Team

Elena is a highly motivated and detail-oriented professional with experience in legislative and regulatory analysis, policy research, and government affairs. She joined Thorn Run Partners in January 2023 as a Legislative Assistant, supporting the firm’s health policy practice by providing in-depth policy research and analysis for some of the most influential health care stakeholders in the country.

Prior to joining TRP, Elena gained valuable experience through several internships and assistantships. Most recently, she served as a legislative intern at Thorn Run, aiding the firm’s federal lobbyists in legislative and regulatory analysis, conducting extensive policy research, and engaging in outreach to Capitol Hill. Prior to that, Elena worked as a graduate assistant for the UPS Foundation, supporting the company’s corporate, government, and public affairs activities. During her time at UPS, Elena was tasked with constructing the annual Social Impact Report, which was recognized as part of the 59^th Annual Graphic Design Awards Showcase. In addition, Elena has served as a student research assistant at the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs Research Center, where she assisted faculty in conducting research for various research projects.

Elena holds dual bachelor’s degrees in political science and advertising from the University of Georgia. In addition to her professional and academic achievements, Elena is an active member of her community, volunteering with local organizations and serving as a mentor to local high school students. She is also a passionate advocate for women’s rights and health equity, working to empower women and girls both at home and abroad.

Daniel Bates is an experienced government relations professional who has been lobbyist, client and a professional manager in a large city. Mr. Bates has built his practice helping public and private clients achieve their business objectives by partnering with government at all levels. He brings to Thorn Run Partners extensive lobbying experience and an intuitive understanding of client needs and expectations.

Mr. Bates joined Thorn Run Partners in 2010 after serving the City of Portland, Oregon as its Director of Government Relations. Previous to his tenure at the City of Portland, Mr. Bates was an attorney and lobbyist with the legislative practice group at Patton Boggs LLP, DC’s largest lobby shop.

Mr. Bates has represented large and small cities, counties, transit agencies, ports and state governments – helping his clients achieve both funding and policy goals. Mr. Bates has considerable expertise in pursing client objectives in Surface Transportation Authorization legislation, Water Resources Development Act legislation, annual appropriations legislation, and energy legislation. Non-profit and educational institutions have relied on Mr. Bates to help them navigate the annual appropriations process to secure federal partnership on innovative programmatic and capital projects. Mr. Bates has also worked with business clients seeking to introduce technology into markets by partnering with governments that act as purchaser, promoter and driver of the market through policy decisions.

Navigating projects that require government relations expertise at local, state and federal levels simultaneously is a significant component of Mr. Bates’s professional portfolio. With significant experience lobbying the Oregon State Legislature and Executive branch, Mr. Bates can assist public and private clients with interests in Oregon to achieve their goals. Mr. Bates is uniquely situated to guide clients through multiple levels of government, represent clients at the state and federal level, develop public private partnerships, and deliver top-notch client service. Mr. Bates received bachelors of arts degrees in Political Science and History at Houghton College in Houghton, New York and earned his juris doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.

When he’s not in Washington, DC, Mr. Bates lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Allison and two children.

Paul Bock has more has 30 years of experience in politics and policy, with extensive experience on campaigns, on Capitol Hill, and in government relations. During those decades, Paul developed a thorough understanding of Washington and an extensive network of contacts that helps clients design and effectively implement their public policy strategies.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, Paul was a partner at the law firm of Holland & Knight where he helped corporations, trade associations, nonprofits and foreign countries achieve success in a wide range of policy areas. Specifically, Paul was the firm’s lead Senate Democrat, and in that role advised dozens of firm clients on how best to navigate the Senate Democratic Caucus. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Paul served as legal counsel and political consultant to a wide range of business interests as vice president of Capitol Hill Strategies LLC, where he was responsible for planning and implementing legislative strategies for numerous corporate and governmental clients. Overall, Paul has more than 10 years of lobbying experience on issues ranging from health care and financial services to transportation and international trade.

Before joining the private sector, Paul was Chief of Staff for Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) for over twelve years. During that time Paul was actively involved in all aspects of the legislative process, with a focus on the Senate Appropriations and Judiciary Committees.

In addition, Paul worked to bring his staff colleagues together. For five years, he was the host of a weekly meeting with Democratic chiefs of staff and Senate leadership, and he worked across the aisle to co-found the Bipartisan Chiefs of Staff Association. He also helped formed an association of current and former Democratic chiefs of staff that regularly gathers on Capitol Hill. Finally, in 2008, Paul was one of only six Senate staffers chosen to act as a liaison between the Obama/Biden transition and the Senate.

Paul  earned a B.A. and Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University as well as a J.D. from Northwestern University Law School, where he was an editor on the law review. A native of Chicago, Mr. Bock is a veteran of campaigns in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Forging a career in Washington, DC has provided Jessie Howe Brairton valuable government affairs experience and an extensive professional network that allow her to navigate a shifting political landscape and effectively advocate for her clients. Ms. Brairton joined Thorn Run Partners in 2011 and specializes in policy strategy and issue advocacy for a diverse portfolio of clients including corporations, nonprofits, and coalitions.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, Ms. Brairton made an impact in the private, nonprofit and government sectors. She was Director of Federal Government Affairs in Eli Lilly’s Washington, DC office where she lobbied both chambers of Congress on Medicare, patient assistance programs, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Ms. Brairton led the internal ACA team and worked cross-functionally to deliver results for the company.

Before entering the corporate world, Ms. Brairton managed federal public policy development for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s largest advocacy organization representing small and independent businesses. At NFIB, she co-chaired the Small-Business Health Plan (SBHP) Coalition and developed lobbying, press and grassroots strategy.

Ms. Brairton launched her career working for the United States Senate’s Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA).  After working in the Senate, she joined the office of Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX 21) who served tenures as Chairman of both the House Judiciary and House Science Committees. Ms. Brairton managed Congressman Smith’s legislative initiatives before these committees, with a broad portfolio that included intellectual property, anti-trust legislation, crime, terrorism, and space exploration.

With extensive experience as a lobbyist and Capitol Hill staffer in the areas of health care, business, early education and care, and judiciary related issues, Ms. Brairton has built relationships in both the Senate and the House that enable her to directly influence policy outcomes for her clients.

Ms. Brairton earned a B.A. in Political Science and French from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. She lives in Arlington, VA with her husband and two children.

JP Brandt joined Thorn Run Partners as Senior Health Policy Counsel in May 2021, bringing significant experience shaping healthcare policy at both the State and Federal levels. JP leads the firm’s healthcare policy team, navigating the ever-changing legislative and regulatory landscape to resolve clients’ current problems, anticipate future issues, and design solutions to assist clients in reaching their long-term business objectives.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, JP served as a senior analyst in the Office of Legislation at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where he leveraged his deep understanding of healthcare policy and Capitol Hill to provide technical and policy analysis to Agency leaders, the Senate Finance Committee, and the House Energy & Commerce Committee on all proposed or introduced legislation affecting Medicaid, while also advancing the Administration’s policy goals. JP’s efforts were crucial to the implementation of numerous recently enacted laws, including the Coronavirus relief bills, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, and the ten-year reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In addition to working with the Hill on legislation, JP played a vital role in the regulatory and sub-regulatory processes by reviewing and revising regulations impacting coverage, provider payments, and drug pricing.

Before his Federal experience, JP served as Legislative Counsel for the Committee on Health and Human Services for the D.C. Council. In this role, he worked closely with members of the D.C. Council, local and national stakeholders, and advocacy organizations to develop consequential healthcare policy and enact the legislation required to achieve the desired results.

JP grew up in Pennsylvania where he was ranked first in the State as a competitive gymnast. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of William & Mary and a law degree from the George Washington University Law School. He is admitted to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Greg Burns provides expert advice and strategic counsel to local and regional governments on a wide variety of issues. Greg represents clients ranging from large, urban regions to small, rural communities across the United States. Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners in 2018, Greg spent more than 15 years in leading roles at two other lobbying firms successfully representing government entities.

