ABOUT
Founded in 2009, Active Engagement is a cutting-edge, digital political fundraising agency headquartered in historic Leesburg, Virginia.
Combining extensive conservative political fundraising experience with state-of-the-art design and an unparalleled knowledge of the political marketing universe, Active Engagement specializes in digital fundraising, donor acquisition, and data management for pro-liberty organizations and candidates.
As a boutique fundraising and acquisition agency, we are motivated by helping our clients engage supporters, grow their donor base, and net meaningful funds.
Active Engagement has raised more than $125 million for our conservative clients through custom built programs, and we take pride in being innovators who have radically changed the landscape of digital fundraising.
OUR WORK
As fundraisers, it’s our goal to understand our clients’ unique needs and develop a tailored approach to help them raise money effectively.
The key ways we achieve these goals are through donor acquisition, digital fundraising, data management, and data brokerage.
BUILD
Active Engagement has built some of the largest and highest-performing email lists in the country. Our team has helped clients acquire tens of millions of email opt-ins via email list rentals. In order to build a large, lucrative house file, AE implements a variety of engagement devices to attract potential supporters.
MANAGE
Managing an email file of hundreds of thousands of supporters can pose challenges to an organization of any size. List management has two main components: strategic messaging and technology. Active Engagement consults with clients on both facets.
MONETIZE
Now for the fun part. After helping clients build a large supporter base and implementing the most advanced technical platforms available, Active Engagement works hand-in-hand with clients to generate maximum revenue from their email list.
CLIENTS
Active Engagement has worked with leading pro-liberty and conservative candidates, political action committees, and nonprofit organizations for whom we’ve raised more than $125 million.
A sampling of past and present clients includes:
OUR TEAM
-
Richard Norman Founder
-
JD Norman President & Owner
-
Brian Davis Chief Technology Officer
-
Eric Josephsen VP of Client Strategy
Richard Norman
Founder
EMAIL: [email protected]
Richard Norman has been in the political fundraising industry for more than three decades, during which time he has been involved with six presidential campaigns and dozens of U.S. Senate, congressional, and gubernatorial campaigns. He founded the Richard Norman Company in 1987 and Active Engagement in 2009.
Richard resides in rural Loudoun County with his wife, Vickie. He has raised more than one billion dollars for conservative and Republican candidates, committees, and organizations through direct mail, telemarketing, TV, radio, and digital fundraising. Richard is an a member of the Council for National Policy, and is on the board for Youth for Tomorrow, a nonprofit that provides children and families with opportunities to better their lives.
JD Norman
President & Owner
EMAIL: [email protected]
JD Norman integrates a rich background in politics and direct marketing with academic expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. Upon joining Active Engagement in 2010, he assumed the role of Managing Partner, overseeing day-to-day operations and steering strategic initiatives for clients. In a pivotal moment in 2018, JD became the sole owner of Active Engagement, marking a significant milestone in his career.
A native of Loudoun County, JD resides in historic Leesburg, VA with his wife and high school sweetheart, Rebecca, and their three daughters— Clara, Finley, and Faith. He is a proud alumnus of Woodberry Forest School and Virginia Tech, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, JD is an avid private pilot and golfer. Whether navigating the skies or the fairways, JD brings the same dedication and precision to his personal pursuits as he does to his professional endeavors. As a devoted follower of Christ, JD integrates faith into every aspect of his life, including at Active Engagement, where he is committed to upholding biblical principles.
Brian Davis
Chief Technology Officer
EMAIL: [email protected]
Brian Davis is a 20-year veteran of technology and development who’s experiences have ranged from launching his own boutique web design firm, founding a broadband ISP, and working as a technology consultant and strategist. Brian currently leads Active Engagement’s technology innovation, helping to develop, test, and implement new technologies for our clients.
Originally from outside the nation’s capital, Brian is a graduate of James Madison University and currently resides in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. He’s an active leader in educating the next generation of technology gurus, has taught at the university level, and was a founding member of the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council.
Eric Josephsen
VP of Client Strategy
EMAIL: [email protected]
Eric Josephsen began his career in political fundraising at American Majority, a nonprofit dedicated to developing future conservative leaders. In 2012, he joined the team at Active Engagement where he oversees strategic growth for all of the firm’s digital fundraising and marketing programs, including the management of over $5 million in email acquisition budgets annually.
Eric earned his Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and American History from the University of Virginia. He resides in Ashland, Virginia with his wife Carmen, their four children, and a flock of chickens.
