Anne Bradbury didn’t set out to build a career as an energy advocate. She started on Capitol Hill, and worked her way up to senior roles, including serving as Floor Director to Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan, where she had a front-row seat to how policy takes shape.
Yet the energy industry kept pulling her in. “One pivotal experience was watching the shale revolution unfold in Pennsylvania,” Anne said. “What began as uncertainty and skepticism in local communities shifted into something tangible – jobs, a stable economy, growth of towns. Seeing this transformation gives my work weight and direction.”
Today, Anne is President and CEO of the American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC), representing independent oil and natural gas producers across the country. Since stepping into the role in 2019, she has grown the organization significantly and strengthened its presence across both Capitol Hill and the Executive Branch.
Anne’s connection to the Bryce Harlow Foundation grew naturally alongside her increased interest in helping define and strengthen her profession. “Many of my colleagues talked about the Foundation’s commitment to integrity and public service.” Anne said. “True advocacy is about bringing informed perspectives into the policymaking process and helping legislators understand the real-world impact of their decisions.”
One of the main elements that drew Anne most strongly to the Foundation was its focus on scholarship and mentorship for the next generation of advocates. “There is real value in having thoughtful people choose public policy careers because they want to contribute to something larger than themselves.” Anne said. “The challenge is not to lose that instinct, but to build on it with experience and judgement.”
Anne’s own approach to advocacy was shaped early in her career by mentors who were clear about one guiding principle: do the right thing for the right reason, even when it is difficult.
Through mentoring Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellows, Anne hopes to instill that same credo in the rising class of lobbyists. “My advice is straightforward,” Anne said. “Develop real expertise in something that matters to you, build relationships on both sides of the aisle, and take the time to understand both the perspectives you agree with, and as well as those you don’t. These are the habits that make someone effective.”