Greg takes a personal approach to client service, tailoring his efforts to each client’s unique needs. He believes it is vital to forge a relationship with clients and spend time getting to know the communities he represents to advocate for their priorities most effectively. This dedication to client service has led clients to refer to him as their “secret weapon in D.C.” Greg has several clients he has represented throughout his entire 20+ year lobbying career, emphasizing his dedication to working as a direct extension of their internal teams.

During his career, Greg has helped clients secure more than $1 billion for their needs as well as deliver policy wins that in some cases dwarf the value of a funded project. Greg successfully helps secure federal funding for local projects, navigate complicated policy issues, and address regulatory or legislative challenges with Congress and federal agencies. He believes that proactive and consistent engagement is essential for driving success.

Before joining Thorn Run Partners, Greg spent a decade as a Vice President at Van Scoyoc Associates. Prior to that, Greg was a lobbyist with another Washington firm for nearly 6 years, helping that firm grow substantially. Before beginning his lobbying career, Greg served on the legislative staff of former Rep. Darlene Hooley of Oregon, where he was responsible for a broad array of issues, and at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group in Washington, D.C.

Greg graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and English. He lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. with his family.

Kevin joined Thorn Run Partners as a member of the firm’s public policy practice in October of 2021 after serving as a staffer for a Republican member of the House Financial Services Committee. He brings with him years of experience working in Congress, offering valuable insight into the ever-changing dynamics of Capitol Hill. Kevin primarily supports Thorn Run’s industry-leading financial services practice by tracking legislation, analyzing key Administration regulations, and cutting through the noise of Congress to provide clients with critical information to further their priorities in Washington.

Prior to his tenure as a full-time staffer, Kevin completed internships on Capitol Hill with a member of the House Financial Services Committee as well as an influential Republican member of the bipartisan House Problem-Solvers Caucus. Kevin graduated from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where he studied political science and economics. He currently resides in Washington, D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood.

Stuart joined Thorn Run Partners after over 15 years in government service and the field of government relations. Having been intimately involved with press, politics, and policy throughout his career, he has enjoyed a long-established track record of bringing a holistic approach to his clients’ challenges . As a former Chief of Staff for both a Congressional Blue Dog and a New Democrat, he has not only overseen several moderate Democratic offices, but takes pride in earning a reputation for bringing together people from both sides of the aisle.

Before becoming a Partner at Thorn Run Partners, Stuart served as a Partner at the American Continental Group. At the American Continental Group, he worked on a broad portfolio of clients, with a special focus in the telecommunications and health care sectors.

On the Hill, after leaving Senator Jay Rockefeller’s office in 2007, where he served as press secretary, Stuart was named Chief of Staff for Congressman Zack Space, who represented a historically-Republican Ohio district.  Stuart oversaw all aspects of the Congressman’s operations, including his technology, energy, and health care work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. While there, Stuart engineered the creation and funding of Connecting Appalachia, a 16-county, multi-million dollar broadband venture whose goal was to bring connectivity and commerce to rural, Appalachian Ohio.

More recently, Mr. Chapman served as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy of New York, where he orchestrated a multi-faceted plan that helped her to survive a 2012 redistricting cycle that saw her seat targeted for elimination. He also supervised the Congresswoman’s work on the Education and Workforce Committee and the Financial Services Committee, including her work as Ranking Member of the International Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee. During the 112th Congress, Mr. Chapman was honored with selection to the bi-cameral, bi-partisan Stennis Fellows Program.

Stuart earned a B.A. from Rhodes College, an M.A. from the University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. from Boston University. He is the author of the award-winning Shelby Foote: A Writer’s Life. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Bridget Walsh, and their twin children, Genevieve and Ben.

Jim Davenport joined Thorn Run Partners in 2018, providing top tier consulting services to public entities on a broad spectrum of issues. Jim represents a range of government clients, including cities, counties, airports, independent taxing districts, and education entities.

Jim’s wide variety of public entity clients gives him exposure to the entire scale of federal agencies and programs, and he has developed an expertise on an array of federal issues, including transportation, water infrastructure, navigation, energy and environment, public safety and elementary, secondary and higher education. Jim operates strategically and with efficiency, offering his clients meaningful subject-matter knowledge coupled with a determined approach to achieving their objectives.

Jim continues to represent many of the first clients that ever retained him, representing several for more than 20 years. He is an experienced tactician in navigating the federal budget, congressional appropriations process and competitive federal grant opportunities to obtain federal resources on behalf of clients. He also consults and advises clients on legislation, agency rulemakings, and Administration policy to position his clients to take advantage of new opportunities and to protect and prepare themselves from regulatory impacts.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, Jim spent over 18 years as a partner at Alcalde & Fay, representing local government entities from states across the country, including Florida, California, Virginia and Kansas. He has represented corporate clients in the areas of environmental remediation, homeland security and public safety, engineering, and energy. Before joining Alcalde & Fay, Jim served as Legislative Assistant in the office of the late Congressman Gerald B. Solomon of New York.

Mr. Davenport received his B.A in Government at St. Lawrence University, and obtained his J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.

Mr. Davenport lives in Arlington with his wife, Shari, and their two children.

Alex DelPizzo brings significant experience in developing, managing and executing government relations strategies to Thorn Run Partners. A seasoned practitioner who is respected on both sides of the political aisle, Mr. DelPizzo focuses his representation on serving corporations, national associations, non-profits and local governments in a variety of areas including healthcare, transportation, financial services, clean energy and telecommunications.

As a highly regarded staff person for six years on Capitol Hill, Mr. DelPizzo worked for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee under the auspices of legendary Chairman Bud Shuster (R-PA). Mr. DelPizzo later served as Legislative Director for Congressman Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), a former member of the Energy & Commerce Committee. During his tenure on the Hill, Mr. DelPizzo’s portfolio included healthcare, transportation, energy, telecommunications, appropriations and financial services issues. As Congressional staff, Mr. DelPizzo worked directly on passage of the landmark Air-21 legislation, the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Energy Policy Act of 2003.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners in June 2012, Mr. DelPizzo spent eight years at another government relations firm, Winning Strategies Washington, where he was a Partner. During this time, Mr. DelPizzo led that firm’s healthcare practice and also represented clients on telecommunications, transportation, tax and insurance issues.

Mr. DelPizzo graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Villanova University in Villanova, PA.

Mr. DelPizzo lives in Virginia with his wife, Michele, and their three children.

Madeline Do joined Thorn Run Partners in January 2020 after graduating from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Prior to Thorn Run, Ms. Do was a Donor Relations Intern at The Oregon Community Foundation and an Intern for U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. Ms. Do volunteers with the Northwest Vietnamese Student Association (NWVSA), recently serving as an Executive Director for the NWVSA 2019 Leadership Summit.

Emily Eckert joined Thorn Run Partners in November of 2022, bringing policy advocacy experience from the public and nonprofit sectors. Prior to joining Thorn Run, Emily worked as the Health and Housing AmeriCorps VISTA with Health Share of Oregon, a Medicaid coordinated care organization serving members in the Portland Metro Area. She managed the development, oversight, and implementation of a pilot project covering housing as a covered Medicaid benefit and supported strategic alignment for healthcare and housing system stakeholders.

Emily grew up in New Hampshire and graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and minors in Political Science, Legal Studies, and Women’s Studies. She previously interned on Capitol Hill for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and served as a Community Fellow for CASA of Cecil County.

Yul Edwards has spent over 20 years in legislative, political, and electoral politics, having served four Members of Congress over the span of his career in public service. Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, Yul served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee and Oversight Committee. In this role, he advised Congressman Davis on tax policy, healthcare, transportation, energy, urban agriculture, the sugar program, environmental policy, and judiciary issues before the Congress. Edwards routinely interacted with the greater Chicago business community, CEOs, senior government officials, and White House staff. On the Hill, Edwards worked closely with Members and staff of the Congressional Black Caucus and managed several Congressional Caucus groups.

