Karl Christian Rove, born on December 25, 1950, in Denver, Colorado, is an American Republican political consultant, strategist, policy advisor, and lobbyist, widely regarded as the most influential political strategist of the George W. Bush era, often dubbed "Bush's Brain" or "The Architect." He began his political involvement during his college years at the University of Utah, where he studied political science from 1969 until leaving to serve as chairman of the College Republicans National Committee, forging key connections including with George H. W. Bush. After working on various Republican campaigns, Rove founded Karl Rove + Company in Austin, Texas, advising numerous Republican candidates. He gained national prominence as a key architect of George W. Bush’s successful 1994 Texas gubernatorial campaign, as well as his presidential victories in 2000 and 2004. Serving as Senior Advisor to President Bush from 2001 to 2007 and as Deputy White House Chief of Staff from 2004 to 2007, Rove oversaw critical White House offices, coordinated policy-making processes, and strategized on matters including the Iraq War. He was a key political strategist and a member of the White House Iraq Group (WHIG). His tenure included involvement in controversies such as the Plame affair, where he was identified as Robert Novak's second source for the leak of Valerie Plame's CIA identity. Rove resigned from the White House on August 31, 2007. Following his government service, he transitioned to media and advocacy roles, becoming a Fox News contributor, Wall Street Journal columnist, and co-founder of the super PACs American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS. He is the author of bestselling books including "Courage and Consequence" (2010) and "The Triumph of William McKinley" (2015). Residing in Austin, Texas, Rove continues to teach at the University of Texas and serves on the boards of the Texas State History Museum and the McDonald Observatory, maintaining significant influence within conservative circles.