Since 1996, Peter has led Arena to become one of the leading Republican voter contact firms. During its existence, Arena has produced over 10,000 unique pieces of mail and thousands of digital ads for hundreds of candidates in all 50 states. 

He has successfully consulted candidates up and down the ballot, from U.S. President down to local office.

Before forming Arena, he was a fixture on numerous congressional campaigns where he worked as a manager, field director, fundraiser and press secretary.  He was also a project manager at The Wirthlin Group, which at the time was the leading GOP polling firm in the country. A fifth-generation Utahn and graduate of Brigham Young University, Valcarce spends his free time traveling the world, motorcycling and pursuing other outdoor interests.

Ben has spent over 12 years in the digital marketing industry. In 2008, he served as the Deputy Digital Director for the McCain Presidential campaign. He has managed social media and digital marketing campaigns for hundreds of congressional, senatorial, gubernatorial and presidential campaigns, as well as for non-profit organizations and corporate entities. In total, he has managed over $200 million in digital-marketing budgets.

A graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, Ben, his wife Julia, three kids and four dogs are thrilled to be residents of Park City, Utah—taking full advantage of everything the state has to offer, especially the skiing.

Jonathan Schmieder is a veteran of local, state and national political campaigns. Jonathan specializes in data-driven tactics to traditional and new media. As Vice President at Arena, Jonathan works with political, nonprofit and private sector organizations on branding, public relations and advertising. Prior to joining Arena, Jonathan worked on Governor Scott Walker’s campaigns during the historic 2012 Recall Election and 2014 Midterm.

Jonathan holds a degree in Business Management and Marketing from The State University of New York at Buffalo, and is a frequent guest lecturer in collegiate-level marketing programs. Jonathan resides in Utah and enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and dog.

Drew is an experienced campaign operative with a record of success in field, digital and senior campaign roles at the national, state and local levels. Most recently, Drew served as the digital director for the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Independent Expenditure unit (NRCC IE), managing all aspects of a $7 million digital campaign in 30+ congressional districts across the country. Prior to his time at the NRCC IE, Drew served as Executive Director for the Illinois Republican Party, Campaign Manager for Congressman Rodney Davis and Senior Advisor to Governor Bruce Rauner’s state legislative campaign organization.

Drew is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois in addition to being a fervent fan of University of Kentucky athletics, the alma mater of his wife Katelyn.

Steven Ostrow is a seasoned campaign operative and government relations executive with a deep understanding of the nation’s political landscape. He has held prominent positions on campaigns at the federal, state and local levels. Most recently, he served as the Republican National Committee (RNC) Regional Political Director overseeing political operations in the Great Lakes states, which included the election of U.S. Senator Mike Braun in Indiana.

Prior to his time with the RNC, Steven served as Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel’s Executive Director during her time as the Michigan Republican Party (MRP) Chair. Together they helped President Trump carry Michigan’s 16 electoral votes for a Republican for the first time in 28 years. During his time at the Michigan Republican Party, Republicans were also able to maintain a 63-47 seat majority in the Michigan State House and two Michigan Supreme Court seats.

Originally from California, Steven graduated from and was a member of the rowing team at the University of California at Berkeley. He currently lives in DeWitt, Michigan with his wife Megan and daughter Penelope.

Andrea Pollock is a seasoned political operative with experience in planning and executing detailed, multi-million dollar voter-contact plans and get out the vote efforts. She currently serves as Vice President of Client Strategy at Arena Mail + Digital where she oversees our daily Client Service operations.

Andrea is a grad of Michigan State University where she majored in Agriscience & Environmental Policy. She is a Spartan through and through and an avid sports fan. She resides in Michigan with her husband, Kyle, and two dogs.

Charles (Chaz) Nichols is a seasoned political operative with extensive campaign, PAC, party, and non-profit advocacy experience. From local office to U.S. President, Chaz has guided campaigns and organizations through the maze of campaign strategy, research, messaging, and voter contact—consistently delivering winning results.

What sets Chaz apart is his unique perspective as a former campaign manager. He doesn’t just advise clients from a detached vantage point; he knows what they are going through because he’s been in the trenches himself.

In an era where authenticity and relatability are paramount in politics, Chaz invests time and effort to thoroughly comprehend his clients’ unique challenges, goals, and values. He believes that no two campaigns are alike, and that success hinges on crafting strategies that connect with voters where they are while delivering messages that resonate.

Chaz holds a Political Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a Law Degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife and two rescue dogs, Einstein and Reagan.

In his role as Vice President of Advertising at Arena, Jeff has managed hundreds of digital advertising campaigns for clients including John Kasich for President, the National Republican Congressional Committee, the National Republican Senate Committee and for some of the nation’s largest political action committees including American Crossroads and Senate Leadership Fund. Since joining Arena in 2014, Jeff has built Arena’s digital ad operation into the most sophisticated digital ad organization in Republican politics.

Jeff studied Political Science at Brigham Young University and resides in Millcreek, Utah where he passionately enjoys the Utah Jazz and the beauty of the Intermountain West.

