▁Rock ies , ▁a ▁non pro fit ▁corpor ation ▁that ▁provides ▁economic ▁education ▁and ▁civ ic - le ad ership ▁training ▁in ▁Colorado . ▁Sch af fer ▁is ▁a ▁regular ▁column ist ▁for ▁the ▁Fort ▁Collins ▁Colorado an ▁daily ▁newspaper . ▁Sch af fer ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁opinion ▁column ist ▁for ▁the ▁now - def unct ▁Northern ▁Colorado ▁Cou rier . ▁ ▁Colorado ▁League ▁of ▁Char ter ▁School s ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Sch af fer ▁has ▁been ▁chairman ▁of ▁Le ad ership ▁Program ▁of ▁the ▁Rock ies , ▁a ▁non pro fit ▁organization ▁providing ▁economic ▁education ▁and ▁civ ic - le ad ership ▁training ▁in ▁Colorado . ▁ ▁Republican ▁National ▁Committee ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Sch af fer ▁was ▁elected ▁Republican ▁National ▁Comm itte eman ▁for ▁Colorado . ▁ ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Board ▁of ▁Education ▁Sch af fer ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁fill ▁a ▁vac ancy ▁on ▁the ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Board ▁of ▁Education ▁by ▁a ▁party ▁vac ancy ▁committee , ▁representing ▁a ▁district ▁that ▁is ▁cot erm in ous ▁with ▁the ▁state ' s ▁Four th ▁Cong r essional ▁District . ▁He ▁successfully ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁seat ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁against ▁Dem ocrat ▁Tom ▁Gr ig gs . ▁In ▁January , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Sch af fer ▁was ▁made ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Board ▁of ▁Education ▁with ▁a ▁un anim ous ▁decision ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁Republican ▁and ▁three ▁Democratic ▁board ▁members . ▁Fellow ▁board ▁members ▁elected ▁Sch af fer