The QGA Team
The team at Quinn Gillespie & Associates brings the insight and strategies that come from decades of experience in the legislative, political and communications arenas.
Jack Quinn
Jack is the co-founder and chairman of Quinn Gillespie & Associates and serves as the firm's chief strategist. He has been a long-time advisor to Democratic leaders and has served as counsel to numerous Democratic campaigns.
Before co-founding QGA in 2000, Jack was a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Arnold & Porter where he practiced for 20 years. Jack served as Counsel to the President of the United States from November 1995 to February 1997. At the time of Jack’s appointment by President Clinton, he was Vice President Gore's Chief-of-Staff and Counselor, a position he undertook in June 1993. Before his government service, Jack was also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center where he taught a seminar in constitutional law for three years.
Jack is a 1971 graduate of Georgetown University College of Arts and Sciences and is a 1975 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center where he was an editor of the Georgetown Law Journal. While in college and law school, Jack served on the staff of the United States Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs (1969-73), the Democratic National Committee (1973) and Senator Floyd Haskell (D-CO, 1974-75). In 1975-76, at the age of 26, Jack served as Campaign Director of the Udall for President campaign.
He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has served on a number of boards, including Fannie Mae (1997-2000), the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial and the Center City Consortium.
topJ. David Hoppe
As President of Quinn Gillespie and Associates, Dave provides senior leadership to the firm on client issues, business development and Republican political activities, bringing to bear his political experience, policy expertise and Congressional relationships. With deep understanding of the issues and the political imperatives of the U.S. Senate, Dave provides unparalleled service to QGA clients.
Dave joined QGA after having served nearly 30 years on Capitol Hill, where he held a number of important staff positions in the Republican leadership. He served most recently as Chief of Staff to then-Senate Majority Leader, U.S. Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) from 1996 through 2002. In his early Hill career working with Sen. Lott, Dave was Staff Director of the House Republican Research Committee from 1979 through 1980 and Staff Director for the House Republican Whip from 1981 through 1984. Dave has served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Jack Kemp (R-NY) and Administrative Aide to U.S. Senator Dan Coats (R-IN). In addition, he worked at the Heritage Foundation as a Vice President for Government Affairs. Dave began his career in Congress as a research associate for the House Republican Study Committee in 1976.
Dave earned a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and a M.A. in International Relations from The Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies.
topChris Brown
Christopher S. Brown joined QGA as Director of Digital Strategy in 2010. With more than a decade of experience leading digital projects, Mr. Brown has helped global brands, associations, nonprofits and news organizations develop digital advertising, public relations and public affairs programs. He previously held the position of Managing Editor for New Media at the FOX television show America's Most Wanted, and began his career at KRON-TV in San Francisco. A startup veteran and award-winning producer, Chris is also a former co-chair for new media and professional development at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Follow him on Twitter @chrisbrowntv.
Drew Cole
Drew brings a working knowledge of Capitol Hill and a strong network of bipartisan contacts to his role at QGA, supporting firm’s energy, transportation, trade, appropriations, and telecommunications clients.
Drew joined QGA in 2009 after spending five years lobbying at a D.C.-based public affairs firm where he led and assisted client teams ranging from Fortune 50 corporations, national trade associations, and not-for-profit entities. In addition to his lobbying work, Drew has been an active fundraiser and campaign operative. At the 2000 GOP Convention in New York City, Drew participated in the Floor Whip/ Communications team where he worked with the various delegations ensuring convention parliamentary procedure was fulfilled. Drew began his political career completing work in the office of former Senator Don Nickles office and participating in the Senate Floor Page program.
Drew is a graduate of Trinity University (San Antonio, TX) with a B.A. in Political Science.
topJeffrey Cramer
Jeff provides counsel and support for QGA’s energy, environmental services and telecom clients. Having worked in the technology industry and as an advocate on local, state and national issues, Jeff brings a unique combination of skills and experience to support QGA client needs.
Jeff joined QGA in 2010 after spending over four years working in the energy, environment and telecom sectors. Most recently, Jeff led internal business development for Pacific Crest Securities’ Mosaic Group, a leading technology focused investment bank by engaging leading clean technology, telecom and energy policy experts in one-on-ones with institutional investors, industry research and events. Additionally, Jeff has been an active advocate and organizer for environmental and clean technology advocacy groups in the US and Latin America.