As a Hill staffer, Yul worked closely with key staff and stakeholders to assist in passing Rep. Davis’ signature legislative accomplishment, the Second Chance Act, and several provisions in the Affordable Care Act, all while developing strong relationships with key Congressional Committees.

Before joining Congressman Davis, Edwards served as a government relations professional with the firm Fabiani & Co. There, he managed fifteen clients on a broad range of issues including defense, transportation, and regulatory affairs, university programs, and low-tech manufacturing. Before that, Edwards served as Legislative Director for Frank Ballance, Jr (D-NC) where he developed and managed policy outreach and political affairs. Yul was instrumental in securing funding for Hurricane Isabel efforts and expanding the local community health centers’ budgets.

An active member of numerous civic organizations and the founder of a mentoring organization, Yul has served on several national and local boards and has received numerous Congressional staff awards. Yul also enjoys reading historical biographies, mentoring, and local politics. He currently resides in Washington, DC, and is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas.

Rachael Wiggins Emory brings a decade of experience in both legislative and local Oregon politics to her role. As the Mayor’s liaison to the Portland City Council, she took the lead on drafting Council documents and partnering with Council offices to adopt significant policy. As a member of the Thorn Run team, Rachael helps her clients achieve their goals by advocating for legislation and funding allocations, managing rulemaking responsibilities, and facilitating relationship-building. She brings expertise and experience in closely tracking legislation and working with elected officials, coalition partners, and stakeholders to ensure that priority policy issues are successfully passed and implemented.

Rachael leads much of the firm’s work on technology, social services, and behavioral health. She has secured millions of dollars for needed services, including funding for statewide outdoor school and expanded access to Oregon’s social services information and referral hotline. She was also instrumental in leading a coalition of stakeholders to pass significant updates to the State’s mental health parity laws, increasing access to behavioral health services for all Oregonians. Rachael takes pride in the lived experience she brings to her work, her ability to bring stakeholders together to develop and pass good policy, and maintaining her strong professional relationships at the state and local level.

Rachael holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Northwestern University. In addition to her work at Thorn Run Partners, she serves on the boards of nonprofits working in environmental conservation, reproductive rights, and human services. She enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and Betty White (her Great Pyrenees).

Catherine Finley has been helping to shape federal and state health care policy for over 15 years. Drawing on her extensive Capitol Hill and state experience, she brings to Thorn Run Partners a unique ability to identify public policy opportunities, develop effective lobbying strategies and achieve success by utilizing her wide network of bipartisan relationships with key decision-makers. Ms. Finley maintains close ties to the Senate Finance and HELP Committees, as well as the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Ms. Finley previously served as Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, where she oversaw committee operations on behalf of Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), during his tenure as both chair and ranking member. As Staff Director, Ms. Finley was the Senator’s lead negotiator on critical health care legislation involving Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. She also led Senator Smith’s health and human services legislative agenda related to the Senate Finance Committee; the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee; and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education. Ms. Finley has also served as Senior Health Policy advisor for Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), where she advised the Senator on all health and human services issues, including development and enactment of the Medicare Modernization Act.

Ms. Finley’s policy expertise in Medicaid and other state health care programs was honed while serving as Legislative Director for Health and Human Services at the Southern Governors Association, where she represented the Southern states before Congress and the Administration on important regional and national health care matters. Ms. Finley was also a Policy Advisor to Governor George W. Bush and a Legislative assistant for the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

Ms. Finley received her B.S. in Business Economics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She holds minors in Political Science and International Business.

Chris Fish joined Thorn Run Partners in January of 2022. He provides consulting services to for profit companies, consortiums and university clients. His client services are primarily focused on securing government funding to support research and development (R&D) and increasing manufacturing capabilities.

Chris works with clients in numerous technology areas including defense, energy and microelectronics. His work covers clients that are active in R&D capabilities from software, materials, tooling, component parts to end manufactured products. Chris also provides clients assistance with securing government incentives to build out manufacturing and R&D facilities. Government incentive packages can also support enhancements to operational facilities. His expertise also covers working with clients to create and administer consortiums/public private partnerships. These entities also work with Chris to secure government funding to support R&D programs and the manufacturing scale up of these technologies.

Chris has extensive experience working with Congress and the annual appropriations process that provides all government agencies funding for all R&D and manufacturing related programs. His services also include expertise working directly with clients to identify the federal agency programs that can provide clients grant funding for research and development and manufacturing development activity. Chris also works with clients to develop value propositions for funding consideration that are next put forth for appropriate federal agency program office review. He provides extensive assistance to clients developing responses to government grant program solicitations of interest to clients.

During his consulting career, Chris has assisted clients secure over half a billion dollars in government funding and incentive packages. This covers government funding and incentives packages provided by federal, state and local government entities.

Chris has 25 years of experience working in and around the government. Prior to joining the private sector, he served in staff capacities in the United States Senate and held numerous staff positions in the House of Representatives including the position of Chief of Staff.

Chris received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from SUNY Oneonta. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Maria, and his children Alex and Madeleine.

Gabrielle Galusha is a dedicated and results-driven professional with a proven background in legislative research, stakeholder engagement, and public policy analysis. Currently serving as a Legislative Assistant at Thorn Run, she plays a pivotal role in supporting the firm and its clients by conducting in-depth analyses of federal rules and regulations, contributing to our first-in-class health care practice.

Before joining TRP, Gabrielle gained valuable experience through internships with prominent reproductive health advocates, including her role as a Congressional Intern with Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and her active involvement with Every Mother Counts. In these positions, Gabrielle demonstrated a strong aptitude for policy analysis and research, keen attention to detail, and exceptional stakeholder engagement skills. She actively contributed to planning public events in her home communities, developed advocacy tools to advance reproductive justice, and deepened her understanding of the policy-making process.

Gabrielle earned her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Law from Boston University School of Public Health. During her academic journey, she combined her passion for maternal child health and advocacy, earning a certificate in Maternal Child Health and serving as Vice President of the Health Policy and Law Student Board. In her free time, Gabrielle enjoys exploring every corner of the Nation’s Capital and seeing what the excitement of bottomless brunch is all about.

Michelle Fried Galvanek has extensive experience as a health care policy and government/regulatory affairs professional who is adept at developing and implementing strategies to achieve public policy goals. As a partner in the health care policy practice, she brings more than 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors of the health care arena to her work with clients. Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners in 2016, Michelle spent 25 years working in senior roles for some of the top pharmaceutical companies and healthcare trade associations in Washington, DC, including those representing health insurers, hospitals, and physicians. Michelle is an expert at analyzing and providing strategic responses to legislative and regulatory proposals and interacting successfully with federal agency officials at all levels of the federal government.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, Michelle served as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs for a prominent healthcare trade association, where she was accountable for all health care policy and regulatory activity on behalf of the association. She analyzed regulatory proposals and filed dozens of comment letters on behalf of the association’s member companies to improve regulatory programs. Michelle met regularly with senior officials at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on many issues, including implementation of the Medicare Part D program and the Affordable Care Act. She also helped build and lead coalitions on issues of shared interest.

Michelle previously was hired as Senior Counsel in the Washington, DC office of a multinational pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer goods company, where she was hired to implement the then-newly created Medicare Part D program across its operating companies. In that capacity, she composed comment letters in response to CMS’ proposed regulations and policies in order to improve implementation of the Part D program, authored compliance guidance, and provided training.

Michelle has had a long history of volunteer and leadership service with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). She served on the Board of the National Capital Area Chapter for more than ten years, including two as Board President, and also served as Vice Chair of the National Board of Representatives. During that time, Michelle was named the National Capital Area Chapter’s “Woman of the Year” for fundraising, received a National Chairman’s Citation Award, and was nominated by the LLS for the “Washingtonian of the Year” award.

