LEWIS-BURKE ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Legislative Research Assistant
Allison supports Lewis-Burke by using her background and education in public policy to provide clients with insights related to emerging technology and education policy, including funding opportunities, policy trends, agency updates, and congressional activities. This includes agencies such as the National Science Foundation, Department of Education, and others of relevance. Prior to joining Lewis-Burke Associates, Allison gained experience interning for organizations focused on undergraduate education and media that furthered her knowledge of technology and education policy.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Specialist
Amanda is a trusted specialist in education, economic development, and workforce policy across Congress and within the Departments of Education, Commerce, and Labor, as well as the National Science Foundation. She has years of experience in navigating the legislative processes to authorize and fund federal programs related to education and scientific research funding, sustainable economic development, and access to education and workforce training. Amanda leverages her relationships on Capitol Hill to create tailored strategies to advance client federal policy and research goals by building on mutual areas of overlap between client strengths and congressional priorities. In addition to her committed work on behalf of Lewis-Burke clients, Amanda drives research community initiatives through her leadership on STEM education policy and participation in the firm's Technology Based Economic Development and Workforce practice groups.
Amber leads Lewis-Burke's national security practice and spearheads both client-specific and firm-wide efforts in defense appropriations, defense authorization, and engagement with the Department of Defense (DOD) and Military Services. Amber is especially involved in the national security R&D ecosystem related to manufacturing, microelectronics, and emerging technologies. She also leads the firm's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) portfolio, most recently keeping a pulse on "CHIPS"-specific opportunities and funding from the landmark CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Amber is an active member of the Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR), which advocates for basic and applied research funding on behalf of many Lewis-Burke research universities and organizations.
Job Titles:
- Chief Administrative Officer
- Lewis - Burke 's Chief Administration Officer
Amber Hecht serves as Lewis-Burke's Chief Administration Officer serving in a critical role in managing a variety of responsibilities and performing administrative tasks to support the smooth functioning of the firm.
Before joining Lewis-Burke, Amber served 26.5 years as a logistician and senior leader in supervisory management, budget administration, and operations management for the United States Marine Corps. In this position Amber worked as internal controls, data analysis, database and dashboard creation, accountability of equipment, conducting briefs, updating standard operating procedures and support agreements, participating as a subject matter expert, monitoring program compliance, serving as a formal instructor and faculty adjunct. Amber has served in Cuba, Iraq, Norway, North Carolina, Kuwait, Bahrain, Virginia, and other areas in support of the nation's defense and humanitarian efforts. Amber has also served as a drill instructor at Parris Island, South Carolina.
After retiring from military service, Amber worked as the Logistics Management Officer for Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group (MCCOG) at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia for two years. Amber was awarded a letter of recognition by the Headquarters Marine Corps Inspection Team on the program she stood up during her tenure.
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Leader
- Founder of Lewis - Burke Associates LLC
April Burke, Founder of Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, provides clients with government relations counsel on public policy and legislation.
April Burke, Founder of Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, established the firm in 1992 to combine substantive and political expertise with the goal of advancing federal support for higher education and scientific research. Under her leadership, the firm has grown in size, stature, and influence.
Ms. Burke is an active leader in the science advocacy community, currently serving on the Board of the Boyce Thompson Institute. Her prior experience includes positions on Capitol Hill, in law practice, and with the non-profit sector. She has served on the Board of the Association for Women in Science. In 2015, April was selected from among her peers to receive the Career Excellence Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.
A graduate of the George Washington University National Law Center, Ms. Burke was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She received her bachelor of arts degree from Stanford University, where she was Phi Beta Kappa.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Chairman of Lewis - Burke 's Technology - Based Economic Development
Bill Ruch is the Chair of Lewis-Burke's Technology-Based Economic Development (TBED) Practice, which provides strategic support to clients on commercializing research from lab to market, launching new entrepreneurial assistance programming, forging public-private partnerships, shaping innovation policy, and pursuing regional economic development opportunities. In addition to these efforts, Bill's diverse portfolio covers federal interests across the research and development spectrum, including serving as one of the firm's top experts in federal social and behavioral science and domestic security efforts. Bill leverages over a decade of experience supporting clients as they seek to pursue and advance opportunities throughout the federal research, innovation, tax, appropriations, and workforce spaces.