Jeff is a graduate of Clark University, with a degree in philosophy and government and an ardent Green Bay Packer supporter.
topMatt Dornic
Matthew Dornic has over ten years of experience in entertainment, news and online media. In 2007, Dornic founded media strategy boutique, 3 Dog Agency where he led business development initiatives, agency operations and strategic account direction for clients such as how-to video site, MonkeySee.com; DIY website giant, Webs.com; online shopping portal, Ebates.com and TriBeCa award-winning feature film, War Child. Prior to 3 Dog Agency, Matthew served as the manager of media relations and creative services for Anystream Inc. where he spearheaded client, partner and corporate communication initiatives with organizations such as MTV, MLB.com, IFC, Temple University, CNN, Arizona State University, Verizon and Case Western School of Medicine. Dornic guided the company through two corporate acquisitions, multiple product launches and several business unit rebranding initiatives. He is a former broadcast journalist, the co-editor of mediabistro’s FishbowlDC blog and a columnist for Capitol File magazine.
Bonnie Hogue Duffy
As leader of QGA’s healthcare practice, Bonnie tackles complex policy challenges and political issues currently before Congress and the administration. She is actively engaged in all facets of the healthcare sector. Some of her recent achievements include positioning a Fortune 500 CEO for discussions on health care reform with key members of Congress and agency heads, serving as a strategic advisor to an insurance client testifying at an Oversight & Investigations hearing and counseling a large benefits consulting firm about the impact of health reform on large employers.
She joined QGA after having served as Director of Federal Policy at the Alzheimer's Association. In this position, she developed and implemented the Association's policy positions on federal issues. This work included working with various agencies at HHS, including CMS, NIH, FDA and CDC. She represented the Association to the broader patient organization community and to organizations representing older Americans. Bonnie also has 10 years of experience working in the United States Senate where she served as a professional staff member on the Senate Special Committee on Aging, working for Chairman David Pryor on Medicare, long-term care and health care reform. She also worked as a legislative assistant to Senator Jack Reed and as Senior Health Policy Advisor to the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, under the leadership of Senator Tom Daschle. Bonnie previously worked as Director of Health Policy at the American Association of Health Plans (now America's Health Insurance Plans).
A graduate of Tulane University, Bonnie earned a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University.
topAllyson Groff
Allyson provides strategic counsel and government relations services to QGA’s energy and environment clients. She brings to the firm a strong understanding of the legislative process and extensive experience in communications. Prior to joining the firm in 2010, she served as the communications director and spokeswoman for the House Committee on Natural Resources, under the leadership of Chairman Nick Rahall, where she had the opportunity to promote and advance the Committee’s agenda on a national level on a variety of energy and environment issues. Allyson previously worked as a press assistant for the House Committee on Small Business and the office of Rep. Nydia Velázquez.
Allyson is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, with a degree in public relations and political science.
topVirginia Hume
Virginia brings her strong skills and experience in media relations and written communications to her role as media and communication strategist. In addition to creating effective media relations and communications strategies, she also offers solid relationships with a variety of journalists, particularly in television and among conservative media. Virginia serves a variety of the firm's clients on issues ranging from health policy, government contracting and trade. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Virginia volunteered for the McCain campaign, working with McCain’s Women’s Outreach program and volunteering on election weekend in Ohio.
Prior to joining QGA in 2000, Virginia was a Managing Director at BMSG Worldwide. She also served as a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, as well as running their broadcast and national cable outreach. For several years after leaving the RNC, she was a Contributing Editor of Rising Tide, the RNC's magazine. She also served as the Deputy Director of Communications for the Sauerbrey for Governor Campaign in Maryland in 1994.
Virginia graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
topMichael F. Hussey
Mike works on legislative and regulatory issues for clients including Entergy, MetLife, the National Association of Realtors, and State Farm.
Prior to joining QGA in 2002, Mike served as Chief of Staff and Chief Federal Lobbyist for the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), an organization of the nation’s leading resort development companies including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Disney. In addition to overseeing a staff of 30, he created a new political action committee that has grown into one of the nation’s largest PACs. He also directed the Association’s lobbying and grassroots departments. Before that he served as a Senior Legislative Director at the National Association of Realtors for 10 years. Mike began his career in the nation’s capital with former U.S. Senator John Durkin (D-NH) from 1977 to 1980. During his tenure in the Senate, he served as a legislative assistant responsible for small business, tax and energy issues.
topAmbassador (ret.) Ralph R. Johnson
Ralph is the President of the International Practice Group of Quinn Gillespie & Associates. He brings his deep and long experience working with key policymakers in the foreign affairs arena, including at the Department of State, the National Security Council and in the United States Senate and House of Representatives to his work on behalf of the firm’s international clients.
