Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Recognized by The Hill as a Top Lobbyist five years in a row (2021-2025). Proactive, results-oriented, and vision-driven government relations director with more than 25 years of experience in federal engagement, public affairs, grassroots campaigns, and intellectual property and marketing matters, helping organizations develop lobbying strategies and funding streams that deliver technical assistance, educational information, capital investments, and capacity building to targeted communities. Experience in driving government affairs communications, advocacy campaigns, and public policy development. Grant management expertise including organization, research, administration, and close-out. Demonstrates exceptional leadership through sound decision-making and strong organizational skills; able to motivate cooperation of staff and volunteers to achieve effective government advocacy. Committed to inclusiveness, with the ability to work effectively with diverse groups and key community leaders and organizations; utilizes excellent public speaking, written communication, and interpersonal skills in establishing and cultivating strategic partnerships and key alliances. Herder of cats.
• Lead state-level advocacy efforts by engaging Governors, executive agencies, and key stakeholders to influence policy outcomes. • Provide strategic counsel on legislative and regulatory issues impacting clients across infrastructure, energy, transportation, technology, telecommunications, tax, and trade. • Develop and execute comprehensive government relations strategies that align public policy objectives with business priorities. • Cultivate bipartisan relationships with policymakers, agency officials, industry associations, and coalition partners to advance client interests. • Identify emerging policy opportunities and risks while delivering actionable legislative and regulatory analysis to clients.
• Advised Governors and NGA leadership on legislative landscape and regulatory activity related to infrastructure, transportation, natural resources, energy, environment, land management, economic and community development, commerce, telecommunications, public finance, tax, and international trade. • Developed legislative strategy on key policy priorities and enhance the effectiveness of Governors' pro-growth agenda by maintaining high visibility on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies. • Successfully lobbied for the passage and enactment of Covid state-stabilization funding, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the reauthorization of the U.S. Economic Development Administration. • Lead Covid-19 recovery efforts for states and territories, working with the Treasury Department on regulations and compliance to support maximum economic impacts. • Represented NGA before the the White House, Members of Congress and their committees, and federal agencies. • Cultivated bipartisan consensus among Governors, their staff, and other key stakeholders. • Supervised government relations staff in the preparation of Congressional testimony, briefings, memos, draft policy statements, and other advocacy materials and activities.
• Created and oversaw the overall policy vision, development, and implementation of a multi-million dollar federal grants program to support The Trust for Public Land’s 30 field offices, focusing on land-use projects, which included park acquisition, design, and development in urban and metropolitan areas. • Cultivated and fostered relationships with federal agency and NGO partners to create strategic partnerships, resulting in more than 30 agency awards and cooperative agreements, totaling $4 million from 6 new agencies/program areas (DOT, EPA, HUD, NEA, NOAA, and NPS). • Monitored and advocated for appropriations and authorizations for funding that assists communities in developing or redeveloping urban parks and natural areas, securing plus-ups for nearly all accounts over each fiscal year. • Led urban policy development for Congressional outreach and annual Day on the Hill volunteer activities. • Supervised federal program staff and coordinated with state/field staff on preparation of grant applications for federal public agency funding, including researching, writing project descriptions, editing text prepared by project staff and partners, and coordinating the design of proposals with project administrative staff. • Conducted outreach presentations at public agencies, conferences, and workshops.
• Directed government affairs program, representing the Museum in high-level meetings with Congress, foreign embassies, federal agencies, and state/local elected officials on design, planning, and sustainability issues. • Lobbied for Congressional appropriations for the National Endowment for the Arts and Department of Interior accounts. • Identified and created opportunities to communicate the value of the building arts and sciences and their impact on people’s lives. • Drafted and managed grants and contracts for public programming, education, research, and outreach.
• Implemented national projects and programs relating to sustainability, economic development, planning, federal capacity building, and local technical assistance (U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Department of Transportation grants). • Project manager coordinating annual symposia, educational exhibits, and nationwide workshops. • Managed APA campaigns and initiatives, such as Great Places in America and Rebuilding America. • Promoted sustainability, planning, and design best-practices at conferences, panels, and awards juries.