Leadership

Candace McDonald, CEO

CEO, Candace McDonald is a movement builder with over fifteen years of experience in philanthropy, politics, and women’s health. As Chief Executive Officer of American Values 2024 (AV24), the SuperPAC supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr., she oversees the management and direction of the PAC with over 70 staff.

Before her role at AV24, Candace served as a leader in the wellness community as an expert impact advisor and facilitator. She specializes in building strategic collaborations for angel investors, companies, brands, and celebrity talent. Her relationships range from internationally recognized charities to luxury brands to key influencers in the health & and wellness arenas. Most recently, she created partnerships for the beauty subscription pioneer Birchbox and was the interim chief marketing officer.

Candace has negotiated and secured national and global partnerships and brand development deals with Fortune 1000s and believes there is no such thing as “bad press. Her work has been featured in various print, television, and digital publications, including Forbes, ABC, A&E, Good Morning America, and Haute Living. She’s led a national autism charity, has created many health programs to benefit recipients, and is the creator and executive producer of New Kids on the Block’s charity concert series, Another Evening with Donnie Wahlberg & Special Guests. Ms. McDonald has raised over $50M for charity and early-stage start-ups.

Candace is a talented public speaker frequently asked to host events and panels. Before Candace’s career in wellness, she could be found on the radio or in front of the camera for the American Red Cross during a national disaster.

Candace holds a B.A. in Political Science from California State Northridge and a certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a Holistic Health Coach.

Tony Lyons, Co-Founder

Co-Founder, American Values 2024 & President & Publisher, Skyhorse Publishing.
Tony Lyons is an attorney and president of Skyhorse Publishing. Founded in 2006, the independent book publisher has produced an eclectic and broad mix of work, from nature and sports to current events, politics, health, and fiction. Through its twenty-three imprints, Skyhorse boasts fifty-seven New York Times bestsellers and a 10,000 title backlist. Among its stable of authors is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Mark Gorton, Co-Founder

Co-Founder, American Values 2024 & Chairman at Tower Research Capital

Mark Gorton is the founder and Chairman of Tower Research Capital LLC, one of the leading computerized trading firms in the world. He was also the founder and CEO of the file-sharing company LimeWire. Gorton is a life-long advocate for livable streets, alternative transportation, and open government. He founded Open Plans in 1999 and is also a Founding Board Member of Reinvent Albany, a non-profit that seeks ethical New York government and fair elections.

Gorton is also the executive producer of the November 2022 documentary Four Died Trying, which explores the extraordinary lives and calamitous deaths of President John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy.