RNC Leaders
Chairman
Originally from Watauga County, North Carolina, Michael Whatley serves as the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Chairman Whatley previously served as the Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and the General Counsel for the Republican National Committee.
Prior to his service with the Republican Party, Whatley served as a federal law clerk, senior official in the George W. Bush Administration and as the Chief of Staff for US Senator Elizabeth Dole, R-NC. He also served as a Senior Advisor to the Bush-Cheney Campaign, Florida Recount and Transition Teams, as well as the Trump-Pence Campaign and Transition Teams.
Whatley earned a History degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Masters in Religion from Wake Forest University before graduating from the University of Notre Dame with both a law degree and Masters in Theology.
Co-Chair
Lara Trump is a prominent figure in American politics, a television personality, and a dedicated advocate for her family and conservative values. Lara gained widespread recognition as the host of "The Right View," a web series she launched in 2020. The show, which features a panel of conservative women discussing political and cultural topics, has garnered a large following and allows Lara to engage with a diverse audience.
Before her venture into the media, Lara Trump made her mark as a producer and story coordinator for the CBS television show "Inside Edition." Her experience in the field of media honed her skills as a communicator and provided a strong foundation for her subsequent endeavors, including working as a contributor at Fox News.
Lara played a crucial role in the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election, where she actively campaigned for her father-in-law and served as a surrogate on various media outlets. As a native of North Carolina, Lara played a critical role in the campaign efforts throughout the state, resulting in a decisive victory for Donald Trump.
Her impact continued in the 2020 presidential election, where she served as a senior advisor to the Trump campaign. Lara Trump's strategic insights, eloquence, and ability to connect with the
American people made her an invaluable asset to the campaign.
In addition to her political pursuits, Lara Trump is also very passionate about animal rescue and adoption. She regularly donates her time and prominent position to help raise money and awareness for shelter animals.
As an influential figure in American politics, Lara Trump continues to make her mark, advocating for conservative values and championing causes close to her heart. With her charisma, intelligence, and dedication, Lara Trump has emerged as a respected voice within the Republican Party and a role model for many.
Lara lives in Florida with her husband Eric, their two children, Luke and Carolina, and their dogs, Charlie, Ben and Tiger.
Treasurer
KC Crosbie was elected as the National Committeewoman from Kentucky in June 2012 and RNC Treasurer in January 2023.
In 2007, Lexington citizens elected KC as their representative on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government City Council. KC was re-elected and served three, consecutive terms. KC was chosen by her Council colleagues to serve on various, intergovernment committees, including General Government Oversight, Health and Social Services and Public Safety. KC represented Lexington as the City Council's representative on the Metropolitan Planning Organization.
During her tenure as National Committeewoman, KC has served on the RNC Executive Committee, RNC Rules Committee, and RNC Faith Advisory Board. KC represents the RNC on the Convention Selection Committee which recently selected Milwaukee, Wisconsin to host the 2024 GOP Convention, and continues working with other committee members to identify the future location for the 2028 GOP Convention.
In Kentucky, KC was appointed GOP Finance Chair, and served on the Kentucky GOP Executive and Budget Committees. KC has chaired several coalitions for federal and statewide candidates, engaging thousands of grassroots activists from all 120 counties in Kentucky. KC is a charter member of the Women Republicans of Central Kentucky an active member of the Fayette County Republican Womens Club.
Prior to her election as RNC Treasurer, KC worked 18 years for a Fortune 50 company Healthcare/Pharma company where she was involved in procuring and managing multi-million-dollar health care contracts. She later founded Lexington Diagnostic Solutions, LLC, a Kentucky distributor of medical testing supplies and diagnostic products. KC is currently a partner with Andover Farms LLC, a Kentucky small business.
KC is originally from Dayton, Ohio. She earned her B.A. in Communications from the University of Kentucky. KC is also involved in her community as a University of Kentucky Fellow, the Junior League of Lexington, a youth Sunday school teacher, and her church's outreach and recreational ministry among many other things. She also served on the Commonwealth of Kentucky Crime Victims Compensation Board, the Commonwealth of Kentucky Board of Claims, the Commonwealth of Kentucky Judicial Nomination Commission, and the Lexington Children’s Museum Board. KC is married to Scott Crosbie, a Lexington lawyer and they have three adult children, Kirby, Cate, and Mac.
Secretary
Vicki Drummond was elected as the National Committeewoman from Alabama in February 2012.
She earned her B.S., M.A. and Ed. S. at the University of Alabama.
Her political activities consist of serving as a Delegate/Alternate Delegate to the 1988, 2004, 2008, and 2012 Republican National Conventions and she was elected as a member of the Platform Committee in 1988. She served on the NFRW Nominating Committee, was an NFRW National Chaplain and the Vice-Chairman of the Fundraising Committee.
As a member of the Alabama Republican Party, Drummond has been on the Steering Committee as well as the Chairman of Congressional District 4.
Drummond is also involved in her community, as a member of the Heritage Foundation President's Club, the Alabama Policy Institute, the National Rifle Association, etc. She served on Governor Robert Bentley's Transition Team in 2010 and was appointed to the Alabama Constitution Revision Committee.
Drummond resides in Jasper, AL and she and her husband have two adult sons, Matthew (Jamie) and Michael (Lee), and two granddaughters.
General Counsel
John R. Hammond, III, is a partner in the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and provides public affairs services for clients on a local, state, and federal level. Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP serves clients in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Delaware, Northern Kentucky, Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix and Washington, DC.
As a veteran of Indiana state government, John has helped shape a wide variety of public policies from state and local tax policy and environmental regulatory affairs to K-12 and higher education policy, tort reform, transportation, insurance, and economic development issues.
John's extensive Indiana public service includes senior policy roles in the offices of the Governor and Lt. Governor. Beginning with heading-up the Governor-Elect's transition office, his public service culminated in serving former Governor Robert D. Orr as a senior policy advisor for eight years. In that capacity, John was the Governor's senior advisor for education policy and legislative affairs. As the Governor's chief legislative director, he served in that role for a record six general sessions and three special sessions.
He is a member of the National Finance Committee of the Republican Governors Association and a member of the Executive Board of the National Republican Lawyers Association.
John has been a frequent statewide public affairs panelist and lecturer focusing on Indiana government and politics and is the co-author of the article "Campaigns and Candidates: Lawyers and Their Obligations," prepared for the Legislative Services Agency for Continuing Legal Education seminar titled "The Lawyer-Lobbyist."
John holds a bachelor of arts from DePauw University and a juris doctor from Indiana University McKinney School of Law and is admitted to practice in Indiana. He is married and the father of four sons and has two grandchildren. John enjoys playing tennis, all things music including playing the drums, and books on history, politics, and astrophysics. He resides in Indianapolis, Ind.
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