Maura Gillespie: Career, Education, Political Work and Personal Background
Meet the American communications strategist, Bluestack Strategies founder, and former congressional adviser who built her career in Washington politics.
Introduction
Maura Gillespie is an American communications strategist, political commentator, and business founder. She spent nearly 12 years working on Capitol Hill before starting her own consulting company.
Her career has taken several turns.
She worked with former House Speaker John Boehner. Later, she became a senior adviser to Congressman Adam Kinzinger. Today, her work includes business communications, political commentary, and podcasting.
Maura Gillespie founded Bluestack Strategies in April 2023. The company helps clients improve their public messaging and communicate with different audiences.
She also appears on national news programmes, sharing her views on American politics.
Quick Facts About Maura Gillespie
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Maura Gillespie |
| Nationality | American |
| Home State | New Jersey, United States |
| Profession | Communications Strategist, Political Commentator |
| Education | Loyola University Maryland |
| Qualification | Bachelor of Arts in Political Science |
| Graduation Year | 2011 |
| Academic Minor | History |
| Former Employer | U.S. House of Representatives |
| Former Political Adviser To | John Boehner and Adam Kinzinger |
| Former Senior Position | Deputy Chief of Staff |
| Company | Bluestack Strategies |
| Company Founded | April 2023 |
| Other Business Role | Partner, Foxhound Advisors |
| Known For | Political Communications and Media Commentary |
| Podcast | D.C. Sources |
| Mother | Kathleen Gillespie |
Early Life and Family Background
Maura Gillespie comes from New Jersey, United States. Her family background includes strong Irish connections.
Her grandfather grew up in the Bluestack Mountains area of County Donegal, Ireland, before his family story became part of her own American upbringing.
His love of storytelling stayed with her.
She has spoken about the influence of her grandfather and the way he told stories. Those memories later inspired the name of her business.
Her mother, Kathleen Gillespie, also has an established professional background.
Kathleen worked at Virtua Health for more than 30 years, holding positions connected with nursing and healthcare leadership.
She also served as president of the New Jersey State Nurses Association.
Maura publicly praised her mother’s professional achievements and dedication to healthcare.
These family connections offer some insight into the people and experiences she has chosen to discuss publicly.
Education and University Years
Maura Gillespie attended Loyola University Maryland.
She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2011, with a minor in History.
Her academic interests matched her future career.
Politics would soon become her workplace.
During university, she participated in several student activities. Her publicly listed involvement included Pi Sigma Alpha, a political science honour society, Relay for Life, and women’s club basketball.
Her educational background also includes studies at Monash University in Australia in 2010.
After completing her degree, she entered the professional world of American politics.
Beginning Her Career on Capitol Hill
Maura Gillespie started her congressional career in 2011.
She joined the U.S. House of Representatives as a staff assistant, beginning a long period of work in congressional offices.
The first role involved administrative responsibilities.
But her career soon moved ahead.
In 2012, she became a deputy scheduler in the office of House Speaker John Boehner.
Scheduling work required careful coordination and close contact with a busy congressional leadership team.
She gained experience inside the Speaker’s office, where political decisions attracted national attention.
By 2014, she had moved into press relations.
That change helped establish her career in professional political communications.
Working With John Boehner
John Boehner served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015.
Maura Gillespie worked in his office during this period.
She eventually became a Press Advisor.
Her responsibilities involved communication between the Speaker’s office and the media, supporting public messaging in a demanding political environment.
The experience gave her direct exposure to congressional leadership and national political reporting.
She worked with the press during a period of major disagreements over federal policy and Republican Party leadership.
Her time with Boehner ended in 2015, before she moved into another congressional communications position.
Career With Congressman Adam Kinzinger
In December 2015, Maura Gillespie began working as Communications Director for Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.
This became a major chapter in her career.
She handled communications planning and helped manage his public profile.
Kinzinger served on congressional committees dealing with foreign affairs and energy policy. He later joined the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
His growing national media presence required regular communication with reporters and television producers.
Gillespie worked on that public-facing side of his office.
Her responsibilities grew in October 2021, when she became Deputy Chief of Staff.
The promotion added broader office leadership responsibilities to her communications background.
She continued in the role until 2022.
After nearly 12 years in congressional work, she was ready for a different professional direction.
Involvement With the Country First Movement
Maura Gillespie also helped establish the Country First movement associated with Adam Kinzinger.
The movement launched in 2021.
It focused on political accountability, democratic principles, and concerns about the direction of American political debate.
Gillespie served as a spokesperson and strategist.
She helped communicate the organisation’s message and supported its efforts to reach supporters across the United States.
Her work connected political messaging with public engagement.
The experience also showed how her communications career had expanded beyond one congressional office.
Country First became another established part of her professional record before she entered private consulting.
Founding Bluestack Strategies in 2023
A new chapter began in April 2023.
Maura Gillespie founded Bluestack Strategies, a communications consulting company.
The name has personal meaning.
She chose Bluestack to honour the mountains in County Donegal, Ireland, where her grandfather grew up.
That family connection helped shape the company’s identity.
Through Bluestack Strategies, she works with clients who need clear public communication.
The business offers services such as:
- Public relations and media outreach
- Communications planning
- Media training
- Crisis communications
- Political consulting
- Brand messaging and storytelling
Her approach draws heavily on her congressional experience.
During an interview with Influential Women, she explained that good communication needs to make complicated ideas understandable to the people receiving them.
That principle also influences her consulting work.
A message needs a clear purpose.
People should understand why it matters.
Her company supports businesses, organisations, and individuals who want to communicate their work more effectively.
Partnership With Foxhound Advisors
Maura Gillespie also works with Foxhound Advisors.
