Experience

The Impact Project

• Virginia State Director

  • Jun 2020 - Present



Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies

• Government Relations Professional

  • Jul 2018 - Jun 2020

  I represent client interests before the Virginia General Assembly, Governor’s Office, and numerous state agencies. I provide insight to clients on Virginia’s political process, developing and coordinating grassroots and grasstops advocacy campaigns. My client work involves a variety of topics, ranging from healthcare - including Medicaid, assisted living issues, and social services - and environmental protection to energy production and distribution, transportation, technology, local… I represent client interests before the Virginia General Assembly, Governor’s Office, and numerous state agencies. I provide insight to clients on Virginia’s political process, developing and coordinating grassroots and grasstops advocacy campaigns. My client work involves a variety of topics, ranging from healthcare - including Medicaid, assisted living issues, and social services - and environmental protection to energy production and distribution, transportation, technology, local government, education, retail, procurement, and other core business interests. Show more Show less



Eckert Seamans

• Government Relations Manager

  • Jan 2018 - Jul 2018

  I represented client interests before the Virginia General Assembly, Governor’s Office, and numerous state agencies. I provided insight to clients on Virginia’s political process, developing and coordinating grassroots and grasstops advocacy campaigns. My client work involved a variety of topics, ranging from healthcare - including Medicaid, assisted living issues, and social services - environmental protection, energy production and distribution, local government, education, retail… I represented client interests before the Virginia General Assembly, Governor’s Office, and numerous state agencies. I provided insight to clients on Virginia’s political process, developing and coordinating grassroots and grasstops advocacy campaigns. My client work involved a variety of topics, ranging from healthcare - including Medicaid, assisted living issues, and social services - environmental protection, energy production and distribution, local government, education, retail, procurement, and other core business interests. Show more Show less



Office of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade

• Policy Advisor

  • Oct 2017 - Jan 2018

  Appointed by Governor McAuliffe to advise the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Governor’s Cabinet, and the Governor’s Office on policy issues relating to energy, including renewable energies such as solar and wind, utilities, energy efficiency, climate resiliency, and other topics relating to Virginia’s energy industry and economic development. I also served as the Governor’s Office liaison to the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy.



1776

• Director of Market Development

  • Oct 2016 - Oct 2017

  Led 1776's business development and new partnerships development for the greater DC region and the Southeast, with a focus on the Commonwealth of Virginia. I was responsible for building, supporting, and expanding contractual partnerships with business incubators, startup accelerators, corporations and institutions, colleges and universities, technology councils, governments and other stakeholders across Virginia. I worked to develop innovation programs, such as accelerators, pitch… Led 1776's business development and new partnerships development for the greater DC region and the Southeast, with a focus on the Commonwealth of Virginia. I was responsible for building, supporting, and expanding contractual partnerships with business incubators, startup accelerators, corporations and institutions, colleges and universities, technology councils, governments and other stakeholders across Virginia. I worked to develop innovation programs, such as accelerators, pitch competitions, intrapreneurship programs, and innovation labs, with current and prospective partners that connect governments and institutions to 1776's global startup network. Show more Show less



Office of Governor Terence R. McAuliffe

• Deputy Director of Scheduling

  • Jul 2015 - Oct 2016

• Special Assistant in Constituent Services

  • Mar 2014 - Jul 2015



Organizing for Action

• Alumni Trainer

  • May 2013 - Aug 2014

  Worked as an Organizing Alumni Trainer; as part of my role, I trained local OFA volunteer chapters across the country in grassroots organizing tactics, earned media campaigns, grassroots fundraising, how to build strategic issue campaigns, and lobbying members of Congress and other elected officials. I helped volunteers conduct power analyses of key decision makers to educate them on crafting organizing strategies for lobbying elected officials. I also wrote curriculum for their national… Worked as an Organizing Alumni Trainer; as part of my role, I trained local OFA volunteer chapters across the country in grassroots organizing tactics, earned media campaigns, grassroots fundraising, how to build strategic issue campaigns, and lobbying members of Congress and other elected officials. I helped volunteers conduct power analyses of key decision makers to educate them on crafting organizing strategies for lobbying elected officials. I also wrote curriculum for their national organizing training programs, such as modules on holding one on one meetings. Show more Show less



