Leadership

National office

WHO ARE WE?

The Congressional Award is run by a small dedicated team of full-time staff. We are a resource for participants, families, schools and anyone interested in learning more about The Congressional Award.

Erica Wheelan Heyse

NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Bethie Woodall

DEPUTY NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Rachel Mallory

DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS + CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT

Dr. Jordan Lindsey, PhD

DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION + IMPACT

ERIC FERNANDEZ

SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER

Carolina Maamari

NORTH PROGRAM MANAGER

FRANCESCA D'AMBROSI

WEST PROGRAM MANAGER

JENEBA SESAY

SOUTH PROGRAM MANAGER

NICHOLAS MARTINEZ

CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

JULIA RUDY

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board supports the work of The Congressional Award Foundation and provides mission-based leadership and strategic governance.

Executive officers

    Paxton K. Baker

    CHAIRMAN

    WASHINGTON NATIONALS
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      HON. RODNEY SLATER

      VICE CHAIRMAN

      Squire Patton Boggs
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        SHAWN WHITMAN

        VICE CHAIRMAN

        Washington, DC
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          Laura O’Connor

          SECRETARY

            EDWARD BLANSITT, III

            TREASURER

            North Carolina
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            Committee Chairs

              Jonathan Heafitz

              FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT

              Assistant VP, Federal Affairs, PCMA
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                Linda Mitchell, Ph.D.

                PROGRAM

                Mississippi State University
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                  Col. Steven C. Roberts, Esq.

                  AUDIT

                  Founder & President,
                  The Roberts Companies
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                    David Schiappa

                    CONGRESSIONAL RELATIONS

                    Partner,
                    The Duberstein Group
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                      Michael Skahill

                      FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT

                      Lead of Government Affairs, Lineage Logistics
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                      BOARD MEMBERS

                        Mayealie Adams

                        VP, Government Affairs
                        Danaher
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                          Pamela Alexander

                          Managing Director and Head of Corporate Citizenship,
                          KKR
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                            Bill Anaya

                            VP of Global Government Affairs, Coupang
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                              Marc Baer

                              Minnesota

                                Brenda Becker

                                Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs for Boston Scientific (BSX)
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                                  Diana Léon Brown

                                  Chief of Staff, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport
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                                    Romero Brown

                                    Georgia
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                                      Dr. Vipul Dev

                                      California Institute of Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery
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                                        Lindsey Dickinson

                                        VP, Legislative Affairs,
                                        Comcast
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                                          The Honorable Debbie Dingell

                                          U.S. Representative MI-06
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                                            Mitchell Draizin

                                            President,
                                            Concordia Philanthropic Fund
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                                              Melissa Foxman

                                              VP Federal Government Affairs
                                              Entertainment Software Assoc.
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                                                Tom Gannon

                                                EVP, Chief Advocacy Officer, LPL Financial
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                                                  Beverly Gilyard

                                                  VP– Federal Strategy,
                                                  AARP
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                                                    Steve Hartell

                                                    VP of Public Policy
                                                    Amazon
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                                                      Ashley Hayes

                                                      VP of Public Affairs,
                                                      Charter Communications
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                                                        Erica Wheelan Heyse

                                                        National Director,
                                                        The Congressional Award
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                                                          Susan Hirschmann

                                                          Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer,
                                                          Williams & Jensen
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                                                            The Honorable Richard Hudson

                                                            U.S. Representative NC-09
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                                                              David W. Hunt, ESQ.

                                                              Legal Counsel
                                                               

                                                                Collis Jones

                                                                Vice President of U.S. Public Affairs Policy & Strategy, John Deere
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                                                                  Michael J. Kennedy

                                                                  Chief Corporate Affairs Officer,
                                                                  Intuit
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                                                                    Michael Kiely

                                                                    President of Global Government Affairs, UPS
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                                                                      Bradley Knox, ESQ.

