The Political Life

Jordan Rodell is a seasoned public policy professional specializing in technology and free speech advocacy. She currently serves as Public Policy Manager at X (formerly Twitter), where she leads legislative and executive engagement efforts across the U.S. Prior to this, she was the State Policy Manager at the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), advancing policy on content moderation, privacy, digital taxation, and antitrust. Earlier in her career, Jordan tracked emerging legislation at Stateside Associates, with a focus on tech, privacy, and economic development. She began her work in policy at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), advocating for small businesses in Tennessee. Jordan holds a B.B.A. from Florida Atlantic University.

During The Political Life podcast's legislative session recess, we bring you another rebroadcast of a recent MultiState virtual event. To gain insights on trends and a better understanding of the state of play with attorneys general, MultiState's Maggie Mick and Kelley Drye & Warren's Paul Singer, AG Practice Chair, hosted a conversation on March 25, 2025. For many states, March marks the halfway point for legislative session and aptly coincides with the excitement and chaos of March Madness. In 2025, March seems to have a little more madness with a new presidential administration and state attorneys general around the country asserting their prerogative in policy debates at both the state and federal levels.

Meet Jacque Robinson-Baisley, currently the Director of External Affairs for Cordoba Corp. in their Education and Facilities Sector.  Jacque also served as Vice Mayor and Councilmember for the City of Pasadena – that was recently devastated by the wildfires. Jacque is a tenured leader with over two decades of experience in stakeholder engagement and government relations in the greater Los Angeles region and statewide. Her prior experience includes managing and directing community, electoral, and advocacy campaigns with labor unions, nonprofits, school districts, and philanthropy. She has been recognized for her expertise in policy development, community engagement, government relations, strategic planning, and special event planning and execution. Jacque also served as Vice Mayor and Councilmember for the City of Pasadena from 2007-2015. Among her many accomplishments, she spearheaded the development and adoption of the Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan and served as a Commissioner for the Hollywood-Burbank Airport. She continues her personal commitment to public service as a current Board Member of Pathways LA, Pasadena Delta Foundation, and the National Women's Political Caucus, Greater Pasadena Area. Here is the link to the Go Fund page:  https://gofund.me/d50fce17

For this week's episode, we are rebroadcasting a webinar hosted by Maggie Mick and Brock Ingmire and features new National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), Will Melofchik. Will was installed as CEO on January 1. He was formerly NCOIL's General Counsel. Previously, Will was a Regulatory Officer in the Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Unit at the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance and worked in private practice. Will is a member of the New Jersey and New York Bar, having graduated cum laude from Touro Law School, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Moot Court Honors Board. Will graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Connecticut. 

Rep. Brian S. Evans serves as Speaker of the House for the 95th General Assembly. He is serving his fourth term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 68 which includes the city of Cabot, as well as portions of Lonoke County. For the 94th General Assembly, he served as Chair of the House Education Committee.  Speaker Evans is in logistics where he serves as President of L&L Freight Services, Inc.  He is the former Chairman of the Board of the Transportation Intermediaries Association. Speaker Evans previously served 10 years on the Cabot School Board.  He attended the University of Central Arkansas and Arkansas State University. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He lives in Cabot with his wife and two children.

David Avella is the Chairman of GOPAC, the Republican Party's premier organization dedicated to educating and electing Republican leaders. The GOPAC network invested nearly $33 million in the 2023-2024 election cycle. A seasoned communications professional and political leader, Avella has spent his career working to advance free enterprise, job creation and opportunity. He is a requested speaker on current national and state affairs, news headlines of the day and how to communicate effectively. Mr. Avella is a frequent guest on national television and radio, including Fox News, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, PBS, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and more. He is also a quoted source for national and local print, video, online and social media platforms. He delivered an address at the 2016 Republican National Convention reminding the Party that Aristotle was right when he said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Mathew Lapinski is CEO of Crossroads Strategies, LLC. Mat represents a broad spectrum of clients across multiple practice areas. With two decades of advocacy experience, he is an expert in navigating Washington's federal legislative and regulatory institutions. Beginning as a lobbyist for health care and insurance interests, Mat now covers a broad array of policy disciplines including financial services, energy, health care, trade, education, and technology. Called one of Washington's most persistent lobbyists, Mat has spent his entire career dedicated solely to managing the legislative and regulatory process.  He is adept at developing and implementing advocacy campaigns for corporate, association, and non-profit clients.  He also provides risk management advisory services to clients seeking to better understand the impact of government action on business.  He has led client representations related to the largest federal interventions of the last 20 years including the response to the 2008 financial crisis, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and the government's response to COVID-19. Prior to joining Crossroads, Mat was a Principal of the public policy practice at Dentons and part of the lobbying team at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. Mat is a 2002 graduate of Georgetown University.

