Bryce Harlow Foundation

Rudy Barry is the managing director at Whitmer & Worrall, working towards his Master’s degree in Business Administration at The George Washington University, and a two time Bryce Harlow Fellow. Professional advocates are critical to effective lawmaking as they educate lawmakers and their staff–and that is a calling Rudy lives out daily.

“The role of advocacy is so important because congressional offices are inundated with more and more information through the 24 hour news cycle, social media, and advocacy groups,” Rudy said. “It’s really important for experts in specific fields to educate members of congress and their staff.”

Earning the trust of the legislative staff is critical to being heard when bills come up that can affect client industries.

“It’s an important part of advocacy and it’s critically important to have an ongoing trusting relationships with staff if you want to accomplish your goals.”

We are proud to support Rudy in his pursuit of educating lawmakers and working with businesses to ensure that policy decisions are made for the common good.

At the heart of professional advocacy is a commitment to education–a dedication that Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellow Amy Spain lives out daily. Amy is a two-time BHF Fellow, a Manager of Membership Development and Industry Research at the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), and a law student at George Mason University.

“The role of lobbyists is to represent our members before policy makers… You need to educate lawmakers about how those issues might impact the public,” Amy said.

But successful lobbying is about far more than just education. “As a lobbyist, you need to be truthful and have high moral principles, or you aren’t credible,” Amy said. “You need to be honest and trusted to be effective.”

Education and integrity come together through Amy’s work at NBWA, as Amy supports members who are active in their communities and charities, working to eliminate underage drinking and combat drunk driving, while building family-owned and multi-generation businesses.

Protecting the consumer is fundamental to the work of NBWA. NBWA and its members work to facilitate a safe and orderly marketplace and promotes responsibility in the distribution, sale and consumption of alcohol. Thanks in part to the three-tier system of alcohol controls, the industry is unique in that they’re able to quickly and efficiently pull a product from shelves if necessary.

“In other countries, we read about tragic headlines of tainted alcohol products, and that’s not something you see hear about in America,” Amy said. “I believe in the value and importance of this industry. I see how distributors serve the public’s interests and keep the marketplace safe and that’s why I am proud to be a part of NBWA,” Amy said.

Amy’s work–and the work of all professional advocates–is a calling the Bryce Harlow Foundation is proud to support.

Bryce Harlow Foundation fellow Caitlin McHale knows integrity and trustworthiness are key to her work as a professional advocate. Caitlin works as a treasury coordinator for Mars, Incorporated while pursuing her law degree from George Mason University.

“To be successful as lobbyist you need to have a good understanding of how both the government and private sector work,” said Caitlin. “Working in the private sector gives you an understanding of how policy decisions affect real businesses.”

Success as a lobbyist, however, is more than just knowing about how policy interacts with industry and the real life consequences that an ill-advised law can cause. A commitment to sound ethics and a reputation of dependability are also critical.

“At the end of the day, a strong ethical stance is non negotiable from a legal and policy perspective,” Caitlin said. “Lobbyists are entrusted to be sources of reliable information for legislators, businesses, clients, and the public. Your clients need to know you will give them unbiased and ethical advice.”

Bryce Harlow Foundation is proud to support Caitlin as she pursues her degree and her career.

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 3, 2014 – The Bryce Harlow Foundation, the national capital’s premier organization supporting the profession of lobbying and advocacy, today announced the 20 recipients of its prestigious graduate-school fellowship for 2014-2015.

Bryce Harlow fellowships are awarded annually to exceptional graduate students who aspire to have careers in government relations and lobbying. Bryce Harlow Fellows attend graduate school part-time while working full-time in a variety of settings, including Capitol Hill, government agencies, lobbying firms and trade associations.

The 2014-15 class of twenty Fellows was chosen from nearly 80 applicants. The Fellows are pursuing graduate degrees such as law, business and public policy at Washington, D.C.-area schools including American University, the Catholic University of America, George Mason University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Virginia. The Foundation considers its Bryce Harlow Fellows to be the future of professional advocacy. The fellows must be committed to practicing advocacy with the highest level of integrity. In addition to an $8,000 award, Fellows are assigned mentors from the Foundation’s board of governors.

