We’re delighted to welcome Mike Gottlieb, Senior Partner and Managing Partner at PENTA, to the Bryce Harlow Foundation Board. At PENTA, Mike helps government affairs professionals measure and demonstrate the impact of their work — drawing on a career that has spanned public service at the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Air Force Reserve. His mix of federal experience and private-sector insight gives him a unique perspective on how advocacy is changing and what it takes to succeed.
Mike was drawn to the Foundation through colleagues and clients already on the board, people he describes as some of the “smartest, kindest, most principled professionals” he knows. Their endorsement, along with the chance to contribute in a more direct and personal way, made the decision to join an easy yes.
After years of public service at the federal level, where results often unfold slowly, Mike is eager for the chance to make a direct impact on the next generation of advocates. He credits his own career success to the mentors who guided him along the way and now looks forward to paying that forward by helping fellows gain perspective, build long-term careers, and navigate an increasingly complex profession.
He also believes the Foundation can have a vital role in shaping the standards of the field itself. With government affairs evolving far beyond traditional lobbying, the need for principled, effective, values-driven advocacy has never been greater. For Mike, the combination of supporting young professionals and strengthening the standards of the profession is what makes this work so meaningful.
