Our Democratic GR Team
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.
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.
topBonnie 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.
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.
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.
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.
top