November 9th Luncheon Guest Speaker
Matt Beienburg - director of education policy at the goldwater institute
Matt Beienburg is the Director of Education Policy at the Goldwater Institute. He also serves as director of the institute’s Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy. Published in local and national outlets, Matt’s work focuses on promoting educational freedom, parental rights, and greater civic appreciation of America’s founding principles.
Prior to joining Goldwater, Matt served as a senior analyst at the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC), where he regularly drafted fiscal estimates and briefed members of the state legislature on major policy initiatives in K-12 and higher education.
Matt previously worked in human capital consulting for Mercer, where his projects included surveying teacher engagement and analyzing the competitiveness of staff salaries at low-income area charter schools in Los Angeles. He has also worked in Washington, D.C. with Imagine Schools and the Center for Education Reform.
A native of Arizona, Matt earned a bachelor’s in economics from Claremont McKenna College, where he graduated summa cum laude, and a master’s in public affairs from Princeton.
Menu for The November 9th Luncheon
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Roasted Potatoes
- Seasonal Vegetables
- Garden Salad
- Dessert
- Beverages
December 14th Special Luncheon Speaker
Lieutenant Colonel (US Army, Ret) Allen West
Lieutenant Colonel (US Army, Ret) Allen West is the Executive Director of the American Constitutional Conservative Rights Union and the ACRU Action Fund. He is a constitutional conservative, combat veteran, and former member of the US Congress.
Lt. Col. West is the third of four generations of military servicemen in his family. During his 22-year career in the U.S. Army, Lt. Col. West served in several combat zones and received many honors, including the Bronze Star; Meritorious Service Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters); Army Commendation Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters, one Valor Device); Army Achievement Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters); Valorous Unit Award. Lt Col West proudly wears the Army Master Parachutist Badge, the Army Air Assault Badge, the Navy/Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia, the Italian Parachutist Wings, and the German Proficiency Badge, bronze award. In 1993, he was named the US Army ROTC Instructor of the Year. He is also a former commissioned officer in the Texas State Guard.
In November 2010, West was elected to the United States Congress representing Florida's 22d District. As a member of the 112th Congress, West sat on the Small Business and Armed Services Committees.
West is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas, Texas, and a former Director of the Booker T. Washington Initiative (BTWI) for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In July of 2020, Col. West was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas by an overwhelming majority of State delegates. He is currently the Chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party.
Col. West enjoys distance running, he’s a Master SCUBA diver, and he enjoys cheering on his alma mater, the University of Tennessee Volunteers. He is a legacy life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a life member of the American Legion, a life member of the Association of the United States Army, the Society of the First Infantry Division, the 4th Infantry Division, and the 101st Airborne Division. He is a former Board member and Patriot Life Member (Benefactor) of the National Rifle Association, Chairman of the Second Amendment Institute board, and Life Member (Benefactor) of the Texas Rifle Association. West is an inductee into the University of Tennessee Army ROTC Hall of Fame.
Lt. Col. West is the author of three books" Guardian of the Republic: An American Ronin's Journey to Family, Faith, and Freedom; Hold Texas, Hold the Nation: Victory or Death; and We Can Overcome: An American Black Conservative Manifesto.
He is married to Dr. Angela Graham-West (Ph.D), a financial advisor. They have two daughters, Aubrey, a Board-certified Physician Assistant, and Austen, an elementary school teacher. He is the proud PaPop of his Grandsons, Jaxton Bernard and Levi Allen.
Menu for The December 14th Luncheon
- Prime Rib
- Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
- Stuffing & Green Beans
- Cranberry Sauce
- Dinner Rolls & Butter
- Pumpkin & Apple Pie
- Beverages