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About Punchbowl News
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Punchbowl News is a membership-based news community founded by journalists and best-selling authors Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer, and co-founded by veteran Capitol Hill reporter John Bresnahan.

Punchbowl is the Secret Service nickname for the Capitol. Our credo is Power, People, Politics.

We’ll focus relentlessly on the people in Washington who make decisions, and on the news and events that will move political markets. Punchbowl News events will bring you closer to the news, and help you better understand Washington’s leadership.

meet the team
Anna Palmer
Founder and CEO of Punchbowl News

Anna has covered congressional leadership, the lobbying industry, presidential campaigns and the politics of governing for more than 15 years. She has been writing partners with Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman and co-founder John Bresnahan for 10 years.

In 2019, Anna and Jake authored “The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the future of Trump’s America,” which was the inside story of Congress in the first two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. The book was an instant New York Times and national bestseller. Trevor Noah of The Daily Show said “The Hill to Die On” turned “Congress into a Game of Thrones book.”

From 2016 to 2020, she was the co-author, along with Jake, of the top-rated POLITICO Playbook franchise, where they chronicled President Donald Trump’s first term, and his relationship with top Congressional leaders. Under their leadership, the platform more than doubled in revenue and tripled its readership. They also created a widely acclaimed daily podcast, afternoon newsletter and event series where they interviewed top political and business leaders across the country about pressing issues of the day. She has spoken and moderated conversations at the World Economic Forum, the Milken Institute Global Forum, UN General Assembly, Aspen Ideas Festival, Texas Tribune Festival and SXSW.

Anna, a native of North Dakota, joined POLITICO in 2011, and was its senior Washington correspondent. She also led Women Rule, a nation-leading platform aimed at expanding leadership opportunities for women and hosted the critically-acclaimed Women Rule podcast. She has also worked at Legal Times and Roll Call, breaking national stories on the business of Washington. She’s a frequent political commentator on CNN, Fox News, NBC and MSNBC. She graduated from St. Olaf College.

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Anna has covered congressional leadership, the lobbying industry, presidential campaigns and the politics of governing for more than 15 years. She has been writing partners with Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman and co-founder John Bresnahan for 10 years.

In 2019, Anna and Jake authored “The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the future of Trump’s America,” which was the inside story of Congress in the first two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. The book was an instant New York Times and national bestseller. Trevor Noah of The Daily Show said “The Hill to Die On” turned “Congress into a Game of Thrones book.”

From 2016 to 2020, she was the co-author, along with Jake, of the top-rated POLITICO Playbook franchise, where they chronicled President Donald Trump’s first term, and his relationship with top Congressional leaders. Under their leadership, the platform more than doubled in revenue and tripled its readership. They also created a widely acclaimed daily podcast, afternoon newsletter and event series where they interviewed top political and business leaders across the country about pressing issues of the day. She has spoken and moderated conversations at the World Economic Forum, the Milken Institute Global Forum, UN General Assembly, Aspen Ideas Festival, Texas Tribune Festival and SXSW.

Anna, a native of North Dakota, joined POLITICO in 2011, and was its senior Washington correspondent. She also led Women Rule, a nation-leading platform aimed at expanding leadership opportunities for women and hosted the critically-acclaimed Women Rule podcast. She has also worked at Legal Times and Roll Call, breaking national stories on the business of Washington. She’s a frequent political commentator on CNN, Fox News, NBC and MSNBC. She graduated from St. Olaf College.


Jake Sherman
Founder of Punchbowl News

Jake has been covering national politics for more than a decade, and has focused his reporting on Congress, the congressional leadership and the politics of legislating. He chronicled all of the major legislative battles of the Obama and Trump presidencies, and has traveled the country and the world, reporting on power and politics.

Jake and Anna Palmer are the co-authors of “The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump’s America,” which was a New York Times and national bestseller in 2019. He has been reporting and writing partners with Anna and Punchbowl News co-founder John Bresnahan for 11 years.

Jake is a contributor to NBC News, and appears almost daily across all of the network’s platforms. He’s a graduate of the George Washington University and Columbia Journalism School. He lives in Washington with his wife and two children and is an avid runner, and listener of the Grateful Dead and Phish.

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Jake has been covering national politics for more than a decade, and has focused his reporting on Congress, the congressional leadership and the politics of legislating. He chronicled all of the major legislative battles of the Obama and Trump presidencies, and has traveled the country and the world, reporting on power and politics.

Jake and Anna Palmer are the co-authors of “The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump’s America,” which was a New York Times and national bestseller in 2019. He has been reporting and writing partners with Anna and Punchbowl News co-founder John Bresnahan for 11 years.

Jake is a contributor to NBC News, and appears almost daily across all of the network’s platforms. He’s a graduate of the George Washington University and Columbia Journalism School. He lives in Washington with his wife and two children and is an avid runner, and listener of the Grateful Dead and Phish.


