Staff

Leadership Team

Tracie Sharp
President and CEO

Tracie Sharp is president of State Policy Network, the capacity building service organization of free market, state-focused public policy think tanks. SPN has over 130 members, including 59 state think tanks representing all 50 states. Ms. Sharp has been an active leader in the state-focused think tank movement since 1988, serving on the SPN board of directors since its founding in 1992 and hired as president in August 1999.

Jennifer Butler
Executive Vice President

Jennifer Butler's lifelong belief in self-sufficiency and free markets led her to State Policy Network and her current role as executive vice president. She is responsible for finances, organization management, strategic planning, and assisting the president coordinate the vast number of SPN programs and resources that support state-focused market-oriented think tanks. She is the leader of the Coalitions, Outreach, and Operations Team.

Lynn Harsh
Vice President of Strategy

Lynn Harsh is vice president of strategy for State Policy Network. Ms. Harsh is the co-founder and former chief executive officer of Washington State's Freedom Foundation (formerly Evergreen Freedom Foundation). She is the leader of the Leadership Development Initiative Team.

Daniel J. Erspamer
Vice President for Strategic Partnerships

Daniel J. Erspamer is the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at the State Policy Network. In this role, he serves as a liaison between the organization and its investors and partners across the country and directs the overall development operation. He also serves as a resource to SPN members on a wide range of development issues. He is the leader of the Development Team.

Leadership Development Intiative Team

Denise Chaykun
Operations and Evaluation Specialist

Denise Chaykun is the operations and evaluation specialist for the Leadership Development Initiative at SPN. In this capacity she helps state think tanks on their operations and evaluation efforts.