Michelle received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Emory University and a law degree from Georgetown University. She lives in Maryland with her daughter.

Sara Traigle van Geertruyden joined Thorn Run Partners in January 2011 as a healthcare and welfare policy expert with 14 years of experience. Sara began her career on Capitol Hill, working for former Senator John Breaux (D-LA) from 1996-2003, first as a projects assistant handling Congressional appropriations and advising constituents on the federal grant process, and ultimately spending over 3 years as a legislative assistant overseeing Senate Finance Committee issues for health and welfare.

In 2003, she joined the law firm Patton Boggs where she practiced in the public policy group handling regulatory and legislative issues related to health care, welfare, and appropriations for clients. Sara has represented clients including hospital systems, pharmaceutical companies, health care provider associations and coalitions. Her scope of work in health policy combines expertise in working with all of the major health care agencies, including the Medicaid Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration on Aging, and the Food and Drug Administration. Sara has also been closely monitoring and engaging the newly created Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), the Federal Coordinated Health Care Office, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.

Sara handled important lobbying efforts related to the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) and the recently-passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for clients. Sara was actively engaged in drafting regulatory comments for her clients during the implementation of the MMA and continues to assist clients seeking to influence the regulatory process.

Among her greatest professional accomplishments, in 2005-2006 Sara managed the Medicare Rx Education Network, a coalition of over 80 national associations brought together by a mutual goal of educating seniors about the new Part D benefit under Medicare. In 2009-2010, Sara successfully represented a Louisiana-based coalition of health care providers seeking to avoid a dramatic reduction in Medicaid payments after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita as part of the new health reform law. After being deeply involved in efforts to reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (T.A.N.F.) law during her tenure on Capitol Hill, Sara continues to work on issues related to the health and welfare of low income families and children.

Sara has a strong reputation on both sides of the political spectrum, having staffed Senator Breaux in his efforts to pass legislation that he championed with former Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) to modernize the Medicare program, and in his efforts to raise bipartisan ideas for health reform and T.A.N.F. reauthorization. Sara also has expertise in counseling clients through the Congressional appropriations process.

Ms. Van Geertruyden received her bachelors degree from Wake Forest University and earned her juris doctor at the Catholic University Columbus School of Law.

Daniel joined Thorn Run in January 2017, bringing a diverse professional background in political communications, journalism, and policy. Daniel helps manage the firm’s digital portfolio, including composing online content and managing social media networks. Additionally, Daniel provides crucial support to the firm’s deep healthcare policy practice, helping clients analyze the most recent developments in federal healthcare policy.

Before joining Thorn Run, Daniel worked in the House Daily Press Gallery as a Press and Communications Assistant, where he helped facilitate coverage of floor proceedings for the U.S. House of Representatives. Daniel previously served in the office of U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA), where he assisted with legislative research, district correspondence, as well as media outreach and communications. He has also worked as a Research Specialist for CQ Roll Call, and covered the 2012 Election as a contributing writer for PoliticsPA.

Daniel graduated from the University of Scranton in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

He also earned his Master’s in Political Science at American University, where he completed American University’s rigorous Campaign Management Institute program.

Tyler Janzen joined the Thorn Run Partners Oregon team in 2023, bringing with him substantial knowledge of state and local governments. He particularly enjoys advocating for client needs related to budget, finance, and revenue.

Tyler honed his expertise in Oregon’s budgeting process while serving for three years as Chief of Staff to Vice-Chair of the Ways and Means Committee in the Oregon State Legislature. He also served as Legislative Affairs Manager with the Association of Oregon Counties, where he advocated on behalf of county needs related to general governance, revenue, economic development, and veterans’ services. Through his county role, Tyler was Governor-nominated and Senate-confirmed to serve on Oregon’s Public Record Advisory Committee.

Tyler received the Philip Windsor Dissertation Prize from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2017 alongside his Master of Science degree in International Relations. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs from Lewis & Clark College.

Tyler lives in Oregon City, OR, with wife, Ithaca; daughter, Ruby; and dog, Pimento. He’s an avid reader, average snowboarder, and huge believer in the life-changing power of international travel. His favorite countries visited so far include Thailand, Japan, and Croatia.

Salieu King joined Thorn Run as Director of Operations in March 2022. She has more than a decade of experience in law firm management. Prior to joining Thorn Run, Salieu served as the Director of Administration for Franklin Square Law Group.

In 2004, Salieu moved from Gambia, West Africa, to the United States. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of the District of Columbia with a BA in Mass Media, Television Production, and a Master’s in Public Administration. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and their four children.

Chris Lamond brings significant experience in developing, managing, and implementing government relations strategies to Thorn Run Partners. Mr. Lamond has built a career representing clients before federal, state and local governments and brings to Thorn Run more than 25 years of experience working for and with governmental entities.

Chris co-founded Thorn Run Partners in 2010, after a career on and off Capitol Hill. Chris’ government experience includes working for U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) and the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs. Mr. Lamond joined Senator Thompson in 1994 and served on the Senator’s personal staff in a number of legislative roles before moving to the Committee on Governmental Affairs when Senator Thompson became committee chairman in 1997. In 2008, Mr. Lamond also served as an advisor to the Fred Thompson for President campaign and continues to work in a number of unofficial roles for federal and state candidates around the country.

In addition to his position as founding partner at Thorn Run, Chris continues to represent corporate, non-profit entities, and trade associations before Congress. Chris has been an advocate for causes and industries in various sectors, including financial services, technology, transportation, education and health care. Chris’ understanding of the legislative landscape and ability to create effective advocacy strategies have resulted in significant policy achievements for his clients. Beyond his work at Thorn Run, Chris is recognized as a thought leader and has contributed to industry publications, conferences, and panel discussions throughout the country.

Chris received a B.A. in Political Science from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina and currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two children.

Greg Lankler joined Thorn Run in November 2019 to lead the firm’s national security and intelligence community practice.  After spending more than 20 years working in the U.S. House of Representatives and liaising with nearly every department of the federal government, Mr. Lankler has dedicated most of the last decade helping large and small defense contractors, startups, Fortune 500 corporations, non-profits, and other stakeholders navigate the often opaque congressional appropriations process.

Before joining the private sector, Mr. Lankler served for more than ten years on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.  During this time, he managed multiple portfolios including: the research and development, procurement, and special access programs for the Air Force, Central Intelligence Agency, and Special Operations Command; the information technology programs for the Department of Defense, Military Services, and Intelligence Community; and the acquisition programs of the Defense-Wide Agencies and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.  While on the Subcommittee staff, Mr. Lankler served four different chairmen during both Republican and Democrat majorities.

Mr. Lankler’s experience in appropriations matters extends well beyond issues of national security.  He has represented clients with interests before every one of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee’s twelve subcommittees and has a long-standing record of success in achieving client objectives through creative strategies.  His results are evident in funding and report language included in the annual appropriations bills, policy recommendations carried in authorization measures, and program manager priorities submitted annually in the President’s budget request.

Mr. Lankler not only possesses a thorough understanding of the appropriations process, but also a unique understanding of the Members and staffers whose viewpoints, goals, and decisions ultimately determine congressional appropriations and authorizations, federal acquisitions, and national security and domestic policy.  Prior to his time with the House Appropriations Committee, Mr. Lankler worked for Representative Bill Young (R-FL) from 1990 to 2001 and served as his Legislative Director for the five years prior to Mr. Young appointing him to the Defense Subcommittee in 2001.  During this time, he gained an in-depth understanding of the inner workings of congressional offices, the skills necessary to successfully influence individual Members of Congress, and experience advocating on behalf of constituent companies before the various federal departments and agencies.

Mr. Lankler earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Delaware.  He is a frequent guest-lecturer on the appropriations process for Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute and has spoken at the Air Force’s Understanding the Business-Acquisition Relationship Executive Seminar for Air Force acquisition personnel.

