Experience

Oak Rose Fund

• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• President

  • Sep 2022 - Present

  Chicago, Illinois, United States



Oak Rose Group

• Strategic Management Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Partner

  • Sep 2021 - Sep 2022

  Alissa came to Oak Rose Group from her position as Government Affairs Director of Empower Illinois, Illinois’ leading scholarship granting organization focused on education policy advocacy and the implementation of the state’s tax credit scholarship program. In this role Alissa directed the organization’s legislative policies and lobbying strategies, as well as advanced relationships with coalition partners and key state and national stakeholders. Alissa led efforts in raising over $3M for… Show more Alissa came to Oak Rose Group from her position as Government Affairs Director of Empower Illinois, Illinois’ leading scholarship granting organization focused on education policy advocacy and the implementation of the state’s tax credit scholarship program. In this role Alissa directed the organization’s legislative policies and lobbying strategies, as well as advanced relationships with coalition partners and key state and national stakeholders. Alissa led efforts in raising over $3M for annual scholarships and securing seed funding for the Black Education Excellence Initiative- a scholarship fund dedicated to serving black students and majority minority private schools. Alissa is an experienced legislative affairs and policy staffer with over a decade of political and government experience on Capitol Hill, including specialized work in financial services, veteran’s affairs, armed services, and education. Alissa’s primary expertise centers around building and executing bi-partisan policy initiatives through the integration of policy, communications, advocacy, and coalition building at federal and local levels. Alissa graduated from the University of Kansas University in 2002 and remains an avid Kansas Jayhawk fan. Additionally, Alissa is a member of the Illinois Bar — a graduate of DePaul College of Law, 2008, and has a Masters in Public and Strategic Communications from the American University in Washington, D.C., 2010. Alissa is involved in many philanthropic endeavors in the Chicagoland area, South and Northeast Kansas and Western Michigan. Show less



Empower Illinois

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director Government Affairs

  • Jun 2018 - Sep 2022

  Greater Chicago Area Empower's advocacy focuses on both protecting and expanding a myriad of policies that work to ensure low income and working class children get access to a high quality education. From fighting for full funding of public schools and passage of the teacher tax credit, to ensuring low income and working class kids are provided access to gifted education and tax credit scholarships to attend the school that best fits their needs, Empower Illinois works to improve access to quality education that… Show more Empower's advocacy focuses on both protecting and expanding a myriad of policies that work to ensure low income and working class children get access to a high quality education. From fighting for full funding of public schools and passage of the teacher tax credit, to ensuring low income and working class kids are provided access to gifted education and tax credit scholarships to attend the school that best fits their needs, Empower Illinois works to improve access to quality education that is the best fit for every child, in every neighborhood. Show less



ALM Free State Consulting

• Principal

  • May 2017 - Jun 2018

  Greater Chicago Area



United States Senate

• Legislative Offices
• 700 & Above Employee

• Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Mark Kirk (IL)

  • Jan 2015 - Jul 2017

  Chicago, IL

• Communications Director, Senator Mark Kirk (IL)

  • Apr 2014 - Jan 2015

  Washington D.C. Metro Area



U.S. House of Representatives

• United States
• Legislative Offices
• 700 & Above Employee

• Communications Director

  • Aug 2011 - Apr 2014

  Washington D.C. Metro Area Communications Director to Congressman and Chairman of House Armed Services Committee, Buck McKeon (CA 25).

• Press Secretary

  • Nov 2010 - Aug 2011

  Washington D.C. Metro Area Press Secretary to Congressman Kevin Yoder (KS 3)


Yoder for Congress
• Communications Director

  • May 2010 - Dec 2010

Svenson Law Offices
• United States
• Attorney

  • Nov 2008 - May 2010

Circuit Court of Cook County
• United States
• Courts of Law
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Law Clerk

  • Dec 2007 - Jun 2008

Kaplan Papadakis & Gournis PC
• United States
• Legal Services
• Law Clerk

  • Feb 2003 - Dec 2007