Bryce Harlow Foundation

The Bryce Harlow Foundation announced its honorees for the upcoming 2020 Annual Awards Dinner. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) will receive the Bryce Harlow Award and Dawn Sweeney, former President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association will receive the Business-Government Relations Award.   Read all about it here: BHF 2020 Honorees Announced

A passionate nutrition advocate who once worked part-time as a cheesemonger in D.C.’s Eastern Market, Michelle Smolarski is dedicated to the food industry in every way – from connecting with consumers to influencing public policy.

Today, Michelle works as Associate Manager, External Affairs & Issue Management for Unilever, where she leads advocacy efforts to address key issues facing the food and consumer products industries. She is also earning an MBA at Georgetown University, focusing on the intersection of policy and business as a mechanism to improve public health.

Diagnosed with Type I diabetes at four years old, Michelle has a personal connection to nutrition and its role as an essential tool to manage health. She became interested in nutrition and policy in high school, volunteering with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and traveling to Washington D.C. to meet with members of Congress. She later interned on Capitol Hill and continued working in nutrition policy and regulatory affairs for the food industry. Today, she’s excited to be part of the innovative initiatives in her industry that could help solve some of the most complex global challenges, from climate change to consumer health issues.

“The Bryce Harlow Foundation is a shining beacon for lobbying with integrity, and celebrates the profession for creating many positive outcomes for the public,” Michelle said. “I’m proud to be a Bryce Harlow Fellow, and to be part of a community contributing to this positive change.”

At 16 years old, Kristen Morse became passionate about stopping human trafficking. Since then, she’s raised thousands of dollars and helped start the A21 Campaign, a global nonprofit working to eradicate human trafficking. As the Global Reach Director, she works with 14 offices in 12 countries to strengthen laws and increase funding and awareness about taking action on this important issue.

After seeing gaps in the way some non-governmental organization (NGOs) work with governments, Kristen decided to pursue a Master’s degree in public policy at American University to improve her organization’s ability to influence policy and on-the-ground field work.

Kristen is honored to be a Bryce Harlow Fellow. “I am grateful for this opportunity to learn from leaders and peers who share similar values and who choose to live their lives for purposes greater than themselves,” Kristen said.

Growing up in Georgia, Phillip credits his early internship in the state Senate with his start in government advocacy. He then worked on a successful congressional campaign, followed by a stint on Capitol Hill, and now works as a government relations representative for International Paper (IP). One of Fortune’s “Most Admired Companies in the World,” IP works with elected government officials at the federal, state, and international levels.

Phillip is pursuing an MBA from the University of Maryland. “An MBA will help me to understand how my work impacts the business – and will allow me to better communicate with business leaders and elected officials when discussing the impact of legislation or regulations,” Phillip said.

He also sees the value of the Bryce Harlow Foundation and is proud to be a Fellow. ““I’m grateful for the mentorship the Fellowship offers,” Phillip said. “The Foundation board members are highly respected individuals, and each of them has likely had a mentor to help them get to where they are today. These connections are so important, especially when starting your career in lobbying.”

An avid hunter and fisherman, Brian Malat likes to be quick on his feet in all he does – even at work.

Brian is a Manager of Government Relations for Van Scoyoc Associates, where he helps clients better understand the appropriations process in Congress, and crafts strategic lobbying plans.

Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, he is earning a law degree at American University. Brian chose law to learn about creating statutes and regulations and study how courts interpret them in cases at the state and federal levels.

Brian is proud to be a Bryce Harlow Fellow noting, “The mission statement of the Foundation is one I strongly support. Being around like-minded younger professionals has already made a positive difference for my career development. I’m happy to be part of a group leading by example in the lobbying profession.”

Sara Ribakove is passionate about eliminating food waste and preventing obesity in America.

While earning her undergraduate degree in public health at the University of Rochester, Sara founded a chapter of the Food Recovery Network (FRN). Through FRN, she donated leftover food from her campus dining halls to a local soup kitchen. After graduation, Sara worked for the organization in its Washington, DC office.

She continues her dedication through her current role as a Policy Associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, where she works to reduce obesity and improve the food environment. Sara enjoys working on food and nutrition policy at the intersection of corporate engagement and legislative policy.

She is also pursuing an MBA at Georgetown. “When advocates and industry build policy solutions together, the results will be more impactful and successful,” Sara said. “This is what the Bryce Harlow Foundation is all about, and why I’m proud to be a Fellow – ethical government advocacy helps lead to sound public policy.”

Originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania and Des Moines, Iowa, Wayne Edmiston served as a Marine for the last 16 years, in part as a combat journalist in Iraq.

After graduating with his bachelor’s in business administration and a master’s in communications and media studies, Wayne is now pursuing a master’s degree in policy management at Georgetown University. He is also helping veterans through his work as a Congressional Fellow for the Office of Marine Corps Legislative Affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In December, Wayne will become the Chief of the Marine Liaison Office in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he will serve as a liaison for the Marines and will lead international trips with Members of Congress. He hopes to eventually advocate for veterans in rural areas in America.

Wayne is proud to be named a Bryce Harlow Fellow, noting, “Bryce Harlow was a veteran, after being a public affairs officer in the Army. I am proud to serve as a Fellow and continue his legacy of government advocacy for veterans.”

David Gellman loves figuring out what federal policies will mean for local governments.

David is working as an Intergovernmental Affairs Associate at Simon & Company, helping his clients navigate the federal landscape, from getting grant funding to explaining the complex appropriations process on Capitol Hill.

Originally from Miami, Fla., David earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Georgetown University. After graduating, he spent three years working in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Now he’s pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Administration at the George Washington University and serving as the Vice President of the International City County Managers Association, an organization for students interested in local government. David has also served as the editor of Policy Perspectives, a George Washington University journal, and is now a contributing author to the publication.

“I’m grateful for the Bryce Harlow Fellowship,” Gellman said. “I am proud to be associated with an organization whose mission is to promote the positive change lobbying can have on people’s lives nationwide.”

The Bryce Harlow Foundation recently announced the 2019-20 class of Bryce Harlow Fellows. Join us in congratulating them and read all about it here: BHF 2019-20 Fellows Announced

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Marlon studied at the University of Kansas where he intended to study engineering. He fell in love with making social change after getting involved in organizations on campus like student Senate, and changed his major to communications studies.

After graduating, Marlon worked on state, local, and Federal campaigns (including the last four presidential races). Under the President Obama administration he served in the White House Office of Public Engagement and is currently a founding partner at the public engagement firm 270 Strategies.

Marlon is pursuing a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University, with a goal of gaining a better understanding of policy to help address social justice issues. The Bryce Harlow Fellowship taught him about the legacy of ethical lobbying and advocacy. “I was most impressed by Mr. Harlow’s spirit of bipartisanship, and how he worked with both sides of the aisle to do public good,” Marlon said.