Dr. Steven J. Allen [JD, PhD]
[Dr. Allen is currently the editor of Tea Party Review magazine, the monthly magazine for the Tea Party movement. This is his old resume.]
Summary of communications/media experience
* Newspaper reporter and columnist
* Radio news director, reporter and commentator, and fill-in talk
show host
* Magazine senior editor and assistant to the publisher
* Press secretary/communications director for –
o A U.S. Senator
o A congressional candidate
o A candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia
o A successful presidential campaign in a state primary
o A Washington, D.C. think tank
o A national senior citizens’ group
> Dealt with news media at all levels (including The New York Times,
The Washington Post, CBS News, and other national media) on matters
of public policy and national security.
> Organized and managed national public relations campaigns on
issues ranging from the “Gingrich college course” controversy to the
Clinton health care plan.
> Wrote articles for The New York Times, Newsday, The Washington
Times, The Washington Examiner, WorldNetDaily, CNET’s News.com,
NewsMax, The American Thinker, and countless other publications.
> Wrote chapters on mass communications for two textbooks.
> Ghostwrote op-eds for the Los Angeles Times, Washington Monthly,
Washington Post (lead op-ed in Sunday commentary section, twice),
The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, and many other
publications.
> Ghostwrote book that made The Wall Street Journal list of “Notable
Books of the Year.”
> Created and edited the Internet Political Report, the first
newsletter on politics and the Internet.
> Was called a “digital revolutionary” by the National Journal.
> Wrote and produced the first political infomercial.
> Briefed members of Congress and their staffs on public policy and
spoke at congressional hearings and at events on Capitol Hill and at
the National Press Club. Spoke at conferences and conventions
including the Council for National Policy, the National Center for
Policy Analysis, the American Society of Association Executives, the
Conservative Political Action Conference, the Leadership Institute,
and a NASA conference.
> Created and wrote 316 episodes of the satirical “Tea Party”-themed
comic strip “The Gentleman from Lickskillet,” available at
TheGentlemanFromLickskillet.com.
Education (PhD, JD, MA, BA)
College of Science, George Mason University, Doctor of Philosophy
Biodefense (Concentration: Nonproliferation, with extensive studies
in Intelligence Analysis and Counterterrorism).
Dissertation: “An Analysis of Factors Leading to U.S. Renunciation
of Biological Weapons,” examining
the military, scientific, diplomatic, intelligence, and political
factors – including Soviet deception and the politicization of
science – that affected the decision by President Nixon and Henry
Kissinger.
Cumberland School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence
Passed the bar on first attempt.
Jacksonville State University, Master’s Degree
Political Science
Jacksonville State University, Bachelor’s Degree
Political Science
Biographical sketch
* Received a PhD in Biodefense from George Mason University after
studying under the former top scientist for the Soviet biological
weapons program. Served as president of the Biodefense Student
Association (2005-07) and served on the university’s Biodefense
curriculum committee (2005).
* Reportedly one of three people in the world with both a law degree
and a PhD in Biodefense.
* Former press secretary to U.S. Senator Jeremiah Denton, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee
on Security and Terrorism and chairman of the Senate
Subcommittee on Aging, Family and Human Services.
* Former vice president of The Progress & Freedom Foundation, an
Information Technology think tank in Washington, D.C. chaired by the
former science advisor to President Reagan.
* Was the first to publicize and to refute Al Gore’s claim about
“creating the Internet.”
* Capitol Hill and national political experience: As noted above,
served as press secretary to the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee
on Security and Terrorism; served as principal spokesman for the
Senator and as his chief speechwriter, and created the first
computerized press office in the U.S. Senate. On behalf of the
Progress & Freedom Foundation and the United Seniors Association,
briefed members of Congress and their staffs and Washington
journalists on various issues and spoke at Congressional hearings
and other Capitol Hill events. Attended seven major-party national
political conventions. Served on the advisory committee to the
Congressional Internet Caucus. Served as a liaison to the White
House Office of Political Affairs.
* Technology policy experience: Created the first newsletter on
politics and the Internet. Compiled and edited the Internet policy
paper by President Clinton’s Internet advisor, wrote for CNET’s
News.com on such issues as cryptography and Internet taxation, and
was called a “digital revolutionary” by The National Journal. Led
the analysis of the Clinton health care plan on behalf of two senior
citizens’ organizations. Served as vice president of the board of
the nation’s top public-access TV station. Was nominated for
president of a state utility regulatory commission. Spoke at a NASA
conference that was part of planning for the Mars mission. As noted,
served on the advisory committee to the Congressional Internet
Caucus.
* Served four years as chair of an organization representing
families of personnel of the National Geospatial-Intelligence
Agency, and was a co-founder of FABRIC, the group representing
family members throughout the Intelligence Community.
