Inside Sarah's Circle: 2. Meet Pam Pryor

Second in a series in which TX4P profiles the people close to Gov. Palin. The first installment, a profile of Kristan Cole, trustee of the governor's legal defense fund, is here.

Reading news accounts of Gov. Palin, one name that is often mentioned is that of Pam Pryor. She is a spokesperson for SarahPAC, the governor's political action committee, staying on after Becki Donatelli's Campaign Solutions firm was sent packing. At first glance this may appear to be something of a surprise, since Ms. Pryor has Donatelli ties. Pryor came to SarahPAC from the Republican National Committee, where she served as a senior adviser to Becki's husband, Frank Donatelli, during last year’s general election campaign.

But the governor must has seen a kindred spirit in Pam Pryor, who may not be a fellow Alaskan, but she is a fellow evangelical. The Pryor resume includes more than 25 years in pubic relations and public affairs. She has worked in the area of government relations for non-profit organizations which were formed around the faith and community-based initiative. She has experience bringing faith and community groups together with government through the initiative by grant writing and introductions to government agencies and Congress.

Ms. Pryor began her career as a college instructor at Point Loma College in San Diego and then at Bethany Nazarene College in Oklahoma City. Her background in media includes working as a TV news reporter and anchor in Oklahoma and hosting her own radio talk show.

After moving to DC, Ms. Pryor worked as a consultant for clients ranging from Convoy of Hope to the Department of Labor (through the White House Writer’s Group) to Habitat for Humanity. She has also served on the board of the Reform Institute.

In 1995, she joined the staff of Congressman J.C. Watts of Oklahoma, serving first as his press secretary and later as his chief of staff for both his personal office and the House Republican Conference. In 2001, she was named one of the 100 most powerful women in Washington by Washingtonian Magazine. Ms. Pryor holds bachelors and masters degrees in communications from Southern Nazarene University and did post-graduate work at the University of Oklahoma.

A 2006 interview of Ms. Pryor for the PBS series "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly" is here.

- JP

Inside Sarah's Circle: 1. Meet Kristan Cole

First in a series in which TX4P profiles the people close to Gov. Palin.

On the home page of the Alaska Fund Trust website, there is a quote from Kristan Cole, who is the trustee of the new official legal defense fund for the Alaska Governor's office. So who is Kristen Cole?

We learn from a Greta Susteren interview that Cole shares a close friendship with Gov. Palin that goes back to 1970 when both women were elementary school children. They now live just seven miles apart, and their friendship has grown closer since both have grown, married and had children. In private, Cole calls the governor "Sarah," and Gov. Palin calls her "Krissy."

Kristan Cole is married to Brad, and like their friends Todd and Sarah, the couple have five children. She's a licensed single-engine private pilot and likes to ski and play golf. Like Gov. Palin, Cole has competed in beauty contests. She won the Miss Alaska pageant in 1982 and was Mrs. Alaska in 1988.

Trustee Cole double majored in real estate and finance at the University of Arizona, and she received her MBA degree from the University of Alaska in 1995. She has 25 years of experience in the real estate business and was a successful small business owner of a firm where she headed up a team of about 15 people. She sold the company she had purchased from her mother after building it up and then went to work for a large statewide agency, where she is in charge of its Wasilla and Palmer opperations. When asked what had made her more successful than others, she answered, "Hard work and leadership." Her prescription for success?

"Get up early, work as if it depends on you. Pray as if it depends on God, be outward focused not inward focused. Make sure that others get what they want first and you will get what you want. Be a great leader. Leadership is the difference between success and failure."

Cole has a history of community involvement, and she has served on a number of boards and commissions, including the boards of two hospitals, the Alaska Royalty Oil & Gas Development Advisory Board, the Alaska Real Estate Commission and the Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund. She currently chairs two panels, the Board of Agriculture & Conservation and the Creamery Corporation. She is also involved in charity work, most notably for the Children’s Miracle Network.

Now Kristan Cole has one more important title to add to her resume: Alaska Fund Trustee.

- JP