Staff & Board

Tom Klingenstein is the Chairman of American Ascent. He is also the chairman of the Claremont Institute and a philanthropist, public speaker, writer, and a playwright. He believes that we are in a cold civil war and that our enemy, what he calls the “Woke regime (opens in a new tab)”, are winning, in large measure because Republican leaders have yet to engage.

His essays, speeches and plays all encourage Republicans to do just that, to think, talk, and act as if we are at war. Among his essays are: “Preserving the American Way of Life (opens in a new tab)”, “Fight the Mob (opens in a new tab)”, “Winning the Cold Civil War (opens in a new tab)”, “Men and the Future of America (opens in a new tab)”, and many others. His work has been published at the Claremont Review of Books, Newsweek, American Mind, American Greatness, and Real Clear Politics.

Tyler Bowyer is a 7th Generation Arizonan and conservative activist. He has served as Republican Precinct Committeeman, Congressional Advisory Chairman, Regent, Republican Legislative District Chairman, Republican County Chairman of the largest Republican-held County in America, Arizona RNC National Committeeman, and was a primary organizer and speaker at the first Trump Rally in July of 2015.

Tyler joined Charlie Kirk at Turning Point USA in 2015 later becoming Chief Operating Officer overseeing the nation’s largest and most impactful field program, organizing the nation’s largest activist events and reaching hundreds of millions in digital initiatives. In 2019, he also took on the role of COO of Turning Point Action, the 501(c)(4) organization that operates the nationwide youth effort Students for Trump.

Tyler resides in Mesa, Arizona with his wife Lauren and three kids, Brooks, Nell and Quincy.

Clint Brown leads efforts to strategically align Harpoon’s investments and portfolio companies with the market demand signals from policymakers in Washington. He relies on his extensive relationships in Congress, the White House, and federal agencies to make leaders aware of the emerging technologies identified by Harpoon that are beneficial to US national security objectives.

Clint was tapped by the White House to lead the effort to confirm Kash Patel as Director of the FBI for the Trump 47 Transition. In this role, he also assisted several other high profile nominees across multiple agencies. He worked in the U.S. Senate for a decade advising several senators and committees, most recently serving as the Executive Director of the Senate Steering Committee.

After his time in the Senate, Clint worked as the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Government Relations at the Heritage Foundation where he helped establish organizational priorities, execute policy initiatives, and lead the Project 2025 legislative portfolio. Clint serves as the President of American Path, a small think-tank tackling the existential questions of America’s future. Clint earned his JD from the University of Alabama, where he later served as an adjunct professor of law, and his undergraduate degree from Auburn University.

Outside of work, Clint enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids.

Ben Judge is the creator and executive producer of the documentary RIGHT MAKES MIGHT: THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES, the editor of United and Independent: John Quincy Adams on American Foreign Policy and Samuel Flagg Bemis’s Diplomacy of the American Revolution, and author of a forthcoming biography of California Governor Pete Wilson as well as a guide to the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Ben holds a PhD from Claremont Graduate University, a BA from Claremont McKenna College, and served in the United States Navy Reserve.

Ryan Neuhaus is the President of American Ascent.

Prior to founding American Ascent, Neuhaus was Chief of Staff at the Heritage Foundation, the largest conservative think tank in the world. He also served as Legislative Director for Senator Mike Lee (UT) and Policy Advisor for the Senate Steering Committee.

Neuhaus holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, a Masters in Public Policy from Liberty University, and a Masters in Government from Hillsdale College. He is a Lincoln Fellow of the Claremont Institute and lives in Maryland with his wife, Mckenna, and their four children.