Through the TBED Practice, Bill meets clients where they are in their commercialization/ecosystem-building journey through actionable intelligence on future federal direction, support for the development of sensible federal policies and programs, and direct connections with key decisionmakers. These efforts have led to success for our clients in extraordinarily competitive programs and numerous policy wins.
Bill's day-to-day can include providing in-depth analysis on federal trends, targeted advocacy on Capitol Hill and at federal agencies, and coalition building with relevant stakeholders to bolster messaging.
Bridget Krieger is a trusted advocate on Capitol Hill and a champion for federal research agencies, most notably the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Having worked for two decades representing the interests of research and higher education entities, Bridget designs and implements federal and congressional strategies that attain short-term wins while solidifying the foundation for long-term success.
Bridget covers a diverse range of issues and leads Lewis-Burke's growing agricultural portfolio. Whether navigating the highly political Farm Bill and agriculture appropriations processes, Bridget ensures dynamic strategies with multiple paths for success, avoiding a single point of failure. Examples of past and current efforts include protecting vital life science programming, growing support for natural disaster mitigation, raising the profile of chronically underfunded disciplines, and securing funding for large-scale projects through the federal budgeting and congressional appropriations processes.
Vital Statistics: Born and raised in Kansas City, Bridget is a proud alum of Tulane University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. When not discussing the importance of agricultural research and Cooperative Extension, Bridget can be found watching her KC teams at home with her husband and two kids.
Bruno Freitas is a passionate and respected former federal government professional with over a quarter century of combined experience working in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. He has cultivated long standing relationships with Members of Congress, congressional staff, and federal agency leadership. Bruno leverages his experience to provide clients with detailed policy advice and tailored comprehensive advocacy strategies to achieve desired results.
Job Titles:
- Legislative Research Assistant
Dominique supports Lewis-Burke by using her background in science and education to provide clients with insights related to environment, life sciences, and agriculture initiatives. Her duties include reporting on legislative and agency updates, curating funding opportunities, and attending congressional hearings.
Dominique covers agencies such as National Science Foundation (NSF), National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Geological Survey (USGS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dominique's background has given her a unique perspective on the impact of research, education, and innovation and a passion for STEM outreach and engagement.
Dr. Naomi Webber provides expertise in both fundamental and applied research, with a focus on engineering, physical sciences, and computer sciences, as well as international research collaboration. Naomi has a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry and extensive experience in research administration, strategic planning, science policy, and international relations, which enables her to support client activities in a broad range of areas.
Naomi has over 22 years of science policy and research administration experience including nine years at research funding agencies in the UK. During her time at the UK funding agencies, Naomi gained a broad range of experience including roles in grant proposal management, university relationship engagement, international affairs, and served as Chief of Staff. Naomi then moved to the British Embassy in the U.S. to build international research collaborations between UK and U.S. research funding agencies. In that role, Naomi developed insight into a broad range of U.S. federal research agencies. For over a decade, Naomi has provided a unique brand of nuanced, strategic advice to Lewis-Burke clients.
Dr. Nicole Parker is a seasoned health policy professional, specializing in the intersection of health and biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences research. At Lewis-Burke, she focuses on federal research policy, grants policy, and education and workforce policy, particularly within key agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and other grant-making bodies under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Leveraging her background as a biomedical researcher, Nicole effectively connects with clients aiming to expand their biomedical research and health-funding portfolios. Her prior role as a federal contractor in various NIH offices uniquely positions her to help clients navigate the agency's priorities and operations.
During her tenure at Lewis-Burke, she has successfully supported a diverse array of clients, including universities, non-profits, societies, and foundations. Her comprehensive understanding of these fields, coupled with her passion for driving positive change, underscores her effectiveness in advancing health policy objectives and fostering innovation in biomedical research.