* Grew up on a chicken farm in the Appalachian foothills and was the
first person in the family to graduate from college. Worked way
through school and earned a BA and MA in political science and a law
degree by age 23. Survivor of “terminal” cancer; cancer-free for
almost 20 years.
Dr. Allen's dissertation, on President Nixon's decision to shut down the
U.S. biological weapons program, is posted
here.
His article "Raising color-blind kids in a country with a
color-obsessed government" is posted here.
His e-mail "Why science policy should not be made by scientists" is
posted here.
His article "Theodor Rosebury and the beginning of the biological
Cold War," from
the Biodefense Journal (2007),
is posted
here. Dr. Allen's articles written with Richard Viguerie include
Sliming conservatives: A short history (The American Thinker);
Politicians earned the distrust of the American people
(The Washington Times); and
Whose side are you on -- the populists or the elitists? (The
Washington Examiner), as well as the 2001
piece "Attacks on Ashcroft are grounded in religious bigotry,"
posted here.
Work experience (last 15 years)
Writer/Editor
Self Employed (principal client: American Target Advertising)
8/01-Present
[PhD student at George Mason University, 9/03-8/07; doctoral
candidate 10/05-8/07]
- Ghostwrote numerous op-ed articles (in The Washington Post, the
Los Angeles Times, The Washington Monthly, etc.) and a book on 2006
politics.
- Developed plans, including a detailed multi-year budget, for
American Minds magazine, a proposed “Reader’s Digest for smart
people.”
- Created and wrote the comic strip “The Gentleman from Lickskillet,”
January 2009 to February 2010.
- Outlined and researched book on the 5,000-year history of the
effect of new communication media on politics.
Assistant to the President
American Target Advertising
Manassas, Virginia
9/99-7/01
- Served as program manager for creating a prototype for a national
daily online newspaper, The Conservative Free Press.
- Created, designed, wrote, and edited news/commentary Web sites
such as BushRunningMate.com, which was featured in The Washington
Post and on Fox News, and TheRealGore.com, which was the
“Conservative Site of the Day” for Election Day 2000.
Vice President for Communications
The Progress & Freedom Foundation
Washington, DC
9/98-9/99
- Compiled and edited paper by President Clinton’s Internet advisor
detailing the Clinton administration’s Internet policy.
- Briefed members of Congress and their staffs and journalists on
Information Technology policy and prepared materials on PFF’s
activities for the organization’s corporate sponsors.
- Ran a media effort that successfully defended PFF against
accusations related to Speaker Gingrich’s college course.
- Represented PFF at meetings of technology policy analysts from
Washington think tanks and government agencies, and at meetings of
the Advisory Committee to the Congressional Internet Caucus.
Writer/Editor/Speechwriter/Public relations consultant
Self Employed
6/94-8/98
- Created and edited the Internet Political Report, the first
newsletter on politics and the Internet.
- Wrote on various topics for CNET’s News.com, which The Wall Street
Journal called “the New York Times of the Web.”
- Wrote a book on the financing of Social Security (introduction by
Robert Myers, the nation’s top Social Security expert).
Affiliations & community activity
- Family Access Board for the National Geospatial-Intelligence
Agency, chair (2002-06) and member (2002-08), representing family
members of NGA personnel worldwide. (Secret clearance for five
years beginning 3/14/2005.)
- Recipient, Director’s Coin, National Geospatial-Intelligence
Agency, 2008.
- NASA, “Ethical Considerations: Scarce Resource Allocation for
Health and Medical Systems Development and Operations,” a workshop
that was part of planning for the Mars mission, presenter and
discussant, 2005.
- Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), planning
committee member, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000.
- Congressional Internet Caucus, advisory committee member, 1998-99.
- Fairfax Cable Access Corp./Channel 10 (America's top public access
TV station), board vice president, 1995-96.
- Metro Washington Mensa, membership officer (vice chair), 1994-95;
Politics Special Interest Group (nonpartisan political forum),
coordinator, 1989-98.
- Alabama Board of Education, seat for Old 4th congressional
district, Republican nominee, 1986.
- Alabama Public Service Commission, Republican nominee for PSC
President, 1988. Received almost half a million votes, a record for
a Republican seeking that office.
- Reagan for President, state youth chairman, 1976; Reagan for
President, state press secretary (primary), 1980; Republican
National Convention, delegate, 1976, 1980, 1984; Republican National
Convention Rules Committee, member, 1980; Alabama State Republican
Executive Committee, member, 1982-90; Rice for Congress (Alabama
3rd), press secretary and issues director, 1989; Virginia Republican
Convention, delegate, 1994; Viguerie for Lt. Governor, press
secretary and issues director, 1985.
- El Salvador presidential election, official U.S. observer, 1984.
- Libertarian Republican Alliance, national advisory board member,
1976-80; “Who’s Who on the Libertarian Right,” Human Events, April
1980.