Bios
Field Team
Development Team
John Pudner
President
John is an experienced campaign operative that has spent over 25 years running Republican political campaigns, including directing the campaign strategy of Republican Dave Brat’s historic primary upset of the-Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor, becoming the only person in U.S. history to defeat a majority leader in a primary. In the same period, he also won 185 out of 202 local zoning referenda, as well as dozens of Planning Commission and Supervisor votes, preventing poorly-devised developments and protecting local communities from overreach.
He helped to lead in the creation of Wisconsin Faith and Freedom Coalition to facilitate efforts toward increasing faith-based voter turnout and participation throughout Wisconsin – a cause he began as the lead on then-presidential candidate George W. Bush’s faith-based turnout effort in 16 battleground states and has remained passionate about since.
John also splits his time as President of Take Back Our Republic Action, a 501c3 whose main focus is on the rules that govern our elections in Wisconsin, has compiled a perfect record of five statewide referenda wins in five different states, and led a 2017 effort before the Federal Elections Commission in which Facebook was defeated, requiring the social media giant to disclose who pays for political ads on the platform.
Kristi Felber
Director, Fundraising and Donor Engagement
Kristi comes to the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom Coalition with more than 30 years experience in strategic communications, marketing, branding, and fundraising. As founder and owner of the consulting firm Beaumont Day, she has worked with faith-based organizations — healthcare, social services, and education — across the country to advance their missions and strategic business objectives. A committed conservative, she is passionate about supporting the vital work of the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom Coalition and ensuring its impact continues to grow. She and her husband Mike live in Elkhart Lake.
Kelly Herrell
Event Director
Kelly Herrell is a seasoned event organizer with a strong background in political and advocacy-driven field operations. She led field efforts for U.S. Senator Ron Johnson’s campaign and Americans for Prosperity before transitioning into event planning.
Building on her field experience, Kelly has orchestrated impactful events supporting law enforcement and combating human trafficking. She plays a key role in the Wisconsin Faith and Freedom Coalition, evaluating the viability of major events, including their first large-scale fundraising gala—modeled after the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s 1,000-attendee event, which has become a premier gathering for conservative leaders and grassroots activists.
Kelly is also a driving force behind Defend Your Worth, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals and communities in the fight against exploitation and abuse. Her passion is to lead with faith, utilizing existing networks to spread the word, mobilize communities, and inspire action. Through her work, she ensures that critical causes receive the attention and engagement they deserve.
Cori Huston
Operations & Logistics Coordinator
Cori Huston brings a unique blend of financial expertise and logistical precision to her role with the Wisconsin Faith and Freedom Coalition. With over three decades of experience in tax preparation and small business management, Cori has a deep appreciation for systems that serve people and principles—making her a valuable asset in planning and executing mission-driven events.
As the longtime co-owner of Convenient Tax Service and a second-generation franchise owner of Merry Maids, Cori is no stranger to building trust, managing teams, and coordinating complex operations. She now applies those skills to support events, trainings, and high-impact gatherings that advance faith, freedom, and community engagement across Wisconsin and beyond.
Cori’s passion for service extends into her volunteer work, particularly in support of women and families facing hardship. In 2000, she founded a charitable program benefiting local domestic violence shelters, which later expanded nationally through the Helping Hands of Merry Maids initiative. Her leadership earned her recognition as one of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Women of Influence in 2004.
Outside of work, Cori enjoys traveling with her family—including her energetic triplets—and finds joy in skiing, exploring new cultures, and cheering from the sidelines of youth sports. Her heart for community, coupled with her operational acumen, makes her a steady and mission-focused presence on the team. Her 18-year-old son is an Eagle Scout.
Top Staffer
Spencer LaVerde
State Director
Community Outreach
Our State Director, Spencer LaVerde, leads a dedicated field team responsible for organizing door-to-door and church outreach initiatives.
Alex Cucchiaro
Southeast Canvass Leader
Never shying away from a tough challenge, Alex first knocked on doors for a Sheriff’s candidate at the age of 10, two years younger than John Pudner’s first door knocking. Winning conservative races in liberal areas was crucial for the Broward County, Florida native born to a legal immigrant police officer and a stay at home mother.
