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

Jordan Lindsey, PhD

DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION + IMPACT

ERIC FERNANDEZ

SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER (South Region)

Lukas Meyer

NORTH PROGRAM MANAGER

FRANCESCA D'AMBROSI

WEST PROGRAM MANAGER

MARISTELA ROMERO

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

NICHOLAS MARTINEZ

CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

SAMANTHA WONG

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS INTERN

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

        FMC Corporation
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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

                        Pamela Alexander

                        Managing Director and Head of Corporate Citizenship,
                        KKR
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                          Marc Baer

                          Minnesota

                            Diana Léon Brown

                            Chief of Staff,
                            Maryland Aviation Administration
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                              Romero Brown

                              Georgia
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                                Cheri Bustos

                                Head of Illinois Operations, Mercury Public Affairs
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                                  Edward Cohen

                                  Principal,
                                  Lerner Enterprises
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                                    Dr. Vipul Dev

                                    California Institute of Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery
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                                      Diane Dewhirst

                                      Washington, DC
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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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                                                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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                                                        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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                                                              Myriah Jordan

                                                              Director of Public Policy,
                                                              Meta
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                                                                Michael J. Kennedy

                                                                Chief Corporate Affairs Officer,
                                                                Intuit
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                                                                  Bradley Knox, ESQ.

                                                                  VP and Counsel, Federal Relations,
                                                                  Aflac
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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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                                                                            John Mason

                                                                            Director, Federal Government Affairs, 
                                                                            Altria
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                                                                              Maurice Obied

                                                                              Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
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                                                                                Mike Parrish

                                                                                VP Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability
                                                                                Bayer
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                                                                                  Donald Remy

                                                                                  Founder and CEO, The Remy Group
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                                                                                    Joyce Rogers

                                                                                    Senior Vice President, Government and External Relations, AmeriHealth Caritas
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                                                                                      Molly Ryan

                                                                                      VP, Government Affairs & Policy,
                                                                                      Global Blood Therapeutics
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                                                                                        Jade Shields

                                                                                        Vice President, Government Affairs, Ferring Pharmaceuticals
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                                                                                          Riley Swinehart

                                                                                          Senior Director of Federal Affairs, Johnson & Johnson
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                                                                                            Karen Talarico

                                                                                            Executive Director, Corporate Audit and Assurance Services at Merck
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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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                                                                                                          Skip Braziel

                                                                                                          VP, Government Affairs, Prudential Financial
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                                                                                                            George Coelho

                                                                                                            Co-Founder & Partner
                                                                                                            Astanor Ventures
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                                                                                                              Anthony Crowell

                                                                                                              Dean & President,
                                                                                                              New York Law School
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                                                                                                                KATHY DIDAWICK

                                                                                                                Strategic Partner, Strategic Elements
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                                                                                                                  Ingrid Duran

                                                                                                                  CEO & Co-founder, D&P Creative Strategies, LLC
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                                                                                                                    LAWRENCE J. GREEN, M.D.

                                                                                                                    Maryland
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                                                                                                                      Raymond Hall

                                                                                                                      Chief Human Resources Officer, Harvard Maintenance
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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
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                                                                                                                                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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                                                                                                                                    CHRISTOPHER LEAHY

                                                                                                                                    VIRGINIA
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                                                                                                                                      THE HONORABLE SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                                                                                                                      U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TX-18
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                                                                                                                                        Catherine Pino

                                                                                                                                        Founder & CEO, D&P Creative Strategies, LLC
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                                                                                                                                          Karen Sessions

                                                                                                                                          Texas
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                                                                                                                                            Sanyin Siang

                                                                                                                                            Executive Director, Coach K Leadership and Ethics Center,
                                                                                                                                            Duke University
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                                                                                                                                              Vanessa Sinders

                                                                                                                                              INDIANA
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                                                                                                                                                Will Stute

                                                                                                                                                Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
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                                                                                                                                                  The Honorable Ritchie Torres

                                                                                                                                                  US Representative – NY15
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                                                                                                                                                    Bruce Walker

                                                                                                                                                    Associate Director,
                                                                                                                                                    DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment
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