Experience

First Focus on Children

• United States
• Government Relations Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Vice President of Budget and Tax

  • Nov 2017 - Present



Early Care and Education Consortium

• United States
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Director of Government Affairs and Federal Policy

  • Mar 2017 - Nov 2017



U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

• United States
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Policy Advisor

  • Oct 2009 - Jan 2017

  • Advise Assistant Secretary on budget matters, policy development and political initiatives. • Develop and execute public messaging and outreach strategies that drive grid modernization and create opportunities to meet the demand for a more reliable, secure and clean electric grid. • Oversee multiple OE divisions to convey DOE leadership’s near and long-term goals, identify program accomplishments suitable for press events and Congressional notification, facilitate effective use of limited resources, and solve program challenges. • Coordinate with multiple OE divisions to design a strategic approach for OE’s state engagement activities and delivery of technical assistance to meet the growing needs of community leaders as grid security challenges evolve and new energy sector business models emerge. • Manage OE’s participation in the development of the department’s second Quadrennial Energy Review focused on an integrated study of the electricity system. This involves recommending policy proposals related to grid security, operations and planning, and financing infrastructure investments. • Supervise projects of high importance for the Assistant Secretary and Secretary to ensure staff meets milestones and appropriate procedures are undertaken in a timely manner. • Conduct outreach and cultivate relationships with industry associations, state organizations, and other stakeholders to inform OE’s research and emergency preparedness strategic planning. • Train colleagues to improve advocacy for OE’s activities that advance national grid modernization priorities. • Initiate a communications campaign and targeted Hill visits to elevate OE’s public profile and gain support for OE’s mission. • Advise congressional staff on grid modernization technical and policy issues. • Collaborated with industry to implement a series of smart grid peer-to-peer workshops to capture the best practices and lessons learned from the 99 smart grid investment grant implementers. Show less



House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment

• Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Professional Policy Staff

  • Apr 2007 - Oct 2009

  Researched and crafted legislation for full committee and subcommittee addressing policies regarding technology development for reliable, efficient, and sustainable power production and advancement of carbon capture and sequestration technologies; challenges facing nuclear power; demonstration of stationary storage technologies; and the emerging issues surrounding water management and power production. Recommended legislative and oversight hearing topics. Prepared committee members and their staff for hearings and mark-ups, wrote hearing charters and witness questions, drafted opening statements for chairmen, briefed chairmen for hearings, composed committee reports, and planned topical briefings for Science and Technology staff. Spoke at public events and presented legislative agenda on behalf of the committee. Coordinated with subcommittee member to amend and improve the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Research, Development and Demonstration Act. Ushered the subtitle through conference discussions and inclusion in Public Law 110-140 as a primary committee staff member. Conducted research and outreach to interested parties before crafting Chairman Gordon’s Energy Storage Technology Advancement Act of 2007, H.R. 3776. Organized a legislative hearing and staffed the Chairman in marshaling the bill through subcommittee and full committee mark-up. The bill passed on suspension and was included in Title VI of Public Law 110-140. Collaborated with Energy and Commerce Committee staff to increase the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) responsibility for modernization of the electric grid. In Title XIII Section 1305 of Public Law 110-140, NIST was given primary responsibility for producing a smart grid interoperability framework. Promoted inclusion of 2009 Recovery Act (P.L. 111-5) funding for authorized grid programs such as the synchrophasor technology and grid-scale energy storage -- $4.5 B was made available for grid modernization activities. Show less



Office of Congressman Charlie Wilson (D-OH)

• Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Chief of Staff

  • Jan 2007 - Apr 2009

  • Managed the opening of the freshman member’s congressional operation including hiring staff, assigning duties, training staff, selecting district office sites, defining office policies and managing office budget. • Advised Congressman Wilson on his committee selection priorities to ensure he was selected for a seat on the Committee on Financial Services. • Scheduled “meet and greets” for the Congressman and aided in fundraising activities. • Planned the Congressman’s schedule for District Work Periods and advised staff on his weekend schedules. • Approved communications strategy and offered advice for media relations. • Established a process for tracking floor votes and maintaining justifications for contentious votes. Show less



Office of Congressman Ted Strickland (D-OH)

• Chief of Staff

  • Jun 2005 - Jan 2007

  • Managed Washington office and four district offices, with 18 staff members, to advocate for constituents. • Oversaw press strategy; prioritized policy and legislative objectives; and advised legislative assistants, field representatives and case workers on policy and political matters and development of strategic relationships.• Set and reviewed goals for office budget of approximately $1 million. Made recommendations to Congressman Strickland on all personnel matters, including hiring and salary decisions.• Supervised preparation for Energy & Commerce Committee hearings and mark-ups while maintaining responsibility for energy, environment, labor, and telecommunications policy issues. Show less

• Legislative Director

  • Mar 1997 - Jun 2005

  • Managed a legislative team of five people and mentored their professional development.• Served as chief advisor to the Congressman on legislative activities; conducted policy research; monitored legislative progress on energy, health, labor, agriculture, telecommunications, environment, rural development, transportation, veterans, and appropriations issues. Composed floor statements, amendments, and testimony.• Prepared Congressman Strickland for Energy and Commerce Committee hearings and markups.• Represented Congressman at public events.• Designed Congressional District strategic community outreach initiatives.• Coordinated with district staff to ensure legislative efforts addressed district needs and district staff was well-prepared to describe the Congressman’s position on pressing issues.• Major Legislative Accomplishments: 1) drafted original landmark legislation to authorize a complex-wide, mandatory employees’ compensation program for Department of Energy nuclear workers (Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000) that became law in 2000; 2) built coalition to gain inclusion of language in P.L. 107-222 to authorize DOE Secretary to expend funds for “cold standby” at Portsmouth, Ohio, Gaseous Diffusion Plant (GDP); 3) marshaled support for Congressman Strickland to pass a bipartisan bill by unanimous consent that became law in five days, and ultimately resulted in the construction of a facility to stabilize depleted uranium hexafluoride, creating jobs at the Portsmouth, Ohio, GDP; 4) organized support for committee passage of an amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which provided steelworkers with a continuity of health care and pension benefits; 5) oversaw the drafting and strategy to pass bipartisan legislation in 2000 establishing a mental health courts pilot program that was funded $4M in 2002; and 6) drafted an amendment included in the 2002 Farm Bill which authorized year-round grazing practices. Show less



Victory '96 Clinton/Gore Coordinated Campaign

• Reading, PA

• Field Coordinator

  • Sep 1996 - Nov 1996



Office of Senator John Glenn (D-OH)

• Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Legislative Assistant/Great Lakes Task Force Coordinator

  • Jun 1994 - Sep 1996

  Offered recommendations on all maritime and Great Lakes environmental issues for Senator Glenn. Worked to increase bipartisan participation in identifying the Senate Great Lakes Task Force’s legislative and programmatic priorities focusing on support for annual appropriations requests. Drafted and tracked legislation, wrote floor statements, provided talking points for press events, represented Senator Glenn at meetings, and responded to constituent concerns. Offered recommendations on all maritime and Great Lakes environmental issues for Senator Glenn. Worked to increase bipartisan participation in identifying the Senate Great Lakes Task Force’s legislative and programmatic priorities focusing on support for annual appropriations requests. Drafted and tracked legislation, wrote floor statements, provided talking points for press events, represented Senator Glenn at meetings, and responded to constituent concerns.



Podesta Associates

• Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Legislative Assistant

  • May 1992 - Jun 1994



Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group

• Amherst, MA

• Political Organizer

  • Sep 1990 - Jan 1992