Prior to his role at QGA, Ralph was the Principal Deputy High Representative in the Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo from August 1999 until July 2001. He assumed his responsibilities in Sarajevo following three years (1996-1999) as Ambassador of the United States of America to Slovakia. Following his retirement from the Foreign Service in 1999, Ralph established a consulting firm that provided political risk assessment and political advisory services to U.S. and other investors in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. From 1993 until 1995, Ralph was the Coordinator for U.S. assistance to Central and Eastern Europe where he was responsible for the oversight and coordination of all U.S. assistance to the region.
In previous Washington assignments, Ralph served in the Economic and European Bureaus of the Department of State, as well as at the United States Trade Representative's office in the White House. He was the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and Japan (1983-85), Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Trade and Commercial Affairs (1986-89), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Northern and Southern Europe and the EU (1989-91) and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs (1991-93).
Ralph entered the U.S. Foreign Service in 1969. He has served overseas in Guyana, Poland, Bolivia and Slovakia. He received a Superior Honor Award in 1987, the Presidential Meritorious Honor Award in 1989 and 1994, and the Distinguished Service Award in 1999.
A graduate of Seattle University, Ralph holds an M.A. in International Relations from Columbia University. He speaks Spanish, Polish and Slovak.
topKevin D. Kayes
Kevin provides a unique combination of technical, committee and leadership qualifications to QGA clients. An expert in Senate procedure, Kevin has worked with Senators on both sides of the aisle to forge strategies and find compromises that have resulted in passing legislation.
Kevin served 23 years on Capitol Hill, where he held a number of important positions in the United States Senate and brings a wealth of substantive policy, Congressional procedure and strategic expertise to the firm. He most recently served as Chief Counsel to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and helped manage policy matters for the Leader within the jurisdiction of the Senate Commerce, Banking, HELP, Judiciary, Finance and Government Affairs Committees, as well as conducting outreach efforts to the business community. Kevin also served as Staff Director and Chief Counsel on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee for Senator Ernest F. Hollings during his tenure as both Chairman and Ranking Minority Member from 1999 - 2004. In his early Hill career, Kevin served as Assistant Floor Parliamentarian from 1987 until 1999 under both Republican and Democratic Leaders in the United States Senate and began his career in Congress as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Adam Benjamin, Jr. (D-IND) a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.
Kevin earned a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from Indiana University and a J.D. from DePaul College of law in Chicago. He is a member of the Bar in the District of Columbia.
topSusan Garman Kranias
Sue is one of QGA’s senior communications strategists, bringing nearly 20 years of experience in public affairs and public relations to her work on behalf of QGA clients. She is an expert at crisis and issues management and specializes in corporate strategy and development of broad-based public education programs. She also has significant experience working on energy, environmental, healthcare, high-tech and biotech issues. During the course of her career, Sue has been involved in issues as varied as crisis management surrounding the introduction of new reformulated gasolines; public education on electricity deregulation; communications for major corporate mergers and proxy campaigns; and issues management around new product introductions.
Prior to joining QGA in 2001, Sue was a Managing Director and member of the public affairs leadership team at Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations agency. There she worked on numerous energy, chemical and transportation issues and clients. She began her career in Washington as a writer for the Chemical Specialties Manufacturers Association.
Sue graduated from the American University in Washington, D.C., with a degree in journalism.
topMarc S. Lampkin
As one of QGA’s lead Republican lobbyists and senior strategic advisors, Marc brings extensive experience in political campaigns, public policy and law to his work on behalf of QGA clients.
Marc is a veteran of the 2000 Bush for President campaign where he served as Deputy Campaign Manager, senior Bush-Cheney political operative at the 2000 Republican Convention, and leader of the recount efforts in various locations in Florida. Prior to the Bush campaign, Marc held a variety of senior positions with Republican Members of Congress including serving as General Counsel to then-House Republican Conference Chairman John Boehner (now House Minority Leader), Policy Director to the late Senator Paul Coverdell, and majority professional staff member to the House Education and Labor Committee.
Marc is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross with an A.B. in Political Science and he earned his J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1991.
topDavid R. Lugar
David has a strong background in financial services, trade and energy issues. Through his understanding of the financial system and regulatory framework, he is a trusted advisor to both the Washington, DC offices of the companies he represents as well as the executive offices. Often times working closely with the senior executives, David develops long term plans for accomplishing legislative and regulatory victories. His work includes representation for clients such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, MetLife, State Farm, and Zurich. In addition to financial services clients, David was one of the lead negotiators on the United States-Mexican Cement trade dispute which was successfully resolved in 2006.