Joo Young joined Thorn Run as Vice President in January 2022.  She brings a unique background working in the government and non-profit sectors, which she utilizes in her engagement with clients from all over the country.  Joo Young focuses on strategic alignment of clients’ priorities with thoughtful ways to enhance their visibility in Washington, DC.

Prior to Thorn Run, Joo Young worked for a small government relations firm where she served as a Managing Director.  During her tenure she supported a diverse portfolio of clients in identifying and capturing more than $20M in federal and foundation funding for research, program and capacity building projects.  Projects range from large multi-institutional research on rare diseases to building capacity in communities to target critical services for children and families.

Joo Young also served as Director for the Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMSP), funded by a $1.6B grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for several years before moving to the firm.  She oversaw the daily operations of the scholarship program with a focus on the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) populations in collaboration with her partner colleagues at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) and the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars (AIGCS).  During her time with GMSP, the program disbursed more than $40M in last-dollar scholarship funding to outstanding students.

In addition, Joo Young has a demonstrated commitment to public service.  She started her career as a Legislative Assistant to California State Senator Tom Hayden.  Joo Young continued her service to the State of California while working for four different State Assembly Speakers in the California Legislature’s Office of Federal Relations to advocate for the issues of concern to the state.

Joo Young graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Political Science.  She currently resides in Los Angeles.

A respected lobbyist, health policy analyst, and communications expert representing some of Washington’s most influential stakeholders, Shea McCarthy is a seasoned operator in the sphere of federal advocacy. As a Partner at Thorn Run Partners and lead coordinator of the firm’s multidisciplinary policy team, Mr. McCarthy advises clients on the intricacies of health care policy, develops sophisticated government relations strategies, and has successfully influenced federal laws.

To successfully move the needle in Washington, “opening doors” for clients is merely a prerequisite. By offering a deeply coordinated approach to advocacy — combining facets of technology, grassroots engagement, and communications in tandem with traditional lobbying — Mr. McCarthy and his team of experts actively position stakeholders for success. His experience in implementing campaign-style tactics has also been leveraged in the political arena, where he’s worked on the Digital Events team for Mitt Romney’s Presidential campaign and as Digital Director for a highly-competitive congressional race.

Before to joining Thorn Run, Mr. McCarthy worked on Capitol Hill in the office of then-Congressman Cory Gardner (R-CO). He is widely regarded as a thought leader in the health policy field, and his analysis has been featured in leading national and inside-the-Beltway publications such as Business Insider, STAT News, Inside Health Policy, Modern Healthcare, Morning Consult, and RealClearHealth.

A highly engaged member of the D.C. health policy community, Mr. McCarthy has served in many leadership roles including as a Board Member for the Society of Health Policy Young Professionals. A D.C. native, Mr. McCarthy received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he majored in Economics and Computer Applications and graduated as a member of the economic honors society.

Katy McDowell joined Thorn Run Partners in 2021, bringing with her thirteen years of experience in state politics. Most recently, Katy served as the Operations Director of Government Relations at a respected Portland based law firm. Her professional background includes navigating all aspects of the Oregon lobbying and legislative process, with a focus on issues related to natural resources, transportation, business and labor, and technology.

Katy has supported clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to family-owned businesses. Katy brings extensive experience to advance clients’ government relations needs, including coalition management, tracking legislation, and political action monitoring and reporting. She also has experience coordinating campaign coalitions for candidates and ballot measures.

Katy received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southern Oregon University. An outdoor enthusiast and native Oregonian, in her free time Katy can be found exploring the wonders of the Pacific Northwest with her family and two dogs.

Harriet Melvin, a seasoned government and public affairs professional, joined Thorn Run Partners in January 2015 bringing over 25 years experience shaping public policy for a diverse group of leading corporations, coalitions and trade associations. With her extensive experience representing clients before the legislative and executive branches, Harriet is a results-oriented, legislative advocate with experience working in a bi-partisan manner.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Harriet founded and ran The Capitol Group, a boutique federal government relations shop. Previous to that, she served as a partner for ten years at Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a leading government relations firm. Harriet has a skilled understanding of the private sector having served previously as the Director of Federal Government Affairs for two Fortune 500 companies and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). She began her Washington career on the staff of Rep. Charles Hatcher of Georgia.

Melvin’s professional experience also extends to public affairs. Her expertise includes “inside the beltway” corporate positioning integrating strategic planning, key employee advocacy, and political action committee counsel.

Harriet is active in political circles serving as a founding member of the Government Relation Leadership Forum. She has also served on the executive committee of the VIEW PAC (Value in Electing Women). President Bush appointed Melvin to the Presidential Review Board where she made recommendations for governmental employees to receive the Presidential Rank Award. Melvin has also provided counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) as a member of NRCC’s prestigious “House Incumbent Retention Group.”

Melvin is a graduate of the University of Georgia and serves on the Board of the University’s School of Public and International Affairs. She resides in Virginia with her husband and son.

Leah Navarro joined Thorn Run Partners in 2021 after graduating from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a focus on Public Policy and Political Action. She previously interned for Activate America as a campaign and project management member during the 2020 Presidential and U.S. Senate elections, undertaking outreach and engagement efforts to inform citizens about voting laws, candidates, and policy issues. Most recently, Leah worked as a legal intern at Cascade Energy, managing legislative and policy research related to business projects and development.

Casey joined Thorn Run Partners in January 2022, bringing with him an array of experience helping both non-profit and for-profit organizations with navigating and engaging with Congress, federal agencies, and state governments. Casey provides companies, universities, and other clients with project management, expertise, and analysis in a variety of areas, including federal appropriations; site selection; infrastructure development; research; defense; and renewable energy.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Casey served as a Senior Research Analyst at a DC-based consulting firm. Casey graduated from the College at Brockport in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in History. Casey currently resides in Washington, DC.

Phil Oliva is a strategic consultant with Thorn Run Partners (TRP).  He provides consulting services to TRP’s growing semiconductor practice and is focused largely on value proposition development and grant writing for clients.  He also assists with defense, energy and healthcare-related clients.

Phil is President of his own New York-based communications and business-consulting firm, Gipper Communications, where he assists start-up ventures and established businesses of all sizes with business strategy, marketing, communications, and public, media and government relations.

Prior to entering the consulting world, Phil spent over 20 years working in both the private and public sectors.  A speechwriter and Director of Regional Affairs for former New York Governor George Pataki, Phil also worked in the NYS Legislature, U.S. Congress and as Chief of Staff for the Westchester (NY) County Executive.  In 2016, Phil made a spirited but unsuccessful run for Congress in New York’s 18^th Congressional District.

In 2011, as the head of external affairs for IMS Health, the leading Connecticut-based healthcare data and analytics company, Phil led communications strategy and assisted with amicus recruitment in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case – Sorrell v. IMS (6-3 favorable decision in IMS’ favor).

Phil received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Siena College and his Master of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic institute. Phil lives in East Fishkill, NY with his three children Philip, Daniela and Luke.

Gary Palmquist brings over two decades of experience as a lobbyist and Capitol Hill staffer to Thorn Run Partners. Drawing on his extensive network of bipartisan connections in Congress, Mr. Palmquist has a consistent track record of devising effective lobbying strategies and achieving successful results. A seasoned practitioner, he focuses his representation on healthcare, financial services, corporations, coalitions, and trade associations. Mr. Palmquist joined Thorn Run Partners in 2010 after serving at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization. During his tenure at NFIB, he developed grassroots strategies, advocated for tax relief and healthcare reform, and engaged in lobbying efforts before Congress.

Prior to his work at NFIB, Mr. Palmquist held the position of Legislative Director for former Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition—a group of fiscally responsible House Democrats. In this capacity, he played a significant role in formulating alternative policies for the federal budget, tax reform legislation, trade agreements, and other key priorities of the Blue Dog Coalition. Mr. Palmquist previously worked for former Congressman Ken Bentsen (D-TX), a prominent member of the House Financial Services Committee. In addition to his responsibilities as Legislative Director, he contributed to the pro-growth policy initiatives of the centrist New Democrat Coalition, of which Congressman Bentsen was a leader. Mr. Palmquist also served as Legislative Director for former Congressman Bob Clement (D-TN), a long-serving member of the House Transportation and Budget Committees.