-
Abby Alger Consulting Lead
-
Mark Layman Chief Financial Officer
-
Alexander Bouffard Director, Special Projects
-
Justin Kimbrell Senior Developer
-
Micaela McMullan Data & Deliverability Manager
-
Josh Mullenix Director of Email Services
-
James DeBoer Product Owner
-
Cody Dennis Account Manager
-
Mark Sell Deployment Specialist
-
Kristen Gibson Project Manager
-
John Hill Brokerage Coordinator
-
Jared Wiggins Graphic Designer
-
Mitchell Solomon Junior Developer
-
Barrett Velker Data Science
-
Charlie von Kleeck Data Analyst
-
Matt Lay Account Manager
-
Avery Andrick Production Coordinator
Abby Alger
Consulting Lead
EMAIL: [email protected]
Abby Alger is the VP of Client Strategy for Active Engagement. Before joining AE in 2020, Abby worked as the Director of Digital Training for the Leadership Institute, the Digital Director for Freedom Partners, and the Digital Director for the U.S. House Republican Conference.
Abby graduated from Duke University with degrees in Public Policy and Classical Languages (Latin and Greek). She and her family live in Virginia, where they spend as much time as possible at Shenandoah National Park.
Mark Layman
Chief Financial Officer
EMAIL: [email protected]
Mark Layman’s background includes working as a financial
analyst for non-profit organizations and selling real estate in
Northern Virginia. In 2012, he joined Active Engagement as the
company’s accountant.
Mark is a lifelong Virginian. Having grown up in Leesburg, he
returned with his family in 2020. He graduated from the Pamplin
School of Business at Virginia Tech with a degree in Finance.
Mark also has a degree in Accounting. Mark and his wife Devon have an adopted son and a rescued dog.
Alexander Bouffard
Director, Special Projects
EMAIL: [email protected]
Alexander is a problem solver who likes to design systems that enable the AE team to work more efficiently. He previously worked in major gifts fundraising and construction technology.
Alexander received a degree from the King’s college, NYC in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. After years in northern VA, Alexander and his family moved to Alabama where you can find them reading, baking, and running around outdoors.
Justin Kimbrell
Senior Developer
EMAIL: [email protected]
Justin Kimbrell is a lead developer with over 20 years of professional experience in technology and software development. He is a full stack developer and worked with dozens of languages and systems, such as PHP, JavaScript, Laravel, Node, and Rust. He has a deep love for learning and problem solving. He taught Computer Sciences for Purdue University at IUPUI in Indianapolis, IN.
Justin lives in Woodland Park, Colorado, with his wife and child. In their free time they love music and nature. You can usually find them hiking on a trail in the mountains, or enjoying the great music, food, and culture of Colorado.
Micaela McMullan
Data & Deliverability Manager
EMAIL: [email protected]
As AE’s Data and Deliverability Manager, Micaela McMullan spends her time analyzing email performance and managing client data. She graduated with a degree in Economics from Bridgewater College, where she competed on the equestrian team.
Micaela resides in Harrisonburg, Virginia with her dog Parker, and enjoys the many opportunities for running and cycling in the Shenandoah Valley. She is involved in several local nonprofits and enjoys dedicating time to plan fundraising events for them. She also enjoys reading and going to concerts with friends.
Josh Mullenix
Director of Email Services
EMAIL: [email protected]
Josh Mullenix has over 15 years of marketing experience ranging from the entertainment industry to non-profit and fundraising. He is currently the Director of Email Services for Active Engagement, working with clients large and small to provide a premium value-added email service provider experience.
Growing up in the Virginia Beach area, Josh attended James Madison University earning a degree in music business. He later moved to Music City to sow his wild music industry oats for over a decade, but has remained in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee to raise his family. Loving activities associated with being in the woods such a hiking and mountain biking, Josh has finally succumbed to the concept of enjoying the beach, having been convinced by his ocean loving wife Kristin, and two daughters, Annabelle and Elsa.
James DeBoer
Product Owner
EMAIL: [email protected]
James DeBoer likes things to run smoothly and has the attention to detail to make it happen. He started at Active Engagement in 2021, bringing a wealth of experience from his background in media and communications.
James has an undergraduate degree from Dordt University and a graduate certificate from Reformed Theological Seminary. A transplant from the Midwest, he happily settled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley with his wife Sarah in 2007, where they raise their three children, Isaac, Harper and Katherine. If he has free time, James will do almost anything where he can enjoy nature (or music or strategy games or sports or craft breweries).
