Our Story

John Aristotle Phillips

John Aristotle Phillips serves as CEO of Aristotle, where he has earned a reputation as an innovator, entrepreneur and valued advisor in the field of politics.

Mr. Phillips is a pioneer in the strategic applications of technology to politics and political communication. He has addressed the membership of the International Association of Political Consultants, the European Association of Political Consultants and the American Association of Political Consultants.

Mr. Phillips graduated from Princeton University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. While at Princeton, Mr. Phillips received international recognition for his design, made from publicly available documents, of an atomic bomb. He is the co-author of Mushroom: the Story of the A-Bomb Kid.

Dean Aristotle Phillips

Dean Aristotle Phillips serves as co-founder and President of Aristotle. Dean is responsible for the compliance, research, and development areas of Aristotle’s systems, while also overseeing day-to-day operations.

Mr. Phillips is a frequent presenter at leading industry conferences and graduate programs in political management. He has been involved in political and grassroots software and services for over twenty years and is recognized as one of the nation’s driving forces in the development of cutting-edge political, PAC, and grassroots software.

Mr. Phillips holds a Bachelor of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Dean is the brother of John Phillips, Aristotle’s CEO.

Buck Stoll

Buck N. Stoll currently serves as Aristotle’s President of Sales. In this capacity, he develops strategic sales plans and promotes sales growth and customer satisfaction. Prior to joining Aristotle in 1991, Mr. Stoll served as Capitol Hill Sales Director for Cali Communications. Mr. Stoll received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Georgia.

Jessica Kilgore

Jessica Kilgore has been with Aristotle since 2013 and currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance.

Ms. Kilgore has a Master in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs in International Political Economics with a minor in International Development. She also holds a Bachelors from Westminster College in Political Science and Masters level classes in Accounting from the University of Maryland University College.

Ms. Kilgore spent the first five years of her accounting career in the non-profit sector with the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Mathew Packer

Mathew Packer serves as Chief Operating Officer for Aristotle’s Integrity Age and Identity Verification division. In this role, he has spearheaded several initiatives including the development of Integrity’s Video Verification Service and the FTC approved Integrity’s Children’s Privacy Compliance Program.

Mr. Packer has over 15 years of technology industry experience. As a member of the Marine Corp, he participated in the directive from General Charles C. Krulak to evaluate computer-based war-games. The goal of the directive was to develop, exploit, and approve computer-based war-games to train U.S. Marines for “decision making skills, particularly when live training time and opportunities were limited.” One of the key outcomes of the project was the development of Marine Doom.

Mr. Packer graduated from the U.S. Marine Corp Computer Science School.

Brandi Travis

Brandi Travis serves as Aristotle’s Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, she is responsible for the application of global communications and marketing efforts into strategic branding initiatives.

Throughout her career, Ms. Travis has managed websites, trained top executives on how to work with the media, drafted speeches, implemented multi-faceted communications plans, drafted policy and issue statements and managed communications efforts across the board, including social media, campaigns and large press events. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Relations from Western Kentucky University.

J. Blair Richardson, Jr., J.D.

J. Blair Richardson, Jr. serves as Aristotle’s General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer. As an advisor to Aristotle, he has represented the interests of Aristotle clients and is in-house counselor for Aristotle.

Mr. Richardson holds a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a B.A. from Princeton University.

Rob Christ

Rob Christ serves as Aristotle’s Executive Vice President of Professional Services, Mergers & Acquisitions. He is responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations of the Professional Services department.

Mr. Christ has over 20 years of financial and operations experience, focused on growing mid to late-stage public and private companies. Prior to rejoining Aristotle, he served as Chief Financial Officer for Electronic Recyclers of America, the nation’s largest recycler of e-waste, and ALJ Regional Holdings, a publicly traded Steel Mill.

Mr. Christ obtained his C.P.A. while employed with Rubino and McGeehin and received his Bachelor of Business Administration from James Madison University.

Rachna Shah

Rachna serves as Aristotle’s executive Vice President and managing director, global head of business and legal affairs. 

