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

Lukas Meyer

NORTH PROGRAM MANAGER

FRANCESCA D'AMBROSI

WEST PROGRAM MANAGER

JENEBA SESAY

SOUTH PROGRAM MANAGER

NICHOLAS MARTINEZ

CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

STEWARD BECKHAM

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

        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

                        Mayealie Adams

                        VP, Government Affairs
                        Danaher
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                          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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                                  Edward Cohen

                                  Principal,
                                  Lerner Enterprises
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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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                                              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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                                                                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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                                                                    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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                                                                                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
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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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                                                                                            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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                                                                                                          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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                                                                                                                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
                                                                                                                              More About Me
                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                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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                                                                                                                                        Catherine Pino

                                                                                                                                        Founder & CEO, D&P Creative Strategies, LLC
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                                                                                                                                          Sanyin Siang

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

                                                                                                                                            President & CEO, INDIANA Chamber of Commerce
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                                                                                                                                              Will Stute

                                                                                                                                              Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
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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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