Colin Newman serves as IDFA’s Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff where he directs the organization’s key initiatives and leads day-to-day operations of the executive office. In this role, Newman executes on the strategic priorities of President and CEO, Michael Dykes, D.V.M and serves as strategist and consultant, facilitating collaboration and inclusiveness across the association to achieve organizational goals.
Newman is the executive office’s liaison with IDFA members and members of the IDFA Executive Council and Industry Segment Boards. He also leads the association’s Political Action Committee (IDFA PAC) and all grassroots political activities. These activities include strategic fly-ins, legislative fly-outs, Congressional facility tours, IDFA’s annual leadership awards and other special events.
Newman designed, implemented, and leads the IDFA NextGen Leadership Program, a signature program of the IDFA People Strategy. The NextGen Leadership Program supports, guides, and prepares mid-senior level dairy industry professionals ready to take the next step in their leadership journey.
Newman joined IDFA in 2017 from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where he served as manager for corporate relations. Before that, he worked at Morgan Meredith & Associates, a fundraising firm on Capitol Hill, where he fundraised for members of Congress, PACs and nonprofits. Newman also led a grassroots effort as a field director for Senator Mitt Romney during Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. Newman earned a bachelor’s degree in management at Gettysburg College.