2014-15 Bryce Harlow Fellows
1. Doug Andres – Communications Director, Committee on Rules –U.S. House of Representatives
2. Matt Baker – Associate, Policy and Special Projects, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
3. Rudy Barry – Managing Director, Whitmer & Worrall
4. Samantha Bilotta – Director, Banner Public Affairs
5. Terry Camp – Legislative Correspondent, Senator Orrin Hatch
6. Logan Feree – Senior Legislative Assistant, Congressman Jared Huffman
7. Ashley Fingarson – Director of Legislative Affairs, AlliantGroup
8. Caroline Goncalves – Associate Director, Federal Advocacy, The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
9. Jordan Hess – Legislative Assistant, Senator Mike Lee
10. Skiffington Holderness – Staff Director, U.S. Senate Committee of Small Business & Entrepreneurship
11. Jeffrey Long – Legislative Assistant, Senator Richard Blumenthal
12. Carolyn Lowry – PAC and Communications Specialist, US Bancorp
13. Bryan Maxwell – Senior Legislative Assistant, Congressman Dan Maffel
14. Caitlin McHale – Executive Coordinator, Global Treasury, Mars Incorporated
15. Elizabeth Murphy – Senior Policy Associate, The Sheridan Group
16. Laurie Sussman – Government Relations Manager, Rockwell Collins
17. John Thirolf – Director of Regulatory Affairs, Enel Green Power North America
18. Camille Touton – Professional Staff, U.S. Department of Interior
19. Amy Wells – Manager, Development and Industry Research, National Beer Wholesalers Association
20. Trevor White – Registered Lobbyist Combest, Sell & Associates

About the Bryce Harlow Foundation
The Bryce Harlow Foundation was established in 1981 in honor of the late Bryce Harlow to promote integrity within the lobbying profession and to increase the understanding of its essential role in the development of sound public policy. Bryce Harlow, who served under four U.S. presidents, established the first White House Congressional Liaison Office and served as its director during the Eisenhower and Nixon administrations. For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.bryceharlow.org.

Contact: Barbara Faculjak
Direct: 202-654-7812
Mobile: 703-402-9094
Email: bfaculjak@bryceharlow.org

Today’s post comes from Former Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellow James Sonne.

As a Bryce Harlow Fellow in 2006, I was honored to receive the financial support from the foundation because, of course, studying and working in the nation’s capital can be a costly endeavor. However, I am most appreciative of the opportunity to meet like-minded professionals in the advocacy field at all levels. At many steps in my career that has taken me from Capitol Hill, to a large corporate law firm and now to a trade association, the dynamic board members and fellows of the Bryce Harlow Foundation have served as a priceless sounding board and source of advice and assistance.

Whether looking to meet other students who were balancing full-time jobs with graduate study, seeking advice from my official mentor, or reaching out to Bryce Harlow staff or current and former board members, I was consistently astonished by the group of helpful and dynamic professionals I have met through the fellowship. Even after the fellowship ends, the Bryce Harlow Foundation facilitates networking through formal and informal social events that have been both informative on an intellectual level and provide for the chance to get to know some of the most respected members of the professional advocacy community. Hearing about the experiences of senior government relations professionals who know certain complex policy-areas inside-and-out and have relationships based on their integrity and such vast knowledge has been inspiring and makes me proud to be part of this important field. As I continue my career, I look forward to learning from the many additional Bryce Harlow alumni and board members who all demonstrate such high levels of professionalism and integrity.

James Sonne received the Bryce Harlow Fellowship in 2006 when he worked on Capitol Hill and earned an M.A. in Government and M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins. He is now Assistant Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA).

Today’s post comes from current Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellow Elliot Friedman.

For the past three years, I have had the incredible privilege to learn and grow as a Bryce Harlow Fellow. When I first applied for the fellowship program, I never could have imagined how fortunate I was to join a group that is dedicated to promoting ethical advocacy and enriching the lives of professional advocates. However, after the last three years, I know that I could not have grown into the lobbyist I am today or represent my association the way I do today without what I have learned from my time as a Bryce Harlow Fellow.

One of the most beneficial aspects of the Bryce Harlow Fellowship is the mentoring each fellow receives. During the year, each fellow is as assigned a mentor who is an active lobbyist and member of the Bryce Harlow Board. The Bryce Harlow staff considers the preferences of each mentee and mentor when choosing mentoring pairs and tries to find each fellow a mentor well suited for their specialty and professional goals. In my time as a fellow, each of my mentors has helped me in different ways including career planning, giving strategic advice, or welcoming me into the network of all of the lobbyists in his firm. One of these relationships has developed so strongly over time, that my association now regularly co-sponsors events with my mentor’s lobbying firm. My association would not have had access to or known about these events without the relationship I have with my mentor. Furthermore, while each fellow has an individual mentor mentee relationship, the Bryce Harlow beoard is also a dynamic network, full of members who are easily accessible and happy to assist fellows as they move to advance in the advocacy world.

