BENNETTDC.COM - Key Persons
Alex Tarbet has spent the last seven years working with Tim Stewart developing and passing legislation at the state and federal level. Alex has successfully worked across multiple disciplines including education, natural resources, infrastructure, defense, and economic development. With a primary focus on legislative policy and appropriations, Alex excels at strategy, education, execution, and implementation. Additionally, has also served as a senior advisor on congressional and state campaigns. Alex focuses on building long-term relationships of trust with clients, legislators, agencies, and stakeholders.
Chris, a highly skilled lobbyist and policy expert, has 30 years of experience on Capitol Hill and in the private sector. Prior to joining the Bennett Group, MacKay spent 20 years as a Vice President of Federal Government Affairs at Verizon where he lobbied Congress on telecommunications, spectrum, intellectual property, tax, merger and acquisition, public lands, cybersecurity, defense and government oversight issues. Chris is adept at building issue coalitions and developing grassroots campaigns to amplify policy messages supporting lobbying efforts. With contacts throughout the Capitol and across Washington, Chris can ensure your message is heard and effective. In addition to his time at Verizon, Chris spent a decade on Capitol Hill where he held several positions including Chief of Staff for a prominent Congressman. He has also worked on and managed numerous congressional and presidential campaigns.
Cody Stewart has twenty-five years of experience in government, campaigns, and advocacy with a special focus on policy, political strategy, and communications. Cody has worked in several senior federal and state positions including as Legislative Director, Chief-of-Staff, Energy Advisor, and Policy Director. Most recently, Cody served as the Staff Director for the House Committee on Natural Resources. Cody's private sector experience includes representing associations, advocacy groups, universities, municipalities, state and county governments, and several small and medium-sized businesses. Cody received BA degrees in both History and Political Science from Utah State University and also received an MBA and a master's degree in government from Johns Hopkins University.
The Honorable Daniel Simmons helps his clients achieve their goals by leveraging more than two decades of policy expertise working in Washington, DC, for both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government, as well as for non-profits. Mr. Simmons worked for Congress and then spent 15 years working for non-profits focused on energy and environmental issues. These varied experiences, working to improve the nation's energy situation, were critically important for Mr. Simmons' next job leading the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from 2017 to 2021. Mr. Simmons was confirmed by the Senate as Assistant Secretary of EERE in 2019. EERE has been called the largest government clean-energy innovation funding agency in the world. During his time leading EERE, he administered the spending of over $9 billion, he oversaw the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, he co-led the Grid Modernization Initiative, helped launch the Energy Storage Grand Challenge, the Plastics Innovation Challenge, the Energy-Water Desalination Hub, and many other efforts.
As a Partner of the Bennett Group, Dave develops policy and legislative strategies for his clients on a broad range of issues impacting healthcare providers, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, health policy research organizations and hospitals and care facilities. For over 23 years, Dave's understanding of the legislative process, his ability to develop innovative strategies and his determination have produced significant results for his clients.
Prior to the establishment of his lobbying practice, Dave had a successful Capitol Hill career as a senior health policy advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN). From 1995-2001, Dave served as a staff member of the Senate Subcommittee on Public Health, which Senator Frist chaired. In that role, Dave main area of focus was Food and Drug Law, Public Health Law and Disability Policy Law.
During his time in the Senate, Dave gained experience in legislative policy and strategy and produced numerous legislative achievements. He drafted the Children's Health Act of 2000, the Public Threats and Emergencies Act of 2000, the Children's Day Care Health and Safety Improvement Act of 1999, and the Youth Drug and Mental Health Services Act of 1999. He also helped draft the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997, and the Public Health Improvement Act of 2000. All of these Bills became Law.
Dave also served from 2001-2003 as the government relations director for the Washington law firm of Arent, Fox, Kintner, Plokin & Kahn. He then founded the government relations firm the American Capitol Group in 2003.
Ryan represents various clients before Congress and Executive Branch agencies. His work largely focuses on advising on and advocacy related to infrastructure, appropriations, public policy, and federal funding strategies. His current client list includes units of local or regional government, including municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations, transit, water, and health districts. He also represents private sector companies in the cybersecurity technology and healthcare sectors. In 2023, Ryan was named by the "The Hill" newspaper as a "Top Lobbyist" for the results he delivered for his clients in the nation's capital.