A skilled liaison bridging the business community and Capitol Hill, Mr. Palmquist’s pragmatic and bipartisan approach has earned him respect from both sides of the political aisle. He holds a B.S. degree from the University of Houston and a master’s degree from American Military University. When he is not in Washington, DC, Mr. Palmquist resides in Los Angeles with his wife Katie.

Jake joined Thorn Run in January 2022, bringing a diverse professional background in government relations roles for academic institutions, for-profit companies, and non-profit organizations. Jake advises clients on a variety of issues related to appropriations initiatives and securing federal funding for research and development (R&D), workforce development, and procurement matters. Jake also has experience and a history of success in securing site selection incentives for companies looking to expand or relocate their operations.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Jake spent six years in several lobbying and consulting roles, including, most recently, as the Managing Director of Federal Affairs for an organization in DC. Jake’s other experience includes government relations roles at the University of Washington and PACCAR Inc. (Fortune 500 manufacturing company). Jake also served in the office of former Congressman Tom Petri (WI-6).

Jake graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and European History. Jake also earned a master’s degree in Economics from the London School of Economics. Jake currently resides in Washington, DC.

Kyler Phillips joined Thorn Run Partners in October of 2021, bringing a diverse set of experiences from the executive branch, the non-profit sector, and academia. At Thorn Run, he supports the firm’s practice on a broad range of key policy priorities, ranging from performing in-depth research for the firm’s health care clients to tracking policy developments in financial services, particularly as they relate to the nascent crypto industry. In addition to his work on health care and financial services, Kyler leads policy work for Thorn Run’s energy clientele, including leading the Energy Policy Report, a comprehensive weekly overview of energy-relevant policy developments in Congress and the administration.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Kyler had two stints at the State Department, where he worked as a Consular Affairs intern at the U.S. Consulate General of Guangzhou and again as a Public Affairs intern at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Kyler also worked as an intern at Machik, a small non-profit based in DC that focuses on Tibetan issues, and as a research assistant for a professor interested in Chinese military and police issues.

Kyler is a graduate of Cornell University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in both Government and China & Asia-Pacific Studies. He currently resides in the neighborhood between Logan and Dupont Circle.

Elizabeth Remley joined Thorn Run Partners’ Oregon practice in 2012 and brings considerable experience working with Oregon’s state and local governments. Ms. Remley has represented corporations and nonprofits on a variety of policy issues, including economic development, environmental issues, healthcare, human services, land use, public infrastructure, state budgeting, taxes, technology and transportation.

Ms. Remley’s previous work includes representing a major hospital and delivery network, a mid-sized health plan, and numerous land use, technology, public infrastructure and transportation clients. On behalf of her clients, she contributed to the creation of Oregon’s health insurance exchange and helped establish the framework adopted to guide the state’s health care transformation. She was actively involved in passing Governor John Kitzhaber’s “Cool Schools” legislation, which established a funding mechanism for energy-efficient retrofits for public school buildings.

Ms. Remley came to Thorn Run Partners from Vox Public Relations Public Affairs, an Oregon-based communications firm, where she headed the state lobby practice. She began her career with CFM Strategic Communications, a Portland-based public affairs and public relations firm, where she managed legislation, rulemaking, and reputation- and relationship-building duties for numerous clients.

Ms. Remley holds a Bachelor of Science in economics and a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Oregon. She volunteers as the director of communications for the nonprofit academic mentoring program Minds Matter of Portland, where she also served as a mentor for three years.

Thayer Surette Roberts joined Thorn Run Partners in 2019. Ms. Roberts has a deep expertise in health policy focusing on pharmaceutical and patient access issues as well as over a decade of experience in advocacy, coalition building, and strategic partnerships.

Ms. Roberts has a broad network of relationships within the patient advocacy and health policy communities. She has a keen knowledge of the policy priorities of all stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem, having worked closely with academia, patient groups, and industry. Ms. Roberts has a track record for impactful coalition building, providing a deep expertise in convening stakeholders with shared areas of interest and developing impactful third- party engagement strategies to move the needle on clients’ policy priorities.

Ms. Roberts has a comprehensive understanding of health policy with experience shaping policy at the Federal and State levels. She is able to navigate the constantly evolving health policy landscape and work impactfully with both Congress and Federal agencies to move the needle in a positive direction for her clients.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, Ms. Roberts served as the Senior Director of Alliance Development for a nonprofit membership-based organization dedicated to championing medical research both in the public and private sector. In this role she worked closely with the organization’s 400+ members and partners to convene appropriate parties and to develop programs to advocate for a policy and regulatory climate that supports medical innovation.

Ms. Roberts grew up in Hamilton, Massachusetts and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College. She spent several years following college working in nonprofit fundraising in Boston before moving to Washington, DC. Ms. Roberts lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her family.

Andrew Rosenberg is co-founder and co-leader of Thorn Run Partners. Launched in 2010 as a two-person boutique, Thorn Run is today recognized as one of the largest and most impactful government relations and strategic communications firms in the country. Prior to starting Thorn Run, Rosenberg spent a combined two decades on the staff of Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and as a policy lawyer, public affairs specialist, and lobbyist at several of Washington’s top firms.

Known for his strategic acumen and deliberate, campaign-style approach to tackling client challenges, Rosenberg is a highly sought advisor and public speaker on matters related to both politics and policy. Respected journals including Politico, the Washington Post, Roll Call, Bloomberg and the Hill routinely call upon on him for insights and quotes.

In addition to providing the firm’s clients with high level strategic counsel, Mr. Rosenberg also serves as a respected and effective Democratic lobbyist. Having spent years previously with two of the nation’s top public relations agencies, Rosenberg believes strongly in the importance of coordinating strategic communications with government relations as a means of accomplishing one’s policy objectives. It is with this concept in mind that he created TRP Engage, the firm’s unique platform of communications capabilities focused exclusively on supporting lobbyists’ work to move the needle on policy development. Along these same lines, Rosenberg, and the firm more broadly, is well recognized as an innovator and pioneer in the conception, creation, and execution of successful issue-based stakeholder coalitions designed to accomplish clients’ policy goals.

Mr. Rosenberg also boasts significant experience in the political arena. He was a co-founder and Senior Advisor to Draft Obama, the leading national pro-Obama grassroots organization prior to the Senator becoming a presidential candidate. Over various election cycles, Rosenberg has served as an election law consultant to the Democratic National Committee, a surrogate for presidential campaigns on health care and Middle East policy issues, and as a regional coordinator for the DNC’s Voter Protection Initiative.

Mr. Rosenberg received his B.A. in History and Russian Studies at Amherst College, and obtained his law degree, as well as his masters in Urban and Environmental Planning, at the University of Virginia.

Mr. Rosenberg resides in Washington, DC with his wife, Jenny, and children, Kate and Max.

Jason brings over 15 years of experience in government relations, with a proven track record of successfully navigating the legislative and political process in both the public and private sectors. He is frequently quoted in major news publications.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Jason was the Director of Government Relations at ML Strategies, the lobbying arm of the Mintz Levin law firm. While there, he served as the head of the firm’s financial services practice and worked with clients in a variety of segments of the industry, including asset management, payment services and personal lending. In this role he was instrumental in assisting a client achieve the sole statutory exemption from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) during Congress’ consideration of Dodd-Frank. Jason was also a key member of the firm’s Telecom and Energy practices groups.

