The Political Life (Jim O'Brien)

This week Jim chats with Ryan Shay, the Director of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs at Faegre Drinker, about current events on the Hill.

Ryan Shay is a Capitol Hill veteran and former legislative director with the policy experience, political insight, and relationships in the legislative and executive branches to advance clients’ legislative and regulatory goals. For more than seven years, he served on active legislative teams in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives and successfully led the policy development, legislative strategy and advocacy execution to secure multiple legislative provisions into federal law to improve our nation’s health care policies. After working in three different state delegations, Ryan has a strong track record of delivering meaningful health policy results even as Congress responded to opioid/heroin epidemic, the Zika outbreak, MACRA implementation, efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), prescription drug debates and the unprecedented policy challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Tom Manatos is the Vice President of Government Relations at Spotify. Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming subscription service with a community of 207 million users, including 96 million subscribers, across 79 markets. They are the largest driver of revenue to the music business today.

Tom is also the founder of Tom Manatos Jobs - one of the top jobs lists on Capitol Hill and in Washington D.C. In this episode, Tom shares his extensive experiences in politics, such as working for the Speaker of the House and the DNC.

• Tom Manatos is from Montgomery County, Maryland
• Tom graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in Communications, and received an M.A. in Government from Johns Hopkins University.
• He was a Senate Page at 16, waking up Senator Ted Kennedy from naps to go vote.
• Tom worked for Nancy Pelosi from 2002-2011, starting as an intern in her office when she was the House Whip, and ending as Senior Advisor for Member Services when she was Speaker of the House.
• Tom served as Senior Advisor to the Democratic National Committee Chair.
• He served as the Deputy Director of Protocol on the Presidential Inaugural Committee for Barack Obama in 2012.
• Tom then worked as the Vice President, Federal Government Affairs at the Internet Association.

On working for Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “From a historical perspective, I got to see members of congress reacting to a woman telling them what to do, and encouraging them what to do for the first time, and that was incredible.”

Tom created an email-based jobs list while working on the Hill, whereby he would forward job postings to folks looking for jobs in the D.C. area. After leaving the Hill, he created Tom Manatos Jobs one of the go-to job sites in D.C. The site now has over 14,000 subscribers, sharing bipartisan job openings. We encourage listeners and anyone looking for jobs or internships to check it out! You can receive daily emails with new jobs openings every day.

At Spotify, Tom manages the federal government affairs operations in D.C. Spotify offers music and tech internships with applications opening in the fall for the following summer.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Today on the show we have Qiana Patterson, Vice President of Strategic Development for HopSkipDrive. Qiana is a former educator who brought her teaching skills to the tech industry. Qiana talks to us about her move from the classroom to tech and what she sees for the future of school transportation.

HopSkipDrive uses sophisticated technology to provide safe and reliable transportation for schools and families.

• Qiana received her BA from the University of Washington and her MBA from the University of Southern California
• Following her graduation, Qiana became an educator and then dean of a middle school.
• After seven years as a traditional educator, Qiana left the classroom to work for Educational Networks, Inc.
• Qiana held many positions during her time at Educational Networks, Inc, from Product Manager to Senior Vice President of Operations.
• Qiana then became the founding Chief Operating Officer of Edlio, Inc.
• Following Edilo, Inc., Qiana went to work for HopSkipDrive where she currently serves as the Vice President of Strategic Development.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@TheLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates

This week we discuss the New Jersey Governor's race with Gerry Gibbs, a founding principal at the Trenton, New Jersey-based Capital Impact Group (CIG).

Gerry’s areas of focus are business development and financial services where he utilizes his extensive networks and expertise on behalf of his clients.

Prior to founding CIG, Gerry held high-level positions at the New Jersey Department of Treasury, serving under as Assistant State Treasurer and Director of the Legislative Affairs Unit which assists and oversees the annual budget process.  Working with Republicans and Democrats alike, the legislative unit also handled legislator’s constituent requests.  While at Treasury, he helped implement the State Alternative Investment Program which invested a portion of the State’s $70 billion pension portfolio to outside money managers and oversaw the Division of Public Finance, Pensions and Investments.

He was a presidential appointee in the Clinton Administration, serving in the U.S. Department of Labor in the Secretary’s public affairs office where he was responsible for preparation of briefing materials for use by department officials; and in the U.S. Department of Commerce where he was responsible for the advance planning for all logistic arrangements for domestic and international travel for the Secretary of Commerce.

He has extensive political campaign experience serving as senior adviser to legislative and gubernatorial candidates, political director in New Jersey for the presidential campaign of Al Gore, and national advance staff member for President William J. Clinton’s re-election campaign.

Most recently, Gerry served as part of an informal policy team to then Gubernatorial Candidate Ambassador Phil Murphy and after the campaign served as member of the Governor-Elect’s Budget Transition Team.

Gerry started his professional career as a legislative assistant for Congressman Donald M. Payne for four years. He founded the New Generation Leadership PAC, a bipartisan organization which raised money for and supported progressive congressional candidates.

A graduate of Howard University with a BA in Political Science, Gerry also holds Series 7 and 63 securities licenses and is a founding principal at Capital Impact Group.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Christina Fisher is the Executive Director for Massachusetts and the Northeast at TechNet, a trade association that represents over 80 technology companies. TechNet provides a face for the technology community. Christina talks tech, testimony, and public policy. 

• She attended American University for her B.A. in Political Science and received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.
• She served as a Fellow at the Marshall Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project.
• She moved up from an unpaid intern position to working as a Senior Research Analyst at the Massachusetts State House, and later worked as Committee Counsel, where she gained experience bill drafting.
• She transitioned to the private sector to work as Senior Manager for Policy at Bloom Energy.

Christina shares her passion for giving public testimony and shares her tips and tricks. For college students in the Boston area interested in interning at Technet or chatting with Christina she encourages you to connect with her on Linkedin.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Today's episode features the returning guest, A.J. Bingham, Founder and CEO of The Bingham Group, LLC. An Austin, TX based lobbyist, we previously discussed A.J.'s journey to launching Bingham Group. He is joined by Andrew Cates, a recent addition to Bingham Group, who will head up Bingham Group's work at the Texas Legislature as a Managing Principal. 

The Bingham Group, LLC is a full service lobbying firm representing clients before municipal governments in Austin Metro, and the legislative and executive branches of Texas government.

Bingham Group produces their own weekly podcast titled “The BG Podcast ” where they interview Austin’s leaders and influencers. “A conversation at the intersection of business, policy and community.” You can find the podcast on sound cloud, Google play or iTunes.   

To continue the conversation with A.J. and Andy you can connect with them via the following platforms

Instagram: @binghamgroup

Twitter: @binghamgp

Facebook

LinkedIn 

BG Podcast

Email: aj@binghamgp.com and andrew@binghamgp.com

www.binghamgp.com

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly update

Lucy Gettman is the Executive Director of Women in Government , a non-partisan, non-profit organization that advocates for women state legislators. Women in Government offers training for women who are planning to run for office, and support for women in office. They also hold professional development workshops.

• Gettman was raised in Syracuse, New York.
• Gettman holds a BA in English from SUNY Cortland, and a dual MA in Public Administration and MA in Social Work from Ohio State University. She also holds a graduate certificate in Women, Politics, and Political Leadership from American University.
• Lucy's first government experience was working in the Ohio State House during graduate school.
• She then spent 3 years working in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
• Lucy had a long career lobbying in the education space at the  National School Boards Association, representing 90,000 local school boards.
• Currently, she is also an Adjunct Professor at American University's Department of Public Affairs.
• She has spent the past two years as Executive Director for Women in Government.

“Every job we ever have, all of us, can create opportunity for the future, and maybe when we least expect them because it happens 20 years later!”

Women in Government hosts an annual Future Women in Government conference where emerging leaders from colleges and communities gain mentorship from current women political leaders.  

Women in Government offers several Internship/Career opportunities.

Find Women in Government on Facebook and Twitter @WomenInGovt to learn more about upcoming events!

Follow #connectlegislativeleaders to see more of the work of Women in Government

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Today on the show we welcome back Chris Massey, the Operating Partner, Government Relations & Public Affairs at Craft Ventures.

Craft Ventures is an early-stage and growth fund dedicated to the craft of building great companies. Comprised of entrepreneurs and operators, they're a team of founders helping founders.

Chris provides us with a recap of the All-in Summit, which recently took place in Miami. Featured speakers included Elon Musk, Nate Silver, Tim Urban, and more. 

He also covers what an impending recession could mean for the government relations industry. Specifically, he touches on the potential for a decrease in spending on GR by startups. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Today's episode was recorded at CES, the world's largest consumer electronics trade show, held in Las Vegas, Nevada. While at CES, we had the opportunity to sit down with Brian Chase, Director of Global Government Affairs & Public Policy at Bell Flight. Bell had one of the best exhibits at CES, where it displayed Nexus, their new all-electric flying vehicle. Brian talked to us about Nexus, what he sees as the future of flying vehicles, and how his passion for space landed him at Bell.

Bell Flight is an innovative aerospace manufacturer producing 60% of today's helicopters, and working to create the next generation of flying vehicles. Bell has a long history of being on the cutting edge of aerospace technology - it was the first to break the sound barrier, the first to certify a commercial helicopter, and it was part of NASA's first lunar mission.

• Brian attended The University of Texas as an engineering student, where he was able to spend time working at NASA as part of the university's co-op program.
• After two years in the program, Brian made the switch to economics.
• He made his move into politics by working for Congressman Dave Weldon of Florida, who represented Florida's space coast.
• Brian held many positions during his time with Congressman Weldon. His duties included legislative aide, press secretary, and campaign manager.
• After working on the hill for a few more years, Brian went to work for the Bush administration as NASA's Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs.
• After a few years at NASA, Brian transitioned back to Texas and started working at Bell flight.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@theLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Rich Gold returns to the podcast to talk with Jim about the looming debt limit in Washington D.C, why this issue of coming to an agreement is so important, and what could happen if no agreement is made.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• How things are going at Holland & Knight.

• An update on the debt limit negotiations.

• What makes this different than the last time it happened?

• A recap of where the negotiating started and where it is now.

  • What the Republicans want

  • What the Democrats are trying to do to compromise with the Republicans

• What would need to happen for the Republicans to get everything they want and why it's not realistic?

• Why the current options won't get enough votes to go through?

• Balancing the right amount of budget cuts.

• Will they eventually come to a comprise at the end of the day?

• What happens if they don't?

• Why it's not a good idea to cut a deal right before the deadline and what happened last time a deal was cut before the deadline.

  • The real-world impacts that occurred.

• Can a divided government happen with a Republican president and Democrats controlling Congress?

  • The shift of the Republican party.

• What could happen if a Republican votes and Donald Trump doesn't approve of it.

• Work requirements.