Bill Kramer has been with MultiState since 2011. Recognized for his wide breadth of state legislative and policy knowledge, Bill oversees the firm's research services, advises clients on strategic government affairs initiatives, develops and manages coalitions and associations, and pens the weekly Morning MultiState newsletter, among other problem-solving endeavors. At the onset of the 2020 pandemic, Bill was integral in quickly organizing internal resources to create MultiState's COVID-19 State and Local Policy Tracker, a resource library and data dashboard providing clients and the public with timely, accurate information on the state and local government responses to COVID-19. Subsequently, Bill has launched similar policy tracking projects focused on reproductive health care and artificial intelligence policy. He is an experienced lawyer and association executive who served as deputy executive director of the Council of State Chambers (COSC) — the association of state chambers of commerce — and built the COSC Policy Center from the ground up. Bill is an active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) where he was a member of the Government Relations Section Council and chaired the State Relations Subcommittee from 2016 to 2019. Bill became a Certified Association Executive (CAE) in 2018 and is a member of both the State Bar of California and the DC Bar. Bill has addressed and presented to dozens of trade and professional organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Public Affairs Council (PAC), State Government Affairs Council (SGAC), and The Council of State Government (CSG). Major publications have quoted Bill as a policy and industry expert, including The Wall Street Journal,  The New York Times, Politico, Pluribus News, and Governing Magazine. His previous experience includes the U.S. Senate, California State Assembly, and Legislative Counsel's Office of California. Bill earned his bachelor's degree in history from Ohio University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Pacific McGeorge School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the McGeorge Law Review. Bill considers himself a policy generalist but has a passion for technology and infrastructure issues. He also enjoys developing future leaders, and as such, initiated and coordinates MultiState's internship program.

Leigh Walton is Vice President of Global Government and Regulatory Affairs for Pitney Bowes. As Vice President of the Global Government and Regulatory Affairs team, Leigh leads the company's work in influencing public policy to increase opportunities for its shipping, mailing, and financial services businesses as well as to mitigate risks to those businesses. Before joining Pitney Bowes, Leigh was a consultant to companies in the technology, education, and health care sectors. She also served in several state government and political roles, including as Legislative and Political Affairs director for Missouri Governor Bob Holden. Leigh serves on the boards of the Public Affairs Council, a national nonprofit that provides training and education to government affairs executives, and the New England Council, the voice for the region's business community on Capitol Hill. She served for ten years, with two as Co-Chair, of the Governor's Prevention Partnership, a Connecticut nonprofit focused on mentoring the state's young people. Leigh holds a B.S. in Political Science from Truman State University in Missouri. She lives in Boston with her family.

Sarah Schlemeier Henke attended the University of Missouri from 2010-2014, where she graduated Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Health Sciences and minors in Psychology and Service Learning. After working in the nonprofit sector in grant-funded positions, Sarah was hired by a lobbying firm before transitioning to the Gamble & Schlemeier team. Seeing a need in advocacy, Sarah started her own company, Advocacy360. Advocacy360 helps with the development and building of coalitions and grassroots networks. She splits her time between the two companies, as Advocacy360 is housed in the same office as Gamble & Schlemeier. Advocacy360's clients include some of the largest trade associations in Missouri. Recently, Sarah completed a graduate program through the University of Missouri, obtaining her master's in Public Affairs from the Truman School of Public Affairs.

*Recorded on October 1, 2024.* This is a rebroadcast of a MultiState webinar 'Meet the Exec' with Kellie Rittershausen, new executive director of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA). Kellie Rittershausen serves as the Executive Director of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA), overseeing all functions and services of NLGA in serving the nation's lieutenant governors and seconds-in-command. NLGA is the nonprofit, nonpartisan, professional association for the gubernatorial successors in state and territorial government. As Director, Kellie leads the association in member relations, development and fundraising, planning and executing NLGA's three meetings per year, marketing and communications, NLGA programming, and the association's STEM pillar of work. Prior to joining NLGA, Kellie had seven years of experience working for elected officials in a bipartisan environment. She served as Chief of Staff to the Hamilton County, Ohio, Commission, serving two different Commissioners during her tenure, in both the majority and minority. Kellie is a lifelong resident of Ohio, and a graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She currently lives in Cincinnati with her husband and four dogs.  

Ches McDowell leads the Checkmate Government Relations team and focuses primarily on the North Carolina General Assembly and the North Carolina Congressional Delegation. He has delivered victories for clients in health care, financial services, entertainment, technology, outdoor sports, aviation,municipal government, nonprofits, state-wide associations, elections, energy, pharmaceuticals, real estate development, gaming, and professional sports. He has been selected as one of the top 10 lobbyists in North Carolina by the North State Journal – every year they have done the poll – and has received honorable mentions for representing a diverse portfolio. Ches was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in 2023 and 2024 for Government Relations Practice. He was selected by Triad Business Journal as one of its “40 Leaders Under 40” in 2021. Ches was recognized as a “Young Gun” in 2019 by Business North Carolina magazine. Ches' career began while he was earning an undergraduate degree at North Carolina State. He became one of the only college students to work full time at the legislature, where he managed various projects for State Senate Leader Phil Berger.  Ches also remains committed to civic engagement and serves his community and state in multiple capacities, including as a Trustee at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a member of the Board of Visitors of Campbell Law School. In addition, he serves on the National Board of Directors for Cross Trail Outfitters, on the Host Committee for the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation's annual Wine, Wheels, and Wildlife fundraiser, and as Deputy Province Commander of the Kappa Alpha Order's Smith Province.

SIMON WLODARSKI, is a Senior Vice President at Bank of America and is a member of the U.S. State and Local Government Relations Team, overseeing State/Local Government Relations for the company in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Colorado. In this regional role with the company, Simon works on public policy issues impacting the financial services industry. In his leadership role with the company, he engages with public officials and banking industry leaders across the country.  Simon serves as the Bank's liaison with the National Council of State Legislators, a national trade association of state legislators.  He also serves as Vice Chair on the Executive Board of the Civic Federation, a non-profit organization advocating for responsible fiscal health of state and local government in Illinois. Prior to joining Bank of America, Simon served in the Administration of Pat Quinn, Governor of Illinois.  Simon began his public policy career supporting the Office of Management and Budget before serving as Chief of Staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs. In that capacity, Simon oversaw finance, human resources, operations and legislative affairs. Simon served in the United States Marine Corps, enlisting in 1995 as an infantry Marine. Transferring to the Reserves to attend college, Simon went on to pursue a commission in 2003, serving as an Infantry Officer during combat tours in Iraq.  Simon transferred to the Illinois National Guard in 2011, serving in Afghanistan as an advisor, as well as an embedded officer in the Polish Task Force.  Simon most recently served in Ukraine as an advisor, leading a multi-National NATO team working with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.  Amongst his awards, Simon is most proud to have earned the Army's Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Marine Combat Action Ribbon, and retired in December 2022 as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard. Simon was born in Chicago, Illinois, and currently lived in Arlington Heights with his wife and two sons.  He completed a BS in Engineering from Iowa State University and an MBA from Northern Illinois University.

