Kelly Schmidt, 24 Finance director for the Florida Republican Senatorial WINTER 2016 INFLUENCE | 105 It takes persistence, personality, and a special touch to become a top fundraiser. It’s a good thing Kelly Schmidt has all three. “She’s this under-the-radar, up-and-coming star. I think she has a bright future,” said Nick Iarossi, a consultant and founding member of Capital City Consulting. “Some people have good political instincts; they’re just born with the ability to read (people). She was born with it. But she’s not out there doing what the other 24-year-olds are doing, and that’s rare.” Schmidt was recently named the finance director for the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee. It’s a well-deserved promotion after nearly a year — and one crazy election cycle — as the organization’s deputy finance director. A 2013 Florida State University graduate, Schmidt said she started out as an intern with the Republican Party of Florida during Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. She was hired by the party to work on Senate campaigns the next year. She stayed with it when Senate campaigns broke away from the state party and formed the Florida Republican Senatorial Committee in 2015. She worked her way up the ladder, quickly ascending to a top position in the organization. And now that she has the taste for fundraising, Schmidt doesn’t think she’ll ever leave it. “I started my internship looking to build my resume — I didn’t know I would build a career,” she said. Campaign Committee
19520EE
To see the actual publication please follow the link above