• The significance of agreeing to freeze the limit.

• Is the military budget increase normal or for something specific?

• What makes up the budget deficit?

• Who Rich will have as his special guest when he hosts the podcast!

Rich Gold is the leader of Holland & Knight's Public Policy & Regulation Group and focuses his practice at the intersection of complex policy and political issues involving Congress, the executive branch and the media. Rich Gold is the leader of the firm's Public Policy & Regulation Group and focuses his practice at the intersection of complex policy and political issues involving Congress, the executive branch and the media.

The Public Policy & Regulation Group has been ranked among the top law and lobbying firms in Washington by publications including American Lawyer's Influence Magazine, Legal 500 United States guide, Financial Times and U.S. News - Best Lawyers guide. Mr. Gold has been recognized as a top lobbyist in Washington by The Hill, The National Journal, Washington SmartCEO, Super Lawyers and The Washington Business Journal, as well as one of Washingtonian Magazine's 500 Most Influential People Shaping Policy for the past two years.

In addition, Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide has recognized Mr. Gold since 2007. He is one of only three practitioners ranked as Band 1 in Chambers USA Nationwide Government Relations category, the highest ranking one can receive in Chambers.

Mr. Gold served in the U.S. Senate for Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) as his advisor on environmental affairs where he worked on issues related to environmental side agreements of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). During the Clinton administration, he was a special assistant to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Carol Browner, with whom he helped develop the EPA's Superfund reform proposal and its administrative improvements package. Mr. Gold also served as a career lawyer in the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and Office of General Counsel, working on major rule makings as well as significant Superfund cases.

Mr. Gold approaches political and policy problems from the perspective of campaign-style advocacy – forming, developing and executing issue-advocacy campaigns that incorporate lobbying, regulatory lawyering, traditional and social media, and grassroots engagement to break through the noise in Washington and achieve client goals. Mr. Gold has engaged for individual companies, trade associations and coalitions on the issues of the day ranging from climate change legislation and regulations and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform to trade legislation, corporate tax reform, as well as major U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reform legislation and financial services legislation.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe! Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net  Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Christopher Badgley is the Executive Director and CEO of the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO), which represents dental practitioners across the U.S. This includes HR, tech support, financing, and the administrative functions of the dental industry. Badgley spent much of his career in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry.

• He obtained a B.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
• Christopher spent 18 years working for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, where he started as a sales representative and ended as the Executive Director of State Government Affairs.
• He then served as the Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs at PhRMA, and Senior Vice President of State Government Affairs for TechAmerica, a trade association for tech companies in the U.S.
• Prior to his role in ADSO, he also worked at Daiichi Sanko, a Japanese pharmaceutical company.

“Working at a trade association, you have to listen to a lot of voices, knowing they are competitors. You have to be able to dance that dance, and that is what makes trade associations fun.”

The DSO business model in the dental industry allows dentists to focus on patients and clinical aspects, while contracting the back of house functions of the practice to the member companies of ADSO.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

This week Jim chats with Amy Andryszak from Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) about the short- and long-term concerns regarding the significant role of natural gas as a major resource for the foreseeable future in this country.

Amy Andryszak was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) and the INGAA Foundation in 2020. INGAA represents natural gas transmission and storage companies who operate over 200,000 miles of pipeline and related infrastructure that safely transport natural gas from where it is produced to where it is consumed.

Since her appointment in 2020, Ms. Andryszak spearheaded the organization’s 2021 Vision Forward, a comprehensive set of climate change commitments that focuses on modernizing our nation’s interstate natural gas infrastructure with the goal of reducing emissions and minimizing climate impacts.

Prior to joining INGAA in 2020, Ms. Andryszak served as a Principal at a Washington, DC-based government relations firm where she managed a portfolio of clients across a range of policy areas, including energy and related infrastructure, telecommunications, travel and tourism, and financial services. With more than two decades of political and advocacy experience, Ms. Andryszak has held various leadership and executive positions in the U.S. House of Representatives and the private sector.

Ms. Andryszak received a bachelor's degree from The Pennsylvania State University. Ms. Andryszak lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband and daughter.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

• Michael Bloomfield grew up in Cleveland, Ohio before attending the University of Michigan
• He began his career in politics working as an unpaid Senate staffer, which he parlayed into a foreign policy position with Sen. Ted Kennedy
• After running a few local campaigns in college, he went back to Capitol Hill and worked as a staffer to Sen. Howard Metzenbaum and Sen. Don Riegle
• Following a brief stint with a family investment business, he joined AIPAC, and was with them for roughly 10 years, rising to the rank of Political Director
• At the time he was with AIPAC, the organization had about 100 staffers - it has since almost tripled in size
• He has been with his current firm, the Mellman Group, for almost 20 years
• The Mellman Group is a polling and market research firm, which does work for political campaigns, industry groups, companies, and non-profits
• The polling/surveying industry is rapidly changing, thanks in part to the advent of the internet and cell phones
• Despite the changes, however, live-call polling is still the most effective form of polling 
• Michael is an avid marathon runner

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Rhod Shaw is the Principal and President of the Alpine Group, a bipartisan, bicameral government affairs consulting firm located on Capitol Hill. The Alpine Group's clients include Fortune 100 companies, private equity firms, trade associations, local governments and more.

Rhod brings over 20 years of high-level government experience to the Alpine Group. Rhod's experience includes work affecting industries such as telecommunications, energy, automotive, technology, financial services, and those requiring the protection of intellectual property rights.

Rhod attended Franklin & Marshall College, and worked in senior leadership positions for a number of members of congress before joining the Alpine Group. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com.

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Lawrence Jackson is a former official White House staff photographer for President Barack Obama, and currently serves as the official White House photographer for Vice President Kamala Harris. 

When Lawrence Jackson took the job as White House photographer in early 2009, he knew he’d have a front row seat to history. What he didn’t expect was the deep personal connection he would feel, as a fellow African American, with the President of the United States.

Yes We Did is filled with Lawrence’s intimate photographs and reflections, as well as first-person recollections from President Obama, everyday citizens, and notable personalities including Bono, Stephen Curry, Valerie Jarrett, Admiral Mike Mullen, and others. The book is a celebration of the most inclusive and representative White House in history – where in between momentous and pivotal decisions, the President and First Lady opened the doors of the People’s House to schoolkids, athletes, senior citizens, hip-hop artists, and more.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

• An overlook of the deal that was made
• How it all started
• What is the outcome of the deal that was made?
• Bi-partisan legislation
• The adoption of Biden's defense budget
• Shelanda Young and her role in the negotiations
• Republicans trying to take credit for things in the deal.
• Putting off the debit ceiling until after Biden's presidency.
• How the democrat president always comes out on top.
• Will there be inner party friction on the Republican's side due to some not getting everything they wanted?
• The inner friction that is already happening on the Republican's side.
• What is the price of peace?
• Can there be peace?
• How McKarthy was voted in.
• The most connected thing legislatively to this issue.
• Why appropriation bills haven't gone across the floor in the Senate.
• Why Marty is skeptical about the deal that was made.

On today's special live episode, we sit down with Katie Kincaid, Director of Public Affairs, and David Mack, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Eaze. Katie and David talk about their experiences at Lyft, what it's like working in the cannabis industry, and answer audience questions.

This episode was recorded on November 8th, 2019 at Dentons, in Washington, D.C. 

Special thanks to our sponsor, State & Federal Communications - trusted experts on lobbying compliance laws & required reporting, with over 25 years of experience. 

Eaze is an online marketplace and technology platform that provides legal access to cannabis through safe and convenient delivery. Eaze's technology helps local cannabis retailers run compliant on-demand delivery, and their online marketplace gives consumers a seamless e-commerce experience alongside information on product selection and safe consumption. 

• As the Director of Public Affairs, Katie establishes partnerships with grasstops organizations and creates campaigns to educate key policymakers with the objective of advancing delivery as an important option for the legal cannabis marketplace. 
• David oversees government affairs, community relations, communications, research, and social impact work across the platform’s U.S. markets.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Geoffrey Becker is Director, State Government Affairs for Medtronic -  a global leader in medical technology, services, and solutions. He covers sixteen states for Medtronic by working to partner with policymakers, healthcare professionals, and industry stakeholders to advance new ways to develop solutions to deliver better patient outcomes. 

Geoffrey has had a number of high-level jobs in government affairs and state politics. He's been a deputy chief of staff to the Governor of Florida, Executive Director of the Florida GOP, and has held contract and in-house government affairs roles.

We discuss Geoffrey's career, and what it's been like to be a part of the push to build and deliver ventilators in response to COVID-19. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Founded in 1966 by legendary political consultant Joe Cerrell, Cerrell Associates is ranked as one of the nation’s largest independent public relations firms, providing its diverse client base with a full range of public affairs, political consulting, issues management, land-use and advocacy services. Cerrell Associates works with many of the country’s most high-profile corporate, non-profit, political, environmental and trade associations.

• Cerrell Associates was founded in 1966 by Joe & Lee Cerrell
• Currently, there are 22 people on staff
• Hal was born and raised in Springfield, MA, and graduated from UMass Amherst with an undergraduate degree and a masters degree in communications
• He started his career in radio, and moved to California in 1972
• Hal met Joe Cerrell when Hal was a radio host in California, and eventually went to work for him in 1977
• Hal has been with the company ever since, and now owns it 
• Cerrell Associates is a full service firm - besides lobbying, they handle communications and stakeholder outreach

Interning at Cerrell Associates:

Cerrell Associates offers internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in public policy and public relations. They are looking for candidates with communications, public and media relations, political and/or government work experience. Please click here for an attachment with more information on how to apply, and for additional questions about the program please email Cerrell's intern coordination team at internships@cerrell.com.

Leonine Public Affairs is a public affairs firm specializing in government relations, lobbying, and campaign & association management. 

The firm does a significant amount of state government affairs and public relations in Vermont. It also runs FOCUS, a 50-state government affairs consulting and legislative tracking service that has become one of the premiere services in the country. FOCUS serves clients throughout the United States and internationally, including management of The Advocacy Group.

On the show today is Nick Sherman, who has been one of seven partners at Leonine Public Affairs (LPA) since 2014 and has served as president of LPA’s Government Affairs practice since 2019. 

Prior to becoming a partner, Nick worked as an associate lobbyist at LPA (then known as KSE Partners) since November of 2005. Before that, Nick worked as a musician and producer with various bands in the Burlington, Vermont area.

We also speak with Alexandra (Alex) MacLean, who is a Partner and President of Public Relations and Issue Campaigns at LPA. From 2008 to 2012 Alex worked for Governor Shumlin as his Chief of Staff in his capacity as Senate Pro Tem and then Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs and Deputy Chief of Staff once he was elected Governor. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Welcome to the Lobbying Show! We'll be posting episodes weekly on all things lobbying and government affairs related. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Stuart Thomson is the Head of Public Affairs at BDB Pitmans. He is a public policy and communications specialist advising clients on all elements of their public affairs strategies including political and corporate communications and reputation management. He is a CIPR Chartered PR Practitioner (Chart. PR).

