BPC ACTION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Project Assistant
Allison Singleton is a Project Assistant for BPC Action. Previously, she taught English in Germany as a recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship, researched critical consciousness and trauma-informed pedagogy as an intern for Throughline Learning, and helped design the Rhode Island Refugee Resettlement Improvement Plan as an intern for Freedom Dreams RI. Additionally, as a Policy Intern for Cincinnati City Council, she researched zoning disparities.
Singleton recently graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Africana Studies and History from Brown University, where she served as the Diversity and Inclusion Outreach Coordinator for the Writing Fellows Program.
Andrew Hu serves as a director for BPC Action. Prior to joining BPC Action in January 2022, he was the former Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). He was responsible for PCORI's engagement with policymakers, agencies, and officials at all levels of government to increase their understanding of, and support for, PCORI's mission and strategic goals.
Hu has broad health policy and legislative experience, including health care reform, evidence-based medicine, and patient-centered outcomes research. Before PCORI, Hu was a senior director with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), where he worked on a portfolio that included comparative effectiveness research and delivery system reform. Hu also spent several years on Capitol Hill, serving on the Finance Committee under then-Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), and for Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) as her lead staffer on health policy issues.
As a California native, Hu earned his BA in political science and BS in biology from the University of California, San Diego, and his MPP from American University.
Candida "Candi" P. Wolff serves as Chair of BPC Action's Board of Directors.
Wolff is the executive vice president and head of global government affairs at Citigroup. She is responsible for the company's government affairs globally, including U.S. federal and state government relations and international government relations.
Prior to joining Citigroup, Wolff was a partner in the legislative and policy practice at the law firm of Hogan Lovells where she represented clients in legislative matters before Congress and the administration.
Wolff has more than 20 years of government relations experience in key public and private sector positions. Most notably from 2005 to 2007, Wolff served in the White House as the assistant to the president for legislative affairs. As President George W. Bush's principal liaison to Congress, Wolff had the primary responsibility for formulating and advocating the president's agenda in Congress. She advised the president and his cabinet on legislative strategy regarding economic, domestic, international, and national security issues.
Wolff also worked for Vice President Dick Cheney as his head of legislative affairs, and she worked for eight years in the U.S. Senate serving in senior staff positions in the Republican leadership and as tax counsel to former Senator Malcolm Wallop of Wyoming.
Wolff's private sector experience includes time as a partner at Washington Council Ernst & Young and as an associate in the public policy and law section of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.
Wolff earned her B.A in mathematics and political science from Mount Holyoke College and her J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder of the All in Together Campaign
- Managing Director, Cogent Strategies Co - Founder, All in Together Campaign
Edda Collins Coleman serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors and is an expert storyteller and connector of people, politics, media and brands. She works with organizations on creating alignment between business strategy, partnerships and external affairs.
Edda is also co-founder of the All In Together Campaign, a non-partisan women's organization committed to closing the gaps in politics, delivering cross-sector, innovative solutions to advance the progress of women's political, civic and professional leadership in the United States.
Edda's background is largely political and includes serving on the staff of Virginia Governor Mark Warner, the Democratic National Committee, America's Health Insurance Plans, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Polsinelli Law Firm, where she focused on engaging Congress, building advocacy groups and partnership development.
An award-winning strategist, Edda has been recognized by ESSENCE Magazine on their list of 2018 100 Woke Women, received the 2016 BMW and MADE Magazine Pay it 4Ward Award, is a 2014 Northern Virginia Alumni of Hampton University 35 for 35 Award recipient, a 2014 RollingOut Magazine's Female Success Factor, a 2014 Hello Beautiful 25 Women to Know: Crusaders in Healthcare honoree, and received the Women in Government Relations 2014 and 2013 Co-Chair Recognition Award for Outstanding Leadership.
A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Edda has participated in giving back to her community and civic engagement her entire life and continues doing so with her most recent appointment to the Facing History San Francisco Advisory Board, as well as serving as an Ambassador and member of the 2015 Society for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.
Edda was a gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth where she served on the Board of Trustees for a decade and was appointed by Governors Mark Warner (D), Tim Kaine (D) and Bob McDonnell (R), respectively. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America and the Board of Directors for Women in Government Relations.