Immediately before joining ML Strategies, Jason was an associate in the DC office Paul Hastings, an international law firm. While at the firm, he created, organized, and successfully managed the FACTA Reform Coalition, successfully securing the unanimous support of Congress to retroactively eliminate frivolous lawsuits related to information retailers included on credit or debit card receipts. In addition to these, and other lobbying success, Jason also counseled clients in their interactions with the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), as well as offered guidance for obtaining compliance with the Federal Election Commission, and the Lobbying Disclosure Act.

From 2000 to 2007, served as Legislative Counsel for Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), the former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he was responsible for a variety of legislative and policy issues, both international and domestic.

Jason earned his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. from Union College (NY). He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Connecticut Law School. A native of Massachusetts, Jason has also been involved in a variety of political campaigns in his home state, as well as in California, New York, and New Hampshire.

Kyle Sanders brings a decade of public service experience to Thorn Run Partners that includes his most recent assignment as a senior aide and Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), a member of the Senate Finance, Banking, Judiciary, and Veterans Affairs committees.

While working for his home-state Senator, Kyle oversaw the office’s economic development, transportation & infrastructure, appropriations, federal grants, and disaster recovery initiatives. This unique policy set allowed him to develop an expansive network of state, local, federal, non-profit, and private sector partners establishing him as a uniquely accomplished convener in Washington. While overseeing the wide-ranging economic development portfolio, Kyle helped numerous private companies navigate nuanced federal roadblocks to crack open hundreds of millions of dollars in private capital investment and thousands of new jobs to the state. While also leading the Senator’s intergovernmental affairs portfolio, he helped local units of government secure billions in federal grant funding and guided them through the all-too-common “bureaucratic pauses” associated with many federal projects. Over the course of his career in public service, Kyle’s results-driven approach to advocacy has earned him a reputation for solving complex problems on behalf of stakeholders of all types.

Kyle’s Hill experience extends beyond his time in the Senate. Since arriving in Washington, he has provided counsel to Representatives John “Judge” Carter (R-TX), Andy Harris (R-MD), and David Rouzer (R-NC). During his time as Representative Rouzer’s Legislative Director, Kyle led the Congressman’s policy team covering issues ranging from judiciary and financial services to transportation and agriculture. Kyle was also integral in the Congressman’s disaster recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

Kyle’s career in advocacy began before he set foot in Washington.  Prior to working on Capitol Hill, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he prosecuted misdemeanor cases in District Court.

Kyle graduated with Honors from the University of North Carolina Wilmington earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Philosophy. He obtained his J.D. with honors and is licensed to practice in North Carolina and Washington, DC. He lives in DuPont Circle with his wife, Miriam.

Paul arrived at comes to Thorn Run Partners after decades as an active player in the Washington policy-making milieu.  While he has drawn on the experience and expertise he gained on Capitol Hill in the fields of public works and infrastructure to serve a wide range of clients in the private and public sectors, that experience has broadened over the years so that his knowledge of issues and problems confronting a variety of public entities provides him with the ability to assist them in successfully addressing a wide array of needs.  That his clients have secured well in excess of $2 1 billion in federal assistance stands as testimony of his ability to provide solutions to almost any problem they face.

Paul’s career in public policy began on Capitol Hill, where he served for four years on the legislative staff of a senior Member of the California delegation.  This was followed by seven years on the staff of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, where he served until his appointment and service of three years as Staff Director of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.  During his time on the Hill, Paul was involved with the drafting of legislation, and oversight of matters , involving highways and transit; the policies, programs, and projects of the Army Corps of Engineers; the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts; funding and regulation related to the aviation and motor carrier industries; our nation’s public buildings and grounds; and the Economic Development Administration.  His interest in the programs of each of these continues unabated today.

Following his service on the Hill, Paul began a career as an advocate for clients seeking assistance from the federal government, or seeking to ease administrative or regulatory burdens they face that emanate from Washington.  His success at this can be measured not only by the amounts of assistance he has brought to them, but by the number of clients he continues to enjoy working with since initiating their relationships 15, 20, 25 years ago, and more.  Indeed, he continues to work on behalf of the very first client that retained his services upon leaving the employ of Capitol Hill.  In addition to cities and counties ranging in size from 20,000 to well over a million, he has also been pleased to work with transportation districts, water agencies, and – of course – a variety of private sector clients.

Paul received his BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, and continued his studies at the University in Public Administration and Public Policy Analysis.  Today, he enjoys living with his two daughters in “The Little City” of Falls Church, Virginia.

Beau Schuyler has 25 years of experience lobbying, working as a congressional staffer, and in political campaigns. Mr. Schuyler began his involvement in politics working on Capitol Hill, then later as a Democratic lobbyist advising clients on important policy matters.   Over that time, he utilized this experience to help find areas of common ground with Democrats and the business community on complex legislative issues.

Prior to joining Thorn Run Partners, Mr. Schuyler worked for nearly 10 years at the lobbying consulting firm Capitol Hill Strategies.  There he served corporate and trade association clients on their government affairs efforts, providing strategic advice on an array of critical issues including, health care, tax and trade.

Before joining the private sector, Mr. Schuyler worked for Congressman John Tanner (D-TN), a former senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee.  In addition to his duties as Legislative Director, he was responsible for handling Mr. Tanner’s tax, trade, and budget-related matters.  Mr. Schuyler also assisted in the pro-growth policy work of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition of which Mr. Tanner was a leader.  Additionally, Mr. Schuyler served as Legislative Director to Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC) and Staff Assistant to Congressman Charlie Rose (D-NC).  He also worked on the Clinton-Gore ’96 and Gore 2000 campaigns in their legal departments.

Mr. Schuyler earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and lives in Alexandria with his wife and four children.

Chas Thomas joined Thorn Run Partners in July of 2017 after spending four years on Capitol Hill. While on the Hill, Thomas focused in the areas of financial services, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, budget, tax, and education. Mr. Thomas provides a strong network of relationships in both the House and Senate which allows for direct impacts on a diverse set of policy issues.

Mr. Thomas served on the campaigns of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Governor Henry McMaster (R-SC) before beginning his career on Capitol Hill for Congressman Robert Pittenger (R-NC). While with Pittenger, he served as the Congressman’s Senior Legislative Assistant and lead staff liaison to the House Financial Services Committee, including Monetary Policy & Trade, Financial Institutions & Consumer Credit, and Terrorism & Illicit Finance Subcommittees.

Since joining Thorn Run, Mr. Thomas continues to work on a variety of issues for clients around multiple industries. Mr. Thomas has implemented legislative agendas to achieve targeted wins for clients and brings extensive experience to those within the Financial Services and appropriations realm.

Mr. Thomas grew up in Greenville, SC and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina, majoring in Public Relations. Mr. Thomas lives in the Navy Yard area of DC.

Scott Tominovich brings to Thorn Run Partners and its clients extensive expertise in working with the Federal Government. Prior to joining Thorn Run, Scott was a Vice President at several Washington based government affairs and grant consulting firms.

He began his career on Capitol Hill as Special Assistant to the current House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and since then has spent the last 20 years representing a myriad of organizations including some of the country’s most respected corporations, foundations, healthcare providers and post-secondary institutions.

Scott has a long and proven track record of success and is widely regarded as being an exceptional developer and implementor of unique and creative government affairs strategies as well as unyielding advocate for his clients.

He assists his clients in increasing their capture rate of federal funding by helping them navigate the annual appropriations process and the competitive grants and contract space.

His understanding of how to engage the Executive and Legislative branches of government is unmatched and it has provided his clients the rare opportunity to have their voices heard and their issues addressed.

Scott is a graduate of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA, where he received his B.A. in English and political science. He lives in Annapolis, MD, with his wife KC and their three sons.

For nearly a dozen years, Jacky has led and supported House and Senate leadership teams through some of the most consequential legislative events of our time, developing a reputation as a proactive and knowledgeable leader. She has transferred this bicameral experience to the advocacy sphere by demystifying the inner workings of the legislative process for industry clients, particularly during the final legislative hurdles when bills are moving on either chamber’s floors, and continuing working for legislative change.