His work also includes consultation and planning communications and he has advised on a number of high profile media relations and crisis communications programmes.

Stuart is an honorary research fellow at the University of Aberdeen and is the author of several books including ‘New Activism and the Corporate Response‘ (heralded as a book that “every aspiring business leader should read” by MIS Asia), ‘Public Affairs in Practice’ and ‘The Dictionary of Labour Quotations‘. His most recently published book, ‘Public Affairs: A Global Perspective’ has been called ‘an absolute treasure-trove’ and is a recommended read by the Government Communication Service (GCS).

Stuart regularly writes and lectures on a range of business and political issues and as well as blogging for BDB Pitmans he contributes to the Huffington Post and has a monthly opinion column for Finito World. He is an adviser to the Entrepreneurs Network (TEN), a speaker and chair at conferences, and has appeared regularly in the media.

He won the ‘Best Current Affairs Influencer’ category at Vuelio’s Online Influence Awards 2020.

Stuart runs a number of training programmes for the CIPR and PRCA including a Diploma in Public Affairs Management.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week we welcome Jonathan Oceguera to the podcast for a special pre-election-day episode to discuss the tight Senate and Gubernatorial races in Nevada as well as his unique entry-point into politics as a retired firefighter.

John runs Strategies 360’s Nevada operations, overseeing a diverse mix of clients from corporations and nonprofits to campaigns and candidates.

John formerly served as Speaker of the Nevada Assembly and was an elected representative in the Nevada Legislature for 12 years. He held a variety of leadership positions and chaired numerous committees, including Commerce and Labor, and Transportation. As Speaker of the Assembly in 2011, John worked with his colleagues in both houses and parties to ensure the state budget was balanced, while providing additional funding for education and other essential state services.

In addition to his legislative service, John had a 20-year career with the North Las Vegas Fire Department, working as firefighter, paramedic, engineer, captain, battalion chief and retiring as an assistant chief in 2011. As assistant chief, he developed, implemented a comprehensive emergency operations program, and managed 220 personnel and a multi-million-dollar budget.

John has also served on numerous boards and in many different leadership positions. He was named “Elected Official of the Year” by the American Heart Association and the National Association of Social Workers, Nevada Chapter.

John received a “Top 40 Under 40” award from In Business Las Vegas and was named “Consumer Advocate of the Year” by the Nevada Trial Lawyers. John’s most cherished honor was having his name placed on the Distinguished Service Wall at the Nevada Firefighters Memorial, joining only 17 other firefighters who have been so honored.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Ron is a Miami native with 15 years’ experience in public policy and government. Through his firm, November Strategies, he advised countless local, state and federal candidate and issue campaigns. Prior to REEF, Ron worked on the legislative team at the National Education Association’s Florida affiliate, the largest association of professional employees in the South.

He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A first-generation college student, he founded the school’s first Latino Center to advance opportunities for current and future Hispanic students.

Ron then continued his advocacy at the ACLU, defending and promoting civil liberties in Florida. Ron worked as Political Director for SEIU - the nation’s largest healthcare union, representing nurses, doctors, and healthcare professionals – in Miami.

He was named one of Miami’s “Leaders of the Future” by LatinoLeaders Magazine as and one of the “30-under-30 Rising Stars” in Florida Politics. For eight years, Ron served on the Board of Directors of Miami-Dade's oldest and largest LGBT advocacy organization SAVE.

Ron is of Venezuelan-Colombian heritage and lives on Miami Beach with his wife Maria and their husky Lola.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Gerardo Reyes is the founder of eRollCall, a collaboration platform that enables transparent & efficient management of roll call votes at state legislatures, and the U.S. Congress.

After receiving his undergraduate degree from Loyola University of Chicago and his law degree from IIT-Kent College of Law, Reyes began a successful legal career as a litigator in the Office of the Corporation Counsel - City of Chicago. He then went on to serve the Mayor in several appointments to key operational departments including the Department of Aviation, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Water.

In 1993, Reyes was appointed to the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs where he honed his lobbying efforts as the sole appropriations lobbyist for all city departments and sister agencies. In that capacity he monitored revenue levels for each successive state fiscal year, ensured maintenance of current grant funding levels, and lobbied for additional revenue funding pursuant to the Mayor's fiscal policies.

In 1997 he was appointed chief lobbyist for the office of the State’s Attorney – Cook County. Reyes developed legislative lobbying platform and strategy for the executive administration, and served as the legislative adviser to State's Attorney Richard A. Devine in issues pertaining to criminal and civil laws, including complex criminal and appellate litigation, consumer protection, utilities regulation, environmental laws, child support enforcement, labor laws and municipal taxation.

In 2001, Reyes helped form the lobbying firm of Joyce, Reyes & Williams, LLC, and, later, re-organized as Reyes, Williams & Associates, LLC. Presently, the firm operates as a sole legal practice under the Law Office of Gerardo Reyes. It currently represents both legislatively and legally numerous private and governmental clients in state and local levels.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Alison Pepper is the Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the American Association of Advertising Agencies, a trade association that represents a portfolio of over 700 clients. Pepper handles issues on the state and federal level related to data security and privacy.

• Born in Atlanta, Georgia.
• She studied Journalism at the University of Georgia.
• Received her J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law.
• Pepper’s first government job was working with the Georgia Senate
• While in Law school, she worked as a legal intern for Georgia's Secretary of the State and as a Legislative Affairs Intern for the Georgia Beverage Association
• Days after graduating law school, Pepper packed up and moved to D.C., landing a job working at the Public Affairs Council and Experian as a Legislative Affairs Analyst
• She also worked for the Interactive Advertising Bureau as Assistant General Counsel and as Senior Director of Public Policy.

“My favorite thing about this industry is that no day is the same as the day before.”

The New York Times article referenced in the show by Miriam Pawel about California Ballot measures, can be found here.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

As a co-founding member of Capital City Consulting, Nick Iarossi has worked on local, state, and federal government policy issues for over 20 years. Recently named by Influence Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Florida, Nick is considered the best in his field representing a diverse client base before Florida’s government including: financial services, insurance, environmental, gaming, retail, education, alcohol, information technology, tobacco, and procurement.

Over the years, Nick lobbied to pass countless pieces of legislation on behalf of his clients and secured over a billion dollars in legislative appropriations. Nick is often relied on by clients to assist on various public affairs aspects such as crisis management, message development, and political branding.

Before starting his firm, Nick practiced law and government affairs at a prominent Florida law firm after working in the Senate Majority Office and Office of Insurance Regulation as a law clerk. Nick graduated from Florida State University with honors, where he served as student body president and also received his JD from Florida State University Law School.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Kristina Howard is the Managing Director at Tusk Strategies, which specializes in helping companies analyze and navigate regulatory and political challenges at local, state and national levels.

Kristina provides strategic, legislative, and regulatory advice while managing multi-jurisdictional campaigns on behalf of Tusk clients.  

Kristina brings 15 years of experience working at the intersection of law, policy, and politics at two global law firms, the National Federation of Independent Business, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Massachusetts Legislature. She has managed issue and advocacy campaigns at the federal level and in all 50 states.

Her policy expertise is broad-based spanning privacy, healthcare, e-commerce, and gig-economy.  Kristina also draws upon her niche knowledge of having working with State Attorneys General in their role as regulator, policymaker, and politician.  

Kristina earned a B.S. Degree in Political Science from Northeastern University, where she graduated first in her class and a M.S. Degree in Political Science from American University, where she graduated with the highest honors. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Today we sit down with Jessica Duboff, the Vice President of the Center for Business Advocacy at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. 

• Jessica was born and raised in Los Angeles, and attended Cal Berkeley for undergrad.
• She then went on to earn a graduate degree at USC, and interned with Cerrell Associates while earning her degree, which was her first foray into politics.
• After graduating from USC, she took a position with Congresswoman Jane Harman and rose to the position of Deputy District Director
• Jessica then moved on to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, where she served as Public Policy Manager 
• Following her time at the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Jessica spent two years as a Senior Advisor to Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin
• She then returned to the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce as its VP of Public Policy
• We discuss transportation, homelessness, internet privacy, Los Angeles City Government, and much more!

Robert Grant is the VP of Government Affairs for Cruise, an autonomous vehicle company developing self-driving technology in San Francisco, CA - one of the world’s most demanding urban environments. In his role, he spearheads Cruise’s legislative, regulatory, and policy priorities throughout the United States and abroad.

Robert joined Cruise after spending more than 20 years working in and with governments, having held leadership positions in the United States Senate, the Department of Treasury, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Most recently, Robert led the global policy efforts for the self-driving startup, Aurora Innovation, and the ridesharing company, Lyft.

Robert earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from Tulane University School of Law. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Jordan See is Head of Government Relations at Qualtrics.  He is responsible for directing all government activities for Qualtrics' North American business operations. Jordan has over 14 years of experience working with the United States Congress, state legislatures, executive agencies, healthcare, and technology industries. Prior to joining Qualtrics, Jordan served as the Director of State and Federal Government Relations with Teladoc Health, where he managed a portfolio of issues ranging from telehealth, health technology, state Medicaid, and federal Medicare and Veteran Health issues. Jordan also served as Director of Government Affairs with Leidos, where he was responsible for directing government activities for Leidos’ $4.0 billion health technology business. Prior to joining Leidos, See served as the Legislative Director for U.S. Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), where he managed the Congressman’s legislative staff and congressional activities on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.  From 2010-2016, See served in roles of increasing responsibility for U.S Rep. Gregg Harper (MS-03), ultimately serving as Senior Legislative Assistant and Communications Director, where he served as the primary advisor to the Congressman on Healthcare issues related to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as Social Security, Financial Services, Small Business, Housing, Technology, and Veterans Health and Benefits issues. See serves as a commissioned Military Intelligence Officer (Major) in the United States Army Reserve, and is currently assigned as an Inspector General with the Military Intelligence Readiness Command at Ft. Belvoir, VA. From 2010-2019, See previously served as and enlisted Infantryman and a Military Intelligence Officer with the Mississippi Army National Guard. See holds a J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Florida in Anthropology/Geography. Go Gators!

Today we bring you another international episode, featuring Marcel Halma, the Global Director of Public Affairs & Government Relations at Nouryon. Marcel started his impressive career as a diplomat in the Netherlands at the age of 26. From there, he held various positions in government and the private sector, and has been with Nouryon since 2018. 

Nouryon is a global leader in specialty chemicals. Nouryon is a relatively new name, but it has a stunning 400 year history in the field - it was formerly a part of AkzoNobel. It has over 10,000 employees that operate in 80 countries around the world. 