Joe Knepper is a seasoned campaign operative and digital expert with over a decade of experience in executing high-impact advocacy campaigns and political strategies. As Vice President at Arena, Joe specializes in ensuring that all projects are delivered on time and meet the highest standards of quality. He is committed to providing unparalleled support in the development and execution of campaign strategies, making himself available at any time to meet client needs.

With a proven track record of success, Joe has worked across a wide array of political races, including targeted Congressional campaigns, U.S. Senate races, state-level contests, and independent expenditure efforts. In 2024, he played a key role in securing victories in two gubernatorial races, a highly targeted U.S. Senate seat, and one of the most contested Congressional districts in the country. His strategic oversight in these high-stakes campaigns further solidifies his reputation as a top-tier strategist and expert in the political landscape.

Joe has collaborated closely with Arena over the past 10 years, where he has consistently delivered winning mail and digital programs that engage voters and drive results. His ability to leverage cutting-edge digital tactics and campaign strategies ensures that every client receives tailored solutions with maximum impact.

Through his extensive experience and results-driven approach, Joe continues to be a trusted partner for campaigns seeking innovative, data-backed strategies to win in competitive environments.

Kiera is a Washington, D.C. native and proud Syracuse University alumna. She began her political career working on Congressman John Katko’s reelection campaigns. After college, she moved to South Africa, then returned home to join the Republican National Committee as Women’s Engagement Director.

She later worked at the Senate Leadership Fund, where she developed a love for Arena and their mail and digital work. Kiera went on to serve as Political Director for House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik before returning to the RNC to run its coalitions program.

Outside of work you can find her surfing, cooking Italian food with her Bernedoodle Johnny Parmesanny, reading biographies, and playing hearts.

Max Hunsaker is a seasoned political professional with expertise in political campaign management and operations, with significant experience planning and executing paid voter-contact programs for legislative caucuses and statewide races. Prior to joining Arena, Max managed campaigns for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and Governor. He also served as the Executive Director of the Montana Republican Party, and later as Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives for three terms.

Max earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Brigham Young University and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He resides in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mikey has been fundraising for over a decade and brings a wealth of expertise to the table for Arena. He most recently served as the RNC’s National Field Finance Director and built fundraising programs for state GOPs and campaigns across the country and raised millions of dollars through digital solicitations, fundraising events and major donor asks. He previously fundraised for the New Hampshire GOP & Connecticut GOP. Mikey was born and raised in New England (shockingly not a sports fan) and now lives in Salt Lake City, UT.

Owen Phillips’ experience in the digital marketing industry started with his work on John McCain for President in 2008, and he has developed and executed digital marketing and advertising strategies for political, corporate and non-profit organizations ever since. Since joining Arena, Owen has managed comprehensive digital marketing and strategy programs for over 25 political organizations including John Kasich for Governor (Ohio), John Kasich for President and key congressional, senatorial and gubernatorial races across the country.

Owen lives in Salt Lake City where both his summer and winter outdoor interests have free reign. Owen is a graduate of Colgate University where he received degrees in Political Science and French Language and Literature.

Over the course of nearly a decade in Republican politics, Tom Willis has served as the Campaign Manager and General Consultant for a wide range of political campaigns, independent expenditures and issue advocacy organizations. In 2014, Tom served as the Campaign Manager for Governor Nathan Deal’s (R-GA) re-election campaign. During that process, he led the day-to-day operations of the campaign and oversaw the joint effort with the Georgia Republican Party that resulted in a Republican sweep of all statewide offices on the ballot. Following the 2014 cycle, Tom played a similar role with the Georgia Republican Party during Senator Johnny Isakson’s (R-GA) re-election campaign in 2016. Prior to joining Arena, Tom founded Leading Pointe Strategies, where he has since led winning campaigns for State House and Senate, sheriff, Congress, judge, statewide offices and state constitutional amendments.

A Gainesville, Georgia native, Tom graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He and his wife Chelsey currently live in Atlanta, where they are active members of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church.

Tyler Foote has over a decade of experience working in politics at the local, state, and federal level. Prior to joining Arena, Tyler worked at one of the nation’s largest political mail firms where he served as a Senior Advisor to several successful campaigns including Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Sears.

In the 2018 cycle, Tyler worked for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) where he served as Regional Political Director. While at the NRCC, Tyler advised incumbent and challenger campaigns across 14 states in the Southeast.

Between stints on the campaign trail, Tyler served as Deputy Chief of Staff and
Communications Director for Congressman David Rouzer (NC-07) and as the State Director for Americans for Prosperity in Virginia.  In 2021, Tyler was recognized as a “40 Under 40” by the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC).

Jack brings over 13 years of experience in political consulting, having worked on local, statewide, and federal campaigns. In 2017, he launched his own political consulting firm, where his innovative marketing strategies have helped political campaigns, businesses, and nonprofits achieve impactful results. With an 83% victory rate in competitive races and experience across 200+ campaigns, Jack is a seasoned expert in strategy, digital marketing, ad buys, and voter outreach.  

A graduate of the University of Colorado, Jack now resides in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife, son, and dog.