MISSION
KYFREE is committed to empowering individuals and promoting access to opportunity by creating, shaping and advancing policy solutions to the most significant challenges facing Kentucky. We believe free markets cultivate economic growth, every child must have access to a high-quality education, Kentuckians should live in safe and supportive communities and an accountable government is the best servant to its citizens.
A POWERFUL NEW VOICE FOR CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES IN KENTUCKY
KYFREE is poised to become Kentucky's leading voice for free-market principles and advancing those principles through effective advocacy and engagement. Our founders have decades of combined experience in promoting policies that create greater economic opportunity, empower parents to choose the right educational options for their children, offer a center-right point-of-view to criminal justice and public safety policy coalitions, and hold government accountable. We’re bringing all our experience to this new organization with the goal of making a transformational impact on our home state.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Fiscal responsibility is the foundation of limited government. Policymakers should continue down the path towards eliminating the state income tax, adopt conservative budgets and build up the Rainy Day fund to support Kentuckians whenever an unforeseeable disaster strikes.
Even when robust school choice finally arrives in Kentucky, thousands of children will remain in the public school system establishing the expectation that every Kentucky student should have access to a great education. Making our school systems accountable to parents and responsive to their communities will provide the long term transformation our state needs and deserves.
Red tape is expensive and time consuming. Identifying and streamlining burdensome regulations will support the efforts of business & entrepreneurs who pour their energy and investment into growing opportunity in Kentucky. KYFREE will raise concerns with any attempt to stifle competition and protect monopoly markets. Free-markets benefit consumers and businesses and we will be tireless in our advocacy and defense of those principles.
We support public safety efforts that will make our communities safer and give a “second-chance” to Kentuckians who have earned it. KYFREE’s research, analysis and advocacy will provide all three branches of government with the critical information required to make well-informed decisions. It’s imperative we protect the public, understand the root causes of crime, support initiatives that reduce recidivism and allocate resources towards proven strategies that support individuals trying to get back on their feet after completing their debt to society.
Adopting a constitutional amendment to support students, not systems, will empower Kentucky families to guide their children’s education – supporting student’s individual talents and meeting their specific needs. Competition will bring out the best in all of our schools, showcasing the dedication committed educators make to their students’ success.
Accountable and transparent government is the best servant to its citizens. Open records laws and open meeting requirements are vitally important tools for KYFREE's watchdog mission. We will shine a light on any waste of taxpayer resources, any abuse of public procurements, or questionable earmarked appropriations in the budget. Effective and honest government is our north star and we intend to motivate Frankfort to make it the highest priority.
WHO WE ARE
Andrew McNeill, President
Andrew McNeill served as Senior Policy Advisor and Deputy State Budget Director for Gov. Matt Bevin. He was the Director of Legislative Policy for Gov. Ernie Fletcher and then was appointed as Chief of Staff to Kentucky’s Commerce Secretary. McNeill has been a member of the University of Kentucky’s Martin School’s Board of Visitors and served on the Kentucky Long Term Policy Research Center’s Board of Directors. He has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Kentucky’s Martin School of Public Policy & Administration.
Michael Conway, Vice President
Michael Conway is former state director of Americans for Prosperity KY. He has 30 years of policy, government affairs, and development experience. Prior to joining AFP-KY in 2018, Michael served as a Director for the National Lieutenant Governors Association and served in key roles for organizations such as The Council of State Governments and the American Legislative Exchange Council in Washington, DC. He is a graduate of Centre College in Danville, KY.
Sarah Durand, VP of Government Affairs
Sarah Durand has spent more than 15 years as an activist and community leader. She served 5 years as the Government Affairs Director for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, leading efforts to gain policy wins at Kentucky’s capitol. She has a wide range of campaign experience from state House campaigns to serving as communications director on Gov. Matt Bevin’s successful 2015 campaign. After the election of Gov. Bevin, Durand served as Chief of Staff for Kentucky First Lady Glenna Bevin.