Host Committee Members

Sarah Ferman Baker

Sarah Ferman Baker is a leader in the financial services, insurance, and technology industry with over ten years of strategic partnership and relationship management experience lobbying state, federal, and international government officials. As a public policy expert with a strong knowledge of the regulatory and compliance framework, Sarah works with senior businesses to navigate regulatory obstacles, develop initiatives, and execute strategies that advance their platform and grow their institution.

Sarah began her career in Washington, D.C., working for U.S. Senator James Inhofe on a variety of public policy issues. After several years on Capitol Hill, Sarah went to work for the Institute of International Finance (IIF) where she worked for the President and CEO, Undersecretary Tim Adams, and former Ambassador to the European Union, Kristen Silverberg. After two years at the IIF, Sarah was recruited by the American Bankers Association, where she spent the next six years leading advocacy efforts for the bank insurance division and implementing strategies for the division’s board of directors and numerous committees. Since July 2022, Sarah has served as the President and CEO of the Consumer Credit Industry Association (CCIA), the trusted association and leading advocate for consumer asset and credit protection products and services.

Sarah received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and her Executive M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University. Sarah left Washington, D.C., in 2020 and now resides in Plano, Texas, with her husband, Jamie, and daughter, Katherine Scott “Scottie.” Sarah has been involved in Maverick PAC, the premier organization and network for young professionals for over a decade. She first joined the Washington, D.C., chapter in 2014 and has served as a Dallas MavPAC chapter leader since 2020.

Blair Bennett

Johnna Carlson

Justin Gobert

Justin Gobert currently serves as the Assistant General Counsel for a Dallas-area ISD. Prior to his role in K-12 education, he served as in-house counsel for a Fortune 150 energy company, as compliance counsel for one of the world’s largest financial services companies, and legal and compliance counsel for an institution of higher learning.

Justin has devoted much of his professional career to the area education and served as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for a charter school located in Duncanville, Texas. He currently serves as the Board Secretary for Gifting Brands, which helps improve the lives of women, children, and families through a unique consumer shopping experience and as Dallas Chapter Leader for MaverickPAC. In 2020, Justin was president of the 3000-member of Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and served multiple terms on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Bar Association and the DAYL Foundation. He previously served as the Event Chair for the Freedom Run, a 5K that started in Dallas after 9/11, Event Chair for Dallas Bridge Bash, and on the Advisory Board for D Magazine. In 2015-2016, Justin assisted the Maro Rubio's presidential campaign with fundraising among young professionals.

In recognition of his professional accomplishments, Justin was named “Outstanding Up and Comer” by D CEO and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a juris doctorate from the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Dedman School of Law.

Kate Hallaway

Kate Hallaway has 20 years of experience in the engineering consulting industry and is an advocate for infrastructure renewal and resiliency.  She is a Senior Project Manager for BGE, Inc. and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.  She holds two degrees from Rice University: a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Business Administration. She has been a member of Maverick PAC since 2015 and currently serves as a Houston Chapter Co-Chair.  She has previously served as President of the Rice Engineering Alumni Board of Directors, a member of the Association of Rice Alumni Board of Directors, President of the Southeast Chapter of the Texas American Water Works Association (TAWWA) and President of the Houston Area Road Runners Association Board of Directors.  She currently serves on the Rice Business Alumni Association Board of Directors.  She was named the 2020 Young Engineer of the Year for the Southeast Chapter of TAWWA and won her company’s 2021 Dick Gay Core Values award for reputation, integrity, respect and commitment.   

Leah Hazelton

Colleen McKnight

Colleen McKnight is a Senior Counsel at Foley & Lardner LLP where she protects and equips entrepreneurs and innovators to assist in making their dreams a reality. Colleen represents these trail blazers still in the “start-up” phase to those in large corporations. She handles and advises on cases in this area for clients across a variety of industries particularly energy, technology and healthcare.

When she isn't working hard in the boardrooms and courtrooms for her clients, Colleen enjoys traveling with her husband Ryan and her two kids Charlotte and Jack. Colleen is an advocate for women's role in government and fundraising through her role on the MaverickPAC board.

Mason Morgan 

Mason Morgan was born and raised in Dallas, Texas where he gained an interest in politics and public service during his senior year of High School. This interest in politics and public service led Mason to Des Moines, Iowa as a student Drake University in hopes of getting involved with the Iowa Caucuses. The four years that Mason spent in Iowa were “well worth the cold weather” as he would say. While an undergrad, Mason spent as much time at campaign offices as he did on campus.  

After finishing his degree, Mason returned to warmer weather in Texas and worked as a Constituent Services Liaison for US Senator John Cornyn for roughly 2 years and later moved to the Senator’s re-election campaign as Regional Director overseeing Denton and Dallas counties. 

Following a successful re-election for Senator Cornyn, Mason moved to new territory where he co-founded and has led operations as the Executive Director for a newly formed 501(c)4 called Run GenZ. Since getting off the ground, Run GenZ has connected with thousands of young conservatives from Maine to California and has built the largest coalition of young conservative elected officials the country has ever seen. Run GenZ is the premier organization on the right recruiting and mentoring young conservatives to run for public office.

Raymond Terrell

Gabe is from Sherman, Texas, where he attended Sherman High School and played Friday night lights Texas High School football for the Sherman Bearcats. He graduated from Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and Parsons Mounted Cavalry.

Gabe commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy in March 2011. During his Navy career, he completed two nine-month deployments to the Persian Gulf onboard the guided missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) and the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). While working as an officer recruiter in College Station, Texas, he received a master’s degree in real estate from Texas A&M in 2019.

Today, Gabe lives and works in Dallas for Terrell General Contractors and is an active drilling Navy Reservist for the Navy’s 7th Fleet.