Bio
Marie Sanderson began her public service career on Capitol Hill for United States Senator Thad Cochran in 2003, where she served as Legislative Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary on the staff of the Appropriations Chairman. Following her tenure on Capitol Hill, Marie began working for Governor Haley Barbour where she served as the Policy Director to the Governor. From 2010-2015, Marie served as Policy Director for the Republican Governors Association (RGA) and the Republican Governors Public Policy Committee (RGPPC), working with Governors, Chiefs of Staff, and their policy teams to facilitate and advocate for best practices and good policy in both state and federal policy to governors, candidates, think tanks, Congress, the Administration and other political organizations. Marie has served in a number of roles including advising the U.S. House and Energy and Commerce Committee’s Medicaid Task Force and the FCC’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. In 2017, in addition to her professional roles, Marie was “Sherpa” for USUN Ambassador Nikki Haley, an unpaid position with the US Presidential Transition, preparing and guiding the current Ambassador for her nomination to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Marie currently is Partner at 50 State LLC, Principal at Cardinal Group Policy, and Senior Advisor at IMGE. Marie serves on several boards and commissions including the statewide Mississippi Arts Commission Board of Directors and the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi Board of Directors. In 2020, she and her husband, Brian, founded the MS 30 Day Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to providing financial support to Mississippi’s small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of forgivable loans. Brian and Marie have two sons and one daughter.