August 15, 2011, Arlington, VA—While Americans are fed up with high taxes, government control, and personal freedom restrictions, they often times, do nothing except complain.  However, Brendan Steinhauser is an exception.  He is a constant voice advocating for liberty through action.

Brendan currently works as the Federal and State Campaigns Director for FreedomWorks, an organization that “recruits, educates, trains and mobilizes millions of volunteer activists to fight for less government, lower taxes, and more freedom.”  He spends most of his time organizing their 1.2 million grassroots members around the country to fight for less government control and more freedom.  

Brendan attended the Leadership Institute’s Youth Leadership School (YLS) in 2005 before joining FreedomWorks.  He had the opportunity to learn from the LI’s President Morton Blackwell during the school.  

“I learned a ton from Morton that weekend about organizing and I still use many of the lessons from the YLS in my activism today.  I found Morton to be very encouraging, and genuinely interested in the students that were at the boot camp.”

“I think the most important thing I learned at the YLS,” Brendan says, “was that campaigns need to be organized early and systematically planned in advance to be effective.”  
The use of YLS tactics didn’t stop there!  

Not only does Brendan apply these lessons at FreedomWorks, but he has served nine times as a guest faculty member for LI at various Youth Leadership Schools across the country.  

“LI training is the best in the business when it comes to youth politics.  One of the first things I look for in our interns or potential new hires is whether they have attended LI schools, especially the YLS.”  

Originally from Flatonia, Texas, Brendan studied International Relations and American and European History, graduating from The University of Texas at Austin in 2004. He was very active there, helping rebuild the UT chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas.  He founded Students for American Values and co-founded Students for a Colorblind America at UT, and was subsequently awarded the Free Republic Collegiate Eagle Award.  

Brendan also wrote a book, The Conservative Revolution: How to Win the Battle for College Campuses, which is a student activism guide.

Brendan’s blog -- http://theconservativerevolution.com -- focuses on his “wanderings around the country in defense of freedom” and “chronicles my journeys through the country, meeting people, organizing events and campaigns, and having a blast while getting paid a living wage.”

For Brendan’s commitment and dedication to liberty, we welcome him as our Graduate of the Week.

Are you interested in attending a YLS and learning how to run a successful youth campaign like Brendan?  Check out our schedule of upcoming YLS trainings!  Our next school in our Arlington, VA building is August 22-23, details below.



To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate you know for Graduate of the Week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.