Beyond the mentorship that I have received as a fellow, the friendships and connections I have made with other fellows have been some of the most rewarding parts of the fellowship program. Developing connections with colleagues while simultaneously balancing a full time job in advocacy or government with the pursuit of a graduate degree is a difficult task. However, the Bryce Harlow Foundation has built an incredible network for current and former fellows to use for professional, academic, and social pursuits. The Bryce Harlow Foundation fosters this through regular events with members of the board, including a fantastic “people you should know” lunch series, introducing fellows to a wide assortment of speakers designed to assist in each fellow’s professional development. Additionally, fellows often get together informally to continue building relationships.

Finally, the generosity of the foundation to its fellows is quite meaningful. Graduate school is an expensive endeavor, and the financial assistance has given me serious relief in meeting my financial obligations as I pursue my degree.

Again, I cannot overstate the benefit I have received from the Bryce Harlow Foundation over the past three years. If you are eligible, I highly encourage you to apply. I look forward to welcoming you as a Bryce Harlow Alumni to one of the best organizations in Washington.

Elliot Friedman is the Legislative Representative and PAC Manager for the National Association of Postal Supervisors and is a third year evening student at The George Washington University Law School.

As the Bryce Harlow Foundation enters into its 33rd year, we are proud to welcome the most recent additions to our board. Five new governors were confirmed at the Board of Governors Annual Meeting this week. Joyce Brayboy of Goldman Sachs Group, Geoff Davis of Republic Consulting, Beth Fowler of Korn/Ferry and Rich Gold of Holland & Knight – we welcome you and look forward to your leadership and service on the board.

Joyce Brayboy serves as vice president of government affairs for Goldman Sachs, a position she has held since November 2009. Joyce has had a long history in public service and government relations. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, she spent nine years working for former U. S. Representative Melvin Watt. In addition Joyce worked with the Glover Park Group, a well-known D.C. firm that specializes in government relations and strategic communication. Joyce is the recipient of the second annual Trailblazer Award from the Congressional Black Associates and she was honored as “Lobbyist of the Year” by the Washington Government Relations Group.

Geoff Davis is the founder of Republic Consulting, LLC, a government affairs consulting firm. As a former Member of Congress from Kentucky’s 4th District, Geoff served as chairman of the Ways & Means’ Subcommittee on Human Resources. His priorities included regulatory reform, tax relief to working families and energy independence, to name a few. Prior to serving in Congress Geoff owned and operated a small consulting firm specializing in lean manufacturing and systems integration.

Beth Fowler is a senior client partner at Korn/Ferry where she leads federal, state, regulatory, and public policy searches on behalf of many associations, corporations and firms. Prior to her career at Korn/Ferry, Beth worked in government relations at The Michael Lewan Company and APCO Associates. Adding to Beth’s stellar resume, she also served as a presidential appointee working with the Under Secretary for International Affairs at the Department of the Treasury as well as the Republican National Committee during the George H.W. Bush Administration.

Rich Gold is a partner at Holland & Knight where he specializes in legislative and environment law as leader of the firm’s public policy and regulation practice group. Prior to his tenure at Holland & Knight, Rich worked in the public sector, including stints with Senator Lloyd Bentsen and EPA Administrator Carol Browner. The environmental and energy expertise that Rich brings to his practice create the focus for a wide range of substantive issues from chemical security and food safety to transportation and energy efficiency and production. Rich also writes and speaks out about the important role that lobbying plays in the development of sound public policy.

The Bryce Harlow Foundation’s 25-member board of governors is selected from the nation’s finest corporate government affairs offices, trade associations, and consulting firms. It has worked hard to position itself as the principal nonprofit organization in Washington, DC that promotes the highest professional standards in lobbying and government relations. Joyce, Geoff, Beth and Rich share our mission and we’re delighted they have joined our team.

Today’s blog post was written by Haley Barbour and Ed Rodgers and first appeared in Politico.

Well, well, well. A new Gallup poll reveals that Americans view lobbyists as having the lowest honesty and ethical standards of any profession of the 22 surveyed. We’re shocked!

You don’t have to be an expert at studying the internals and crosstabs of a poll to understand that lobbyists’ work contains all the right ingredients for a cocktail of contempt. Lobbyists deal with the government in Washington. Ding! Politics. Ding ding! Political fundraising. Ding ding ding! We do much of our work with a lawyerly patina. Ding ding ding ding!

Lobbying is an unloved industry, with scads of lawyers, politicians and bureaucrats as well as campaign money in the mix, and everybody wants something. Everyone likes to beat up on us, and none more so than President Barack Obama, who grandiosely says things like: “We’re going to have to change the culture in Washington so that lobbyists and special interests aren’t driving the process.”