Tre Hargett was elected by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2009 to serve as Tennessee's 37th Secretary of State. He was reelected to four-year terms in 2013, 2017, and 2021. Secretary Hargett is the chief executive officer of the Department of State with oversight of approximately 300 employees. With his role on fifteen boards and commissions; oversight of nine functional divisions, including elections and the Tennessee State Library & Archives; and his responsibility for rules and regulations, the department interacts with all three branches of state government and impacts every agency in the state. Previously, Secretary Hargett served as chairman of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority. Before joining the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, he was regional vice president for a publicly traded emergency services provider. Secretary Hargett served in the Tennessee House of Representatives for a decade representing District 97 (Bartlett and Memphis) and was twice elected Republican Leader by his colleagues. A native of Ripley, Secretary Hargett now lives in Hendersonville with his wife, Dawn, and their two sons. He is a Southern Baptist and worships at Indian Lake Peninsula Church.

Rachael Eckles has worked in the health care industry for over twenty years. A lawyer and bioethicist by training, she began her career in clinical research, ran a hospital medical ethics committee, and began a bioethics program at a pharmaceutical company. Her love of shaping the environment evolved into a career in policy and government affairs.  During a brief stint away from health care, she worked in securities litigation. It was then that she began writing fiction, which has evolved into the award-winning Wall Street thriller series, Trading Secrets, with two books released and a third on the way.  Rachael believes each of us has a responsibility to shape the best future possible, and she embodies this through her philanthropic commitments both locally and globally. She donates a portion of her proceeds to local and global programs that empower women and girls through her foundation, Aphrodite Gives. In her free time, Rachael practices yoga, meditation, and strength training. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and her dog. 

Suzanne Swink is Vice President of Government Relations for KORE Power, the leading U.S.-based developer and manufacturer of battery cell technology for the clean energy industry. In this role, she is responsible for the company's legislative and regulatory strategy for federal and state affairs, community engagement, and sustainability.  Ms. Swink joined KORE Power from bp, where she spent the better part of 12 years as a government affairs and strategic communications leader. She has nearly 20 years of government, advocacy, and policy communications expertise.  Prior to joining bp, Suzanne was Senior Legislative Assistant to Congresswoman Susan A. Davis (D-CA) and served as the Congresswoman's lead advisor on a broad domestic portfolio, including energy, environment, infrastructure, trade, tax and judiciary issues.  She received her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi and her master's in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University, where she also serves as adjunct faculty. Suzanne currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Council of Young Political Leaders, the Board of the Public Affairs Council, and is a past president of Women in Government Relations.

Today we are joined by bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist Garrett M. Graff who has spent two decades covering politics, technology, and national security, and is now recognized as one of the nation's most prolific and wide-ranging journalists and historians. His award-winning work—including nine books on topics ranging from presidential campaigns, Watergate, 9/11, and cybersecurity, to D-Day and the U.S. government's Cold War Doomsday plans, as well as dozens of magazine articles, essays, podcasts, and documentaries—uses history to explain the story of today, illuminating where we've been as a country and where we're headed as a world. Today, he's a columnist for the Washington Post, where he writes on leadership, serves as the director of cyber initiatives at the Aspen Institute, and hosts the history podcast, "Long Shadow," which this year received a 2024 Edward R. Murrow Award. The former editor of POLITICO Magazine and a longtime contributor to WIRED and CNN, he's written for publications like Esquire, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Foreign Affairs, and authored nine books—including the #1 national bestseller "The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11," and the New York Times bestseller "Watergate: A New History," which was a finalist in 2023 for the Pulitzer Prize in History. His most recent books include "UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government's Search for Alien Life Here—and Out There" and "When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day." Graff is a regular voice and analyst on NPR, PBS NewsHour, the History Channel, speaker at high-profile venues like corporate conferences, presidential libraries, and the Aspen Ideas Festival, and taught journalism and social media at Georgetown University for nearly a decade. Among other multimedia, TV, and film projects, he was executive producer of “While the Rest of Us Die,” a two-season VICE TV series based on his book "Raven Rock," and a consulting producer on the blockbuster Netflix documentary “Turning Point,” about the Cold War.

Amy is currently SVP of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations at Ascension.  Amy is an experienced leader who has guided successful teams in the U.S. and abroad & believes strongly in servant-leadership; over two decades of experience in Washington, D.C. leading organizations, managing budgets, imaging strategy and developing people; 10+ years of lobbying & health care policy success in the bio-pharmaceutical space; keen appreciation for our dynamic, changing environment & the necessity to be at once strong and nimble. 