His first management position came in a race against Debbie Wasserman Schultz, where he was promoted from office manager to campaign manager. His organizational skills on that race drew attention and he was made a Field Organizer to help Rick Scott for Senate and Ron DeSantis for Governor. In 2020, his team achieved an award for having the most calls of any team in the STATE of Florida.
He is also the founder and President of the Republican Club of Sunrise Florida, which had the youngest and most diverse cabinet in Broward.
Thousands of canvassers knocked on doors for the national Faith and Freedom Coalition efforts, and Alex was the only one to top 20,000 doors.
Chris O’Brien
Central Wisconsin Field
Darren Brady Nelson
Policy Advisor
Darren Brady Nelson is an independent economist, modeler and think-tanker who works in the USA, Australia, and around the world. He is an expert in fiscal, monetary, and regulatory policies, as well as Austrian, Chicago, and Christian economics. He aims, as Aussie maverick politician Don Chipp once did, to “keep the bastards honest.”
Darren is the inventor of applying Australian CPI-X regulation of public utility prices to American government budgets in order to obtain revolutionary cuts; at state and federal levels. He is the author of the book the Ten Principles of Regulation and Reform as well as the first submission to the Australian Parliament on central and big banks monetary-driven inflation.
Darren is an Australian-American dual-citizen with Australian university degrees of a Bachelor of Economics (cum laude) majoring in economic history and policy as well as a Master of Commerce (magna cum laude) majoring in business law and regulation. On a local level, among a slate of candidates backed by Pudner who swept the Milwaukee 2025 GOP Caucus, Darren was the only unanimous selection as Treasurer due to his impeccable credentials.
Holly Klucarich
Northern Wisconsin Field Director
While based in North Carolina with political lines going back two centuries to her direct ancestor Governor Thomas Holt (the subject of the museum), Holly has run large conservative Victory operations in battleground states. Her operations have taken her to Texas, Arizona, and in 2022 as a Northern Wisconsin Director during Senator Ron Johnson’s massive grassroots tour of the state that many consider the difference in his razor-thin 26,000 vote re-election.
Holly showed political acumen by being elected as a young Mayor but then turned her focus to the non-political professional world as a school nurse and then commercial realtor, and recruiting and training sales teams, in addition to running worship services in her church. As she volunteered for conservative grassroots campaigns her organizational skills and experience hiring and training teams led to offers for her to move from volunteering to running organizations on a full-time basis.
Early in 2019 while based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Holly started working for the Republican National Committee, with specific breaks to go to battlefield efforts in Texas, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Coming off of Ron Johnson’s wins, she moved her efforts closer to home and was part of a second consecutive winning effort, this time in Governor Glenn Youngkin’s upset victory. Her production on a large door-to-door canvassing effort with Take Back team members back in her home state of North Carolina led to her agreeing to become Southern Field Director for Take Back Our Republic Action at the conclusion of that project.
Joe Meleski
Waukesha Field Director
Joshua Naponiello
Field Organizer
Josh joined originally as an intern in 2016, and has set up key meetings in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois, and recruited hundreds of members via phone calls to conservative activists throughout the country. From there he completed his studies as a Political Science honors student at Wisconsin Eau Claire. In between projects for TBOR Action, Josh managed teams of volunteers and digital ads for Vanguard Field Strategies from 2017 to 2020 – building the foundation for the organization to knock on more than 3 million doors in one year to win over voters and get candidates on the ballot via petition drives. He has served as both campaign manager and political director on various campaigns, and as Regional Director for the Wisconsin Republican Party organized President John Pudner’s first speech after moving to the state.
He ran statewide pro-life efforts for the Pennsylvania Family Institute, oversaw door knocking in 2022 including in Nevada for now Governor Joe Lombardo, the only of 28 challengers to defeat a sitting Governor that year. In that race he recruited and supervised dozens of door-to-door canvassers in Reno and throughout the northern part of the district, handling vetting and background checks, hiring and letting canvassers at the first indication of fake data or for not reaching productivity goals. He then took a position with the Indiana House Republicans for the 2023 Legislative Session, which concluded in April 2023, and then returned to work on phone efforts and other grassroots for Take Back Our Republic Action in May 2023.
