97Percent, whose mission is to reduce gun deaths by including gun owners in the solutions, has appointed Olivia Troye as the organization’s Executive Director. Ms. Troye is a highly regarded public policy expert who served in the White House as a senior advisor to former Vice President Mike Pence and has held a number of senior national security roles during her career. Since its founding in 2020, 97Percent has worked to reduce gun deaths by bringing gun owners to the table, conducting research, and leveraging technology to address issues we all agree upon that will make our communities safer.
Ms. Troye’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for gun safety issues as the 2024 election cycle begins and ahead of the Supreme Court’s review of the Fifth Circuit’s decision in United States v. Rahimi, which held unconstitutional a federal law that prohibits individuals subject to domestic violence protection orders from possessing firearms. 97Percent recently submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court, arguing for the reversal of the appellate court’s decision.
A native of El Paso, Texas, Ms. Troye first became involved with 97Percent in 2022 as a member of the advisory board. Following a shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall in her hometown, she wrote an op-ed in the El Paso Times calling for four specific policy changes supported by gun owners that 97Percent’s research shows could reduce gun-related homicides by 28% and gun-related suicides by 6%. She then testified before the Michigan state legislature about two of the policies – red flag laws and universal background checks – both of which Michigan went on to pass.
“Olivia is an extraordinary leader with deep experience in homeland security. She knows first-hand the challenges faced by state and local law enforcement, as well as the federal government, when it comes to the changes required to save lives,” said 97Percent Co-founder Adam Miller. “As Executive Director, Olivia will help us further elevate our work to reduce gun deaths and to ensure our solutions protect the Second Amendment during this crucial time in our country,” added Mr. Miller.
“As a gun owner, I look forward to leading our efforts to advance common-ground, research-backed solutions that will save American lives, while also safeguarding the right to bear arms,” said Ms. Troye. “Gun violence doesn’t distinguish between gun owners or non-gun owners, Democrats, Republicans or Independents. I am committed to amplifying the voice of gun owners in order to advance policies that make our country safer,” added Ms. Troye.
97Percent will be releasing new data this month from a poll of 2,000+ gun owners across the country, conducted by Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson and Democratic pollster Geoffrey Garin.
About 97Percent
97Percent‘s mission is to reduce gun deaths by including gun owners in the solutions. We believe the key to doing so is to bring gun owners to the table, conduct research, and leverage technology to address issues we all agree upon that will make our communities safer.
Our name was inspired by a 2018 Quinnipiac University poll, which found that 97% of Americans support universal background checks – a figure that represents unprecedented agreement on gun safety, despite many believing the issue is intractable.