Description: Steve Yeager has been serving as the speaker of the Nevada Assembly since 2022. Yeager graduated from the University of Michigan in 2001 and then attended Cornell Law School, graduating in 2004. After law school, Yeager practiced law and later worked as a chief deputy public defender of Clark County until his election to the Nevada Assembly in 2016. Yeager first ran for the Nevada Assembly in 2014, winning the Democratic primary but losing the general election.  He ran for Assembly again in 2016, defeating Gardner with 55% of the vote.] He has been re-elected three times since and is now serving his fourth term in the Assembly. Yeager attended and graduated from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Citizens' Police Academy in 2018 during his first term in the Nevada Assembly. Yeager chaired the Assembly Judiciary Committee from 2017 to 2023 and was elected Assembly speaker pro tempore in 2019. When then-Speaker Jason Frierson resigned to became U.S. Attorney in 2022, Yeager became acting speaker. He was elected Assembly speaker in 2023. Yeager lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Bita, who is an elected judge for the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County. They met in the Clark County public defender's office and married in 2013. Yeager is an avid runner, hiker, and biker.  He has a running blog called Battle Born Running https://www.battlebornrunning.com/

In this week's episode, you will continue to join Maggie Mick in her home state of Kentucky for a constellation of conversations had with colleagues and friends attending the National Conference of State Legislatures' 2024 Legislative Summit in Louisville. 

In this week's episode, you will join Maggie Mick in her home state of Kentucky for a constellation of conversations had with colleagues and friends attending the National Conference of State Legislatures' 2024 Legislative Summit in Louisville. We'll take you into the policy sessions, along the rows of the exhibit hall, and the various social events that pepper the week. 

Jack Quinn: Head, State Government Affairs for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Jack Quinn leads Regeneron Pharmaceutical's state policy, advocacy, regulatory, and political activity across all 50 states. Born-and-raised in Buffalo, NY, Jack attended Siena College and SUNY Buffalo Law School.  After being admitted to the New York Bar, Quinn served as a prosecutor for the Erie County District Attorneys Office. Elected to the New York State Assembly in 2004.  Jack served six years (2005-2010) in the legislature representing the 146th Assembly District (Erie County).  A member of the Republican Party, Quinn served on the Assembly Judiciary, Higher Education, Banks, Transportation and Ethics Committees. Following his six-year tenure in the Assembly, Jack has spent the last 14 years lobbying across 35+ states for several pharmaceutical manufacturers (Allergan, Vertex, and Sanofi) as well as ExxonMobil.  In his two prior roles, Quinn led State Government Relations teams for Alexion Pharmaceuticals and Regence BlueCross BlueShield. In addition to his role with Regeneron, Jack has also spent the last six years serving as a Northeast Charter School Network (NESCN) board member.  NESCN is a non-profit organization that advocates for pro-charter school legislative policies on behalf of over 150 school across New York and Connecticut.  Jack and his family live in Manhattan.

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.

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.

Senator Bob Duff is a state senator from Connecticut and has been the Majority Leader since 2015.  Bob's Norwalk family ties go back five generations. His passion for public service began at the age of eight. That's when Bob voiced his concerns for the future of Duffy Field to then-mayor William Collins. Today, we still have Duffy Field — now renamed Veterans Park. Since joining the legislature, Bob has been a tireless advocate for job creation in Connecticut. Bob has also earned a reputation as a consumer watchdog. As Chair of the legislature's Housing Committee, he created the state's first Housing Trust Fund to build more affordable housing in Connecticut. As Chair of the Banking Committee, Bob worked to safeguard Connecticut homeowners from the ravages of predatory lending by creating a package of first-in-the-nation reforms to reduce the number of home foreclosures in the state. Included was the foreclosure mediation program, Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program (the first iteration to the federally recognized and nationally acclaimed Platform to Employment program) to help those unemployed or underemployed avoid foreclosure and a law that provides tools to municipalities ensuring lenders maintain their vacant properties.  Bob's consumer advocacy continued as he went on to Chair the Energy and Technology Committee. As Chair, Bob championed two major pieces of energy legislation which taken together implement a new comprehensive energy strategy for Connecticut: restructuring support for renewable sources of electricity to provide for cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy for consumers and businesses. Bob also supported the nation's first cybersecurity report by a state government relating to safeguarding our electric grid and water utilities.  In addition, the Senate Democratic caucus with Bob has achieved numerous legislative victories. Most recently, the caucus passed legislation standing up for DREAMers, the National Popular Vote, net neutrality, data privacy, health care access, Time's Up, gun safety, LGBTQ rights, equal pay for equal work, raising the minimum wage and Paid Family Medical Leave. Bob has also been involved with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) serving on both the Foundation Board and Nominating Committee and active in their leadership programs. Throughout his legislative career, Bob has been honored by The Workplace Inc., AARP of Connecticut, the Lockwood-Matthews Mansion Museum, the Save Cranbury Association, Side-by-Side Charter School, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, Greater Stamford Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Women's Business Development Council, the Maritime Aquarium, the Norwalk NAACP, the Norwalk Marching Bears, Inc., Action for Bridgeport Community Development and the Norwalk Public Schools Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee. After graduating Norwalk Public Schools, Bob earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Lynchburg College in Virginia. There, Bob honed his political skills as a student senator, campus leader and intern for then-U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT). Bob, his wife, Tracey, and their two children live on Toilsome Avenue in Norwalk with their rescue dog, Molly.