A former NYC prosecutor turned corporate lawyer with her own private practice, she has represented many high-profile clients including Fortune 100 companies. She has most recently served as general counsel for multiple $1B corporations. She graduated from Duke University, Columbia University Graduate School, and Harvard Law School. 

Andrew Tavani

Andrew Tavani has been with Aristotle for over 25 years. He currently oversees the data to day operations of Aristotle’s National Data Team as Executive Vice President of Data.

Mr. Tavani is an industry leader in database solutions, electoral politics and campaign strategy. He is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants and Public Affairs Council and holds a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Hartford.

Mr. Tavani also serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Directors of Debra of America, a national non-profit promoting research and programs for Epidermolysis Bullosa.

Rajesh Chilambi

Rajesh Chilambi is Aristotle’s Director of Software Development. He is responsible for the development, quality control, and production support for Aristotle 360, Campaign Manager, and PAC and grassroots Websites.

Mr. Chilambi has more than 10 years of software development experience, working with various companies in finance, ERP software development, biometrics, and PAC and grassroots software. He also has over eight years of management experience. Prior to joining Aristotle, Mr. Chilambi worked at DDC Advocacy as Director of Software Development.

Mr. Chilambi received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from NIT in Warangal, India.

Walter Howard

Walter Howard currently serves as Senior Vice President of Technology for Aristotle.

While serving in the United States Navy, Mr. Howard participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded the Navy Commendation and Achievement medals, twice. Prior to joining Aristotle, Mr. Howard worked for Nationwide Studios as IT director, and prior to that as IT Director for a textile company that deployed cutting-edge fabric technologies to hospitals and sportswear.

Mr. Howard holds a degree from the University of Connecticut.

David M. Mason, J.D.

The Honorable David M. Mason is Senior Vice President of Compliance Services at Aristotle. He assists campaigns, PACs, and political parties in maximizing their effectiveness while complying with federal and state regulatory requirements.

Mr. Mason served as Commissioner and Chairman (2002 and 2008) of the Federal Election Commission from 1998 until 2008, a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position.

President Reagan appointed Mason as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) where he was instrumental in working with Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci and Representative Dick Armey in securing passage of base closing legislation.

Commissioner Mason has testified before Congress over 20 times, addressed international conferences on elections and appeared in or wrote for scores of American print and broadcast media outlets. He is an honors graduate of Claremont McKenna College in Government, graduated with highest honors from Concord Law School and is a member of the California Bar.

B. Michael Young

B. Michael Young is Aristotle’s Senior Vice President of Account Management. He is responsible for customer onboarding, customer satisfaction, and customer retention for all of Aristotle’s PAC, Grassroots, and Advocacy software clients. Additionally, he provides industry consultation and strategic guidance to Aristotle’s product strategy and product development teams.

Prior to joining Aristotle, Mr. Young was the Senior Director of Account Management at DDC Public Affairs (then DDC Advocacy). Before that, he was one of the founders of two software companies (TPN Register and B2eMarkets) where he served in various roles focused on customer relationship management, technical implementation management, sales, business development, and product management.

Mr. Young holds a BBA from Howard University in Computer Information Systems and an MBA in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurism from The George Washington University.

Andreas Katsouris

Andreas Katsouris is Aristotle’s Senior Vice President for Global Services and is responsible for the company’s international programs.

Mr. Katsouris has broad international political experience, having worked with or consulted campaigns in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, North America and the former Soviet Union. From 2002 to 2005, Mr. Katsouris served as Director of the Ukraine office of the National Democratic Institute where he oversaw assistance programs to the democratic opposition and domestic civic organizations involved in election monitoring, mobilization and GOTV.

Mr. Katsouris holds graduate degrees from George Washington and Yale Universities.

Michael Bolcerek

Michael Bolcerek serves Aristotle as Senior Vice President of Business Development for Integrity.

