[1] Once referred to as "the most powerful woman in Ottawa,"[2] she is currently advisor to federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and operates her own consulting firm, Jenni Byrne + Associates.
Her father is a carpenter who joined the Reform Party in the 1990s to protest the long-gun registry enacted as part of the Firearms Act, introduced by the Liberal government of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
Her sister, Jerra Kosick (nee Byrne), is also involved with the Conservative Party of Canada, most recently serving as the chief of staff to Minister Michelle Rempel.
Between elections, Byrne served in several roles in the Prime Minister's Office, including advisor to Chief of Staff Ian Brodie and Director of Issues Management, and at the headquarters of the Conservative Party of Canada.
She served as campaign manager of the machine designed and largely still run by Finley, taking the pressure off him to allow his pursuit of cancer treatment.
"[7] In August 2013, Byrne left her job as the Conservative Director of Political Operations and returned to the Prime Minister's Office as co-Deputy Chief of Staff.
While her specific role in the CPC is simply that of an advisor, political commentators generally describe Byrne as Poilievre's right hand and chief strategist.
[15][16] Her role in Poilievre's campaign has created controversy because her consulting firm "Jenni Byrne + Associates" has multiple lobbyists registered on behalf of Loblaws.