Name:
Arne Christenson
AIPAC Role:
Managing Director of Policy & Politics, Officer
Professional Profile/Associations:
AIPAC Managing Director for Policy & Politics, a position created for him in 2013. According to AIPAC's 2023 Form 990, received total compensation of $803,055. Previously served as AIPAC's chief lobbyist (1993–1995). Former Chief of Staff to House Speaker Newt Gingrich (1996–1998), accompanying Gingrich to secret White House budget negotiations with President Clinton. Earlier served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Vin Weber (R-MN) and legislative director for Senator Rudy Boschwitz. Former Senior Vice President for Regulatory Policy at Fannie Mae, where he received $1.5 million in compensation. Subsequently served as Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and head of the Washington office at American Express for a decade. Alumnus of St. Olaf College in Minnesota. Interviews congressional leaders including Kevin McCarthy and Steny Hoyer at AIPAC policy conferences.
Accountability:
As an officer of AIPAC, Arne Christenson bears individual legal responsibility for the organization's conduct. Under D.C. Code § 29-406.42, officers with discretionary authority must act in good faith, exercise ordinary prudent-person care, and affirmatively report material information and potential legal violations to the board. While the DC Nonprofit Corporation Act provides automatic liability protection for directors of charitable corporations, it extends no such protection to officers—meaning executive officers face potential personal liability for conduct that would be shielded if committed by a director. Federal courts have sustained punitive damages against nonprofit executives while vacating them against directors, and federal tax law treats executive officers as "disqualified persons" subject to personal excise taxes on excess benefit transactions.
The information in these profiles is drawn primarily from AIPAC's most recent IRS Form 990, supplemented by publicly available sources including news reports, official announcements, and public records. As a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, AIPAC is legally required to file Form 990 annually with the Internal Revenue Service, and these filings are public documents. However, IRS regulations allow organizations up to eleven months after their fiscal year ends to submit these forms, meaning publicly available data typically lags by approximately one year. This inherent delay underscores why AIPAC—like most major organizations of its size and influence—should maintain a current, public-facing leadership page identifying its board members and senior executives. The absence of such transparency from AIPAC necessitates this project. We are committed to accuracy and will update these profiles as new information becomes available. If you have corrections, updates, or additional sourced information, please contact us at advocacy@dawnmena.org.