Juan Luckey
WI-IL Border Field Director
Khenzer Senat
Milwaukee Regional Director
During this time he’s established engagement efforts with the African American community throughout Wisconsin as well as developed & sustained relationships with faith-based, business, education, community & Black media leaders in the African American Community. He developed & activated volunteers/supporters for voter contact through phone banking, door knocking & literature drops. He also helped African American republican candidates in 2020 & 2022 cycles in predominately democratic districts to run for offices in the State Senate, State Assembly, Alderperson and School Board and acted as advisor on said campaigns.
Khenzer also served as Outreach Director for the Hovde for Senate campaign during the 2024 election cycle.
Rev. Dr. Luke Farwell
Pastor Outreach Director
Luke is the Co-Pastor of First United Presbyterian Church in De Pere, Wisconsin. He holds a B.A. in History from Salisbury University, a Master of Divinity from Union Presbyterian Seminary, and a Doctorate in Theology from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Luke’s interests include the intersection of history, theology, government, and conservatism. He has spoken on conservatism at numerous forums and events, advocating it as the most humane and reasonable solution to our country’s political, social, and spiritual challenges. Luke is married to his best friend, Meggan, and loves spending time with his family.
Natalie Zebian
Special Projects and Phone Bank
After 8 years as one of the top grassroots activists for Americans for Prosperity in Wisconsin, Natalie Zebian took over phone operations and recruitment for Ron Johnson for US Senate, as well as for Tim Michels for Governor alongside personnel on leave from TBORAF.
Natalie’s skill in recruitment, training and the development of staff at the corporate level helped her recruit, onboard, and oversee dozens of staff and volunteers who made half a million calls within a 3- month period ensuring a primary victory for Michels. Natalie, who has excellent communication skills, is responsible for the voicemail recording that reached hundreds of thousands of voters.
Dr. Virginia Pratt
Director, Community Outreach
Dr. Virginia Pratt knocked on 1,000 doors and reached out to Milwaukee churches in her first days after taking over Community Outreach for WIFFC. This effort built on her lifetime of restoring hope and providing opportunity for those in need. She is a former Probation and Parole Agent for the State of Wisconsin and a pivotal figure in addressing youth violence and domestic violence in Milwaukee. Dr. Pratt teams up with former gang members and ex-convicts, facilitating transformative sessions at the Alma Center, where they mentor at-risk youth. She helped with EXPO Wisconsin, where, every first Wednesday of the month, she met with former inmates who shared their personal stories to teach conflict resolution and instill self-worth in young people. Her commitment is rooted in restoring hope, providing opportunity for those in need, and breaking the cycle of violence and incarceration. Dr. Pratt is helping to change lives in Milwaukee’s communities. Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Wendy and Randy Johnson
Northeast (Green Bay) Field
Randy and Wendy Johnson’s Northeast teams reached thousands of doors throughout the Green Bay region and recruited volunteers from several surrounding counties. The family operation, originally started by Randy Johnson (the one in the orange shirt this weekend, who began regional canvassing operations decades ago), provided a turn-key model with family members meeting this weekend to review the progress of each of their teams of many more volunteers. It looks like they will be reaching conservative voters for decades to come, with the next generation already learning the trade as a volunteer apprentice, including a grandson who is helping!
The Corporation shall be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now in effect or as may hereafter by amended (“the Code”), including, but not limited to, charitable, religious and educational activities to inform, equip, and mobilize people of faith and like-minded individuals to be effective citizens of the State of Wisconsin, including encouraging principles that strengthen families, promote time-honored values, protect the dignity of life and marriage, lower the tax burden on small business and families, and require government to tighten its belt and live within its means. The Corporation shall also engage in and support other charitable, social, and educational initiatives as the Board may determine from time to time, consistent with and in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the Code.
Wisconsin Faith and Freedom Coalition
MAILING ADDRESS
Wisconsin Faith and Freedom Coalition
1433 N. Water Street, Suite 400
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(404) 606-3163
jpudner@wisconsinffc.com