• Marcel graduated from the University of Amsterdam with a minor in economics and a Masters in American Studies and Political Science.
• At the age of 26, Marcel’s dream of becoming a diplomat came true. Marcel spent roughly the next 15 years as a diplomat
• He then went to Brussels as Head of Communications of Minister for European Affairs Frans Timmermans
• After leaving government service, Marcel worked in the private sector for the next several years
• In 2018, Marcel joined Nouryon, where he is now the Global Director of Public Affairs.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@TheLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates

Jerry Cornfield started as a crime reporter in San Francisco and spent the better part of the last four decades covering politics and government in California and Washington. He worked in media for 12 years in Santa Barbara, reporting for daily and weekly newspapers, serving as editor-at-large for Santa Barbara magazine, producing and hosting a daily radio talk show, and appearing regularly as a political commentator on network TV. In 2004, he joined The Daily Herald of Everett where he worked 20 years as the statehouse reporter before helping launch the Washington State Standard in May 2023.

Today’s guest is Kelli Emerick, Founder and President of 121 Strategies & Government Relations, and Executive Director of the Secure ID Coalition. With over 12 years of experience in the tech industry, Kelli has an in-depth background in the areas of online child safety, identity management, information sharing, e-commerce, and privacy.  

• Kelli received her B.A. from the University of Southern California and her M.A. from George Washington University.
• While at USC, Kelli interned for President Ronald Reagan.
• Kelli’s first job after college was working for Mike Huffington’s U.S. Senate campaign in California. Kelli was part of Huffington’s communications team.
• Kelli moved to Washington, D.C., and eventually went to work for Fleishman-Hillard Public Relations
• Kelli then went on to found 121 Strategies & Government Relations

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@TheLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates

Katherine Hamilton is the Chair and cofounder of 38 North Solutions, a public policy firm focused on clean energy solutions. Hamilton is also a host of the podcast The Energy Gang, a weekly show about energy, green tech and the environment. Hamilton talks about the future of green technology, and current trends in environmental and energy legislation.

• Hamilton was born in Richmond, and raised in Lynchburg, VA.
• She studied English at Cornell University, and French Civilization at Paris-Sorbonne University.
• Hamilton worked as an engineer, then as a commercial energy auditor for Dominion Virginia Power.
• She then Served as President of GridWise Alliance, a non-profit business coalition.
• She is a former Policy Director for the Energy Storage Association.
• She cofounded 38 North Solutions in 2012.

“Don’t try to just be a lobbyist right away. Go and learn something; learn how things work.”

38 North Solutions is a public affairs firm that works for clients ranging from multi-national companies, to start-ups and trade associations, providing them with business development and government relations services.

Check out The Energy Gang for their weekly show to hear more from host Katherine Hamilton, and follow them on twitter @TheEnergyGang

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Laura Claster Bisesto is Head of Policy & Privacy at Nextdoor, where she leads Nextdoor’s privacy counseling program and is responsible for developing Nextdoor’s global product policy, public policy, and government relations programs. Laura has extensive experience advising technology companies at different stages of growth, including Lyft, Checkr and Verizon Media, which owns internet brands such as Yahoo, Aol, HuffPost, TechCrunch, and Tumblr, prior to divestiture.

Prior to going into tech, Laura spent five years as a Deputy District Attorney in San Diego and San Francisco counties where she served as lead prosecutor in over two dozen jury trials with charges that ranged from misdemeanors to serious and violent felonies.

Laura received her J.D. from U.C. Hastings. In law school, she externed for California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George, and after law school, she clerked for the California Supreme Court’s criminal central staff.   Laura is a proud Bruin and received her undergraduate degree from UCLA.

Laura lives in Orinda with her husband and son. She serves on the UC Hastings Alumni Association Board of Governors and volunteers on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), an organization that supports foster youth through advocacy and mentorship.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Former Governor of Puerto Rico Luis G. Fortuño is the head of Steptoe & Johnson's corporate practice. He represents investment funds and Fortune 500 companies in regulatory, public policy, public-private partnership (P3) and project finance, finance, and other corporate matters in the United States and throughout Latin America.

Luis' 12 years of government service includes serving as Puerto Rico’s governor and as its sole representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. Under his leadership as governor from 2009 to 2012, Luis's signature public-private partnerships law paved the way for two of the largest recent infrastructure investments in the U.S., one in Puerto Rico’s highway system and the island’s main international airport. Other P3 transactions during his tenure included schools, energy projects, and ferry services.

Luis served from 2005 to 2008 in the US House of Representatives, holding the roles of vice-president of his House Republican freshman class and later as vice-chair and then chair of the Congressional Hispanic Conference during the 109th and 110th Congresses, respectively. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

In this episode Chris, April, and Jim welcome back friend of the show Katie Kincaid to hear about her experiences traveling the world in the midst of a pandemic after leaving her position at Lyft for a journey of self-discovery which took her from Thailand to Myanmar to Croatia and ultimately to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Katie is a government relations and public affairs professional with extensive experience across all levels of government. Having worked in government, as a consultant, and in the private sector, Katie offers a unique perspective on how to mold and execute public policy and accompanying advocacy efforts for a variety of needs and objectives. Through these experiences, Katie has developed a strong network and keen understanding of political process.

April is the SVP of Public Policy at hims & hers, where her goal is to secure federal, state, and local healthcare policy that increases access and empowers patients.

And Chris is an Operating Partner on the Craft Ventures platform team focused on helping founders with issues related to government relations, public affairs, social impact, and diversity & inclusion.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

John Russell is a member of Dentons' Public Policy practice. Focusing on federal advocacy and strategic communications, John worked for nearly a decade on Capitol Hill, serving on the leadership staffs of a speaker, a House majority whip and the chairman of the House Campaign Committee. In his career, John has worked both extensively and effectively in the legislative, communications and campaign arenas.

Described by the National Journal's Richard Cohen as experienced and discreet, John has built and maintained strong relationships with members of Congress, as well as committee and personal office staffs. His strong and nuanced working knowledge of the policy, political and personal aspects of Washington, DC, allows him to design winning strategies to accomplish dynamic policy and market objectives. John was named a Top Lobbyist for 2018, 2019 and 2020 by The Hill newspaper.

John is devoted to improving literacy in California, Ohio and Washington, DC, and has served numerous nonprofits as a volunteer to help children improve reading skills.

John's sends out a weekly email - Washington on One Page - which captures what happened over the last week in DC, and what's coming in the week ahead. You can sign up by emailing him at john [dot] russell [at] dentons.com. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

April Mims is the SVP of Public Policy at hims & hers. Prior to taking this position, she worked as the Director of Public Policy at Lyft, where she negotiated new regulations for the ride-share industry back in her home state of Texas. April grew up outside of Houston before heading to North Carolina to earn her bachelor’s degree from Duke University; she later earned her J.D. at Georgetown University.

This week we welcome back friends of the show Chris Massey and April Mims (as co-hosts with Jim) as they have part one of a two-part discussion about where they first overlapped in the work world: Lyft. 

April is the SVP of Public Policy at hims & hers, where her goal is to secure federal, state, and local healthcare policy that increases access and empowers patients.

And Chris is an Operating Partner on the Craft Ventures platform team focused on helping founders with issues related to government relations, public affairs, social impact, and diversity & inclusion.

As this episode can attest, all roads seem to lead back to Lyft, which is the place where April's and Chris' professional paths first crossed back in 2014. Together, April and Chris lead the listeners through their joint experience working in the public policy department and shaping the message at Lyft in the early years of the app's development.

As a reminder, you'll be hearing more from Chris in the near future as we gear up to bring you coverage of the National Conference of State Legislatures, which will be hosted in Denver, Colorado, in early August.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Erik Iverson is President, and Hans Kaiser is a partner at Moore Information Group,  a full-service public opinion research firm offering a complete menu of quantitative and qualitative research services

As President and Managing Partner of Moore Information Group, Erik Iverson has nearly two decades of political and public affairs experience. His clients include members of the U.S. Senate and House, governors and other state and locally elected officials. A nationally recognized pollster and focus group moderator, Erik also provides strategic counsel and opinion research expertise to corporations, trade associations, hospitals and non-profits across America.

Hans Kaiser directs research projects for corporate and political clients, ranging from health care and energy companies to U.S. Senate and Congressional campaigns. Hans draws on more than 35 years of experience in business, public affairs and politics to provide his clients with a well-rounded perspective when designing and interpreting research data.

Since Hans began working for Moore Information Group in 1995, he has been instrumental in expanding the company’s political and corporate client base. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Laura Bisesto is the Head of Policy at Checkr. Checkr’s mission is to build a fairer future by improving understanding of the past. Their platform makes it easy for thousands of customers to hire millions of people every year.

Using Checkr’s advanced background check technology, companies of all sizes can better understand the dynamics of the changing workforce, bring transparency and fairness to their hiring, and ultimately build a better future for workers.

• Laura attended UCLA for her undergraduate degree, and attended law school at Hastings College of Law;
• After law school, Laura worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the City and County of San Francisco.
• From there, Laura headed to Lyft, where she became a Senior Public Policy Manager
• Laura then moved on to Oath (now known as Verizon Media) to serve as Head of State Public Policy
• In December of 2019, she became Checkr's first head of Policy, where she oversees federal, state, and local government affairs. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week we welcome back friends of the show Chris Massey and April Mims for part two of their recent discussion with Jim.

April is the SVP of Public Policy at hims & hers, where her goal is to secure federal, state, and local healthcare policy that increases access and empowers patients.

And Chris is an Operating Partner on the Craft Ventures platform team focused on helping founders with issues related to government relations, public affairs, social impact, and diversity & inclusion.

In this episode Chris, April, and Jim discuss the unique rewards and challenges of in-house government relations.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Abby Watson is the Head of Government Affairs for Siemens Gamesa, managing the company's state and federal policy agenda across North America. Siemens Gamesa is an international renewable energy company based in Spain. Abby chats about wind energy, lobbying, responding to RFPs, and the differences between east coast and west coast government relations work.

• She attended Penn State University, and earned her B.A. in Energy and Sustainability Policy. She is pursuing her Executive MBA from Villanova School of Business.
• Abby worked for a variety of renewable energy companies, including Astrum Solar and RealWinWin.
• She has worked with Siemens Gamesa for the last 8 years, and was originally hired as a development assistant.
• She is a Chapter Founder and Past President of Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Today we sit down with David Quam, Counsel and Co-leader of the Dentons 50 Network. David has an impressive résumé, and it’s clear from the start that he loves what he does. David talks to us about his time at the National Governor’s Association, the Dentons 50 Network, and the unexpected job offer that led him to a career in government relations. 