Dr. Nicole Parker earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2017. Her doctoral research focused on elucidating the role of the growth factor GDNF in the replication and differentiation of stem cells in the testis. Nicole is also a proud graduate of the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, with a minor in sociology, in 2011.
In her leisure time, Nicole cherishes moments with her family and dedicates herself to service activities with her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She also enjoys participating in her monthly book club, a testament to her enduring curiosity and passion for lifelong learning.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Public Health and Environmental Scientist
Dr. Rebecca Adler Miserendino is a public health and environmental scientist with over fifteen years of professional experience in academic research, the federal government, and government relations. She has worked across scientific disciplines and in the international arena to understand budget and policy trends, enhance institutional effectiveness, and to identify emerging opportunities relevant to the research and higher education communities. Dr. Adler Miserendino leads Lewis-Burkes environmental and international focused issue groups and drives advocacy and consulting strategies to enable clients to compete for federal funds, shape new programs, build international engagement, develop coalitions, and raise their profile with key policy stakeholders.
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy and Business Operations Officer
Dr. Reed Skaggs, Lewis-Burke's dynamic Chief Strategy and Business Operations Officer, combines a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry with decades of federal defense expertise to deliver strategic brilliance to clients. With a stellar track record of serving the national security S&T enterprise (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Army Research and Technology, Army Research Laboratory, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)) Reed is a force in shaping national policies and securing unique funding opportunities.
As the go-to expert in defense and national security R&D, he spearheads initiatives to elevate clients' federal presence and capitalize on emerging opportunities. With a passion for emerging technologies like quantum information sciences and infectious diseases, Reed is not just a leader but a visionary in navigating the evolving federal landscape of national security.
Griffin is a passionate advocate for science and technology policy. An expert in space, energy, and transportation issues, he leverages his experience working on Capitol Hill and relationships with congressional staff to provide Lewis-Burke clients with insight on potential congressional action and upcoming federal funding opportunities.
Hannah Marie provides insights to clients in agriculture and rural development, life sciences, space, and tracking legislative and agency developments and assisting clients with their individual requests. This includes federal agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Commerce, among others. Hannah Marie's background in agriculture has allowed her to have a unique perspective on all aspects of this issue. This has allowed Hannah Marie to work with clients and agencies to provide more sustainable and innovative practices in agriculture and life sciences.
Isabella supports Lewis-Burke clients by advancing priorities in biomedical and public health research through advocacy and consulting across agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). At the firm, she focuses on agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), among others. Isabella's background in biological science and research has provided her with a unique perspective on how scientific research can often influence policy and has allowed her to pursue her passion of bridging the intersection of experimental research and its direct impacts on public health.
Job Titles:
- Senior Principal
- Co - Chair of the Energy Sciences Coalition
Leland Cogliani has over 20 years of experience advancing science and technology priorities for research institutions. Leland works closely with congressional authorizing and appropriations committees and federal research agencies on behalf of academic institutions, scientific societies, facility management organizations, and energy startups to create new research initiatives and programs, advance science, and energy infrastructure projects, and increase federal research funding.
As the firm's Energy Practice lead and Co-Chair of the Energy Sciences Coalition, Leland is a leading voice in the higher education and research advocacy community to advance basic and applied energy research and development programs, especially at the Department of Energy (DOE). Leland also uses his substantive subject matter expertise in nuclear security and nonproliferation science and technology issues to grow the participation of institutions of higher education in addressing national security challenges. Leland is currently a board member of the Arms Control Association and is a frequent speaker at science and technology forums.
Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Leland was the lead Senate Appropriations Committee staff member, with budget and oversight responsibility for $17 billion in federal programs, including the DOE Office of Science, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE intelligence programs, and DOE national laboratories.
Additional Information: Before joining Lewis-Burke Associates, Mia was a legal administrative assistant to a criminal defense and real estate attorney. Mia also interned with the district office of Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), where she gained an understanding of education policy and aided incarcerated constituents in utilizing government agencies. Mia was previously an Eben Tisdale Public Policy Fellow with the Fund for American Studies. As a fellow, she interned with lobbying firm Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas and worked with the Technology CEO council. During this time, Mia gained expertise in high-tech public policy, the latest innovations in science and technology, and conducted research on the effectiveness of bipartisanship.