As Vice President and General Counsel, Carl analyzes, advocates, and testifies on tech-related legislative and regulatory initiatives relevant to online companies. Carl is also an adjunct professor of internet law at the George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School.  Before joining NetChoice, Carl was an intellectual property attorney at the lawfirm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon where he advised clients on privacy, Internet, e-commerce, and contractual matters. He also worked at the lawfirms of Venable and Arnold & Porter.  Before law school, Carl worked at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on the staff of Commissioner Orson Swindle, where he helped create and implement the FTC's Consumer Information Security Outreach Plan and assisted the White House in establishing the National Strategy for Cyber Security. Carl obtained his J.D. and Communications Law Certificate from the Catholic University of America, magna cum laude, and Carl obtained his B.A. in Economics, Managerial Studies, and Policy Studies from Rice University. Carl is licensed to practice law in Washington, DC and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and has been recognized as a “Tech Titan” by the Washingtonian.

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!

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.

In this week's episode, Jim O'Brien and Maggie Mick host Scott Jennings, an American conservative writer and commentator. A former political director to United State Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), we dive into McConnell's legacy as the longest serving Republican Leader in the U.S. Senate and leadership lessons passed on to mentees like Jennings.   About Scott Scott Jennings is an on-air CNN Contributor, writes columns for the Courier-Journal, the LA Times, USA Today, and CNN.com, and is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. He is a founding partner of RunSwitch Public Relations and a veteran of numerous political campaigns, including four presidential efforts. A former journalist and political operative, Scott uses his 20 plus years of experience to offer clients cutting-edge strategy and analysis, and helps craft winning messages in the most difficult communications environments. He also hosts the podcast Flyover Country with Scott Jennigs. 

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. 

This week Maggie and Jim speak with Sarah Mercer a lawyer/lobbyist who works in Colorado and who spent a lot of her session working on the recently passed (and signed!) Artificial Intelligence (AI) bill.  Sarah gives us the full breakdown.    About Sarah: Sarah Mercer ensures clients overcome challenging and entrenched legal issues by guiding clients through the complex political landscape. She combines her litigation background with her experience navigating state and local government to develop creative political and administrative solutions for complicated legal issues. In short, Sarah helps her clients efficiently achieve their goals. She's a connector drawing on her close ties with elected officials and bureaucratic staff at all levels of local and state government to form connections and bridge relationships among diverse stakeholders.  Sarah works for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP a lobbying and law firm with 13 offices across the western U.S. and in Washington, D.C.

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.

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.   Monisha Henley is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Everytown. Before joining Everytown, she honed her expertise at the American Nurses Association and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). She began her career in the United States Senate. Monisha is originally from Wilmington, DE and now resides in New York City. 

In a special Mother's Day episode, Maggie Mick interviews Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and her eldest daughter Kathleen Kelly Daughety. The conversation focuses on both of their careers, the governor raising her daughters in Topeka - the state capital, and insights for working moms in policy and politics.   Governor Laura Kelly is the 48th governor of Kansas. A member of the Democratic Party, she represented the 18th district in the Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2019. Kelly was elected governor in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. Kathleen Kelly Daughety is the Vice President of Campaigns and Civic Engagement at Inseparable. Kathleen began her career in Kansas politics, campaigning to elect Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius twice. She continued her career with the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), Governor Jay Nixon (MO), U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (CO), Priorities USA and has held private sector posts with Liberty Media and Uber.

In their maiden episode as co-hosts, Jim O'Brien and Maggie Mick interview friend of the show, Steven Palmer, and first-time guest Paul DioGuardi. Two Partners at Forbes Tate. In addition to learning about Paul's impressive career including time with the Democratic Governors Association as well as the Obama Administration and his work on the Affordable Care Act, we dove into a discussion on upcoming primaries and a forecast for the 2024 gubernatorial races, current characteristics of gubernatorial candidates, and the debate on the viability of state trifectas in the coming years and election cycles.   Links to Steven's past TPL appearances:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-political-life/id1401504350?i=1000603590856 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-political-life/id1401504350?i=1000496060064

Maggie Mick has joined The Political Life podcast as co-host. Maggie is in the leadership group of the state and local government relations consultancy, MultiState - a PPHC firm, located in the Washington, D.C. area. The first episode of the new season will be next week with Reid Wilson from Pluribus News!! 

This week Jim welcomes Bradley Tusk back to the show to discuss his new book "Obvious in Hindsight".     Bradley Tusk is a venture capitalist, political strategist and writer. Bradley is the Founder and CEO of Tusk Ventures. Tusk Ventures is the world's first venture capital fund to work with and invest solely in high growth startups facing political and regulatory challenges. Previously, Bradley served as campaign manager for Mike Bloomberg, as Deputy Governor of Illinois and as Communications Director for Senator Charles Schumer. Tusk Montgomery Philanthropies, Bradley's family foundation, funds and runs campaigns in states across the U.S. to increase funding for anti-hunger programs like school breakfast and food stamp enrollment. They are also working to create mobile voting so people can vote in elections on their phones. Bradley writes a regular column for Fast Company. Bradley is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he received his BA and has a JD from the University of Chicago Law School. 

Matthew Guilbault is Director of Government Affairs at Corebridge Financial – a new position for Matthew since he was last on the podcast.  Matthew walks us through his job hunting experience – I think you will find it very helpful if you are looking for a job or thinking about looking for a new job.  Some interesting facts about Matthew: Matt studied to be a pilot before deciding to focus on pre-law studies at the College of St. Rose. He got his first job in politics for a State Senator after networking at the restaurant he worked at in Albany. After almost seven years working at the New York General Assembly, Matt transitioned to an in-house lobbying position. After 10 years working in-house, he worked as a contract lobbyist. Matt owns many motorcycles, and used to race them professionally.