She joined the public relations and public affairs consulting firm as a partner in 2023.
The company works with clients on communications and public affairs matters.
Her involvement connects her congressional background with private-sector consulting.
It also gives her another professional role alongside Bluestack Strategies.
Both positions build on the experience she gained through years of working with government officials and media organisations.
Television Appearances and Political Commentary
Maura Gillespie has appeared on several major American news networks.
These include CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, and Bloomberg.
Her discussions often focus on Congress, presidential elections, party leadership, and political communication.
She has also addressed questions about how politicians explain policy decisions to voters.
Her television appearances are well documented.
For example, CNN featured her in February 2024 during a discussion about the Republican presidential primary.
Fox News also featured her in May 2026 to discuss money in politics and public protests.
Maura Gillespie uses these appearances to offer analysis based on her years of experience inside congressional offices.
She has discussed Republican Party disagreements, election campaigns, and the public communication challenges facing political leaders.
Her commentary remains a visible part of her professional work.
D.C. Sources Podcast in 2026
In September 2026, Maura Gillespie began co-hosting the political podcast D.C. Sources.
Her fellow hosts are Eli Stokols and Meghan Hays.
Stokols previously worked as a White House correspondent. Hays held communications-related positions in the Biden administration.
Their different professional backgrounds give the programme several perspectives on American politics.
The podcast discusses news from Washington, federal government decisions, and election campaigns.
Its first full episode was published on September 9, 2026.
The hosts discussed Republican midterm election planning, relations between the United States and Canada, and political developments in New Hampshire.
The programme added a new format to Gillespie’s public commentary work.
Rather than speaking only during short television interviews, she could take part in longer political discussions.
Mentorship and Community Involvement
Her work also extends beyond television and consulting.
Maura Gillespie has participated in mentoring activities.
She has spoken publicly about supporting young women who want to build careers in politics and communications.
During her congressional career, she worked to offer guidance to junior colleagues.
She has continued offering career advice through connections with Loyola University Maryland and former interns.
She has also been involved with the Australian American Leadership Dialogue’s Young Leaders Program.
The programme brings together people from Australia and the United States for professional and policy discussions.
Her public profile includes volunteer activity at St. Francis Church in Long Beach Island, New Jersey.
She was also listed as a mentor by Constituting America in 2024.
These activities form another part of her professional and community involvement.
Personal Interests and Irish Heritage
Maura Gillespie has shared some details about her interests outside work.
Her Irish family background is particularly meaningful to her.
The story of her grandfather and the Bluestack Mountains is closely connected with the business she founded.
She has also expressed interest in international affairs, travel, and cultural exchange.
Her membership in the Australian American Leadership Dialogue reflects those interests.
She has spoken about maintaining contact with people she mentored during her congressional career.
Family history and professional relationships continue to appear in her public interviews.
Career Timeline
| Year | Career Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Graduated from Loyola University Maryland |
| 2011 | Began working in the U.S. House of Representatives |
| 2012 | Became Deputy Scheduler in John Boehner’s office |
| 2014 | Became Press Advisor to John Boehner |
| 2015 | Joined Adam Kinzinger’s office as Communications Director |
| 2021 | Helped establish the Country First movement |
| 2021 | Became Deputy Chief of Staff for Adam Kinzinger |
| 2022 | Completed her congressional service |
| 2023 | Founded Bluestack Strategies |
| 2023 | Joined Foxhound Advisors as a partner |
| 2026 | Began co-hosting the D.C. Sources podcast |
What Makes Her Career Distinctive?
Maura Gillespie has worked in several different communications settings.
She began in congressional administration.
Then came political press relations and senior staff leadership.
After leaving Capitol Hill, she moved into private consulting while maintaining a presence in national political discussions.
Her work with both John Boehner and Adam Kinzinger gave her experience in different periods of Republican politics.
She has since used that experience to help clients communicate with audiences outside Congress.
The shift was substantial.
Government staff work became private business ownership.
Television appearances and podcasting gave her other ways to discuss American political developments.
Her career shows how experience in government communications can lead to work in consulting and public commentary.
Final Thought
Maura Gillespie has spent much of her professional life working with political leaders and public communication.
Her journey began on Capitol Hill.
Over time, she became a senior congressional adviser, helped establish a political movement, and started her own consulting company.
Her work now reaches beyond Washington offices.
Bluestack Strategies, Foxhound Advisors, television commentary, and the D.C. Sources podcast form the main parts of her current professional profile.
The connection between these roles is clear.
She has built her career around helping people explain ideas to the public.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who is Maura Gillespie?
Maura Gillespie is an American communications strategist and political commentator. She founded Bluestack Strategies after working for senior Republican leaders in Congress.
2. Where is Maura Gillespie from?
She is from New Jersey, United States. Her family also has Irish roots connected with County Donegal.
3. Where did Maura Gillespie study?
She attended Loyola University Maryland. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in History.
4. What company does Maura Gillespie own?
She founded Bluestack Strategies in April 2023. The company provides communications consulting, media training, public relations, and related services.
5. Did Maura Gillespie work for John Boehner?
Yes. She worked in John Boehner’s congressional office and became a Press Advisor during his time as House Speaker.
6. What was her role with Adam Kinzinger?
She served as Communications Director and later Deputy Chief of Staff. Her responsibilities included public messaging and senior office management.
7. Does Maura Gillespie appear on television?
Yes. She has appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, and Bloomberg to discuss American political issues and communication.
8. What podcast does Maura Gillespie host?
She co-hosts D.C. Sources with Eli Stokols and Meghan Hays. The political discussion podcast launched in September 2026.