Vital Statistics: Originally from the southern suburbs of Chicago, Mia graduated magna cum laude from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. While attending Hampton, Mia also joined Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and often does community service with other organization members. Mia is a self- proclaimed foodie and loves trying out a new recipe, or the latest and trendiest restaurants. In her free time Mia also enjoys traveling, reading, and working out.
Job Titles:
- President
- President of Lewis - Burke Associates LLC
Michael Ledford, President of Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, directs the efforts of Lewis-Burke government affairs professionals on behalf of all clients. With over two decades of experience in public policy and advocacy, Mr. Ledford provides tailored strategic counsel to leaders of colleges and universities, national management organizations, associations, government contractors, and federal laboratories.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Ledford has taken an active leadership role in each of the firm's issue areas and has influenced policy throughout the federal process, including shepherding large-scale science projects through the congressional appropriations and oversight process. In addition to expertise in the budget and appropriations process, Mr. Ledford has assisted clients with assessments of key education, international, health, and research programs; advised client leadership on short and long-term business strategies; and worked with federal agency officials to enhance new initiatives.
As part of client advocacy strategies, Mr. Ledford has drafted legislation to create new federal initiatives, served or led in coalitions to advance specific agendas, counseled client administrations to navigate the complex federal response following natural disasters, and coordinated with senior hospital administrators during interactions with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Additional Experience: Mr. Ledford has served on multiple executive committees for higher education associations and has participated in recruitment and reorganizing efforts for national organizations. He also led the fundraising committee and served on the board of a nationally recognized D.C.-based non-profit organization devoted to safe housing for victims of domestic violence.
Vital Statistics: Mr. Ledford holds a law degree from Georgetown University's Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in political science from American University. He is also a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies and the Virginia State Bar. In his spare time, he likes to compete in races, travel, and coach or watch his kids' activities.
As a former educator, Otto Katt brings a passion to his workforce and education policy and advocacy work in his Workforce Practice Group Chair role. In addition to those areas, he brings experience in immigration, economic development, research, and tax policy on behalf of Lewis-Burke clients. Otto provides strategic guidance on legislative, administrative, and regulatory issues at the Department of Education (ED) and Department of Labor (DOL), in addition to other federal agencies. He leverages his professional knowledge and expertise, gained while working in the K-12 space and at the state and federal policy level, to provide timely insight and support to a wide range of clients, including institutions and systems of higher education, associations, foundations, and coalitions on key education and workforce policy issues including federal student financial aid, workforce development legislation, ed R&D, the evolving higher education landscape, and the "business" of higher education.
Before joining Lewis-Burke, Otto served as the Education Advisor for Representative Phil Roe, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. While there, he proposed and developed education and workforce development policies for the congressman. He also staffed and advised the congressman at Education and Workforce Committee meetings and district events and engaged various interest groups, stakeholder groups, and agencies regarding pertinent legislation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the House Education
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Research Policy Expert
Sara Barber is research policy expert who has extensive legislative and agency oversight experience after seven years working in Congress with the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. During her last few years on the Hill, Sara served as a lead author and negotiator of the science provisions in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, including the National Science Foundation for the Future Act and the government-wide policy provisions related to broadening participation in science and research security. Sara is a leading expert on research security and other research administration issues. During her time on the Hill, Sara drove the Science Committee's oversight efforts on these issues, including close engagement with the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. Sara leverages her scientific background, policy experience, and familiarity with federal agencies to provide valuable insights to advance client interests across the federal science and engineering enterprise.
Job Titles:
- Legislative Research Assistant
Solomon Morgan supports Lewis-Burke by researching and providing information on opportunities and policy developments in energy and national security. With a background and education in public relations, consulting, and outreach, Solomon's experience in government relations helps him to provide clients with valuable perspectives on emerging technologies, global clean energy efforts, and defense research and engineering. Solomon is focused on funding opportunities and other new developments from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Defense (DOD) and applies his knowledge of energy and national security programs to support cross-cutting issues in science and technology.