Dentons is the world’s largest law firm, operating in 74 countries and employing over 10,000 lawyers. In the U.S., Dentons has built a network of talent with expertise at the state and local level. The Dentons 50 Network is a comprehensive, centralized resource for any business faced with complex, multistate policy matters.

• David attended Duke University for his undergraduate studies and went on to Vanderbilt Law School, where he earned his J.D.
• After finishing law school, David moved to Maryland where he practiced law.
• After an unexpected job offer, David started working for the Senate Judiciary Committee. This career move sparked his interest in government and politics.
• Following his time with the Senate Judiciary Committee, David started working for the National Governors Association, where he served as the Director of the Office of Federal Relations and Deputy Executive Director.
• After 13 years at the National Governors Association, David moved to Dentons, where he serves as Co-leader of the Dentons 50 Network.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@TheLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Today we are joined by David Goldweitz, the founder and Chief Strategy Officer for Glamsquad, the on-demand in-home beauty service. Glamsquad is a significant innovator in the beauty industry, providing a platform that connects clients with salon professionals. Glamsquad offers in-home or offsite work opportunities for the 700,000+ cosmetology professionals active in the U.S.

• David was raised in Boston.
• He attended Harvard University where he earned an A.B. in History, and then earned an MBA in Real Estate from Columbia Business School.
• David worked as an analyst for Capital Properties Associates, and later became a Senior Credit Analyst for Dynamic Credit.
• He then served as the Director of Duff & Phelps, a Wall Street hedge fund, before founding Glamsquad with a friend.

 “The Mission of Glamsquad is to democratize the beauty industry, making it more accessible . . .”

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com.

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Terri Broussard Williams has built her career on a solid reputation as an authentic, courageous, and impactful change agent. Throughout her journey as an award-winning corporate lobbyist, non-profit executive, and public speaker, Terri has transformed public and community service into a professional art form, positively impacting the lives of millions of people.

John Russell is a member of Dentons' Public Policy practice. Focusing on federal advocacy and strategic communications, John worked for nearly a decade on Capitol Hill, serving on the leadership staffs of a speaker, a House majority whip and the chairman of the House Campaign Committee. In his career, John has worked both extensively and effectively in the legislative, communications and campaign arenas.

Described by the National Journal's Richard Cohen as experienced and discreet, John has built and maintained strong relationships with members of Congress, as well as committee and personal office staffs. His strong and nuanced working knowledge of the policy, political and personal aspects of Washington, DC, allows him to design winning strategies to accomplish dynamic policy and market objectives. John was named a Top Lobbyist for 2018, 2019 and 2020 by The Hill newspaper.

John is devoted to improving literacy in California, Ohio and Washington, DC, and has served numerous nonprofits as a volunteer to help children improve reading skills.

John's sends out a weekly email - Washington on One Page - which captures what happened over the last week in DC, and what's coming in the week ahead. You can sign up by emailing him at john [dot] russell [at] dentons.com. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Michael A. Nutter is a senior advisor in Dentons' Public Policy group and member of its Local Government Solutions team, composed of former local government elected and appointed officials who have played integral roles in city halls and county governments. This group works with local governments seeking solutions to complex challenges requiring an interdisciplinary approach.

A former mayor of Philadelphia, Michael's primary focus is now assisting local governments on achieving their economic development, financing and infrastructure goals, including advising on downtown and neighborhood revitalization, green cities initiatives, commercial adaptive reuse, tax credit financing, public-private partnerships, federal government advocacy, global trade missions and many other areas.

Michael brings to Dentons a strong government and public service background. After serving almost 15 years in the Philadelphia City Council, he became the 98th mayor of Pennsylvania's largest city in January 2008. At his inaugural address, Michael pledged to lower crime, improve educational attainment rates, make Philadelphia the greenest city in America, attract new businesses and residents to the city and, above all, to lead an ethical and transparent government focused on providing high-quality, efficient and effective customer service.

By the end of his tenure eight years later, homicides were down and high school graduations were up. The city added miles of bike lanes to its network of bicycle infrastructure. The city's population grew each year he was in office. The City Council passed his Actual Value Initiative, the city’s first-ever property assessment system overhaul, transforming a broken and corrupt system into a fair, accurate and understandable one. And thanks to Michael's strong financial stewardship, the city emerged from the worst economic recession since the Great Depression with its credit rating upgraded to the “A” category by the three major credit rating agencies—its best financial report card since the 1970s.

After leaving public service, Michael remained active in public policy, government and civic life. As founder and principal advisor of Michael A. Nutter Advisors LLC, he focused on policy development and thought leadership in the areas of education, governing and leadership, politics, public policy and public safety, advising clients on policymaking, media communications, strategy development, crisis management, government relations, political engagement and corporate governance.

At Dentons, Michael continues to leverage his experiences inside city hall as mayor and in his City Council seat. He has access to a broad national and international network of relationships developed over more than three decades, advising local governments on what works and what doesn't. He also provides strategic advice to private businesses and organizations, in the US and abroad, on how to develop or expand their relationships with US local governments.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week Jim welcomes Rob Vescio to the podcast to discuss the looming Pennsylvania Senate race and to break down the current political landscape in the state.

One of the original principals that launched Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Public Affairs, Rob is a seasoned professional with nearly 20 years of public affairs experience. If a major public policy debate is occurring in Pennsylvania, chances are, Rob is part of the discussion.

As a lobbyist, Rob has successfully lobbied on behalf of for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations and trade association clients. His vast experience and strong bi-partisan contacts have provided clients with the ability to shape issues.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

On today’s episode, we sit down with David London, Vice President of Public Policy & Politics at TechNet. Inspired by the internet boom of the '90s, David moved from Washington, D.C. to California to pursue a career in government affairs and the tech industry. David talks to us about his career path and the issues affecting the tech world.  

TechNet is the national, bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives that promotes the growth of the innovation economy by advocating in support of a targeted policy agenda at the federal and 50-state level.

• David is a native of Washington, D.C.
• He started his career in politics working for the Maryland Democratic Party
• David went on to work for Maryland State Senator Ulysses Currie.
• Following the internet boom, David moved to California and briefly worked for the Valley Transportation Authority.
• David then went on to work for Cisco, where he spent the next two years in customer advocacy.
• David’s next career move came when his former boss at Cisco offered him a job at eBay. He spent the next twelve years there in various roles.
• Following his time at eBay, David briefly worked for a startup, and then moved on to his current role at TechNet.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show.

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@TheLobbyingShow.com.

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

We are joined today by Rich Gold, who is a Partner at Holland & Knight, one of the largest lobbying firms in D.C., where he serves as a leader of the firm’s Public Policy and Regulation team.

Rich provides us with a real-time update on the status of the American Rescue Plan, the return of earmarks (now known as "community project funding"), and the next round of legislation that Congress will take up in the coming months. 

Be sure to check out Rich on Holland & Knight's new podcast - Eyes on Washington. In the inaugural episode of the podcast, Rich sits down with Quorum to discuss the return of earmarks. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week on the show we've got two Senior Policy Advisors from Holland & Knight's Regulatory & Government Affairs practice - Shawna Watley and Beth Viola.

Holland & Knight's government affairs practice been recognized among the top 10 federal lobbying and law firms in Washington, D.C., by Influence, National Journal, Roll Call and Washington Business Journal.

Shawna Watley is a senior policy professional and strategist with more than 16 years of experience in public policy, political, legislative and regulatory counseling, and creative solutions to corporate, nonprofit and governmental issues at the federal level. She has cultivated working relationships on the federal, state and local levels of government. This includes professional relationships with leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate, moderate Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Shawna was the principal owner of the Francis Group LLC, where she was retained by clients to lead efforts in government relations and develop strategy, programming and implementation for federal policy initiatives. She also previously served as director of congressional affairs for the Democratic Leadership Council and the Public Policy Institute, where she was responsible for the development of strategy, programming and implementation for the Congressional Affairs Department.

Shawna has a podcast - WIILD Courageous Conversations - for women invested in leadership development. She was also part of the team that produced "Colored My Mind," a film that won "Best Documentary" in the Emerging Filmmakers showcase at Cannes Film Festival 2013. 

Beth Viola is a senior policy advisor in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office where she is among the leadership team for the firm's Energy and Natural Resources Industry Sector Group. Ms. Viola focuses on energy and the environment, tax, trade, appropriations and public relations.

Beth has helped her clients impact federal energy legislation including the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and the Energy Policy Act of 2005. She has also guided clients through regulatory matters including the Clean Power Plan and implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. 

In addition to her domestic policy work, Ms. Viola has guided clients through major international climate negotiations, including United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings and development of the Paris Agreement, as well as Arctic climate issues and the Arctic Council. She frequently speaks on domestic and international energy and climate issues and has been quoted extensively in the media.

Previously, Beth served as a senior advisor to the White House Council on Environmental Quality. In this role, she advised the president, vice president and senior government officials on environmental and energy issues, concentrating on climate change, natural resources and smart growth. She was also the primary White House liaison on these issues to elected officials, industry, environmental, religious and labor leaders, as well as the media.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week we welcome newcomer Rachel Stern the show to chat with Jim about their shared enjoyment of NCSL as well as Rachel's work with InState Partners.

Rachel Stern is a Senior Vice President for InState Partners, a business line of Advantage Capital. As the founder of the business line, over the last decade she has invested in and advised InState’s extensive portfolio companies on how to foster effective partnerships between innovative technology solutions and state and local governments across the country.

Rachel is also a graduate of the CORO™ Fellows Program, an intensive, full-time, graduate-level fellowship in public affairs. Through CORO, she worked in multiple sectors of public affairs, including non-profits, public companies and private equity-backed businesses, state government and electoral campaigns.

She received her MBA from University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and her bachelor’s degree from Amherst College.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

On today's episode, we sit down with Matthew Lenz, Director of State Government Affairs at The Toy Association. Matthew's story is a great example of how important networking is to becoming successful in this industry. Matthew went from managing a restaurant, to Senior Policy Advisor to the Attorney General of Rhode Island, and is now a lobbyist.

The Toy Association is the not-for-profit trade association representing businesses that design, produce, license, and deliver toys and youth entertainment products. The Toy Association represents over 1,000 members from large toy companies to small mom and pop shops.

• Matthew attended the University of Rhode Island part-time while managing a restaurant in Warwick, RI
• After realizing he wanted to work in politics, Matt quit his restaurant job to pursue politics full-time
• He became former Attorney General Peter Kilmartin’s Deputy Campaign Manager
• Following Kilmartin’s win, he was appointed Executive Assistant to the Attorney General,
• Matthew then ran Kilmartin's reelection campaign, and became Kilmartin's Senior Policy Advisor during his next term in office
• Matthew then moved to his current position in the private sector at The Toy Association.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@theLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Charles Tassell is the Chief Operating Officer for the National Real Estate Investor Association (REIA), a trade organization representing 60,000 members from all walks of the real estate investment industry. Charles has a lot of experience working in local city government and in government affairs, specializing in real estate and land development. He is a man who wears many hats: COO, owner, and City Councilman! 