In today's episode Maggie Mick of MultiState sits down with Jack Waldorf - the sixth Executive Director of the Western Governors' Association (WGA). Jack oversees WGA's efforts to support and advance bipartisan priorities on behalf of the Governors from the 22 westernmost states and territories.   Prior to joining WGA, Waldorf led the federal advocacy activities for the University of Colorado (CU) System which is comprised of four campuses across Colorado's Front Range. Before joining the CU System, Waldorf served in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives where he focused on policies related to education, health care, and transportation, among other issues. Waldorf holds a master's degree in public administration from CU Denver and a bachelor's degree in political science from CU Boulder. Waldorf currently resides in Erie, Colorado with his wife, Monica, and their three sons.

This episode is a rebroadcast of a webinar conversation Maggie Mick, assistant Vice Preistent of Multi State, had with California Assembly-member, Mike Gipson about California lawmaking!Topics covered in this episode include: 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. Mike Gipson is a California Assemblymember. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 2014, Gipson has served as Democratic Caucus Chair since 2016. A former cop, and non-profit leader in Los Angeles, he serves on Buisness and Professions, Governmental Organization, Insurance, and Transportation Committees. He serves as 2023 Chair of CSG West, the western region of The Council of State Governments.   Maggie Mick serves as Assistant Vice President at MultiState where she leads the firm's Stakeholder Engagement Practice. She also works with clients on campaigns, issue management, lobbying and compliance.   Before joining MultiState's leadership team in 2022, she spent nearly 12 years at The Council of State Governments (CSG) nationally headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. Her final role was Chief Advancement Officer, leading strategic partnerships and external relations for major stakeholders including legislative leadership and the private sector. Prior to her tenure at CSG, she was an aide in the United States Congress. In addition, she has held public office as a member of the Lancaster City Council for two terms.   Maggie serves on the board of directors and executive committee for the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), was 2022 president of the Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) and a graduate of the Public Affairs Council's Institute. She has received local and statewide recognition including "Top Women in Business" in Kentucky by the Lane Report and the Kentucky Commission on Women Bluegrass Alliance for Women Impact Award.   Maggie is a graduate of the University of Kansas where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in American Studies. She is the proud wife of Nathan Mick and mother to Birdie and Hank.

It's a podcast take over with the Gold brothers! Rich and his brother Marty Gold from Capital Council take over the podcast to focus on all things Washington DC and the debt deal that was recently made in this unique episode!   Things talked about in this episode include: 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. 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.   Martin B. Gold is a partner with Capitol Counsel, LLC. He brings over 50 years of legislative and private practice experience. He is recognized authority and author on matters of congressional rules and parliamentary strategies, and U.S policy in Asia. He frequently advises senators and their staff and serves on the adjunct faculty at George Washington University. In 2022, he received the College of Professional Studies Faculty Excellent Award. Before domestic business, professional, and academic audiences, he speaks about Congress as well as political and public policy developments. Gold has been a guest lecturer at Tsinghua University, the Beijing Foreign Studies University, Moscow State University, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, the State Parliament of Ukraine, and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Jim welcomes Stephen Sikes to the podcast to cover a wide variety of topics from investing to talking about the debt ceiling agreement that was made recently.Topics covered in this episode include: A shout out to Rachel who helped in bringing Stephen onto the show! Stephen talks about who he is and the company Public where he is the COO. How Public makes money. Where the 10% of not invested money goes and where does all the cash go? The FDIC program and sweeping The Treasury account that Public offers and what it is. How Public is trying new and innovative ways in a regulatory environment The founding of Public. Why Public exists. Where the idea of Public came from What alternative type of investing includes. Angel Investing Crypto Investing Culture Investing Regulatory issues for crypto and investing Watching closely to the courts to help give customers what they want/demand The European model Societal risks while creating regulations How to track what is going on with regulatory issues Stephen's thoughts on the debt ceiling deal that was made and how it impacts the investing business. What the next 6 months look like. What Public can offer Just launched Investment Plans Re-balancing is coming soon for the plan. What part of the army Stephen was in and how it shaped him for future careers. Stephen Sikes is currently the COO of Public, the multi-asset investing app, and he serves as the CEO of Public's broker-dealer and leads the brokerage, crypto, international, and alternatives business lines. He is also responsible for operations, customer, support, legal, compliance and risk functions. In addition to his work at Public, Stephen co-leads a fintech community and early stage investing fund called Socially Financed, where he focuses on supporting early stage consumer fintech businesses. Before joining Public, Stephen was on the founding team and became the Business Lead of SoFi Invest. Previously, he was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, and served as a Cavalry Officer in the U.S. Army, where he did one deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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.

Today Jim welcome Brian Joseph to the podcast to chat about his experience in the gig economy as well as the idea of portable benefits for freelance workers. Brian Joseph is a freelance journalist who is currently finishing up work on his first book. He's worked as a newspaper reporter and investigative journalist for about 20 years, writing for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Orange County Register, and the Sacramento Bee, among other publications. In 2013-14, he was an investigative reporting fellow at the University of California-Berkeley, where he investigated privatized foster care for Mother Jones magazine. Brian is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and the recipient of several journalism honors, including a George Polk Award. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife and daughter and their talkative orange tabby Nemo! 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 welcomes Mike Kiely to the podcast to talk about everything that goes into working for UPS in his new position within the company. They talk about how Mike manages his team, spending time abroad, how things are going in DC, and so much more!Topics discussed in this episode: The amount of responsibility that are on Mike and his team. How many union members and employees there in the UPS both in the United States and around the globe. Mike's new position and how it differs from his old position How Mike manages a team from so many diverse locations. Is it beneficial for people specfically college students to spend time abroad? Are things getting back to normal in markets around the world post-COVID? How UPS navigated the COVID shut down The backlogs of items coming into America. UPS negotiating with the union members of Teamsters in the US. How UPS takes care of their empoyees How social media causes unneeded panic about the state of UPS Headlines that give panic without diving into the facts of the matter at hand. Where Mike is spending most of his time. Educating public officials on what is going on in their negotiations with unions. Creating a channel for people to be able to use to know what's going on and not going off of what news articles are saying. FAA re-authorization bill How things are in DC and some changes that Mike has seen. America's relationship with China as the two leading countries of the world. 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.

