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

NICHOLAS MARTINEZ

CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

STEWARD BECKHAM

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

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

                      Meet Our Corporate Partners

                        Pamela Alexander

                        Managing Director and Head of Corporate Citizenship,
                        KKR
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                          Marc Baer

                          Minnesota

                            Diana Léon Brown

                            Chief of Staff, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport
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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
                                                  More About Me
                                                   

                                                    Ashley Hayes

                                                    VP of Public Affairs,
                                                    Charter Communications
                                                    More About Me
                                                     

                                                      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
                                                                      More About Me
                                                                       

                                                                        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
                                                                            More about me
                                                                             

                                                                              John Mason

                                                                              Director, Federal Government Affairs, 
                                                                              Altria
                                                                              More about me
                                                                               

                                                                                Maurice Obeid

                                                                                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
                                                                                      More About Me
                                                                                       

                                                                                        Molly Ryan

                                                                                        VP, Government Affairs & Policy,
                                                                                        Global Blood Therapeutics
                                                                                        More About Me
                                                                                         

                                                                                          Jade Shields

                                                                                          Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Ferring Pharmaceuticals
                                                                                          More About Me
                                                                                           

                                                                                            Riley Swinehart

                                                                                            Senior Director of Federal Affairs, Johnson & Johnson
                                                                                            More About Me
                                                                                             

                                                                                              Karen Talarico

                                                                                              Executive Director, Corporate Audit and Assurance Services at Merck
                                                                                              More About Me
                                                                                               

                                                                                                Kim Talley

                                                                                                Community Relations Director,
                                                                                                G2 Secure Staff, LLC
                                                                                                More About Me
                                                                                                 

                                                                                                  Jason Van Pelt

                                                                                                  Executive Vice President, Crossroads Strategies
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                                                                                                    Rita Vaswani

                                                                                                    VP & Relationship Manager, Nevada State Bank
                                                                                                    More About Me
                                                                                                     

                                                                                                      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
                                                                                                          More About Me

                                                                                                            Skip Braziel

                                                                                                            VP, Government Affairs, Prudential Financial
                                                                                                            More About Me

                                                                                                              George Coelho

                                                                                                              Co-Founder & Partner
                                                                                                              Astanor Ventures
                                                                                                              more about me
                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                Anthony Crowell

                                                                                                                Dean & President,
                                                                                                                New York Law School
                                                                                                                More About Me
                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                  KATHY DIDAWICK

                                                                                                                  Strategic Partner, Strategic Elements
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                                                                                                                    Ingrid Duran

                                                                                                                    CEO & Co-founder, D&P Creative Strategies, LLC
                                                                                                                    More About Me
                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                      LAWRENCE J. GREEN, M.D.

                                                                                                                      Maryland
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                                                                                                                        Raymond Hall

                                                                                                                        Chief Human Resources Officer, Harvard Maintenance
                                                                                                                        More About Me
                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                          The Honorable Gregg Harper

                                                                                                                          Former U.S. Representative MS-03
                                                                                                                          More About Me
                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                            Adrian Harpool

                                                                                                                            Principal,
                                                                                                                            Adrian Harpool Associates
                                                                                                                            More About Me
                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                              Colin A. Hosten

                                                                                                                              Executive Director, Leonard-Litz Foundation
                                                                                                                              More About Me
                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                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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                                                                                                                                      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
                                                                                                                                          more about me

                                                                                                                                            Karen Sessions

                                                                                                                                            Texas
                                                                                                                                            More About Me
                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                              Sanyin Siang

                                                                                                                                              Executive Director, Coach K Leadership and Ethics Center,
                                                                                                                                              Duke University
                                                                                                                                              More About Me

                                                                                                                                                Vanessa Sinders

                                                                                                                                                INDIANA
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                                                                                                                                                  Will Stute

                                                                                                                                                  Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
                                                                                                                                                  More About Me
                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                    The Honorable Ritchie Torres

                                                                                                                                                    US Representative – NY15
                                                                                                                                                    More About Me
                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                      Bruce Walker

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

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