TRP Oregon

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.

Madeline Do joined Thorn Run Partners in January of 2020. She represents clients in the energy, environment, and transportation sectors. Madeline has few peers in Oregon’s lobby that are as engaged and knowledgeable on clean energy policy, developments, and politics. She has a strong commitment to getting the details right and prides herself on the diverse relationships she has built with stakeholders across multiple sectors, including legislative offices and relevant agencies.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Madeline interned for Senator Jeff Merkley in his Oregon office and for the Oregon Community Foundation. It was through these experiences that Madeline developed her passion for supporting Oregonians statewide. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. She is a proud alumnus of Emerging Leaders, a Portland based program that is dedicated to improving racial and cultural diversity at the leadership level in Portland-area companies for students of color and aspiring professional.

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).

Megan joined Thorn Run Partners in 2024 after finishing an AmeriCorps term of service with College Possible, a national college access and success program. She served high school juniors in rural Oregon communities, creating individualized action plans for each student and serving as a rural program recruitment lead. Prior, she interned on Capitol Hill with Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR).

Megan grew up in California and graduated from Willamette University with a B.A. in Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics and a minor in Civic Communications and Media.

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.

Elise joined Thorn Run Partners in 2025 after completing her Master of Public Affairs at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. Prior to joining Thorn Run, Elise interned with the Maryland Department of Health, where she specialized in analyzing policy decisions impacting the state’s renowned Primary Care Program. Through this experience, Elise solidified her passion for both observing the nation’s health care transformation and examining the impact of health policy decisions across the country. 

Elise grew up in Portland, OR, and is happy to return after spending her collegiate years in Providence, RI, where she studied Public Health and Visual Art and swam on the Women’s Swimming & Diving team at Brown. In her free time, Elise enjoys snowboarding, expanding her film photography portfolio, listening to music, and spending time with her family.

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.

Devon Norden is a skilled government relations professional with a strong background in legislative strategy, coalition building, and stakeholder engagement. He began his career in Oregon as a campaign manager for multiple successful campaigns, where he developed messaging, coordinated outreach, and managed fundraising strategies. Devon went on to work at the Oregon State Capitol as Chief of Staff to two Oregon State Representatives, supporting the Chairs of the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans; the House Committee on Business and Labor; and the Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Health Care. With a history of navigating complex policy environments, he led policy research, legislative drafting, and strategic communications, helping to pass significant policy initiatives over five legislative sessions.

Most recently, Mr. Norden worked as Program and Outreach Director for an education platform, where he engaged with state agencies and stakeholders to support workforce development and education initiatives.

Mr. Norden grew up in Montana where he earned a Bachelors or Arts in Political Science with a focus on International Relations from Montana State University. When not working, Devon enjoys spending his time outdoors, hiking through Oregon’s forests, biking scenic trails, and snowboarding snowy peaks. He loves exploring new areas and making the most of every season in the Pacific Northwest.

Elizabeth Remley is a seasoned advocate at Thorn Run Partners’ Oregon office, specializing in navigating state and local governments. With a diverse portfolio representing various sectors, she’s adept in policy areas such as economic development and infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and healthcare. Elizabeth holds degrees in Economics and Journalism from the University of Oregon, uniquely positioning her to navigate Oregon’s progressive legislative landscape.

Over her career, Elizabeth has played a pivotal role in Oregon’s historic initiatives, including healthcare transformation and securing funding for capital projects. Recently, her strategic interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented business closures and facilitated emergency policy changes and crucial funding for various clients.

Beyond her professional work, Elizabeth is dedicated to mentoring young individuals, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. She serves on the board of the Capitol Club, Oregon’s professional association for lobbyists, and contributes to the University Legislative Scholars Advisory Board at Oregon State University. Elizabeth lives in Portland with her husband and dog named Tomato.