                                                                      VP and Counsel, Federal Relations,
                                                                      Aflac
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                                                                        Sylvie Légère

                                                                        Co-Founder of The Policy Circle
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                                                                          The Honorable Cynthia Lummis

                                                                          U.S. Senator, Wyoming
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                                                                            Mateo Magdaleno

                                                                            Chief Education Officer, IDQ Group
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                                                                              The Honorable Joe Manchin

                                                                              U.S. Senator West Virginia
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                                                                                Lance Mangum

                                                                                Staff VP Government Affairs,
                                                                                FedEx Corporation
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                                                                                  Brittany Masalosalo

                                                                                  Chief Public Policy Officer, 
                                                                                  HP
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                                                                                    John Mason

                                                                                    Director, Federal Government Affairs, 
                                                                                    Altria
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                                                                                      Mike Parrish

                                                                                      VP Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability
                                                                                      Bayer
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                                                                                        Joyce Rogers

                                                                                        Senior Vice President, Government and External Relations, AmeriHealth Caritas
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                                                                                          Jade Shields

                                                                                          Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Ferring Pharmaceuticals
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                                                                                            Riley Swinehart

                                                                                            Senior Director of Federal Affairs, Johnson & Johnson
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                                                                                              Kim Talley

                                                                                              Community Relations Director,
                                                                                              G2 Secure Staff, LLC
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                                                                                                Jason Van Pelt

                                                                                                Executive Vice President, Crossroads Strategies
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                                                                                                  Rita Vaswani

                                                                                                  VP & Relationship Manager, Nevada State Bank
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                                                                                                    Kathryn Weeden

                                                                                                    Virginia
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                                                                                                    ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

                                                                                                      Merrill Eisenhower Atwater

                                                                                                      People to People International
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                                                                                                        Simeon Banister

                                                                                                        Rochester Area Community Foundation
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                                                                                                          Juan Banos

                                                                                                          CEO, The BR Companies
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                                                                                                            Skip Braziel

                                                                                                            VP, Government Affairs, Prudential Financial
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                                                                                                              George Coelho

                                                                                                              Co-Founder & Partner
                                                                                                              Astanor Ventures
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                                                                                                                Edward Cohen

                                                                                                                Principal,
                                                                                                                Lerner Enterprises
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                                                                                                                  KATHY DIDAWICK

                                                                                                                  Strategic Partner, Strategic Elements
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                                                                                                                    LAWRENCE J. GREEN, M.D.

                                                                                                                    Maryland
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                                                                                                                      The Honorable Gregg Harper

                                                                                                                      Former U.S. Representative MS-03
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                                                                                                                        Adrian Harpool

                                                                                                                        Principal,
                                                                                                                        Adrian Harpool Associates
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                                                                                                                          Colin A. Hosten

                                                                                                                          Executive Director, Leonard-Litz Foundation
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                                                                                                                            BRIAN K. JOHNSON, Ed.D.

                                                                                                                            President & CEO,
                                                                                                                            Advance Higher Ed
                                                                                                                            More About Me
                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                              RAYMOND KERINS, JR.

                                                                                                                              CEO, The Next Security Group and Chief Public Affairs Officer of The Next Practices Group
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                                                                                                                                THOMAS KIM

                                                                                                                                President, Thomas Capitol Partners, Inc.
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                                                                                                                                  Izzy Klein

                                                                                                                                  Co-Founder and Principal, Klein/Johnson Group
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                                                                                                                                    Adia Lancaster

                                                                                                                                    Founder, One Fam Project
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                                                                                                                                      CHRISTOPHER LEAHY

                                                                                                                                      VIRGINIA
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                                                                                                                                        Maurice Obeid

                                                                                                                                        Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
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                                                                                                                                          Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier

                                                                                                                                          CEO, Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership (ENP)
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                                                                                                                                            Donald Remy

                                                                                                                                            Founder and CEO, The Remy Group
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                                                                                                                                              Jacqueline S. Ruiz

                                                                                                                                              CEO, JJR Marketing
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                                                                                                                                                Sanyin Siang

                                                                                                                                                Executive Director, Coach K Leadership and Ethics Center,
                                                                                                                                                Duke University
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                                                                                                                                                  Karen Talarico

                                                                                                                                                  Executive Director, Corporate Audit and Assurance Services at Merck
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                                                                                                                                                    The Honorable Ritchie Torres

                                                                                                                                                    US Representative – (NY-15)
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                                                                                                                                                      Bruce Walker

                                                                                                                                                      Senior Vice President of Creative Services, Events DC
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                                                                                                                                                        Eric Zulkosky

                                                                                                                                                        Lobbyist, Fierce Government Relations
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