Jacky has served as a key member of senior leadership teams during passage of impactful legislation. As Director of Leadership Operations for Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), she spent most of her time on the Senate floor coordinating Senate debate and streamlining information flow among Democratic leadership offices and throughout the entire Democratic Caucus. She was a key member of the senior leadership team during passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 (USICA), and debates over the Affordable Care Act and Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Prior to leading Senator Murray’s leadership office, Jacky worked for then-Caucus Leadership Representative Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) from 2013 – 2019. As Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director, she was the chief advisor for the Congressman’s work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and in House Democratic leadership, and coordinated legislative strategy and district, state, and national messaging. She also served for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a long-serving member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, where she worked on the 2011 Farm Bill reauthorization, securing provisions within the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

Her time with Senator Murray is particularly applicable to clients in the health regulatory space. Senator Murray served as the former top Democrat of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for several Congressional sessions, and was the top Democrat for the Labor-HHS Subcommittee on the Appropriations Committee. Her focus on health care has ensured she has been the lead on many of the latest major laws passed out of Congress in the last decade, efforts which Jacky has supported during her time in her office and whose learnings she brings to bear in industry advocacy. As these efforts often required bipartisan negotiation in both chambers of Congress as well as the Administration, Jacky’s experience and network allows her to provide invaluable strategic counseling.

Jacky has the experience to understand what is persuasive to each branch of government depending on particular issues and circumstances. She is able to service clients in pushing or protecting their priorities before the legislative and executive branches.

Jess brings more than 25 years’ experience in higher education policy, science funding policy, grants and research enterprise planning, and research development expertise to Thorn Run Partners. Jessica is known for her work in higher education policy and reform, particularly as it pertains to how underserved and underrepresented individuals, institutions (HBCUs, TCUs, HSIs, and MSIs), and groups are represented in, and benefit from, the Federal funding landscape.

Bringing a long track record of experience as a grant strategist and writer, Jessica co-leads the Grant Enterprise Growth Strategy Practice. This team assists clients in increasing the extramural funding base needed to support research, scholarship, innovation, teaching, and community engagement. In this role, she delivers a unique combination of solutions-focused consulting services to help clients identify and pursue multiple pathways to sustained success in the Federal funding marketplace, including: strategic planning, government relations, public relations, faculty development, partner engagement, Team Science, program design, and grant proposal development. Her client portfolio includes colleges, universities, academic medical and other health systems, community groups and associations, and research-intensive for- and non-profit organizations.

Jessica also leads Thorn Run Partners’ Grantsmanship Initiative. Successful grantsmanship requires a skillset that is built, continually developed, and adapts to evolving contexts. During her career, she has worked closely with a range of grant writers – including researchers, educators, and non-profits – to gain the skills needed to be successful across the entire grants lifecycle. Using a “coaches” approach to learning, Jess helps grant writers self-discover solutions to proposal development, while challenging conventional thinking about research funding that create barriers across cultures and institutions. Since 2015, investigators participating in her training and coaching sessions have secured more than $50 million in sponsored awards related to the proposals they developed in her workshops.

Prior to joining TRP, Jessica served as Vice President for a DC-based government relations firm. She was also the coordinator for research development services at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where she provided support for high-priority government affairs and research initiatives. She has also served in various science and science education units at NASA Langley Research Center and NASA Headquarters.

Her scholarship draws on concepts of social justice, research justice, educational justice, philosophy and history of science, decolonization, and critical race theory to advocate for legitimate “senses of places” in federally sponsored projects. Through these ideas, Jessica argues for congruence in thought, policy and practice: in making claims that diversity in habits of mind and action has been, and always will be, the sine qua non of human survival; our knowledge-building institutions must reflect such diversity as the sine qua non of intellectual survival. In recognition of this position, Jessica serves on the boards of the Drexel-Morrell Center and the Tapestry Institute.

Among her professional and community activities, Jessica has served as a grant reviewer for numerous federal agencies. She is also active in multiple professional organizations, including the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP), where she has served in various committee roles.

Jessica earned her PhD from VCU, an MA from George Washington University and her AB from Princeton University. She lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband and their very mean cat, Priscilla.

Chris Webster joined Thorn Run Partners in March of 2023, bringing a background in policy advocacy, research, and outreach from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. At Thorn Run, he primarily supports the firm’s financial services team by conducting research, covering hearings and other events, authoring memos, and tracking and analyzing key policy developments.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Chris worked for the nonprofit U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, where he researched congressional candidates and helped facilitate expansion of the organization’s grasstop network of influencers in Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington. He also interned on Capitol Hill for influential members of both major parties: Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC). And before that, he completed an extended internship with the government affairs team at Elanco — Eli Lilly and Company’s former animal health subsidiary.

Chris is a graduate of both North Carolina State University and The George Washington University, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively, in international affairs. He currently resides near Washington, D.C.’s Logan Circle and is a dual U.S.-U.K. citizen.

Ethan Weil joined Thorn Run in November of 2021, bringing policy advocacy experience from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He works primarily with the firm’s local government policy team, helping to track and analyze key legislative and regulatory processes for a portfolio of local government clients. He also supports the firm’s appropriations practice by assisting a broad range of public and private sector clients to secure federal funding opportunities.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Ethan worked at Invariant, a DC-based lobbying firm, supporting the firm’s defense and appropriations clients. He also served on Capitol Hill for Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), where he contributed to the Congressman’s domestic terrorism prevention and Middle East policy portfolios. Before that, he worked on the Government Relations, Advocacy, and Community Engagement (GRACE) team in the Washington office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), where he monitored hate crime prevention legislation at the federal and state government levels.

Ethan graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in History.

B.G. Wright joined Thorn Run Partners in January 2021 with more than three decades of experience in Congress and service across the military. Immediately prior to joining Thorn Run, Mr. Wright served as a professional staff member for the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS). His oversight responsibilities include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Space Council, providing generational impact to programs that will return humans to the Moon and beyond.

Mr. Wright served as staff in the U.S. Congress for 26 years, beginning as a military fellow while completing more than 22 years of military service, retiring as a Colonel. He served as a professional staff member with the House Committee on Appropriations from 2008 to 2020; the Senate Committee on Appropriations from 1995 to 2008; and held multiple concurrent Pentagon assignments from 1990 to 2000.

Prior to his assignment on the House Appropriations CJS Subcommittee, Mr. Wright served on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, where his portfolio included: all Overseas Contingency Operations for the Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syrian conflicts; Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Assistance; and the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Accounts. In addition to his broad portfolio, he organized over 80 Congressional visits to over 95 countries on every continent.

Before his service in the House, Mr. Wright served as a professional staff member for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He held several roles including professional staff member for the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; acting as liaison to the U.S. Senate, Committee on Armed Services; liaison to the U.S. Senate National Security Working Group; and coordinating Senate floor amendments for annual appropriations bills.

During his service in the U.S. Army, Colonel Wright was a battalion commander and a combat veteran of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He supported Department of Defense engagement with the Legislative Branch through several postings at the Pentagon with the Office of the Secretary of the Army and the National Guard Bureau; was a military fellow to the U.S. Senate, Committee on Appropriations; and was a White House military aide to President Clinton.

Mr. Wright holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Louisville, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Eastern Kentucky University, attended the U.S. Army War College, is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer’s College, and completed the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Institute’s Foreign Affairs Interdepartmental Seminar.

Throughout his career, Mr. Wright has been the recipient of many awards, medals, and honors. He is the 2017 recipient of the National Guard Association of the United States’ distinguished Montgomery Medal; the 2017 recipient of the National Guard Bureau’s Minuteman Award; a Member of the Outstanding Young Men of America; and the Golden Key National Honor Society (Scholastic). His military awards include: The Bronze Star (Desert Shield/Desert Storm – during combat); The Joint Service Commendation Medal; and five times awarded the Meritorious Service Medal; and many other military awards.