Rich Gold returns to the podcast to talk with Jim about everything going on in Washington D.C. They talk about the looming debt limit, environmental regulation, and what is happening at his firm, Holland & Knight. Topics covered in this episode include: Rich's thoughts on the debt limit and everything that is currently going on with it. The ways that Rich believes the Republicans have put themselves into a corner. How many of the Republicans in the house that want significant cuts to the spending bill and why they seem to be pushing for it. The priority of reform when it comes to natural power sources. The work happening to continue to work towards the use of natural resources. Rich's thoughts on the Biden Administration gearing up on the regulatory front. The state of the regulatory environment in America versus other countries. Rich's opinion on if it seems anyone is talking about this or if it isn't something people are too concerned about. When things need to be finalized to keep a new president from meddling with it. The approval rating of the government. Senator Feinstein being asked to step down and how it is being received in Washington. What's happening at Holland & Knight currently? 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. 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, Washingtonian and The Washington Business Journal. In addition, Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide has recognized Mr. Gold since 2007. Rich grew up in New York and New Hampshire He attended The University of Vermont for a B.S. in Business and obtained his J.D. from George Washington University. He served as a Staff Attorney, and later Special Assistant to Carol Browner at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Rich served as a Special Assistant for Environmental Affairs to US Senator Lloyd Bentsen. He has worked at Holland & Knight for the last 25 years. “It's really important in current times to understand that the process that we are involved in, advocating for public policy, is sacred, and something that most around the world don't get to do.”

This week Jim chats with Sarah Mercer and Steven Stenzler from Brownstein about the recent legalization of psychedelics in Colorado as well as recent legislative trends in California, Colorado, and states in the Western U.S. more generally. Steven Stenzler is a Policy Advisor in the Sacramento office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. In this role he advises on a variety of issues including housing, land-use, tax policy, and emerging technologies. Prior to joining Brownstein, Steven served as the chief of staff to the Chair of the California Assembly Banking Committee. During his tenure in the legislature, Steven was the lead staffer on a number of impactful housing measures, including bills to reform nexus studies, limit development impact fees, reorganize the state's affordable housing finance system, and a bill to establish the nation's first statewide housing data strategy. In addition, Steven worked to pass the 2019 Tenant Protection Act which limited rent increases and established just cause eviction protections for millions of renters. Prior to that, Steven filled a variety of roles in the state capitol, from district staffer to legislative director, for members from the central coast and the greater Sacramento region. Sarah Mercer ensures clients overcome challenging and entrenched legal issues by guiding clients through the complex political landscape. She combines her litigation background with her experience navigating state and local government to develop creative political and administrative solutions for complicated legal issues. In short, Sarah helps her clients efficiently achieve their goals. She's a connector drawing on her close ties with elected officials and bureaucratic staff at all levels of local and state government to form connections and bridge relationships among diverse stakeholders.  Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP is a lobbying and law firm based in the United States with 250 attorneys and policy consultants in 13 offices across the western U.S. and in Washington, D.C. 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.

