Experience

BLANK ROME GOVERNMENT RELATIONS LLC
• United States
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Senior Advisor

  • Feb 2021 - Present


U.S. House of Representatives

• United States
• Legislative Offices
• 700 & Above Employee

• Democratic Staff Director, Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, House T&I Committee

  • 2011 - Feb 2021

   Oversee all aspects of subcommittee policy and legislative business, including issue research and stakeholder engagement, drafting legislation, preparation of materials and organization for all hearings and markups, and drafting of speeches, statements and correspondence for the Ranking Democrat member.  Conduct oversight of annual budgets totaling over $11 billion annually for three Federal maritime agencies, including the 30-year, $24.2 billion recapitalization program to replace the Coast Guard’s fleets of offshore cutters, aircraft and command/control systems. Also, successfully advanced authorization of the first recapitalization of the Coast Guard’s polar icebreaker fleet in 40 years and secured appropriations over $1 billion for construction of the lead ship.  Over a five-year period, successfully steered through Congress legislation to authorize establishment of an innovative Public/Private Partnership to build and operate a back-up position, timing and navigation signal for the Global Positioning System (GPS) to address a key “single point of failure” liability across 16 sectors of critical U.S. infrastructure.  Worked across the aisle to raise awareness and increase appropriations for several important maritime programs, including increasing funding to $300 million annually for the Maritime Security Program, reauthorization and increased funding $30 million for the Small Shipyard Grant Program, and authorization to construct a new fleet of National Security Multi-Mission Training vessels for State maritime academies along with securing more than $600 million for construction.  Successfully built bipartisan support for passage of the first legislation to amend the Shipping Reform Act in 20 years to strengthen the Federal Maritime Commission’s anti-trust enforcement authority to ensure fair shipping practices in the $980 billion international ocean transportation industry. Show less

• Senior Professional Staff, Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs

  • 1999 - 2010

   Oversaw over $550 million in annual budgets for several coastal resource management programs administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for NOAA’s ocean and coastal research, observation, exploration and navigation services programs, and the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.  Successfully navigated passage of major legislation creating innovative marine conservation programs, notably: The Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009, Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act of 2006, Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and the Oceans Act of 2000.  Successfully reauthorized key ocean resource management statutes including: the Coastal Zone Management Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the National Invasive Species Act, and the National Sea Grant College Act.  Oversaw more than $1.3 billion in annual budgets for the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System and for all programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). In addition, oversaw the distribution of $900 million annually to State fish and wildlife agencies under the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Wildlife and Sportfish Conservation programs.  Successfully enacted legislation establishing new National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) or expanding existing refuges including Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (the only international refuge in N. America), Cahaba NWR, Rocky Flats NWR, James Campbell NWR, Red River NWR, Holt Collier NWR, Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, Caddo Lake NWR, Palmyra Atoll NWR, and several others.  Oversaw policy implementation and program activities of other critical national and international conservation programs administered by the FWS notably: the Coastal Barrier Resource System, Migratory Bird Joint Venture Program, National Fish Hatchery System, Multinational Species Conservation Program, and Partners for Fish and Wildlife. Show less



NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Congressional Affairs Specialist

  • 1994 - 1999

   Served as a NOAA liaison with the U.S. Congress, specifically responsible for NOAA’s Coastal Zone Management, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Estuarine Research Reserve programs. Successfully reauthorized each program’s enabling statutes in 1996 and substantially expanded the scope and operating budgets for each program over a five-year period.  Routinely monitored and responded to congressional requests of NOAA programs, analyzed and tracked pertinent legislation, facilitated dialogue between NOAA leadership and congressional offices, and regularly attended committee hearings and markups, briefings, meetings and press events. Drafted and reviewed hearing testimony, Q&A responses, views letters, briefing materials and legislative drafting assistance.  Planned and coordinated successful Hill outreach strategies with NOAA leadership for multi-year, cross-cutting budget initiatives, notably the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative, Clean Water Initiative, Coral Reef Initiative, and Natural Disaster Reduction Initiative. Efforts resulted in Congress passing separate legislation establishing the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force in 1998 and the Coral Reef Conservation Act in 2000. Show less



United States Senate

• Legislative Offices
• 700 & Above Employee

• Sea Grant Fellow - Office of Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA)

  • 1992 - Aug 1993

   Functioned as legislative staff and assumed responsibility for staffing the senator’s legislative business before the Senate Commerce Committee. Successfully shepherded through passage of the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004, the first major revisions to the federal flood insurance program in more than 20 years.  Functioned as legislative staff and assumed responsibility for staffing the senator’s legislative business before the Senate Commerce Committee. Successfully shepherded through passage of the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004, the first major revisions to the federal flood insurance program in more than 20 years.



University of Washington School of Law

• United States
• Higher Education
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Coastal Policy Analyst

  • 1991 - 1991

   Under a grant provided by the Washington State Department of Ecology, worked in a team formed by renowned water rights expert Dr. Ralph Johnson to conduct a legal analysis of the application of the common law Public Trust Doctrine in Washington State and provide recommendations for its use in coastal resource management. Final products included publication of a Washington Law Review article entitled, The Public Trust Doctrine and Coastal Zone Management in Washington State, and a practitioner’s handbook for State and local resource managers. Show less



Washington State Department of Ecology

• United States
• Environmental Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Coastal Public Access Consultant - Shorelands and Coastal Zone Management Office,

  • Jan 1990 - Dec 1990

   Designed, initiated and completed a contracted study to assess the functionality and quality of coastal public access sites required as a condition of Shoreline Substantial Development Permits. Developed in-depth knowledge of the design, construction, signing and maintenance of public access facilities. Research was published in the 1991 report entitled, The Washington State Shoreline Substantial Development Permit Program: Case Studies of Conditioned Public Access in Puget Sound.  Designed, initiated and completed a contracted study to assess the functionality and quality of coastal public access sites required as a condition of Shoreline Substantial Development Permits. Developed in-depth knowledge of the design, construction, signing and maintenance of public access facilities. Research was published in the 1991 report entitled, The Washington State Shoreline Substantial Development Permit Program: Case Studies of Conditioned Public Access in Puget Sound.



Commonwealth of Massachusetts

• United States
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Natural Resource & Public Parks Management - Metropolitan District Commission

  • 1984 - 1989

   Functioned as the Regional Supervisor for the Harbor Region within the Reservations and Historic Sites Unit. Coordinated, directed and supervised all aspects of administration, planning and policy development, resource management, visitor services and volunteer and public outreach programs for a region consisting of three islands within Boston Harbor Islands State Park, four coastal parks rimming Boston Harbor, two historic fortifications, and one de-commissioned Coast Guard Lightship. Prepared and oversaw an annual operating budget of $300,000. Also coordinated with MDC Engineering Division regarding the expenditure of a $6 million outlay for restoration/renovation of historic structures, vessel and pier repairs or replacement and public access improvements. Supervised 30 year-round regional staff and the hiring and supervision of 75 seasonal employees. Coordinated security and emergency transportation with the State Police and negotiated annual operating contracts with private ferry operators providing round-trip service to the Harbor Islands. Show less