In addition to keynote presentations at Uber, Lyft, James Madison University, American University, the Mom2.0 Summit, and the Virginia Women's Conference, Edda has written for the Huffington Post, the New York Daily News, Refinery29, OZY and The Hill. Her insights have also appeared in media outlets such as Forbes, Digiday, Sirius XM, and the DailyWorth. Edda is a former adjunct professor in the School of Communications at American University, holds a B.S. in political science from Hampton University, a Masters in Communications from Georgetown University and is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Hilton
Katherine Lugar is the executive vice president of corporate affairs for Hilton and serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
She most recently served as CEO of the American Beverage Association (ABA) and prior to ABA was the president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). In addition to her leadership roles at ABA and AHLA, Lugar also served as the Retail Industry Leaders Association's (RILA) executive vice president of public affairs, where she ran a number of successful, high-profile issue campaigns. Prior to RILA, Lugar led government relations for Travelers Insurance, served as vice president of legislative and political affairs at the National Retail Federation (NRF) and worked on Capitol Hill.
Katherine currently serves on the boards of the Bipartisan Policy Center, the US Chamber of Commerce and So Others Might Eat (SOME), and recently concluded her service on the Board of Directors of Watermark Lodging Trust (WLT) as well as the Chair of the St. Baldrick's Foundation, the largest private sector funder of pediatric cancer research. She has been recognized by the Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, and The Hill for her influence on policy in the nation's capital.
A native of Texas, Lugar is a graduate of The University of Colorado - Boulder. She and her husband, David, reside in McLean, Va., with their three children - Elizabeth, Kate and Mac.
Job Titles:
- Senior Partner at Penta
- Senior Partner, Penta Group LLC
Kevin Madden serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
Kevin Madden is senior partner at Penta, helping lead the firm's integration of strategic advisory, advocacy, communications, and issue management capabilities for clients around the globe.
Prior to Penta, Kevin was executive vice president at Arnold Ventures, where he helped build and implement advocacy teams and strategies for one of the country's leading philanthropies, achieving major policy reforms at the federal, state, and local levels.
Kevin also previously served as a partner at Hamilton Place Strategies, leading the firm's design and management of comprehensive public affairs campaigns while working with CEOs and their executive teams. Kevin served as the firm's lead strategist for several national policy reform coalitions and major corporate M&A campaigns, and worked with leading philanthropic and non-profit organizations to develop and implement their advocacy capabilities.
Kevin served as a senior strategist and spokesman on three presidential campaigns, most notably the Romney for presidential campaign in 2012. In addition to his national campaign experience, Kevin was a top congressional leadership staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving as spokesman and communications strategist in the Office of the House Majority Leader. Kevin also served as deputy director of public affairs and national spokesman for the Department of Justice.
Kevin's experience as a frequent guest on national and international news outlets has earned him a reputation as a sought-after media strategist and crisis communications manager. He also served as an on-air contributor to CNN from 2013 to 2019.
Kevin is a native of New York and earned a degree from the State University of New York at Cortland. He has been a frequent guest lecturer on advocacy and communications strategy at Georgetown University, American University, and the National War College. He lives in Maryland with his wife and their three son
Kimberly Dean serves as a director for BPC Action. Prior to joining BPC Action, she worked for former Senator Jim Bunning for 10 years. Dean served the legislative office in several capacities, including legislative assistant, legislative director, counsel, and chief of staff. In these roles, she oversaw Bunning's efforts on a wide range of legislative issues, supporting the senator's work on the Senate Finance Committee, Banking Committee, Energy Committee, and Budget Committee. Dean also developed and coordinated political and Senate floor strategy, and was responsible for supervising the senator's D.C.-based legislative and press staff.
Kimberly Olson Dorgan serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
Dorgan is active on a number of corporate, nonprofit and community boards. Until recently, she was Managing Director of the Signal Group where she created strategies to deliver the full spectrum of solutions to ensure client success: fully integrated and comprehensive forward-planning. Her work has focused on minimizing reputational and business risk and optimizing opportunities for her clients in Washington, DC.
Dorgan had a 16-year tenure as Senior Executive Vice President of Public Policy for the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). Her responsibilities at ACLI involved the development of global public policy initiatives and broad legislative reform agendas, as well as brand and reputation management.
As the founder of an independent government relations consultancy, Dorgan represented high-visibility clients including America's Public Television Stations, Sesame Street Workshop, and the National Captioning Institute. With expertise in advocacy and legislative strategy, and relationships on Capitol Hill, Dorgan has honed her ability to deliver success in real time while always staying ahead of the curve.
In addition to her role at BPC Action, Dorgan serves on the Board of Directors of Transamerica Corporation, the Stanford Center on Longevity, and the McLean Revitalization Corporation.
Dorgan holds a master's degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in History from Washington State University.