• Charles calls the Cincinnati area home.
• Charles' first political job was working as a campaign manager for a City Council race in Cincinnati, OH.
• He then worked in Cincinnati's City Hall in a range of capacities.
• He is currently a City Council member in Deer Park, Ohio.

Charles has helped develop policy for dozens of municipalities, counties, and states. He's worked on several pieces of legislation dealing with economic development, fair housing, and environmental issues. He also helps train local chapters of REIA in organizing, coalition building, and best practices for hiring contract lobbyists.

If you're in the Cincinnati area and interested in real estate development, Charles encourages you to reach out - he is happy to chat or grab lunch. 

Jenny Aghamalian leads the Public Affairs and Strategy team at Sedera - a non-profit Medical Cost Sharing community that offers an innovative, non-insurance approach for managing large health care costs. Jenny is part of the executive leadership team and reports directly to the CEO. Jenny oversees the company’s legislative and regulatory strategy, policy development and enterprise-wide communication.

Prior to joining Sedera, Jenny spent a decade as a public affairs executive for a fortune 100 insurer, with responsibility for state legislative and regulatory matters throughout a multi-state region. Jenny started her career as a policy analyst for a bi-partisan Texas legislative caucus, followed by roles in the Capitol offices of several Texas legislators. Her passion for healthcare policy stems from time spent as a lobbyist for more than 50,000 physician members of the Texas Medical Association.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Cristina Antelo is a founding principal at Ferox Strategies. Cristina has spent more than a decade representing multinational corporations at Washington’s best-known government relations firms.

She began her lobbying career in 2004, representing Fortune 500 clients at top-ranked, bipartisan government and public affairs firms in Washington, D.C. Her past clients include major chain retailers, spirits companies, national theme and amusement parks, pharmaceutical firms, and nutrition and wellness companies. Her policy areas of expertise include financial services, tax, trade, border security, transportation and infrastructure, and crisis management.

She has been featured in Washingtonian magazine in “Success Stories of Washingtonians of Latino and Hispanic Descent” and identified as a "Top Lawyer," “Power Player,” and “Most Influential 40 and Under Leader” in other regional publications.

As a founding member and former President of the Hispanic Lobbyists Association and a long stint as the interim CEO of the non-profit Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), Cristina has served as both a leader and an advocate, promoting communication, ethics, education, and bipartisanship.

Before transitioning to government relations, in the early 2000s Cristina worked as a Wall Street investment banker and wealth management advisor at major Wall Street firms including Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. She also served as a legal fellow with the Senate Democratic Steering Committee, then chaired by former Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Tom Daschle (D-SD).

Today, Cristina is active in charitable work, contributing her time on the Board of Directors of the CHCI, serving under Chairman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), as well as the board of the National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) Action Fund supporting conservation of endangered species and habitats. Cristina further serves on the finance committee for the March of Dimes' annual Gourmet Gala, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars boosting maternal and infant health worldwide. Finally, Cristina is also on the Board of Directors for her alma mater, the Brooks School in North Andover, MA, and volunteers with Common Threads, focusing on nutrition education for children.

A native Spanish speaker, Cristina was born in Dallas and graduated from Georgetown University and the George Washington University Law School. She is married with two young daughters.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Marcus Mason is a Senior Partner at The Madison Group, a boutique bipartisan consulting and lobbying firm that specializes in tax, technology, telecommunications, trade and transportation issues. Clients include Google and Education Network of America.

Marcus also serves as the President of the Washington Government Relations Group (WGRG), an organization of African American lobbyists whose goal is to enrich the community, by providing mentorship and professional growth opportunities while promoting diversity within the lobbying profession.

• Marcus was raised in Los Angeles, CA.
• He attended California State University - Dominguez Hills, where he obtained a B.A. in Political Science, Economics, and English.
• His first job in government was working for a state senate campaign in CA, and he won his first Congressional race as a campaign manager at 21.
• At 22 Marcus began his career as a Chief of Staff/Legislative Director in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in that role from ’92-’99.
• He then transitioned to the private sector, where he worked as the Senior Director of Government Affairs for Amtrak.
• Marcus has served on the Board of Directors for the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee for the last 10 years.
• He also serves as a Super Delegate on the Democratic National Committee.

“50% of my job is advocating for my client to Capitol Hill, and the other 50% is advocating Capitol Hill to my client.”

The Washington Government Relations Group offers a number of events, including a Table Talk Series where they hold lunches with seasoned professionals and young individuals. They also host the annual Tin Cup Awards Dinner recognizing those who advocate for the enrichment of African American Government Relations Professionals. The WGRG also facilitates college scholarships for young adults interested in government relations.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Eric Ellman is the Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Legal Affairs for CDIA. The Consumer Data Industry Association is a trade association of consumer reporting agencies, composed of over 100 members, ranging from Nationwide Credit Bureaus to background screening companies.

• Ellman was born in the Bronx, New York, and had always been a “political junkie.”
• Ellman earned a BS in Political Science from American University and a JD from University of Baltimore School of Law.
• As a student, Ellman spent 2 years interning for the late Congressman Bob Edgar.
• Also as a student, he ran the successful campaign of a friend who ran for the Maryland House of Delegates, and later became his office manager.
• He spent five years working as a government relations professional for direct selling companies such as Avon and World Encyclopedia
• Ellman has been working at CDIA for 21 years, with some of that time as Interim President and CEO of the association.

“The important part of working as a government affairs professional is that you need to come prepared with facts, come prepared with arguments and come prepared with integrity. If you have all of those, you have the making of a successful process”

For more information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act, see the following link. https://www.thebalance.com/what-you-should-know-about-the-fcra-960639

To see more work of the illustrator credited in the show, Kathryn Rathke, see the following link https://www.kathrynrathke.com/ . 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

In this week's episode, Jim O'Brien and Maggie Mick interview Derek Brown, Republican candidate for Attorney General in Utah. In addition to diving into the issues facing Utahans, we learn about his career in Washington, D.C., time as a state legislator in Utah, and stints in the private sector. 

Kajsa Stenström  is the managing partner of Managing Partner, Stenström Consulting. The company offers advice on EU policy and regulatory developments and provides services to clients from different countries and different industry sectors.

Kajsa has more than 20 years of experience in providing strategic advice to clients in the area of EU affairs. She first came to Brussels to work at the European Commission. Since then, she has set up and managed a unique public affairs department within a law firm and has also established a successful independent public affairs consultancy in Brussels.

Kajsa has managed a series of lobbying campaigns in several policy areas, including data privacy, financial services, digital policies, trade and external relations, consumer goods and energy. She is an experienced lecturer on EU lobbying and regularly contributes to books and publications on EU affairs.

She teaches EU Lobbying and Effective influencing at Lille University, France (Master 2 level). For 15 years Kajsa has been a Board member of the Society of European Affairs Professionals, which acts for transparent and ethical lobbying. She is a Swedish national, was educated at the Sorbonne University in France and is fluent in five languages.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Today on the show we welcome back Chris Massey, the Operating Partner, Government Relations & Public Affairs at Craft Ventures.

Craft Ventures is an early-stage and growth fund dedicated to the craft of building great companies. Comprised of entrepreneurs and operators, they're a team of founders helping founders.

Chris talks about the recent San Francisco recall election, and how the research from More In Common's Hidden Tribes Project can help us understand the outcome. 

He also speaks about his work with Craft Ventures, and one of their exciting portfolio companies, Overflow — a company that helps nonprofits easily and securely accept stock and cryptocurrency donations.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

John Hesse is the Managing Partner of DHR International’s Corporate Affairs Practice. DHR International is a global executive search firm with expert consultants who provide executive recruitment, management assessment, & succession planning.

In his role, John identifies skilled communications and public affairs professionals who advance an organizational mission by engaging and influencing external audiences.

Prior to joining DHR, John served as the Government & Public Affairs Practice Leader for The McCormick Group, working on retained searches for lobbyists, government relations and public affairs professionals for corporations, associations, law firms and consulting firms, as well as state, federal and international government affairs opportunities.

He also provided confidential candidate representation to lawyers, lobbyists, and public affairs professionals seeking new roles. A key aspect of his work involved representing senior government officials and legislative staff seeking a transition to the private sector.

Earlier in his career, John spent time managing his own consulting firm, CERO Strategies, LLC, as the Chief Legal Officer and Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at SOHO Resource Group, Inc. and as a Senior Attorney and Director of Government Relations for Direct Selling Association.

John earned a Bachelor of Arts in American Government from Franklin & Marshall College and his Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Deemed “The Greatest Political Mind of Our Time” by Comedy Central, Wilson cuts through the spin and tells the truth about politics at the state-level.  Reid Wilson is the founder, chief executive, and editor in chief of Pluribus News, https://pluribusnews.com, the nation’s only independent news outlet covering state-level politics and policy. He is an expert in spotting political trends as they develop and forecasting election results long before the ballots are counted. Known for staying ahead of the news through his access to top newsmakers, Wilson is a trusted staple of the political scene. Wilson previously covered politics for The Hill and the Washington Post, and he’s the former editor-in-chief of National Journal’s The Hotline. His work has appeared in outlets like The New York Times, RealClearPolitics, Atlantic Monthly, New Republic, and other major news networks, and his expertise is frequently also sought-after by MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, and radio shows across the nation. He is also the Amazon best-selling author of Epidemic: Ebola and the Global Scramble to Prevent the Next Killer Outbreak.

On today’s episode, we sit down with Benson Chan at CES. Benson is the Co-founder and Senior Partner at Strategy of Things, a management consulting firm specializing in strategy, innovation, and business transformation.

Technology and efficiency usually aren’t words many would associate with government, but Benson wants to change that. He believes technology is the key to making cities more efficient and responsive to its citizens’ needs. Benson talks to us about how he can help solve municipal-level problems with cost-effective technology, and help cities become responsive.

• Benson received his MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management
• Before starting Strategy of Things, Benson worked in the smart home industry

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@TheLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Debra Dixon is a principal at Ferox Strategies, a strategic advisory and government relations firm based out of Washington DC.

As former Chief of Staff to then Rep. Xavier Becerra, Debra’s more than a decade and a half of work on Capitol Hill included supporting the Congressman’s efforts on the Ways and Means Committee, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, House Democratic Leadership and the California Delegation. Debra also learned the ins and outs of the non-profit world at the National Immigration Forum where she advocated for immigration reform, workforce needs, and a path to citizenship.

An attorney by trade, Debra bookended her time on Capitol Hill with stints at two federal agencies, serving as Immigration Counsel at the Department of Justice and subsequently as the Chief of Staff at the Department of Education’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.