Virginians for Responsible Gun Laws

• Regional Field Director

  • Aug 2013 - Mar 2014

  Worked as a Regional Field Director with Virginians for Responsible Gun Laws, a grassroots coalition of organizations, individuals, and communities across Virginia that stand against gun violence and advocate action from local, state, and federal elected officials to confront this issue. I worked with local volunteer chapters in Richmond, Charlottesville, Roanoke, and Blacksburg, and other areas across Central and Southwest Virginia, to engage constituency groups in gun violence prevention and… Worked as a Regional Field Director with Virginians for Responsible Gun Laws, a grassroots coalition of organizations, individuals, and communities across Virginia that stand against gun violence and advocate action from local, state, and federal elected officials to confront this issue. I worked with local volunteer chapters in Richmond, Charlottesville, Roanoke, and Blacksburg, and other areas across Central and Southwest Virginia, to engage constituency groups in gun violence prevention and train them in how to obtain earned media, how to lobby state legislators, and how to sign on individuals and groups to our coalition. Show more Show less



Terry McAuliffe for Governor

• Field Fellow

  • Feb 2013 - May 2013

  Served as a Field Fellow, where I supported Terry McAuliffe’s gubernatorial campaign throughout Fairfax County, Virginia's most populous county, by recruiting and managing volunteers, collecting hundreds of signatures and petitions in support of his candidacy, and managing voter contact data.



Presidential Inaugural Committee

• Fellow

  • Jan 2013 - Jan 2013

  Acted on the Inaugural Parade team to plan and execute crowd control for up to 40,000 people while handling preparations for government officials and managing databases for parade ticketing and credentialing. I primarily assisted with advance work for the Inaugural Parade, and worked with Inaugural Committee staff and Secret Service to prepare for the parade.



Organizing for America Virginia

• Field Organizer

  • May 2012 - Nov 2012

  Managed President Obama's re-election operation in three rural counties by recruiting over 300 local volunteers to organize their communities, resulting in a GOTV operation that maintained vote totals at 2008 levels, as opposed to other rural areas that lost thousands of votes. Built five neighborhood teams to make thousands of phone calls and door knocks to persuade undecided voters and turnout supporters, and register hundreds of voters to re-elect President Obama.



Teach For America

• Campus Campaign Coordinator

  • May 2011 - May 2012

  Performed on-campus outreach as the Campus Campaign Coordinator for Fordham University, recruiting from an undergraduate population of approximately 8,000 to encourage students to apply for Teach for America. More Fordham students applied (over forty), and were accepted (15), to TFA than ever before. Hosted events and discussions to raise awareness about the issues of educational inequity on campus.



The United States Department of State

• Department Intern

  • May 2011 - Aug 2011

  Worked in the Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration as a program officer providing regional assistance for refugees and internally displaced persons in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Facilitated contracts between the U.S. Government and NGOs worth approximately $10 million



The Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand

• Constituent Casework Intern

  • Sep 2010 - May 2011

  Advocated to federal and state agencies on the Senator’s behalf as a constituent liaison performing casework regarding veterans and military issues, postal services, prisons, and tax affairs, covering hundreds of cases. Contributed to the selection process for the Senator’s nominations to military academies, helping to nominate 40 students from an applicant pool of over 500 students.



The Office of U.S. Representative Richard E. Neal

• Congressional Intern

  • May 2010 - Jul 2010

  Conveyed the Representative’s viewpoints in correspondence to his constituents on various policy issues that included education, health care, energy, taxes, and foreign affairs, and managed all correspondence related to the BP Oil Spill.