John Bresnahan
Co-Founder of Punchbowl News

John Bresnahan is one of the most-experienced journalists on Capitol Hill, with more than 27 years covering Congress, White House and federal agencies.A New York native, Bresnahan moved to Washington in 1989. After a stint at U.S. News & World Report, Bresnahan began covering EPA and the automobile and utilities industries for Inside Washington Publishers in the early 1990s.

In 1994, as House Republicans were about to win control of Congress for the first time in four decades, Bresnahan helped start Inside Congress. Bresnahan was part of a team that broke numerous stories, including the start of the “K Street Project,” which changed the way the Washington lobbying world operates.

In early 1998, Bresnahan moved over to Roll Call, then the top insider publication on Capitol Hill. Bresnahan covered both the House and Senate, as well as breaking numerous leadership and ethics stories, including reports on Tom DeLay and the Jack Abramoff scandal. Bresnahan ended his stint at Roll Call as an associate editor.

In late 2006, Bresnahan left Roll Call for POLITICO, where he took over as congressional bureau chief, a job he held for 14 years. Bresnahan helped make Politico’s Congress team the best in the business, and he won awards for his writing and reporting.

Bresnahan loves the New York Yankees, Knicks and Giants, and he loathes Boston sports clubs and their fans.

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John Bresnahan is one of the most-experienced journalists on Capitol Hill, with more than 27 years covering Congress, White House and federal agencies.A New York native, Bresnahan moved to Washington in 1989. After a stint at U.S. News & World Report, Bresnahan began covering EPA and the automobile and utilities industries for Inside Washington Publishers in the early 1990s.

In 1994, as House Republicans were about to win control of Congress for the first time in four decades, Bresnahan helped start Inside Congress. Bresnahan was part of a team that broke numerous stories, including the start of the “K Street Project,” which changed the way the Washington lobbying world operates.

In early 1998, Bresnahan moved over to Roll Call, then the top insider publication on Capitol Hill. Bresnahan covered both the House and Senate, as well as breaking numerous leadership and ethics stories, including reports on Tom DeLay and the Jack Abramoff scandal. Bresnahan ended his stint at Roll Call as an associate editor.

In late 2006, Bresnahan left Roll Call for POLITICO, where he took over as congressional bureau chief, a job he held for 14 years. Bresnahan helped make Politico’s Congress team the best in the business, and he won awards for his writing and reporting.

Bresnahan loves the New York Yankees, Knicks and Giants, and he loathes Boston sports clubs and their fans.


Rachel Schindler
Co-Founder and VP Growth and Product of Punchbowl News

Prior to joining Punchbowl News, Rachel led Facebook’s strategy, planning and operations for the global news team. For three years, Rachel specialized in growing revenue-sharing products with media companies around the world.

Rachel first worked with Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer at POLITICO, where she developed and implemented growth strategies for Playbook, the company’s flagship newsletter. Her data-driven approach engaged and retained product subscribers across the company.

With experience across platforms out of Washington, San Francisco and New York, Rachel brings unique perspectives from media, tech, and politics to the foundation of the Punchbowl News team.

Rachel graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. She enjoys jogging, traveling and volunteering with young women in foster care.

View Full Biography

Prior to joining Punchbowl News, Rachel led Facebook’s strategy, planning and operations for the global news team. For three years, Rachel specialized in growing revenue-sharing products with media companies around the world.

Rachel first worked with Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer at POLITICO, where she developed and implemented growth strategies for Playbook, the company’s flagship newsletter. Her data-driven approach engaged and retained product subscribers across the company.

With experience across platforms out of Washington, San Francisco and New York, Rachel brings unique perspectives from media, tech, and politics to the foundation of the Punchbowl News team.

Rachel graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. She enjoys jogging, traveling and volunteering with young women in foster care.



Donna Baeck
Editorial Web Producer
Soraya Bagheri
Head of Legal, VP of Product Integration
Heather Caygle
Managing Editor
Dave Clarke
Policy Editor
Max Cohen
Reporter
Andrew Desiderio
Senior Congressional Reporter
Max Dreitlein
Events Producer
Jessica Floyd
Press and Booking Manager
Dave Gelsomino
Director of Client Engagement
Leah Hirsch Bobbitt
Chief of Staff
Olivia Iurillo
Growth Marketing Manager
Jasmine Karshenas
Director of Business Development
Naeim Khanjani
VP of Business Development
Annette Lee
Business Operations Manager
Mary Tyler March
Product Manager
Elvina Nawaguna
Special Projects Editor
Robert O'Shaughnessy
Editorial Web Producer
Brendan Pedersen
Financial Services Reporter
Mica Soellner
Congressional Reporter
Dario Sotomayor
Director of Business Development
Morgan Pinckney Spencer
Events Director
Leigh Steinberg
Associate Director of Revenue
Elizabeth Turner
Business Development Associate
Laura Weiss
Financial Services Reporter
Tracy Woods
Senior Community Manager
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