Meet the IFA Team
Leading the way in franchising together. When it comes to the IFA community, our collective passion for our business is our power.
The diverse groups of dedicated leaders on this page work together to shape the future of franchising and make it stronger for all. They connect the franchise community, providing innovative resources, support, and education. By guiding IFA initiatives and influencing key policies, they protect, enhance and promote the business model that is the foundation of entrepreneurship.
IFA Staff
Matt Haller
President & CEO
202.662.0770
mhaller@franchise.org
Jennifer Brandeen
Chief Operating Officer
202.662.0785
jbrandeen@franchise.org
Amy Brown, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
202.662.4172
abrown@franchise.org
Michael Layman
Chief Advocacy Officer
202.662.4177
mlayman@franchise.org
Catherine Bartley Darden
VP, Industry Relations and Chief of Staff
202.662.0792
cbartley@franchise.org
Heather Bartlow
Senior Director, Head of Creative
202.662.0787
hbartlow@franchise.org
Alan Catlett, CFE
Senior Vice President, Programs & Operations
202.662.0795
acatlett@franchise.org
Melissa Chang
Director, Education
202.662.0789
mchang@franchise.org
LeAnna Christensen
Coordinator, Meetings & Conferences
202.662.4175
lchristensen@franchise.org
Greg Cory
Chief Technology Officer
678-773-3816
gcory@franchise.org
Brittney Cosby
Senior Manager, Certification Programs
202.662.0772
bcosby@franchise.org
Sandie Curtis, CFE, IPMA-SCP, JMT
Vice President, Education
202.662.0771
scurtis@franchise.org
Sarah Davies
General Counsel & Executive Director, IFA Law Center
832.385.5628
sdavies@franchise.org
Sarah Eldredge, CPA
Controller
202.662.0775
seldredge@franchise.org
Erica Farage
SVP, Political & Advocacy
202.662.0760
efarage@franchise.org
Sheila Fischer, CFE
Senior Vice President of Sales
202.662.0791
sfischer@franchise.org
Emily George
Director, Membership Recruitment & Retention
202.662.0794
egeorge@franchise.org
Jeff Hanscom
SVP, State and Local Government Relations
202.662.4179
jhanscom@franchise.org
Vanessa Hidalgo
Communications Coordinator
vhidalgo@franchise.org
Lynette James, CFE
Senior Director, Sponsorships & Exhibits
202.662.0782
ljames@franchise.org
Matthew W. Kagel
Director, State & Local Government Relations
202.662.4176
mkagel@franchise.org
Zack Kirshner
Manager, Membership Recruitment & Retention
202.662.0796
zkirshner@franchise.org
Anna Kittleson
Vice President, Marketing
202.662.0762
akittleson@franchise.org
Katherine Knight Patterson
VP, Communications
202.662.0783
kpatterson@franchise.org
Sydni Konohia, CFE
Manager, Member Services & Recruitment
202.662.0767
skonohia@franchise.org
Wendy Kunz
Director of Veteran Programs
815.739.1267
wkunz@franchise.org
Jeanine Littrel, CMP, CFE
VP, Event Design and Planning
202.662.4178
jlittrel@franchise.org
Tara McKeon
Manager, Foundation Development
202.662.4186
tmckeon@franchise.org
Makenzie Mullinax
Coordinator, Government Relations
205.907.8165
mmullinax@franchise.org
Haider Murtaza, CFE
Senior Director, Federal Government Relations
202.774.2068
haider@franchise.org
Jade Newton
Marketing Coordinator
jnewton@franchise.org
Jayson Pearl
Director, Head of Content Strategy
414-526-9993
jpearl@franchise.org
Chalisa Prajanay
Accounting Assistant
202.662.0779
cprajanay@franchise.org
Carol Radigan
Director of Marketing
cradigan@franchise.org
Paul Rocchio, CFE
SVP, Development & Member Services
202.662.0790
procchio@franchise.org
Anna Russell, CFE
Director, Political Affairs
240.575.4211
arussell@franchise.org
Katelyn Russell, CMP, CFE
Director, Event and Partner Operations
202.662.0786
krussell@franchise.org
Kate Sanborn
Digital & Social Marketing Manager
ksanborn@franchise.org
Jillian Scott
Vice President, Foundation Development & Strategy
jscott@franchise.org
Lea Simmons, CFE
LMS Product Manager
202.662.0768
lsimmons@franchise.org
Aaliyah Smith
Manager, Creative
asmith@franchise.org
Lauren Smith, CFE
Manager, Advertising & Sales
202.774.2069
lsmith@franchise.org
David Smith
Director, Diversity Programs
202.662.0776
dsmith@franchise.org
Morgan Spiro
Executive Assistant to the CEO
202.904.0201
mspiro@franchise.org
Courtney Thompson
Program Manager, Conferences and Meetings
202.662.0799
cthompson@franchise.org
Jennifer Travis
Sales Coordinator, Sponsorship & Exhibits
202.662.0773
jtravis@franchise.org
Sara Williamson
Senior Director, Technology & Operations
202.662.0765
swilliamson@franchise.org
Carly Wooley, CFE
Senior Director, Advertising
202.662.0788
cwooley@franchise.org