Prior to joining Aristotle, Mr. Bolcerek served as President and spokesperson of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), having appeared on CNN, CBS, CSPAN, CNBC, and Fox. Mr. Bolcerek has over 20 years of management experience in the tech industry with both large companies and startup firms. He has held top positions such as President, COO and CFO for companies such as Oracle, NeXT Computer, Nokia Display Products, MongoMusic and Liquid Audio Prior to the PPA he was the co-founder and head executive of BionTTech, a homeland security start-up company.

Mr. Bolcerek is a graduate of Brown University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

Amy Meli

Amy Meli serves as Aristotle’s Senior Vice President of Consulting. In this role, Amy helps her clients achieve their public affairs goals by building durable and effective grassroots programs.

Over the past 17 years, Ms. Meli has managed grassroots programs for Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit groups, and other organizations; established and managed third party coalitions; and advised clients on the effective use of software in accomplishing their public affairs goals.

Ms. Meli’s focus is building innovative programs that accomplish her client’s goals, and her work has been recognized by several organizations for its efficacy. In 2002, she managed the employee, retiree, and community grassroots efforts for the Safe. Secure. Vital. campaign at Indian Point Energy Center, which won PR Week Magazine’s Public Affairs Campaign of the Year award. Her work integrating microtargeting into a corporate GOTV campaign won Aristotle a Pollie Award in 2005. Prior to her work at Aristotle, Ms. Meli worked on Capitol Hill for then-Congressman Richard Burr and the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Today, Ms. Meli serves as a member of the adjunct faculty at the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University where she teaches Grassroots Engagement.

Ms. Meli holds a BA from Virginia Tech in Political Science and Communication Studies, and a graduate degree in Political Management from The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management.

Katie Anderson

Katie Anderson serves as Aristotle’s Senior Vice President of Consulting. She actively assists corporations and trade associations in starting, managing, and creatively growing their political programs. In her time at Aristotle, she has helped clients raise millions in political program dollars.

Ms. Anderson has nearly two decades of political management experience. Before joining Aristotle, she served as the Director of Federal Government Relations at NiSource. Katie started her career in the U.S. House of Representatives working for Rep. Christopher Smith (NJ-04) in a number of different capacities including, deputy campaign manager, fundraiser and legislative assistant, and overseeing the intern and page programs.

A native Washingtonian and an active volunteer throughout the Arlington, Virginia community, Ms. Anderson graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Government.

Lindsey Dickson

Lindsey Dickson serves as Aristotle’s Senior Vice President of PAC and Grassroots Sales, specializing in PAC and grassroots software, consulting, and compliance services. Ms. Dickson has been with Aristotle for over 16 years, developing the Aristotle PAC and Grassroots client base. Prior to joining Aristotle she worked with Newell Rubbermaid. Ms. Dickson holds a Journalism degree from the University of Georgia.

Jeff Ashe

Jeff Ashe is Aristotle’s Senior Vice President, PAC and Grassroots Development. A former Director of Public Affairs for Duke Energy, Mr. Ashe has a broad background of experience that spans many disciplines including engineering, communications, community relations and government affairs. Over the past 30 years, he has earned the reputation as a leader who is relentless in his search for new and innovative ways to assist clients in achieving their goals. He has worked tirelessly to make PAC and grassroots programs a potent component for hundreds of corporations and associations.

Mr. Ashe graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He also holds an MBA and Psychology degree from Winthrop University.

Merideth Houseman

Merideth Houseman serves as Aristotle’s Vice President of Campaign and Data Sales, specializing in campaign software, consulting, and compliance services. She has been with Aristotle for over 23 years, developing the Aristotle Campaign Software and Data client base. Ms. Houseman has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism/PR from the University of Georgia’s Grady School of Journalism.

Valerie Finneran

Valerie Finneran serves as Aristotle’s Director of Human Resources & Administration and has been an integral part of Aristotle for over 20 years. Currently she manages all HR functions, including recruitment, employee benefits, and payroll as well as oversees all office administration. Ms. Finneran is a graduate of American University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications with a concentration in Advertising.