In this unique episode of the podcast, Jim welcomes back Josh Gray and with him, his mom Jackie Krentzman to the podcast for the first time to talk about the unique relationship they have together and how it all came to be.   Topics covered in this episode include: How Jackie first met Josh. Jackie's first impression of Josh Overview of the nonprofit Write on Sports and Jackie's work with creating a chapter in the Berkley area Josh's first impression of Jackie Josh and Jackie talk about preconceived notions they had when Josh first started to live with Jackie Jackie's preconceived notions growing up in a Jewish neighborhood. Josh's grandmother's preconceived notions meeting Jackie Jackie meeting Josh's family The process Josh went through that caused him to start calling Jackie his mother and wanting to live with her and Larry. The conditions created between Josh's family and Jackie to allow him to move into the house. Josh opening up to Jackie about his trauma. Raising Josh in a different culture than what would've been considered his normal. How Josh living with Jackie helped them both learn and grow in different ways. Josh asks Jackie if she has ever been in a situation that makes her realize the issues that black women go through raising their children. The statistics of what Josh's future that was laid out after failing a test in first grade. Where Josh's biological family is today. Life post George Floyd and what has changed in their lives since. How being progressive still means there is still a lot to learn and trying not to have a 'White Savior' mentality. Josh and Jackie having accountability for one another and checking on one another's attitudes. What individuals can do for people in the world in similar situations to Josh as a child but also adults. Josh Gray – has been a guest on the show before to talk about his amazing life story. You can find those episodes here and here. He is the vice-president of the advertising company Ogilvy.   Ogilvy has been growing brands and businesses since 1948. They continue that rich legacy through borderless creativity—operating, innovating, and creating at the intersection of talent and capabilities. Our experts in Public Relations, Consulting, Advertising, Health, and Experience work fluidly across 131 offices in 93 countries.   Jackie Krentzman – is the proprietor of Krentzman Communications, a communications and content strategy company that works with nonprofits and for-profit companies on their communication strategies and execution. She is also the editor-in-chief of Diversity Woman, a national quarterly publication on women's leadership development, sold at Barnes & Noble and distributed to women in leadership positions in Fortune 1000 companies.   Previously, Jackie was the editorial director of DCP, the largest custom publisher California. At the beginning of her career, she was a sportswriter, covering the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics and Golden State Warriors.   In 2012 Jackie made a documentary film that aired on PBS and at numerous film festivals, American Jerusalem, Jews and the Making of San Francisco.   Jackie has taught at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and UC Berkeley Extension. She earned her Masters of Journalism from UC Berkeley and a BA from the University of Michigan.   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 we are excited to run back an incredible panel from WASRG's first ever in-person Inside the Dome – moderated by Jim! – featuring on-the-ground consultants from high-impact states giving their candid insider insight on the impact of the November elections and the major legislation expected in 2023.  The Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) is one of the nation's largest organizations dedicated exclusively to serving state government relations professionals.  Since the mid-1970s, WASRG has been providing its corporate, trade association and public sector members with a unique and valuable opportunity to interact with their peers, key state officials and public policy experts. The panel includes (follow the links for full bios): Sarah Mercer, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Colorado Brian Bautista, The Southern Group, Florida Peter Ruddell, Honigman, LLP, Michigan John Holub, Public Strategies Impact, New Jersey Chris Hosek, Star Alliance, Texas For a full rundown of the event, click here! 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 welcomes a new guest to the podcast, Chris Coffey to discuss numerous topics. From working at Tusk Strategies on crypto, to working with Mayor Bloomberg.Topics covered in this episode include: How Chris and Bradley Tusk met and their relationship over the years from different jobs  to Chris working at Tusk Strategies with Bradley. Chris' work with Tusk Strategies and how their work with clients differ from other similar companies. The world of crypto and what is going on with it in New York. Working with the company eToro on their bitcoin license. What it means to have a bitcoin license. The vetting process of potential clients. The Andrew Yang mayoral campaign. Working in city hall and working with Mayor Bloomberg. Mayor Bloomberg and why he stands out as Mayor. New companies that are keeping Chris busy at Tusk Strategies. Chris Coffey is the CEO of Tusk Strategies. He led the New  York and New Jersey practices for Tusk Ventures and for Tusk Strategies for 9 years before taking over as CEO of Tusk Strategies in 2021.   He's run successful political & legislative efforts in cities and states across the country. In New York, he specializes in creating major media campaigns that dominate news coverage for weeks at a time. Successful examples include Uber, Latch,  Bird, Bloomberg, and NYCLASS. In 2017, he served as a senior strategist to Corey Johnson's winning campaign for Speaker of the New York City Council, and the New York Times called him an informal advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2018 election efforts. He led Tusk's work on Andrew Yang's 2021 campaign for NYC Mayor as Co-Campaign Manager. Chris also advises  U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY).   Prior to joining Tusk, Chris worked for Mike Bloomberg for 12  years at City Hall, on Mike's three electoral campaigns, and at  Bloomberg L.P. During Chris' time in City government, he helped set up the first-ever NYC Digital Office at the Mayor's  Office of Media and Entertainment. He co-authored the  Roadmap for the Digital City, which Mayor Bloomberg unveiled as the first digital blueprint for City government in the nation.  Before that, Chris worked on the 2009 Bloomberg campaign as a senior communications strategist, as First Deputy  Commissioner of the Mayor's Community Assistance Unit where he helped manage the Mayor's community relationships,  and as an assistant press secretary and director of Mayor Bloomberg's advance team.   Chris serves as the Chair of the Brooklyn Bridge Park  Conservancy and sits on the boards of Women in Need (WIN), the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and The Trevor Project,  which works to prevent suicides in LGBTQ+ teens. Chris was named one of the Crain's New York Notable LGBTQ Leaders for 2022 and was a recipient of the 2021 Gay City News Impact Award. For the past several years he has been named to City &  State's Power Pride list of influential gays in New York as well as to City & State's Top 100 most influential New Yorkers list. He frequently appears on NY1 as an expert on New York politics, and guest lectures at NYU on government and public policy. Chris was born and raised in New York City and now lives in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn with his husband and their two children.   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.

Jim welcomes Steve Palmer to the show to talk about presidential politics as well as Steve's work, from electric car infrastructure to telemedicine.Steven Palmer is a partner at Forbes Tate Partners, a federal and state government affairs firm with areas of specialty including health care, energy, natural resources, financial services, transportation, trade, tax, tech and telecommunications, appropriations, and agriculture.   With over two decades of international, multi-state, and federal government relations experience, Steven is adept at advocating for clients and their business initiatives while effectively navigating their public policy challenges and legislative concerns. Steven helps lead FTP's growing State & Local practice, which leverages the firm's relationships in statehouses from coast to coast in all 50 states.   Before joining Forbes-Tate, Steven served as Managing Director and National Director of Grayling/Dutko Worldwide's State and Local Government Affairs practice, where he led all lobbying efforts for clients across the country.   Over the course of his career, Palmer has served as a senior staff member in the United States Congress, managed state-wide campaigns, and has consistently worked for clients on some of the nation's most pressing public policy matters since entering the private sector.Topics covered in this episode include: Steve's passion for running and different races he will be participating in. Places that Steve enjoys going to ski. Republican governors and their qualifications to run for president Who Steve believes could run for president on the democratic side if the president doesn't run for reelection. What is going on at Steve's work regarding transportation and infrastructure How Forbes Tate helps companies work with states on electric car infrastructure Telemedicine Everything that's happening at the firm Where Steve will be skiing next 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.