Having served in senior policy positions advising several key Members in both the US Senate and the US House of Representatives, Ryan Leavitt brings a decade of Capitol Hill experience to Barker Leavitt. Before joining the firm as a partner, Ryan served as a Senate Judiciary Committee Counsel, a Senate Legislative Director, as a Deputy Chief of Staff, and in other senior positions in the US Senate and the House of Representatives. While serving as Council to the President Pro Tempore of the US Senate, he developed a keen understanding of Senate Floor procedure and developed an excellent working knowledge of the US Senate. In addition to Ryan's policy expertise, he is an expert in the legislative process, floor procedure, and legislative strategy.
Jeremy Andra is a dynamic business development and management performer with broad experience in new start-up companies and business expansions within existing companies, particularly in emerging markets. Mr. Andra is best known as a connector that is effective at building influence with industry KOLs, and nurturing strategic partnerships and collaborations. His top down approach creates avenues for rapid success in business.
Kenneth Lee has been involved in Washington, DC legal, legislative and regulatory matters since 1976. After 15 years in the Solicitor's Office of the Department of the Interior, specializing in environmental and natural resource legal issues, he went into private practice and began to hone his government relations skills. In 2001 he set up his own shop, Kenneth G. Lee, Consulting, to focus on his government relations and advocacy clientele.
Ryan represents various clients before Congress and Executive Branch agencies. His work largely focuses on advising on and advocacy related to infrastructure, appropriations, public policy, and federal funding strategies. His current client list includes units of local or regional government, including municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations, transit, water, and health districts. He also represents private sector companies in the cybersecurity technology and healthcare sectors. In 2023, Ryan was named by the "The Hill" newspaper as a "Top Lobbyist" for the results he delivered for his clients in the nation's capital.
Home Who we are Steve Petersen
A thirty-two-year veteran of Capitol Hill, Steve served as senior staff to two Members of Congress working with defense, space, aerospace, technology, homeland security, and natural resources issues. Steve worked closely with Congressional Armed Services Committees and Defense Appropriations Subcommittees in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, as well as the Department of Defense and other executive branch agencies.
Steve has experience in the formation of community support groups, and successfully defending communities during four rounds of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) process in the 1990s and 2005. He led efforts to preserve the solid rocket motor industrial base, fund cruise missile advancements, assure the strategic metals stockpile, and bolster the military industrial depot system and workforce. He was responsible for drafting legislation to further public-private partnerships and preserving test and training ranges in the Western U.S.
He also served as Deputy Chief Counsel to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, as Staff Director for the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, and as a part of House Leadership staff as a House Rules Committee Associate.
Job Titles:
- Government Affairs Consultant at the Bennett Group DC
Sylvester Giustino is a government affairs consultant at the Bennett Group DC. His practice focuses on appropriations, transportation labor, energy, state government affairs, crisis communications and response and political outreach. With a proven track record as an accomplished association executive, Sylvester has led the advocacy outreach numerous organizations, securing significant legislative wins while dedicatedly working to rebuild and enhance the reputation of these organizations. He was served as an appointed official at the state and federal level, he was Deputy Director of the Office of Public Liaison at the U.S. Department of Labor during the previous Presidential Administration. After receiving his bachelor's degree in political science from Rutgers University in New Jersey, Mr. Giustino worked on political campaigns in New York and New Jersey.
Tim Stewart has spent nearly 30 years in the legislative and regulatory environment in Washington D.C. Since 2004 Mr. Stewart has founded and managed three government relations and consulting firms. In 2004 he established the American Capitol Group, a full-service government relations firm. In 2009, he helped found Energy North America, an energy-consulting firm, and in 2011, he reunited with his former employer Senator Robert F. Bennett (R-UT) to establish the Bennett Consulting Group.
Tim also serves as the President of the US Oil and Gas Association, one of the nation's oldest trade associations representing the oil and gas industry.
Mr. Stewart specializes in Congressional appropriations, energy and environment, agriculture, water and natural resources policy. He has represented a broad array of clients, including defense, energy interests, universities, tribes, trade associations, municipalities, state and country governments, and small businesses working to both promote and protect their interests. He is also politically active in those circles of influence most important to his clients' interests.
Prior to his work in the private sector, from 2001 to 2003 Mr. Stewart was the Legislative Director and Chief of Staff for the House Committee on Natural Resources. Tim also served for several years as a top aide to former Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT), a senior member of the Senate leadership and a policy leader in finance, energy and natural resource arena. When Senator Bennett retired after 18 years in the Senate, they established the Bennett Consulting Group.