Amy Ridenour (pronounced RIDE - en - our) is chairman of The National Center for Public Policy Research. As the founding chief executive officer, she has since 1982 promoted the conservative perspective on U.S. domestic, foreign and defense policy issues. She frequently speaks on public policy issues and political organizing techniques and has done so across the U.S., in Central America and in Europe. Her opinion/editorials have been nationally-syndicated. Her articles have also been independently published by USA Today, the Sacramento Bee, the Dallas Morning News, The Washington Times, the Los Angeles Daily News and many others. Ridenour also is a member of the board of directors of Black America’s PAC, a political action committee that works to help elect more African-Americans to Congress and other elected offices. Ridenour received the American Hero Award from the National Defense Council Foundation in 1988 and the William Paca Award from the Maryland Republican State Central Committee in 1979. A native of Pittsburgh, she studied economics at the University of Maryland at College Park. She resides in Maryland with her husband, David, and their three children.