Ryan Nees

Ryan Nees is a contributing writer to Howey Politics Indiana, a freelance political operative, and student at Yale University.

Writing   At Howey Politics Indiana, my coverage of Indiana politics has garnered citations from Mark Halerpin's The Page, Firedoglake, and POLITICO. Previously I edited IndianaOnMessage.com, a website devoted to the analysis of political media during the 2006 midterms that the Bloomington Herald-Times called "one of the best and most viewed Internet sites on Indiana politics." The paper coined me the "go-to guy for political junkies."

Open Government   In 2005, I won a public access lawsuit against my hometown and won a national Sunshine Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for making "important contributions in the continuing fight for open government." The case drew attention from USA Today, the national Associated Press wire, three broadcast television affiliates, and the Indianapolis Star, culminating in an Indiana General Assembly Resolution honoring the pursuit. "Whoever said you can't fight city hall never met Ryan Nees," the Star wrote. "Nees deserves special thanks from government officials."

Politics   In 2008, I won two Pollie awards for political consulting from the American Association of Political Consultants, the largest organization of political and public affairs professionals in the world. My work in direct mail and new media communication made me the youngest-ever winner of a Pollie. In 2007, I served as the youngest-ever intern in the Washington, D.C., office of Senator Richard Lugar and with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

At Yale, I work for the Yale Sustainable Food Project, tutor at New Haven Reads, and am an appointee-designate to Yale College's Financial Aid Standing Committee. I graduated Salutatorian from Western High School as a National Merit Scholar, a national Coca-Cola Scholar, a Chrysler Foundation Scholar, a Robert C. Byrd Memorial Scholar, and an Indiana Elks Scholar. I'm currently working at GMMB in Washington.