Prior to joining QGA in 2000, Dave served as Director of Congressional Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, lobbying on a variety of issues. He also has significant political experience, having held finance and fundraising positions for the National Republican Senatorial Committee under Chairman Alfonse D'Amato and Chairman Mitch McConnell.
Dave is a graduate of Indiana University.
topPatricia McMurray
Pat brings more than 20 years of experience in public relations and the news business to her work on behalf of QGA clients. She has a long background in energy and healthcare work. During the California electricity crisis, Pat acted as a key communicator to the media for the trade association representing investor-owned electric utilities. On the healthcare front, Pat helped design various types of media outreach for a well-known Washington consulting firm; she helped publicize their policy-neutral comparison of the Bush and Kerry health care plans in fall 2004. That campaign garnered outstanding media coverage nationwide and a mention during the Presidential debates.
Pat is a former news editor, writer and producer who has also worked as a public relations manager at two major Washington trade associations. Prior to joining QGA in 2008, Pat worked as a writer-producer on a political talk show at MSNBC, a news editor and writer at The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and a news writer at CNN's Washington bureau. Additionally, Pat has a background as a host and a reporter on public and commercial radio stations in Boston and in Washington, D.C. Most recently, she was a director in the media practice at Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations agency.
Pat is a graduate of Connecticut College and holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.
topManuel Ortiz
Manny, a leading Democratic strategist, combines political savvy with common sense and business acumen to help companies negotiate the changing environment in Washington. He has a demonstrated ability to deliver desired outcomes and is widely recognized as one of Washington’s top lobbyists.
Manny is a tireless advocate for his clients in the areas of telecommunications, transportation, financial services, tax and energy and is adept at tackling complex problems and translating those challenges into clear strategies and optimal results. He is also an experienced advisor to corporate leaders in developing advocacy style campaigns to help achieve their goals. Manny is an active participant in national politics and a frequent contributor to inside-the-beltway media outlets.
As a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Manny is a recognized expert in helping to advance the interests of U.S. territories and foreign governments with federal agencies, Congress and the White House. He is dedicated to Hispanic causes; has been influential in helping to formulate policy within the Hispanic community; and helped to create a national political infrastructure for Hispanics within the umbrella of the Democrat party.
Prior to joining QGA, Manny was a transactional attorney with the international law firms of Verner Liipfert Bernhard McPherson & Hand and Greenberg Traurig LLP. Manny received his law degree and bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas where he served as captain of the tennis team.
topMark Sobin
Associate
Mark Sobin is an associate in QGA's government relations practice, providing strategic counsel and support to key clients in the finance and insurance markets. Sobin has spent the past several years at QGA developing a deep, working knowledge of policy areas including financial regulation, international tax and trade, data and cyber security, and insurance.
Prior to being named an associate in 2010, Sobin managed the firm’s Lobbying Disclosure Act compliance, supported a team of senior lobbyists and worked with marquis clients such as State Farm, BlackRock, MetLife, Cayman Finance and Royal Caribbean. Mark has a strong background in academic research and graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis, earning a BA in Chemistry and Economics.
topPatrick Von Bargen
Patrick provides strategic counsel to a wide variety of QGA’s energy clients, primarily in the clean technology space, including solar, wind, recycling, and biomass. He also represents startup firms using venture capital to develop clean energy technology. He has an acute understanding of the various, complex aspects of the new public policy proposals that will shape the nation’s energy future. He helps educate public policy leaders about the full range of opportunities in the nation’s future energy landscape.
Patrick joined QGA in 2008, after having served in major public policy roles over 17 years in Washington, including as Chief of Staff to Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) from 1987 to 1999 and Managing Executive for Policy & Staff for Chairman William H. Donaldson (R-NY) at the Securities & Exchange Commission from 2003 to 2005. He also headed the National Commission on Entrepreneurship and served as Vice President of the Council on Competitiveness, the only national organization whose membership is comprised exclusively of CEOs, university presidents, and labor leaders focused on American economic competitiveness issues. He had a distinguished career in law representing start-up technology companies and venture capital firms and served three years as CEO of the Center for Venture Education's Kauffman Fellows Program in Silicon Valley — the premier education and networking institute for new junior and senior venture capitalists around the world.
Patrick earned a B.A. in History with Honors in Humanities, graduating summa cum laude from Stanford University, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. He is a member of the bar in the states of California and Colorado.
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