Debra has represented clients in the tech and B2B manufacturing industries. She is an expert at translating legislative and regulatory developments into layperson’s terms on issues such as international trade, supply chain, tax, immigration, and health IT.

Debra’s mother was born in the Midwest, her father in Panama, and they met and married in Ecuador. Wanting their children to receive the best education in the world, they moved to the US, and Debra grew up in Ohio. She has an undergraduate degree from Wheaton College, a law degree from Ohio State, and an LLM with an emphasis on International Trade from Georgetown University Law Center. 

ICYMI: We interviewed Debra's colleague, Cristina Antelo, on episode 122. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Sarah Sheehy is the Senior Director, Government and Public Affairs at the Hollywood Burbank Airport.

Welcome back to another episode of The Political Life! Today, Jim meets with Caroline Carlson and Jennifer Stowe to talk about the upcoming NCSL Legislative Summit! This year, the event will take place August 1st through 3rd in beautiful Denver, Colorado!

As director of foundation programs, Caroline Carlson leads the over $4 million in fundraising efforts, board director engagement and award management of the NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures. Carlson marks 21 years with the organization after leading fundraising efforts for 18 years. An admirer of the public policy process, Carlson received her master's degree in public affairs from Indiana University, Bloomington and a bachelor's of science in political science from James Madison University in Virginia.

Jennifer L. Stowe is the Vice President, Government Relations for The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) in the Washington, DC area office.  CRI is the trade association with responsibility for representing U.S. manufacturers of carpets and rugs. Her responsibilities include federal, state, and local government relations as well as interaction with government agencies and other Washington-based trade associations. She holds a B.A. degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. 

You can find the other podcasts mentioned in this episode (Our American States and The Inside Storey with Tim Storey) by following this link: https://www.ncsl.org/our-american-states.aspx

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Richard Sullivan is a partner with State Federal Strategies - a firm with a unique ability to assist clients through partnerships with the federal and state governments as well as other entities. 

Richard has over 30 years of policy, legislative, and political experience, and has represented some of the nation’s leading corporations and national associations before federal and state government entities. 

His past employment positions include counsel to the Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served as national finance director for the Democratic National Committee for President Clinton’s re-election campaign in 1996 and as national fundraising director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).

He is the only known Democratic activist to lead national record-breaking fundraising efforts at all four major Democratic Party Committees (DNC, DSCC, DCCC and DGA).

Richard received a B.A. with honors from the University of South Carolina in government affairs and economics and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week we're excited to present a special throwback episode! Jim's conversation with legendary investor Jim Rogers is one you'll want to revisit - even if you've heard it before!

Jim Rogers, a native of Demopolis, Alabama, is an author, financial commentator and successful international investor. He has been frequently featured in Time, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Barron's, Forbes, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, and most publications dealing with the economy or finance. He has also appeared as a regular commentator and columnist in various media and has been a visiting professor at Columbia University.

After attending Yale and Oxford University, Jim Rogers co-founded the Quantum Fund, a global-investment partnership. During the next 10 years, the portfolio gained 4200%, while the S&P rose less than 50%. Rogers then decided to retire - at age 37. Continuing to manage his own portfolio, Jim Rogers kept busy serving as a professor of finance at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and, in 1989 and 1990, as the moderator of WCBS's 'The Dreyfus Roundtable' and FNN's 'The Profit Motive with Jim Rogers'.

In 1990-1992, Jim Rogers fulfilled his lifelong dream: motorcycling 100,000 miles across six continents, a feat that landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records. As a private investor, he constantly analyzed the countries through which he traveled for investment ideas. He chronicled his one-of-a-kind journey in Investment Biker: On the Road with Jim Rogers. Jim also embarked on a Millennium Adventure. He traveled for 1101 days on his round-the-world, Guinness World Record journey. Passing through 116 countries, he covered more than 245,000 kilometers, which he recounted in his book Adventure Capitalist: The Ultimate Road Trip.

His latest book "A Gift to My Children: A Father's Lessons for Life and Investing" was published in 2009.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Howard Franklin is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ohio River South, a strategy firm focused on "the New American South."

Splitting time between state capitals and the campaign trail, Howard Franklin has worked across two dozen states to advance the careers and policies of the South’s leading lawmakers.

Howard has been recognized as ‘Top 40 Under 40’ by Georgia Trend Magazine and The Network Journal. He is a member of the Georgia Professional Lobbyists Association, a frequent contributor on CNN, NPR and MSNBC

In this episode, we discuss:

• The reaction on the ground in Georgia to the Bulldogs' win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2022 College Football National Championship
• The newly elected Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, and Howard's role as Co-chair of the Mayor's transition team
• The Secretary of the State, Gubernatorial, and U.S. Senate races coming up in 2022. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Our guest today is Steve Conant, who is a partner at Anbaric Development Partners, a Massachusetts-based company that specializes in early stage development of large-scale electric transmission systems, the transformation of the electric and heating/cooling systems on campuses, and storage solutions surrounding microgrid projects.

Steve is passionate about environmental issues. He began his career working in municipal and federal government before transitioning to the government relations field.

• Steve is native to Lowell, Massachusetts.
• He attended UMass-Lowell for a B.A. in Philosophy & Environmental Science, and earned his M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University.
• He served as the President Green Line Devco, LLC, and spent 8 years working for Stone & Webster Engineering.  
• Steve worked as a District Director for Congressman Chester Atkins doing constituent affairs.
• Interestingly, Steve worked as a Principal Planner for MA Dept. of Environmental Management and as a Planning Director in Lowell.

In his role at Anbaric, Steve spends his time responding to wind energy and transmission RFPs. He works with both state governments and the federal government to create better energy policy for local communities.

Bobby Patrick, VI is the Vice President of State Affairs, Regional Government, and Alliance Development at AdvaMed, the MedTech Association. He oversees AdvaMed’s state affairs work and partnerships with external stakeholders, including patient advocacy organizations and physician groups. Previously, Patrick served as the vice president of strategic growth and policy at the Medical Alley Association where he led the state and federal advocacy efforts. He also oversaw the membership work at the Association, where they experienced growth in membership revenue, engagement, and retention under his leadership. Prior to that, Patrick served as a staff member in the Minnesota House of Representatives. He holds a Juris Doctorate from William Mitchell College of Law and an undergraduate degree from Syracuse University.

This week we welcome back friend of the podcast Saat Alety as he gives Jim an update on his recent move from Allstate to Fed Hall.

Saat Alety is a Partner at Federal Hall Policy Advisors (Fed Hall), a leading bipartisan government affairs firm in Washington, D.C. Named to The Hill's Top Lobbyist list in 2021, Alety most recently led Allstate’s advocacy efforts with Congress, the White House, and federal agencies, in addition to its public policy development at the federal, state, and local level.

Alety previously served as Majority Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development under U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. As Sen. Scott’s senior policy advisor on financial services issues, Alety led efforts that resulted in the enactment of legislation to grow consumer access to banking services, prevent synthetic identity theft, and modernize mortgage credit standards.

Prior to his tenure as a Senate staffer, Alety spent three years as Communications Director to U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. While spokesperson, Alety was also a Legislative Assistant to Rep. Royce for his House Financial Services Committee portfolio. In addition to his Capitol Hill experience, Alety has held positions with the Financial Services Roundtable (now Bank Policy Institute), the leading trade association for the financial services industry, and the Romney 2012 presidential campaign.

A native of Naperville, Illinois, Alety began his career in the office of U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL). He serves on the boards of directors/advisors for College to Congress, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and the One Love Foundation. Alety is also an alumni advisor to the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and a recipient of its Jose M. Montano Jr. Award for "going above and beyond to sustain a pipeline of AAPI Hill staffers and leaders on the Hill."

In 2022, Alety joined his undergraduate alma mater Loyola University Chicago as an adjunct professor in its political science department, teaching PLSC 238: Political Advocacy for the school's Washington program. He has also guest lectured for students at the University of Chicago, New York University, and American University.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Jim Conroy was the campaign manager for Charlie Baker's 2018 reelection campaign. Baker currently serves as Governor of Massachusetts, and has the highest approval rating of any sitting governor in the United States. Conroy is a seasoned political operative, with campaign experience working at local, state, and national levels of government.

• Jim Conroy was raised in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
• He earned his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University.
• His first campaign experience was working for Chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, serving as his "jack of all trades," before moving on to work as a legislative aide in the Connecticut State Senate.
• Conroy then served as the Executive Director for the Connecticut Republican Party.
• From there, he moved on to the Republican National Committee during John McCain’s presidential run.

“It’s about solving problems, not gaining political points. It’s about spending your political capital on moving the ball forward, not arguing with your adversary.”

Jim Conroy has experience working on all aspects of campaigns from door knocking to serving as chief of staff for a successful gubernatorial candidate’s transition team. He shares his stories from the fast-paced environment of campaign work and provides insight into what makes a successful campaign. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

We are joined this week by Rich Gold, who is a Partner at Holland & Knight, one of the largest lobbying firms in D.C., where he serves as a leader of the firm’s Public Policy and Regulation team.

Rich provides us with a real-time update on reconciliation, the infrastructure package, and more. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

April 20th marked the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado, which at the time was deemed the worst in America's history. In this episode, Maggie hosts Monisha Henley, senior vice president of government affairs for Everytown for Gun Safety. Everytown was formed in 2014 following Columbine, the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut and others. In this conversation, we learn more about the motivators for Monisha's work, Everytown's policy priorities and bipartisan policy successes in the past 10 years, and what's next for Everytown in its second decade.

Braden Cox is the Head of US Public Policy and Social Impact for Pinterest.  He develops public policy strategy at the federal, state and local levels to support Pinterest’s mission to help inspire people to create a life they love. 

Before Pinterest, Braden was the Director of Public Policy at Amazon, where he launched the state and local public policy program and led Amazon’s advocacy on sales tax issues. Over eight years, he built a 30-member team of issue experts, regional geographic owners, and economic development specialists. He also created a national network of state and local lobbying consultants and associations, and the company’s first-ever corporate political contributions program.

The early days of the Web influenced Braden’s technology-focused career path. He became a network administrator during a college co-op at IBM in Research Triangle Park, NC, and an in-house attorney at a software startup in Alpharetta, GA, during the dot-com boom (and bust). Braden was also a tech policy guru at a think tank and counseled on policy issues for NetChoice, a technology association in Washington, DC. Braden is a proud “double dawg” with degrees from the University of Georgia Honors Program and School of Law.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Matthew Hussey is the Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy for Ericsson, a multinational network and telecommunications company headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden with over 90,000 employees. Matthew has a background in engineering, the legislative process, and advocacy.

