Stephanie Vance
Stephanie D. Vance, the “Advocacy Guru” of Advocacy Associates, LLC is author of four books on advocacy, specifically Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress, the fabjob.com guide Get a Job on Capitol Hill, Citizens in Action: A Guide to Influencing Government and the recently released Advocacy Manual: A Practitioner’s Guide. She has over 20 years of experience in Congressional affairs, having worked in a prominent DC law firm, lobbied for National Public Radio and worked in various Congressional offices, holding positions as Legislative Director and Staff Director.
Her work on congressional communications stems from a deep and abiding belief that government is effective only when citizens are active participants. She has presented the concepts behind Citizens in Action at seminars and workshops around the country and she is a member of the National Speakers Association. Ms. Vance is also a member of the American Society of Association Executives, the Public Affairs Council and Women in Government Relations. Her website, www.advocacyguru.com has won a number of awards, and her work has been the subject of a variety of print media stories, including a column in the Washington Post.
A frequent guest on radio and television news shows around the country, Ms. Vance holds a Masters Degree in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University and a Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies at Georgetown University. She holds the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association.
Jason Jordan
Jason Jordan is a principal partner in the public affairs firm of Advocacy Associates. The firm specializes in political advocacy training and consulting, including grassroots programs, issue campaign development and implementation, lobbying, campaign management, and general government relations consulting. The firm helps people and organizations influence public policy through effective grassroots campaigns.
Jason Jordan has spent more than a decade helping organizations, candidates, and causes succeed in the political arena. Before joining Advocacy Associates, Jordan spent six years as the director of government relations for the American Planning Association in Washington, D.C. where he was the organization’s senior lobbyist and managed grassroots programs. He has a broad background in association management having also led policy and advocacy initiatives for a diverse array of organizations, including the Council for Urban Economic Development, National Association of Installation Developers, and the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. In addition to orchestrating grassroots and lobbying initiatives, he has been a leader in public policy related to community development, transportation and smart growth.
Previously, Jordan worked for former United States Senator Max Cleland. In addition, he has broad political campaign experience having managed field operations and provided general strategic guidance for both congressional and statewide campaigns. An Atlanta native, Jordan has degrees from Emory University and American University.
Allison Leach
Allison Leach has been with Advocacy Associates since 2007 and currently works as Senior Program Manager. Allison manages the Center for Transportation Excellence, a policy research center that provides resources and reports to communities nationwide on the benefits of investment in public transportation. As part of the policy team, she provides a range of services for clients including monitoring legislation and congressional developments, and providing direct support to clients through grassroots updates and newsletters.
Before joining Advocacy Associates, Allison gained experience as an intern at Adfero Group, a public affairs firm in Washington, DC, and on Capitol Hill in the offices of Congressman John Tierney (MA-6) and Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA). Allison holds a B.A. in political science and economics from The George Washington University.
Tess Hembree
Tess Hembree joined Advocacy Associates in January of 2009 and currently works as the Policy Manager. Tess coordinates the team’s federal policy work and provides legislative monitoring on a range of issues including housing, community development, mortgage finance, appropriations, sustainability, and health care. She delivers legislative updates, newsletters for client membership and action alerts. She also provides direct advocacy support to clients.
Prior to joining Advocacy Associates, Tess gained grassroots and community organizing experience with her volunteer work at the Chase Youth Commission in Spokane, Wash. She has also worked in Seattle as a retirement benefits administrator. She has BA in political science with an emphasis in journalism from Western Washington University.
Kaytee Lozier
Kaytee Lozier joined the Advocacy Associates team in January of 2011. She handles scheduling and logistics for our “Stress-Free Lobby Days” service and assists with political monitoring and general advocacy events coordination.
She graduated from Hofstra University in 2009 where she studied Print Journalism and Political Science. Kaytee recently worked on the Hill as a Congressional Press Intern, and during her final two years at Hofstra she interned as a Campus Outreach Ambassador for the ONE Campaign to end global poverty.
Nick Tobenkin
The most recent addition to Advocacy Associates, Nick joined the team in June 2011. The “Web Guru,” Nick has taken the reins of Advocacy Associates’ web and social media operations. In addition, Nick assists with the “Stress-Free Lobby Day” and political monitoring services.
Before joining Advocacy Associates, Nick worked as the GOTV Logistics Director for Representative John Spratt’s (SC-05) 2010 reelection campaign. He also gained experience as an intern for Representatives Jane Harman (CA-36) and Bart Stupak (MI-01). He holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies from the University of California at Irvine.
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