Zachary Harnden serves as a Government Affairs Associate for the American Federation for Children, where he focuses on school choice advocacy, government relations, and legislative efforts across multiple states.

Zachary’s commitment to school choice began early in his career. While still in college, he worked on Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ re-election campaign, where he actively supported school choice as a cornerstone of the campaign. As a beneficiary of school choice, he was later selected as a Future Leaders Fellow with AFC, advocating for school choice legislation across the country.

Zachary later gained experience working as Chief of Staff in the Iowa House of Representatives, supporting key legislative initiatives and fostering community engagement. He also worked with the American Carbon Alliance (ACA), developing outreach strategies and promoting rural economic development through carbon capture initiatives. Additionally, Zachary contributed to coalition-building and advocacy efforts with the Concordia Group, focusing on energy, education, and healthcare policy.

Zachary earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in Economics and Legal Studies from Simpson College.