That kind of bluster doesn’t bother us. We love our jobs, but we’re not expecting the thanks of a grateful nation—lobbying just doesn’t have too many appealing elements for most Americans, and that won’t change. But if you are an Obama disciple and it makes you feel more comfortable, you could always just think of us as “Navigators.”

Each of us has had a 20-plus year career as a lobbyist, so it’s safe to say we’ve given some thought to lobbying and what lobbyists really do. And didn’t former President Bill Clinton once say something like: If you know what you’re doing, you’re never afraid to talk about what you do? So we come not to bury lobbyists, but to explain them. We don’t mind talking about what we do. And thanks to the ever-expanding government and the perpetual nature of bureaucracy, the lawyer and lobbyist business is a growth industry.

So many lobbyists are lawyers because a lot of what lobbyists do is like a slow-motion jury trial. You have to find the jury, meet with them one at a time and argue your case; you advocate on behalf of your client. It’s about persuasion.

Lobbying mostly consists of three parts:
First, someone has a problem, concern or desire to change something in Washington or in government somewhere. A good lobbyist needs to put together a “wiring diagram” that identifies all the offices and individuals who have some sort of discretionary input over the issue in question. That group includes the obvious government offices, but can also include the media, competitors, trade associations, think tanks and other interest groups.

These days, that diagram can grow pretty large. Aside from President Obama’s unprecedented and questionable use of executive fiat, power is becoming more diffuse in Washington. The growth of bureaucracy is making it harder for a company or even an industry, much less an individual, to find out what is actually going on in government, and harder still to move the needle on any given measure. Knowing who to talk to is the first step and, increasingly, it takes an expert to draw up the plan.

Second, you have to get a fair hearing in front of the people who matter, choreographed in a way that makes sense. Pretty much everyone we have met and interacted with over the past couple decades wants to do a good job, and most are open to hearing factual information. A dirty little secret in Washington is that the majority of policymakers want to thoroughly understand the policy and politics of whatever issue is on the table. Most want to get as many facts and as much perspective as they can, and lobbyists are a major source of that information. Democrats, Republicans; conservatives, liberals—while their individual perspectives on a particular issue may depend on where they sit, most of them are very willing to give you a hearing.

Third, when lobbying, you have to tell the truth and maintain a reputation for telling the truth. If you want to be invited back to talk about an issue with members of Congress, government officials and other policymakers, you need to be credible. It’s rare that you will change a decisionmaker’s view 180 degrees, but good information that demonstrates sound policy and good politics will move members at the margin. Those who are truly undecided might, in rare instances, move totally to the side of your client. But even among those who are inclined to be against your view, you might be able to moderate their position so that it is not as adverse to your client’s interests.

There are no “dark arts” here, to use a phrase that is often applied to our work. Lobbying occurs on every issue in every office in Washington, be it climate change, small-business regulations or animal rights. President Obama would be more effective if he were a better lobbyist. LBJ, Bill Clinton and even Ronald Reagan were all good lobbyists; that is, they were great advocates for their policies.

“For two days Twain held his court – talking all the time – and such talk! He talked about steamboating on the Mississippi, about his experiences in Nevada, California, and the Sandwich Islands, about lecturing, writing books, about his travels in far lands, about getting rich and going broke, about the prominent people he had met – in short, about almost everything and everybody – but always wound up by arguing in favor of his bill. On the morning of the second day there was a blinding snow-storm in Washington, and Twain blossomed out in a flannel suit, white as the snow, while all the world wondered. For a week his eccentricity in dress was the talk not only of the town, but of the whole country. … Incidentally his bill was universally discussed. For that cunningly devised caper he must have received a million dollars’ worth of free advertising for his copyright bill.”

So, we think we’re in pretty distinguished company.

Today’s post comes from Randy Russell, Partner, The Russell Group

I can think of no one more deserving of the Bryce Harlow Foundation’s Business-Government Relations Award than Connie Tipton. If success is measured by the length of the road traveled—Connie has traveled further and accomplished more than about anyone I know.  And the road she traveled has truly been a “road less traveled.” Being a woman who rose to the top in the agriculture and food industry over the last 35 years –an industry traditionally dominated by men—is truly a tremendous accomplishment. But more importantly, Connie achieved this success the right way—full of class, integrity, humor and always helping to promote others in their careers. I can’t think of a more deserving recipient and one that exemplifies the values of the Bryce Harlow Foundation than Connie. I especially look forward to attending this years’ event.