Steven Sutton joined the Leadership Institute 18 years ago as Vice President for Programs, where he restructured LI’s 40+ training programs, from political grassroots to student groups on college campuses. He then served as LI’s Vice President for Development, where he increased revenue from $7 million (2010) to $30 million (2021).
Steven now serves as LI’s first Executive Vice President, where he manages the day-to-day operations of the Leadership institute. Prior to joining the Leadership Institute, Steven was a Chief of Staff in the House of Representatives for more than 14 years. He became a start-up specialist, as he set-up the Congressional offices of four different incoming freshmen Congressmen.
As Chief of Staff, Steven hired their staffs and directed the operations of their Washington and district offices. In addition, he helped each Congressman get re-elected, directing his campaign strategies, messages, and voter contact programs. He has managed numerous political campaigns from city council to U.S. Congress, specializing in challenger campaigns.
Steven is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He served eight years of active duty as Surface Warfare Officer. A noteworthy fact is he received his nomination to the Naval Academy from Senator Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts. He first met Morton Blackwell 40 years ago when he attended LI’s Youth Leadership School in 1985.
