NILE Announces 2025 Top Lobbyists

Fairfax, VA – The National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) is delighted to announce the winners of the profession’s distinguished 2025 Top Lobbyist Award. Established in 2020, NILE created this annual recognition to honor exceptional lobbying professionals through a strictly merit-based process.

This year, we recieved a record number of nominations each accompanied by impressive letters of recommendation from colleagues, clients, former and current Members of Congress, high-ranking government officials, and former Cabinet secretaries—underscoring the high caliber of professionals who make up the advocacy community. With over 50,000 state and federal lobbyists across the country, being named one of only 100 Top Lobbyists is an impressive and well-earned accomplishment that highlights the extraordinary contributions of these individuals to the profession.

Paul Miller, NILE Board Chairman, said, "Each year, NILE’s Top Lobbyist list shines a light on those who embody the very best of our profession—integrity, effectiveness, and leadership. These honorees not only achieve outstanding results for their clients but also elevate the profession by setting an example for others to follow. Their work underscores the important role ethical advocacy plays in shaping sound public policy and strengthening trust in our government."

The 2025 Top Lobbyist list highlights a diverse group of professionals across the advocacy field, including lobbyists, PAC professionals, and grassroots specialists nominated by their peers. These individuals have demonstrated exceptional advocacy skills, innovation, and thought leadership in their work.

They are highly respected by clients and colleagues alike and have made meaningful contributions to their communities through charitable and pro-bono efforts. Their expertise, ethical standards, and unwavering commitment to excellence make them true leaders within the profession.

We would also like to announce the following award recipients:

2025 Student Advocates of the Year: Mackenzie Campbell from American University and Alex Young from the University of Notre Dame.

The 2025 Thomas M. Susman Lifetime Achievement Award: Neil Trautwein, Trautwein & Associates, LLC

NILE extends its heartfelt congratulations to the following outstanding individuals chosen as 2025 Top Lobbyist recipients:

Political Action Committee (PAC) Category

Colin Brehm | National Court Reporters Association

Lindsay Frank | The Travelers Companies, Inc.

Michelle Ly | NTCA- The Rural Broadband Association

Jennifer Pugh | American Council of Engineering Companies

Grassroots Category

Na'ilah Amaru | BIPOC Democracy Table

Reginald McCoy | Access Community Health Network

Emily Wilson | Bose Public Affairs Group

Association Category

Manuel Bonilla | American Society of Anesthesiologists

Robbie Bradshaw | IICRC

Jim Coon | Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association

Emily M. Dickens | SHRM

Allison Ealey (Cunningham) | American Gas Association

Robert Egge | Alzheimer's Association

Jeff Evans | Institute for Portfolio Alternatives

Andrew Fullerton | March of Dimes

James Gelfand | The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC)

Marco Giamberardino | National Electrical Contractors Association

Alex Gleason | Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA)

Carlos Gutiérrez | Consumer Healthcare Product Association

Mark Haaland | Association of the United States Army

Emily Holubowich | American Heart Association

Ilhaam “Illy” Jaffer | Association for Accessible Medicines

Deborah Koolbeck | National Education Association

Deanna Kuykendall | National Athletic Trainers’ Association

Melanie Lendnal | The ALS Association

Dominique Marsalek, M.A. | American Counseling Association

Bill McCabe | K9s for Warriors

Katherine B. McGuire | American Psychological Association

Grant Spellmeyer | America’s Communications Association (ACA Connects)

Charlyn Stanberry | National Association of Broadcasters

Jason Stverak | Defense Credit Union Council

Danielle Turnipseed | Association of American Medical Colleges

Lesley Witter | National Funeral Directors Association

Corporate Category

Casey Aden-Wansbury | Instacart

James Brandell | John Hancock

Jacqueline Clark | Amrize

Jack Cline | Northeastern University

Kenneth Edmonds | National Football League

Evan Hoffman | Philps North America

Gene Irisari | Samsung Electronics America

Kernard Jones | Waterford.org

Osiris Morel | Veterans Benefits Guide

Lindsey Queen | Kurdistan Regional Government - Representation Office to the U.S.

Robert Rose | MetLife

Amirah Salaam, Esq. | Adtalem Global Education Inc.

Samantha Segall | Shift5

Sym Singh | Scout Motors

Zolaikha Strong | Generac Power Systems

Molly Wilkinson | One Brief

Large Firm Category

John Ariale | GrayRobinson

Anthony Bedell | Becker & Poliakoff

Andrew Buczek | Dykema Gossett PLLC

Leah Dempsey | Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP

Lauren Flynn | K&L Gates LLP

Finch Fulton | K&L Gates LLP

Marc Gerson | Miller & Chevalier Chartered

Alex Graf | Alston & Bird

Jake Kohn | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Marne Marotta | K&L Gates LLP

Margaret Martin | DLA Piper

Chris McCannell | GrayRobinson

Sam Olswanger | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Dylan Pasiuk | Bracewell LLP

David Reid | Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP

Hans Rickhoff | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

John Russell | DGA Group

Matt Schnappauf | Cornerstone Government Affairs

Joshua Zive | Bracewell LLP

Small Firm Category

Saat Alety | Federal Hall Policy Advisors

Sara Barba | Integer

Anne Basham | Ascend Consulting

Ali Bedford | Integer

Jon Boehmer | Keller Partners & Co.

Don Bramer | Bramer Group

James Brown | Bose Public Affairs Group

Justin Brown | The Nimitz Group

John “JB” Byrd | Miller Wenhold Capitol Strategies

Gerard Evans | Evans & Associates

Brett Fulcer | Brumidi Group

Raul “Rudy” Garcia | MBI

Brett Garson | Smith Garson

Lon Goldstein | Federal Hall Policy Advisors

Dan Greenwood | BGR Group

Katie Hazlett | The Reserve Component

Michael Henry | Acorn Consulting

James Hunt | Bramer Group

Kendra Isaacson | Mindset Advocacy

Paul Klein | Tri-Strategies

Sarah Kohn | ACG Advocacy

Robert McBride | McBride Consulting & Business Development Group

Taylor McCarty Hoover | Cogent Strategies

George McElwee | The Reserve Component

Christopher Minakowski | J.A. Green & Co.

Denise Murphy McGraw | Hill, Gosdeck & McGraw

Austin O’Boyle | Aristotle International

David Peluso | KDCR Partners

Julie Philp | ACG Advocacy

Ivelisse Porroa-Garcia | Crossroad Strategies

Tristan Southard | Merchant McIntyre Associates

Michael Taggart | Ferox Strategies

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The National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) is a leading non-partisan organization representing lobbying, public policy, and government affairs professionals. Our mission is to promote and foster ethical lobbying practices, professionalism, and competence through education. NILE provides a unified voice for the profession and the Constitution’s First Amendment right to petition government. Our organization prescribes a strong Code of Ethics for its members to follow, as well as a rigorous Public Policy Certificate Program that assures lobbyists have a complete knowledge of the legislative, regulatory, and compliance processes.