Jona Van Deun’s career in politics and public affairs has taken her from the boardroom to the convention floor with an international posting in between when, in 2007, she accepted a posting with the US State Department as the Community Liaison Officer to the US Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria. 

 

Throughout her twenty-year career, Jona has provided her strategic expertise to numerous trade associations and Fortune 500 companies including management positions at 3M, Company, DCI Group, the Pillsbury Company and the Property Casualty Insurers of America.  Since 2012, she has served as Director of Coalitions for Koch Companies Public Sector. 

 

Jona began her career as a Staff Assistant to former President George H. Bush in the Office of Presidential Scheduling. From 1993-1995, she was Deputy Director for Cabinet Affairs to Governor Arne H. Carlson (MN). As a professional staff member of the US House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, Jona helped draft the landmark welfare reform bill that was signed in 1996.

 

Jona served as the Director of Site Operations for both the 2000 and 2004 Republican National Conventions.  In this role capacity, she planned and implemented over 80 special events each night of the four-day event in the Convention venue.

After the 2000 elections, she worked on the White House Transition Team and went on to be the Advance and Scheduling Director for Mrs. Lynne, Cheney.

Jona is a graduate of one of the few remaining liberal arts women’s’ colleges in the US, the College of St. Benedict. She also has a special events management certificate from Montgomery College in Rockville, MD. Jona focuses her charitable and volunteerism activities towards mentoring and programs that train women for leadership roles in government.