• Matthew obtained his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his MBA with a focus in corporate finance from the University of Maryland.
• After college, Matthew worked as a broadband engineer for Media One / Road Runner, a corporate engineering and technology group.
• He transitioned to become a Senior Staff Consultant for Verizon Communications while obtaining his MBA.
• He then joined the American Legislative Exchange Council as the Telecommunications & IT Task Force Director. Matthew had an interest in applying policy to the technical aspects of his engineering background.
• Matthew transitioned to the public sector and became the Senior Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe on issues pertaining to telecommunications and education.
• For six years, he served as Associate Chief of Policy at the Federal Communications Commission before taking on his current role at Ericsson.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Cas Holloway is the head of Public Enterprise at Unqork - a completely visual, no-code application platform that helps large enterprises build complex custom software faster, with higher quality, and lower costs than traditional approaches. All without a single line of code.

• Cas received his B.A. from Harvard University
• After graduating, he went to work for the legendary head of the New York City park system - Henry Stern - for three years. 
• Cas then earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, and then worked as an associate at Cravath, Swaine, & Moore, as a clerk on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and as an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton. 
• He then served as Chief of Staff to the New York City Deputy Mayor for Operations for four years, before becoming Deputy Mayor for Operations himself for another four years. 
• After that, Cas spent nearly 7 years at Bloomberg LP before joining Unqork. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week we welcome Maureen Riehl and Ed Griesmer to the podcast to discuss the work they do at Multistate and the fascinating process of hiring lobbyists in an ever-changing political landscape.

Maureen is Principal and General Counsel with MultiState Associates. She joined the firm in October 2015, and leads the firm's Strategic Government Relations Practice. Her work has encompassed both the public and private sector, advising organizations on their strategic planning, public policy, communications, and outreach strategies. Maureen is also an accomplished speaker, state affairs expert, and media commentator. Her passion is mentoring young people interested in the profession of advocacy.

As MultiState’s president, Ed is responsible for overall day-to-day management of the company’s Alexandria headquarters, including business development, marketing, customer satisfaction and quality assurance, as well as overseeing MultiState’s issues management platform, research and technology. He also works directly with numerous clients on all of the company’s service lines including lobbying engagements nationwide.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Mark Dober is the Founder of Dober Partners, an Executive Search & Consultancy firm operating in Brussels and around Europe since 2010. Dober Partners headhunts senior communication and public affairs executives for corporates, associations, consultancies and law firms.

Mark has recruited many senior communication, public affairs and association leaders in Brussels and around Europe over the last decade. He has also been a shareholder in Ellwood Atfield and led their Brussels office since 2011. He has consulted with over 50 European association leaders, right up to the President of BUSINESSEUROPE and DG of the European Roundtable of Industry. He has also worked with major corporations including Johnson & Johnson, Novartis and GSK among others.

He was formerly APCO’s first employee in Europe and set up their Brussels office in 1995, acting as Managing Director in various roles until 2010. Mark was involved with recruiting many key positions around Europe for APCO Worldwide and its clients during 16 years of rapid growth at the company. Prior to APCO, he joined the London office of Hill & Knowlton and left its Brussels office as Associate Director.

Mark has twice been voted ‘European Consultant of the Year’ by ‘Public Affairs News’ and members of ‘The European Public Affairs Directory’. He has authored numerous reports on public affairs and communications including ‘Key Success Factors for European Associations’, ‘EU Media Relations’, ‘High Performance Secretariats’, ‘European Association Remuneration’ and ‘European Corporate Affairs Remuneration’.

He has a Masters in Political Science from the PUC University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Mark speaks English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. He was the European kickboxing champion in 2002 and the European jiu-jitsu champion in 2011

Dober Partners publishes the "Best in Brussels" report annually - the first and only independent resource for organizations wanting to identify, compare and choose the best partners in Brussels for their advocacy needs. Mark also wrote a book, High Performance Secretariat, which breaks down the key attributes of high performance trade association leaders. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

• An introduction to who Mike Gipson is.
• The moment that Mike Gipson decided to run for office.
• Mike's police partner being killed while in the line of duty.
• How it impacted Gipson's path towards office.
• An overview of what the CSG West Chair organization is.
• An overview of the CSG West Annual meeting this summer at Universal Studios in California and topics that will be discussed there.
• Ai
• Infrastructure
• Water
• Healthcare
• Public safety
• How the CSG organization is formed and how it is run.
• Why did Mike Gipson run for office.
• Some pieces of legislation that have come out of Gipson's lived experiences.
• The sucesses that Gipson and Speaker Rendon have had
• New possible changes coming from the new speaker coming June 30th.
• Does California have a budget issue and Gipson's take on the current budget.

Today on the show we sit down with Dean Rosen. A partner at Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas, Dean is one of Washington’s foremost experts on America’s complex health care system—and a master of both the politics and policies that shape it. He has more than two decades of experience developing and advancing health policy initiatives on Capitol Hill and in the private sector.

• Dean was raised in Minnesota;
• He earned his bachelor's degree at Boston University, and then a J.D. and master's degree at Syracuse University; 
• After earning his postgraduate degrees, he practiced law at Dow, Lohnes and Albertson in Washington, D.C.;
• His first political position was on the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee;
• He then served as VP of Policy and General Counsel at the Health Insurance Association of America;
• Afterwards, he served as the Health Care Advisor for U.S. Senate Majority Leader William Frist.
• In 2005, he joined Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas as a named partner.

Today on the show, we sit down with Chris Lu, Senior Strategy Advisor & Josh Resnik, Chief Content Officer and SVP/Publisher at FiscalNote. Chris and Josh joined FiscalNote with impressive résumés - Chris worked for former President Obama, and Josh led Gannett's digital department. 

FiscalNote has a number of products and services - from issues management, to legislative and regulatory tracking, digital advocacy, and more. The company is at the forefront of modernizing the government relations space, leveraging data and analytics to help their clients navigate complex legislative and regulatory environments, as well as stakeholder management, with ease. 

• Chris Lu received his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
• Following law school, Chris went to work for fellow Harvard Law School classmate Senator Barack Obama, first as his Legislative Director, then Acting Chief of Staff.
• Chris continued to work for Barack Obama after he became president, serving first as his cabinet secretary, and then as Deputy Secretary of Labor
• In 2017, Chris joined FiscalNote where he serves as Senior Strategy Advisor
• Josh Resnik received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law
• Josh spent the following seven years working as Assistant General Counsel for AOL
• Following his time with AOL, Josh went to work for Gannett, leading their newly formed digital division. As the Vice President and General Manager of Gannett Digital, Josh led Gannett’s transition to the digital space, using technology to create new cross-platform content.
• In 2018, Josh joined FiscalNote as the Chief Content Officer and SVP/Publisher of CQ and Roll Call, where he uses technology to produce, monetize, and distribute content.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. 

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@TheLobbyingShow.com. 

Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates

Josh Gray is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances & Policy at The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation is a 501 (c) 3 non-partisan civic engagement organization that strives to cultivate institutional base-building capacity and intergenerational leadership models at the local, state and national levels. 

Josh shares his incredible story of hardship, perseverance, and hope with us this week, and we hear about the power of foster parents, adoption, and mentorship. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week on the show we welcome back Rich Gold, who is a Partner at Holland & Knight, and the leader of the firm’s Public Policy and Regulation team. We're also joined by Nasim Fussell - a trade attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office, and a member of Rich's team. Nasim has a wealth of trade legislation and negotiation experience, having served in numerous trade-related roles in the public and private sectors.

Nasim advises clients on trade legislation, negotiations and regulatory issues. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, she was the chief international trade counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, serving under Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). She also served as deputy chief international trade counsel under former Chair Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). 

Support the people of Ukraine by donating to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Michael Kiely is the President, U.S. Government Affairs at UPS, a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight, the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to manage the world of business more efficiently.

Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

• Michael has spent his entire career at UPS.
• He started out in UPS' training program driving a truck, then spent 8 years working on financial issues for the company, including a stint as the Finance Director for UPS North Europe.
• Upon returning to the U.S., he took a position in 2004 as VP of Government Affairs for the company, and has remained in that sector ever since. 
• Michael now oversees federal, state, and local government affairs for the company. 

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week Jim chats with Peter Ruddell from Honigman LLP about the makeup of the Michigan legislature heading into the 2023 session. 

Peter is an accomplished attorney and government relations advisor with more than two decades of experience around state government, public policy, and elections. He is widely recognized for his experience in representing clients with their health, insurance, education, and budget issues. Among his many legislative accomplishments, he is highly regarded for his work in passing the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke-free Air Law, which made all Michigan restaurants, bars, and work sites smoke-free. He is sought after for his advice and guidance on complicated regulatory and legislative issues. The Speaker of the House appointed Peter as his representative to the 21st Century Education Commission.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Scott Talbott is Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) in Washington, D.C. and is responsible for its governmental strategies, and directing ETA’s all of policy and advocacy efforts. Talbott has over twenty years of experience advocating for the financial services and FinTech industries. 

He has received numerous accolades in his tenure, including being named a top lobbyist by The Hill for eleven years in a row from 2009 to 2020, as well as a “winner” for his work during the economic crisis of 2008 by Washingtonian magazine. In 2010, he appeared in the Oscar-winning film “Inside Job.”

Once named NPR’s favorite bank lobbyist and the voice of the financial services industry, he frequently testifies before U.S Congress, in state capitols, and the Canadian Senate, and is a regular contributor to both national and international media. Talbott received his B.A. from Georgetown University, cum laude, and his J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Howard Franklin is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ohio River South, a strategy firm focused on "the New American South."

Splitting time between state capitals and the campaign trail, Howard Franklin has worked across two dozen states to advance the careers and policies of the South’s leading lawmakers.

After running a nonprofit for former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, Howard served three years in the administration of Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. He then spent five years working with the DeKalb, Fulton and Jefferson County governments.

Howard also worked for Stacy Abrams when she served as House Minority Leader in the Georgia legislature. After working for Abrams, Howard began working at an Atlanta-based lobbying firm, before hanging his own shingle and founding Ohio River South. 

Howard has been recognized as ‘Top 40 Under 40’ by Georgia Trend Magazine and The Network Journal. He is a member of the Georgia Professional Lobbyists Association, a frequent contributor on CNN, NPR and MSNBC

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

This week we welcome James "Jake" Bookwalter onto the show to give us a rundown of his many international trips during the Covid-19 pandemic. You might be surprised by his favorite location over the past couple of years.

James (better known as Jake) serves as Vice President for Legislative Information Services at Stateside Associates. Jake joined Stateside in 2011 as a legislative associate and served as a manager and senior manager before assuming his current role. As Vice President, Jake manages the overall legislative monitoring services provide to clients, manages each of the four legislative teams and is responsible for the overall accuracy, quality, and timeliness of the legislative monitoring and research. He is also responsible for the training of the professionals monitoring and analyzing legislation and political trends in all 50 states and the territories. In addition, Jake liaises with clients and frequently lectures about state issues.

Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe!

Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net 

Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.