Laura Hall is the executive director of BPC Action. Prior to joining BPC Action, Hall spent eight years on the staff of former Representative Dennis Moore, a member of the Financial Services and Budget Committees. For the last five of those years, Hall served as Moore's legislative director. In that role, she developed and coordinated the legislative agenda and floor strategy for the congressman on a wide range of issues, working closely with House leadership, senior committee staff, and key caucuses. Additionally, she advised the congressman on international relations, defense, homeland security, trade, and immigration policy. Hall has a bachelor's degree in diplomacy and foreign affairs from Miami University in Oxford, OH, and an M.A. in legislative affairs from George Washington University.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Associate Director of Communications
Loren Scribner is associate director of communications for BPC Action. Prior to joining BPC Action, Scribner was the communications manager at the Millennial Action Project, a nonprofit activating young lawmakers to bridge the partisan divide and develop future-focused policy solutions. She began her career in communications as the first-ever publicist for Regnery History where she designed and executed national media campaigns, including a national bestseller. She also has a background in political campaigns, having served on Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam's first and second gubernatorial campaigns and as campaign manager for a Tennessee State House candidate.
Lori J. Pickford serves as a senior energy advisor for BPC Action. Before joining BPC Action, she was the Vice President of Federal Affairs at Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, a right-of-center advocacy organization, where she developed and promoted clean energy and climate policies to expand awareness among conservative policymakers. She previously led The Ferguson Group's Energy Practice where she specialized in power and water policy for a nationwide client base. Pickford was also a Principal at Morgan Meguire, LLC, a boutique lobbying shop, where she worked on matters related to climate, energy, and tax policy for a wide range of utility clients. Working with Congress and the Administration, Pickford has engaged in the policy process from almost every perspective, helping clients understand the nuances of policy making - and developing creative ways to influence the process- in order to make strategic decisions to effectively advocate for their interests. She has successfully advocated for bipartisan energy policy included in the Energy Act of 2020, the Infrastructure Jobs and Infrastructure Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. In years past, she actively worked to enact the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Pickford grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Old Dominion University, moving to Washington, DC to work in policy. She earned a master's degree from George Washington University, is married, and has three amazing kids.
Job Titles:
- Democratic Strategist
- Founder and President of VantageKnight
Manuel Ortiz serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
Manuel Ortiz is the Founder and President of VantageKnight. Mr. Ortiz is a prominent Democratic strategist and widely recognized as one of Washington's top lobbyists. Manuel has frequently been featured in national media for his lobbying acumen, including by CNN, The New York Times and the National Law Journal, Washingtonian Magazine and The Hill newspaper where he has been profiled as a top lobbyist seventeen years in a row.
He is a trusted corporate advisor to Fortune 50 CEOs and global leaders who depend on him for his Washington ties and strategic advice. He leads his team in developing comprehensive plans and strategies to address complex issues. His extensive experience guiding corporations has earned him a strong, results-driven reputation among his blue-chip clients, such as Citibank, Sony, Fidelity, FedEx, Microsoft, Hilton, Qualcomm, Visa and Verizon.
Michael Kelley is a director with BPC Action. Prior to joining BPC Action, he worked in various roles at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as the principal advisor to the secretary, deputy secretary, and senior department officials on all matters pertaining to Congress and state and local governments.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Legislative Assistant
Michael Lovegrove is a legislative assistant for BPC Action. Previously, Lovegrove served as a project assistant for BPC's Health Project and as an intern for BPC Action. Lovegrove also worked on multiple congressional campaigns, most recently as a Finance Fellow for Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin's 2020 reelection campaign. He also worked at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, focusing on the organization's grassroots campaigns.
Michele Stockwell is president of BPC Action and also serves as a BPC senior vice president. Prior to joining BPC, she was policy director for then-House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, overseeing a policy team focused on setting and advancing the majority's congressional agenda. Previously, she worked as a senior policy advisor to former Senator Joe Lieberman and as a legislative aide to former Representative Dave McCurdy.
Stockwell served as the policy director for Joe Lieberman's presidential campaign, shaping his platform. In 2004, she joined the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), where she directed PPI's family, social, and education policies. At PPI, she commented frequently on national media outlets, including National Public Radio, Voice of America, and The Washington Times, and contributed to online journals and a nationally published higher education course book.
Stockwell has been selected by The Washingtonian as one of its 100 most powerful women. A native of Oklahoma, she has a B.A. in political science and Spanish from the University of Kansas, and a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.
Job Titles:
- Principal and Director at Cornerstone Government Affairs
Mike Smith serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
As a principal and director at Cornerstone Government Affairs, Smith advises a broad array of non-profit, corporate, and tribal entities on a wide range of issues before the federal government including education, health care, aviation, rail, tax, technology, international relations, Native American, budget and appropriations matters.
Prior to joining Cornerstone, Smith spent three years as a Partner in the Governmental Affairs section of a leading international law firm where he focused his lobbying efforts on legislative, executive agency, and regulatory issues.