Cody Dennis
Account Manager
EMAIL: [email protected]
As AE’s Account Manager, Cody Dennis spends his time building and executing successful acquisition campaigns for clients. From signers, to donors and paid subscribers, he can develop a strategy to build any audience.
Cody, a graduate of Old Dominion University, has been with Active Engagement since 2017. He resides in Virginia Beach with his wife, Jessica and son, Luke.
Mark Sell
Deployment Specialist
EMAIL: [email protected]
Mark Sell has a degree in Political Science from Frostburg State University in Maryland. He currently resides in northern Virginia and has previously worked in online fundraising for conservative non-profit organizations and marketing firms.
Mark manages email deployments for the AE team.
Kristen Gibson
Project Manager
EMAIL: [email protected]
As project manager, Kristen Gibson coordinates and manages projects for Active Engagement. She is based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a few minutes north of Bridgewater College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration.
John Hill
Brokerage Coordinator
EMAIL: [email protected]
Originally from Richmond, Virginia, John Hill is a Bridgewater College graduate with a major in Business Administration, a Marketing concentration, and minored in Political Science. While at Bridgewater, he started a YAL chapter. Currently resides in the Harrisonburg, VA area.
John enjoys baseball, live music, and spending time outside in nature.
Jared Wiggins
Graphic Designer
EMAIL: [email protected]
Jared Wiggins is a Graphic Designer who has worked as a professional Artist for over 10 years. He is the Graphic Designer for Active Engagement, where his background in fine arts and design brings a unique perspective to best serve each client and their specific design needs (including logos and email templates).
Growing up in Chicago IL, Jared spent most of his life drawing and following Jesus. He moved to Virginia in 2019 and met his wife shortly after. They met at their church where Jared now serves as a youth pastor. Jared and his wife live in Harrisonburg Area with their daughter.
Mitchell Solomon
Junior Developer
EMAIL: [email protected]
Mitchell Solomon is a Junior Developer at Active Engagement, working on implementing software development tools for our clients as well as internal tools for our team. He is a graduate of Liberty University where he earned a B.S. degree in Information Technology: Web & Mobile Programming and was a member of the Cyber Security Club.
Mitchell has a passion for all things technology and electronics. In his free time, Mitchell enjoys playing the guitar, tinkering with electronics, playing games, and spending time with friends.
Barrett Velker
Data Science
EMAIL: [email protected]
Barrett Velker, a software engineer from Harrisonburg, VA, specializes in AI and deep learning. A Tennessee Tech University graduate, he develops impactful AI tools at Active Engagement. His expertise includes GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 LLMs, focusing on applications like email open-rate prediction and LLM prompt building tools. Barrett is adept at creating user-friendly software and proficient in Docker server deployment. He is committed to continuous learning, staying updated with the latest AI trends.
Beyond work, Barrett tinkers with 3D printers, drones, and board game design. He is dedicated to using technology to uplift the lives of those around him.
Charlie von Kleeck
Data Analyst
EMAIL: [email protected]
A part of AE’s data team, Charlie von Kleeck helps ensure each client’s data needs are met. He received a degree in Computational Modeling and Data Analytics from Virginia Tech, with minors in Math and Computer Science.
Originally from Leesburg, Charlie now lives in Harrisonburg, VA, and enjoys hiking, road tripping, running, and reading in his free time.
Matt Lay
Account Manager
EMAIL: [email protected]
As an account manager, Matt Lay works closely with non-profits to reach their fundraising goals through digital marketing initiatives. Specializing in faith based non-profits, he works with clients to design, initiate, and analyze marketing communication and fundraising strategies.
He currently lives in Harrisonburg, VA, where he was the former intern for RUF, investing in the lives of college students. Matt enjoys chess, reading, bouldering, and a good cup of coffee.
Avery Andrick
Production Coordinator
EMAIL: [email protected]
Avery Andrick was born and raised in Harrisonburg, VA where she now lives. She graduated from Bridgewater College in 2021 with a degree in Art and a concentration in Digital Media. She works as a Production Coordinator for Active Engagement, working closely with the consulting team to make sure that our clients are well taken care of.
Avery enjoys spending time with her family and friends. As an animal lover, she also spends time with her four cats and two dogs. She is an avid artist in many mediums, including drawing and film.
CAREERS
We are always on the lookout for creative professionals.
If you have a love of politics, fundraising, and technology, and think that you could be a fit for our team, please send along your resume with a description of what you can add to our growing company.
[email protected]
CONTACT
Active Engagement is headquartered in historic downtown Leesburg, Virginia, and also operates an office in Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley.
- EMAIL [email protected]