A Conversation with Charles Mitchell

David and Laura Thayer Visiting Fellow, Cardinal Institute

Editor’s Note: The Cardinal Institute is pleased to announce that Charles Mitchell, former CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, has joined Cardinal as the David B. and Laura Thayer Visiting Fellow. Charles brings decades of national leadership experience in the conservative, free-market think tank movement and will play a key role in executive mentorship, organizational strategy, and a new initiative aimed at building a durable free-market infrastructure in Appalachia.

After leading the Commonwealth Foundation to new heights for years, you went on to pursue interests like free speech and debate. What motivated you to stay engaged and join Cardinal as a Visiting Fellow?

I know what it takes to build and scale state-based, durable freedom infrastructure: vision, strategy, team building, relentless relationship development, living on the road, and being “on” all the time. After giving Commonwealth my all for 15 years, I knew it was time for my teenage daughters to get more of their dad, and for other leaders to step up. I’m honored to join Cardinal because Garrett is one of those leaders, and I get to support him. In just a few short years, he’s built a tremendous organization that is primed for even greater impact in West Virginia and across Appalachia. I’m hopeful that some of the lessons I’ve learned over the years can help him and the Cardinal team build faster.

You’ve led think tanks nationwide and have a unique perspective on their effectiveness. What stood out about Cardinal?

First and foremost, I have dedicated my career to educational opportunity, and despite its relative youth, Cardinal fought successfully for universal school choice. In many ways, that’s all I needed to know. I also admire Garrett’s deep knowledge of his home state and the fact that he left a really good gig in Washington to come back and serve. He made a sacrifice, and he isn’t just a hired gun. He knows West Virginia and its needs, and Cardinal is doing great work to meet them.

A core part of your role is providing executive mentorship and coaching. Why is leadership development a critical yet often overlooked component of successful policy organizations?

Leadership is lonely, and that can be especially so at the state level. There are very few people in this country who do what we do, and they are all busy, because liberty is constantly threatened. It’s easy to spend all your time doing your best to fulfill your responsibilities and not take time to glean the wisdom (or answer the tough questions) of others that can make you better. It takes real discipline to stop and learn from someone who’s built something similar. I am living proof that when you stop to do that, it makes you better. I have been profoundly impacted by mentors and peers, through organizations like the State Policy Network and through individuals who’ve invested in me. I’m grateful that at this stage of my life, I can pay those blessings forward through mentoring leaders at Cardinal.

A new initiative aims to establish long-term free-market infrastructure in a region often overlooked or misunderstood. Why is this work especially important for Appalachia now?

American politics now swings on the “forgotten man,” as Amity Shlaes put it. Appalachia is full of people whom the Beltway has forgotten, taken for granted, or both. Their views and actions going forward will determine the future direction of our country. Few organizations understand this. Cardinal does.

From your experience, what makes Appalachia both a challenge and an opportunity for conservative, free-market ideas?

The challenge is that many people in Appalachia think our ideas are either the source of their problems or irrelevant. It’s easy to tie our ideas to big corporations and see how some of them ravaged the environment in Appalachia (and, in some cases, behave irresponsibly today). But big corporations are often not exemplars of what we actually mean when we say free markets, and when we laud entrepreneurship, we’re not talking about imposing negative externalities on others for your own short-term gain. Similarly, there can be an Ivory Tower tendency with conservative ideas, where people like us fail to explain how our ideas are actually the answer to what is plaguing communities. The opportunity is that people in Appalachia are searching for answers, and the right organization can deal with these challenges and make the case for a positive vision for the future. I’m delighted Cardinal is incubating this new initiative. I can’t think of a better organization to take up this mantle.

Finally, what would you say to donors and partners who care deeply about the future of the free-market movement and are considering investing in Cardinal’s next chapter?

Let’s go!