He serves as a member of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee's Majority Trust Legacy Circle. In 2004, he was appointed to the Credentials Committee of the DNC. Prior, Smith served as the Midwest Political Director for the Gore campaign in 2000. In 1996, Smith served as a liaison between the White House, campaign staff, and local, state, and federal officials as a member of the National Advance Staff for the Clinton-Gore re-election campaign.
Smith earned his BA in Government & International Relations from the University of Notre Dame in 1993 and JD from the Georgetown Law Center in 1996.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor, Hogan Lovells
Neil Chatterjee is a former Commissioner and Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and is currently a Senior Advisor at Hogan Lovells. Chatterjee serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
In his time on the Hill and at FERC, Neil built a reputation as a bipartisan operator who builds alliances and cuts through red tape with an eye on always promoting innovation. Neil's significant knowledge and experience is derived from operating at the highest levels of government and as such, is able to provide clients valuable insights and counsel when navigating the highly regulated energy industry.
Neil is a policy reformer who broke down market barriers for the entrance of new technologies, particularly for low-carbon technologies. He has been an advocate for harnessing technology to mitigate physical and cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure.
Parker Hamilton Poling serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
Poling has a track record of success at the highest levels of government and politics. She has deep and broad relationships across the U.S. House and Senate and was recognized as one of Politico Playbook's "Women to Watch."
Parker served as the Executive Director of the NRCC during the 2020 election cycle, where she and the NRCC defied expectations, flipping control of 15 congressional districts and adding historic numbers of women and minorities to the ranks of House Republicans.
From 2007-2018, Parker served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC), first in his personal office and then in the Office of the Chief Deputy Whip. As Chief of Staff, Parker guided McHenry's ascension from the rank-and-file to Leadership's top deputy vote counter, followed by his appointment as Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee.
Parker has a deep substantive knowledge of the banking and financial services sector, as well as vote-counting and coalition-building. As a senior member of the House Republican whip operation, Parker helped deliver key policy victories, including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 21st Century Cures, Trade Promotion Authority, and health care reform.
Prior to her time in Congress, Parker was Assistant to the Director of Media Affairs in the White House during the George W. Bush Administration. She has been the subject of profiles in the Washington Post Magazine, Roll Call, and Brown Alumni Monthly.
A native of Saratoga Springs, New York, Parker is a graduate of Emma Willard School, Brown University, and The George Washington University Law School. She served as Executive Director of the College Republican National Committee from 1999 to 2001. serves on BPC Action's board of directors.
Job Titles:
- President and Co - Founder, Berger Hirschberg Strategies
Rachel Hirschberg serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors and is a top-rated political operative who has developed winning strategies for numerous political candidates and advocacy organizations on a wide range of issues, including federal childcare, public-private partnerships, telecommunications, and congressional relations.
She is a veteran of five presidential campaigns and got her start in fundraising when she worked for the Democratic National Committee. Rachel has more than 20 years of high-level political and fundraising experience. Her extensive personal relationships throughout the core of the Democratic Party enable her to increase her clients' ability to raise financial capital and deliver the most effective results. She has raised millions of dollars for Governors, Senators, and organizations such as the Martin Luther King Memorial and the Capitol Visitor's Center at the U.S. Capitol amongst many others.
Rachel served as a Clinton Presidential Appointee for three years at the General Services Administration, where she worked with the White House, Members of Congress, and staff from congressional committees.
Rachel earned a Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in International Business at George Washington University. She earned her bachelor's degree in Political Science and Communication Arts (TV, radio and film) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an adjunct professor for The George Washington University's Semester in Washington program. Rachel lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband, son and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director
- Senior Attorney
- Senior Attorney and Co - Director, Energy Program, Natural Resources Defense Council
Ralph Cavanagh serves on BPC Action's Board of Directors.
Cavanagh is a senior attorney and co-director of NRDC's energy program, which he joined in 1979. In addition, Cavanagh serves on the U.S. Secretary of Energy's advisory board and the board of the Electricity Innovation Institute (E2I), and he is vice chair of the Portland-based Bonneville Environmental Foundation and of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT), which unites representatives of the environmental, energy efficiency, and renewable energy communities.
He has held appointments as Visiting Professor of Law at Stanford and the University of California (Berkeley), and as Lecturer on Law at the Harvard Law School. Cavanagh is also a founding board member of the Northwest Energy Coalition and of E-Source, a Colorado-based energy services company. His awards include the Heinz Award for Public Policy and the Bonneville Power Administration's Award for Exceptional Public Service.
Cavanagh received his bachelor's and law degrees from Yale University.