Ryan Sanford

Coordinator, Sampling / BBQ Princess of the South

Ryan’s passion for politics started with her father Paul Sanford’s stunning upset in 2010 that helped Republicans take control of the Alabama Legislature for the first time in 136 years. Ryan currently serves as a founding partner at Arete Consulting, a full-service political and business consulting firm that helps find solutions for campaigns, political action committees, independent expenditure organizations, associations, businesses, and non-profits. A veteran of many political campaigns ranging from local, statewide, and federal; Ryan has seen scenarios of all sizes and understands that each election requires a unique strategy to win. Her experience as a successful general consultant provides additional insight and the ability to translate polling results into effective campaign strategies to keep our clients on the right path to victory. First joining Cygnal during the hectic 2020 election cycle, Ryan dove in headfirst to learn the innovative and successful methodology that our team deploys. As a Sampling Coordinator, Ryan learned the back-end of polling and sharpened her targeting skills even further than before. After the cycle, Ryan returned to her consulting work in Alabama by growing her client list, improving her understanding, and executing what was referred to as “the perfect campaign” in a heated 7-person race where her firm was able to prevent a run-off election with a landslide margin. Ryan is back with new responsibilities of leading polling projects, providing insightful breakdowns of results for clients, and how they can best apply them to a victorious campaign strategy.