John Richardson
Visiting Fellow
John Richardson is a Visiting Fellow at the Alabama Policy Institute and a J.D. candidate at Stanford Law School, where he is a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. Prior to Stanford, he completed a Master of Public Policy at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government as one of four Eisenhower Global Scholars representing the United States. […]
Scott Stantis
Distinguished Fellow
Scott Stantis joined the Alabama Policy Institute in October 2020 and has a long and successful career in journalism and media. Scott joined the staff of the Chicago Tribune in 2009 following a 13-year stint as the editorial cartoonist for The Birmingham News where he lampooned the likes of Fob James, Don Seigelman and Roy […]
Bishop Jim Lowe
Distinguished Fellow
Bishop Jim Lowe is the Senior Pastor of The Guiding Light Church in Birmingham, Alabama. He has frequently stated his intention is not to have people merely attend church but to become disciples in the church. He desires to empower them to think, speak, and to act to transform society. After every service, the congregation […]
Prof. John Hill, Ph.D.
Fellow and Resident Scholar
Dr. John Hill is a Fellow and Resident Scholar at the Alabama Policy Institute Over API’s thirty-plus-year history, he has authored more than thirty publications on education, energy, the state of the environment, the health of families, gambling, and government growth. He is the primary author of three of API’s signature serial publications: Cultural Indicators […]
Sen. Bill Hightower
Distinguished Fellow
Senator Bill Hightower was consistently ranked among the most conservative members during his tenure as a State Senator. He quickly gained a reputation in Montgomery as a conservative reformer who relentlessly pushed for lower taxes and smaller government – even sponsoring legislation to change Alabama to a Flat Tax and enact Term Limits. In addition […]
Emma Gibney
Director of Social Policy
Emma Gibney serves as Policy Communications Manager of the Alabama Policy Institute. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, Emma earned her bachelor’s degree from Furman University and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has spent the last few years working in marketing and public relations, most recently […]
Dr. Michael Brown
Senior Fellow
A Huntsville native, Dr. Michael Brown began solo private practice of gastroenterology in July 1984 and eventually joined with other gastroenterologists in 1986 to form a group practice from which he retired in January of 2021. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine and was inducted into the Alpha […]
Eric Parker
Fellow
Eric W. Parker (Th.M., M.Div.) is a dedicated educator and scholar committed to exploring the intersection of theology, culture, and social theory. Currently pursuing a PhD in Public Theology through the Kirby Laing Centre in partnership with Union Theological College, Eric focuses on the racial achievement gap in K-12 education, engaging with these issues through […]
Matt McDonald
Policy Analyst
Matt McDonald is a graduate of the University of Alabama in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, he has worked in several different roles advocating for conservative values, including an internship in both the Massachusetts and United States Houses of Representatives.
Anastasia O’Neill
Communications Manager
Anastasia O’Neill will graduate from Auburn University in December with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. In Summer 2025, she completed the Alabama Policy Institute’s Internship Program, where she focused on developing and managing multimedia content across major platforms to advance the organization’s policy messaging and outreach. Prior to her internship, she served as a student […]