Ralph Eugene Reed Jr. (born June 24, 1961, in Portsmouth, Virginia) is an American conservative political strategist, consultant, lobbyist, and evangelical activist. He rose to national prominence as the first executive director of the Christian Coalition of America from 1989 to 1997, transforming it into a powerful grassroots organization that mobilized evangelical voters and influenced Republican politics during the 1990s. He later founded and serves as chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition (established in 2009), a nonprofit advocacy group focused on conservative values, voter mobilization, and policy issues like religious freedom and limited government. Reed also founded Century Strategies, LLC, a public relations and public affairs firm, and served as chairman of the Georgia Republican Party from 2001 to 2003, leading the party to historic victories. He has advised presidential campaigns, including those of George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 2006. Reed holds a BA in history from the University of Georgia and an MA and PhD in American history from Emory University. He is married to JoAnne Young since 1987 and has four children. Throughout his career, Reed has been a key figure in the intersection of faith, politics, and lobbying, though he has faced controversies including ties to lobbyist Jack Abramoff in the 2000s.