Our Team
At Heartland School Security Association, our team is driven by a singular focus: maximizing our impact for as many schools as possible. With a diverse skill set spanning national security, state and federal political advocacy, and advanced data and analytics, we are a team committed to our mission. We pride ourselves on transparent, results-driven work, and every day, we are motivated by the progress we make toward creating safer schools across the country.
Jake Petersen
Chairman and Founder
Jake Petersen is a national security professional and the Founder of the Heartland School Security Association (HSSA), a nonprofit dedicated to making effective school security accessible, practical, and proactive for every K–12 school.
With more than a decade of experience supporting some of the nation’s most critical missions—including work with the White House, Pentagon, U.S. Space Command, U.S. Strategic Command, and the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) —Jake brings a deep understanding of risk management, deterrence, and protective security operations.
He founded HSSA after conducting a security assessment at his son’s school during the same week a tragic school shooting occurred in Minneapolis. That experience underscored the urgent need for expert, affordable support for schools that want to protect their students but lack access to proper guidance or resources.
Through HSSA, Jake now leads efforts to help schools identify vulnerabilities, implement practical safety measures, and build strong deterrence-based cultures—empowering educators, parents, and communities to take meaningful action toward safer schools.
Maggie Miller Ruffini
Board Member
Maggie Miller Ruffini is a seasoned government affairs expert with a strong track record of advancing policy on critical issues, including child safety, homeland security and digital regulation, earning recognition for her ability to navigate complex political environments and deliver meaningful outcomes. As a trusted advisor to lawmakers, industry leaders and advocacy groups, Maggie has played a key role in shaping public policy to better protect children, families, and communities. Her work has spanned Federal, State and Local governments, where she has developed strategies grounded in both pragmatism and impact.
An Iowa native with heartland roots and national influence, Maggie brings a unique combination of strategic insight, public service dedication, and a deep belief in the power of safe, thriving communities. She is eager to apply her expertise and leadership to furthering school safety efforts across the region
Patrick Ruffini
Board Member
Patrick Ruffini is a founding partner at Echelon Insights, one of the most widely recognized public opinion and strategic research firms in the United States.
Patrick is the author of Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP, called “the book that predicted the 2024 election” by The New York Times and ranked as a Best Book in Politics by the Wall Street Journal.
An expert in political realignment and demographic trends, Patrick is a prolific speaker, writer, and political commentator. He has offered on-air analysis, including on election nights, for CNBC, Fox News, the BBC, and NPR and written for The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, The Atlantic, and Politico, among others.
Patrick has led hundreds of strategic communications, survey, data analytics, and focus group projects for Fortune 500 companies, leading foundations and advocacy groups, and political campaigns nationally and internationally.
Since Patrick co-founded Echelon Insights in 2014, the firm has been known for its innovative approach and accurate track record. It was ranked one of the three most accurate private polling firms in the country by 538 and is one of the most-awarded polling and data firms in the country by the American Association of Political Consultants and Campaigns & Elections.
Before starting Echelon Insights, Patrick led one of the country’s premier digital strategy and communications firms, Engage, and served in senior roles at the Republican National Committee and for President George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign.
Patrick is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and lives with his family in the Washington, D.C. suburbs.