Rick Scalf

Senior Strategist, Public Education and Community Engagement

Rick Scalf is a native of Columbus, Indiana, and brings deep experience across the political, nonprofit, labor, and government sectors, with a particular focus on public education, community engagement, and labor relations.

Rick previously served as The Winston/Terrell Group’s Political Director before spending nearly nine years with the Indiana State Teachers Association as an Organizer and UniServ Director. In those roles, he worked alongside local educators and union leaders to negotiate strong contracts, organize effective public policy campaigns, and build the membership and strength of local associations.

As Vice President and later President of his own staff union, the Professional Staff Organization, Rick helped lead efforts to negotiate two of the strongest contracts in the organization’s recent history.

Now returning to The Winston/Terrell Group, Rick brings frontline experience, strategic insight, and a deep understanding of Indiana communities to the firm’s public education clients and to organizations seeking to build winning community coalitions.

Rick has worked on campaigns ranging from local school board and city council races to national presidential contests. In 2008, he served as Indiana State New Media Director for Barack Obama’s historic victory — the first time a Democratic presidential candidate carried Indiana since 1964.

Rick also served in the office of U.S. Congressman Baron P. Hill, assisting constituents as they navigated federal agencies and worked to resolve issues involving Social Security, Medicare, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Service, housing, insurance, and other federal concerns.

Today, Rick resides in Kokomo, Indiana, with his son, Jackson; their French Bulldog, Albert; and their favorite cat, Hasina, who keeps the rest of the household appropriately humble. He is also an active member of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Northern Indiana.