NILE Announces 2024 Top Lobbyists

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Fairfax, VA – The National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) is delighted to reveal the winners of the professions distinguished 2024 Top Lobbyist award. Starting in 2020, NILE set out to create an annual list that honors exceptional lobbying talents while ensuring a strictly merit-based selection process. To achieve this, a dedicated panel of judges conducted blind evaluations of each nominee, ensuring that recognition as a Top Lobbyist is based entirely on remarkable performance and dedication to the profession within the year. 

"On behalf of the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to this year’s Top Lobbyist award winners," said Jon Gentile, NILE President. "Being named a Top Lobbyist is a prestigious honor that recognizes not only exceptional skill and dedication but also the highest standard of integrity and impact in our profession. These individuals have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to advancing good policy and representing their clients with excellence. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the vital role they play in our democratic process." 

The 2024 Top Lobbyist list showcases a diverse group of professionals within the advocacy profession, including lobbyists, PAC professionals, and grassroots specialists endorsed by their peers. These individuals have not only demonstrated exceptional advocacy skills but have also brought innovation and thought leadership to their profession. They are held in high esteem by both clients and colleagues and have made meaningful contributions to their communities through charitable and pro-bono work. Their dedication, expertise, and commitment to ethical practices make them outstanding representatives of the profession. 

The recipients of the 2024 Top Lobbyist award will be honored at a reception on November 7, 2024, where their extraordinary accomplishments will be recognized. 

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

We would also like to announce the following award recipients

2024 Student Advocate of the Year: Laura C. Lopez McNulty from the College of Southern Maryland. This award is presented by Cornerstone Government Affairs Group

The Thomas M. Susman 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award: James Dyer, Senior Advisor, Baker Donelson

NILE extends its heartfelt congratulations to the following outstanding individuals chosen as 2024 Top Lobbyist recipients:

2024 Top Lobbyist 

VIEW 2024 TOP LOBBYISTS

Association/Non-Profit 

• Na'ilah Amaru | Women Creating Change 

• Mark Ames | AIHA 

• Brian D. Banks | National Board for Certified Counselors 

• Manuel Bonilla | American Society of Anesthesiologists 

• Stacey Brayboy | March of Dimes 

• Jim Coon | Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association 

• Mark Dann | Freedom from Religion Foundation 

• Howard Fienberg | Insights Association 

• Dallas Fischer | Fueling Minnesota 

• James Gelfand | The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) 

• Jon Gentile | National Association of Professional Insurance Agents 

• Coley George | Netjets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots 

• Marco Giamberardino | National Electrical Contractors Association 

• Scott Greytak | Transparency International U.S.

• Sohini Gupta | America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) 

• Carlos Gutierrez | Consumer Healthcare Product Association 

• Mark Haaland | Association of the United States Army 

• Eliza Hernandez | National 4-H Council 

• Krysta Jones | American Psychological Association 

• Jolie Long | National Board for Certified Counselors

• Michelle Ly | NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association 

• Bill McCabe | K9s for Warriors 

• Katherine McGuire | American Psychological Association 

• Mary Jo H. Mitchell | Population Association of America 

• Rich Nolan | National Mining Association 

• Jonathan Pawlow | Information Technology Industry Council 

• Julia Pitcher | The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research 

• Paulo G. Pontemayor | Catholic Health Association of the U.S. 

• Stephanie Salvador | National Education Association 

• Michele Stanley | National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association 

• Jason Stverak | Defense Credit Union Council 

• Betsy Vetter | American Heart Association 

• Tiffany Waddell | National Governors Association 

Corporate 

• Hera Abbasi | Mastercard 

• Jesse Barba | Chegg, Inc. 

• Laura Berkey-Ames | BASF Corporation 

• Marjorie Dickman | BlackBerry Ltd. 

• Gene Irisari | Samsung Electronics America 

• Art Motta | AstraZeneca 

• Brittany Nash | Allstate 

• Linda Pham | S&P Global 

• Angel Riley | Philips North America 

• Robert Rose | MetLife 

• Amirah Salaam, Esq. | Adtalem Global Education Inc. 

• Samantha Segall | Shift5

• Brittany Starr | Franklin Templeton 

• Askia Suruma | Eli Lilly & Company 

• Sam Tatevosyan | McDonald's Corporation 

• Elizabeth Van Holt | Intersect Power 

• Molly Wilkinson | American Airlines 

Large Firm 

• James Brandell | Dykema Gossett PLLC 

• Andrew Buczek | Dykema Gossett PLLC 

• Mike Doyle | K&L Gates 

• Omar Franco | Becker Lawyers 

• Allison Kassir | King & Spalding, LLP 

• Marne Marotta | Arnold & Porter 

• Dee Martin | Bracewell LLP 

• Virgil Miller | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 

• Sam Olswanger | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 

• Alex Pinson | DLA Piper 

• David Reid | Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 

• Cliff Rothenstein | K&L Gates 

• Will Smith | Cornerstone Government Affairs 

• Nicole Venable | Invariant 

Small Firm 

• Saat Alety | Federal Hall Policy Advisors 

• Lucia Alonzo | Michael Best Strategies 

• Michael Bain | GuidePost Strategies 

• Kristine Blackwood | Kristine Blackwood, LLC 

• Denise Bode | Constitution Partners LLC 

• Don Bramer | Bramer Group 

• John “JB” Byrd | Miller Wenhold Capitol Strategies 

• Tim Cansler | Cansler Consulting 

• Taryn Couture | Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville PC 

• Gerard Evans | Evans & Associates 

• Tom Fahy | Capitol Meteorologics 

• Melissa Francis | Venn Strategies 

• Marla Grossman | ACG Advocacy 

• Katie Hazlett | Commonwealth Strategic Partners 

• Brian Hess | I Street Advocates 

• Joseph Hoefer | Monument Advocacy 

• Ashlee Johnson | The Russell Group 

• Yogin Kothari | Boundary Stone Partners 

• Sean Malone | Harris Jones & Malone 

• Robert McBride | McBride Consulting & Business Development Group 

• Frank McCarthy | McCarthy Advanced Consulting 

• George McElwee | Commonwealth Strategic Partners 

• Andrea McWilliams | McWilliams Governmental Affairs Consultants 

• Jeff Navin | Boundary Stone Partners 

• Erin Neal | Velocity Government Relations 

• Austin O’Boyle | Aristotle International 

• Ben Odendahl | Smith Dawson & Andrews 

• Sarah Peters | Husch Blackwell Strategies 

• Steven Pfrang | BGR Group 

• Benjamin Picciano | Keller Partners & Company 

• Ivelisse Porroa-Garcia | Crossroads Strategies 

• Shellie Purvis | Cogent Strategies 

• Randi Reid | KDCR Partners 

• Jo-Anne Sears | Velocity Government Relations 

• Peggy Tighe | Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville PC 

• Madeline Wade | Brumidi Group