

Internships during Meaghan’s undergraduate career gave her first hand knowledge of North Carolina’s legislative process. Working multiple summers for a Raleigh-based government relations firm and a Congressional internship provided Meaghan with both state and federal government experience.