Category: Commerce

BGR is excited to announce that Chris Meininger has joined the Commerce & Infrastructure Practice as a Policy Analyst! After successfully serving as a Clerk and Researcher at the firm, Chris transitions into this new role following his December 2025 graduation from Marquette University, where he also completed the Les Aspin Center for Government program in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. (May 11, 2026) – BGR Group, Washington, D.C.’s premier bipartisan lobbying and public relations firm, has announced that Kellie Adesina, a former Chief Counsel on the House Agriculture Committee and Senior Counselor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is joining its Commerce and Infrastructure practice as a Vice President. With extensive experience in both the public and private sector, Kellie will bolster the firm’s food and agriculture policy offering. 

“Kellie is a highly regarded policy and legislative strategist in the agriculture space,” BGR President Erskine Wells said. “Her service in the private sector, on Capitol Hill, and in the administration gives her tremendous perspective and background on critical agriculture and nutrition issues. We are thrilled to welcome her to the team.” 

Collin C. Peterson, former Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, said, “During the 2018 Farm Bill negotiations, Kellie proved to be an indispensable asset. She possesses a rare combination of policy expertise and the ability to bridge different viewpoints to move legislation forward. Her work ethic, collaborative spirit, and commitment to excellence make her an invaluable team member.” 

Kellie previously served as a Director of Federal Government Affairs at Kraft Heinz, where she helped manage advocacy efforts in food and agricultural spaces. She served in a similar role at Bayer where she focused on crop science issues like gene editing, biotech, and pesticides.  

On Capitol Hill, Kellie served as Chief Counsel on the House Agriculture Committee for Chairman Collin C. Peterson (D-MN). In this role, she was integral to drafting key portions of the 2018 Farm Bill which passed with bipartisan support.  

Prior to her service with the Agriculture Committee, Kellie was Senior Counselor in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Kellie also served as Legislative Director to Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH) and Legislative Counsel to Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA). She began her career on Capitol Hill working for Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), her home state Senator. 

Kellie is a founder of Black Professionals in Food and Agriculture (BPFA), chair of the Board of Directors for the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), and a member of the Board of Directors for CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, Board of Directors for the Farm Foundation, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. 

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Washington, D.C. (February 5, 2026) – BGR Group, Washington, D.C.’s premier bipartisan lobbying and public relations firm, announced today that Sean Cooksey is joining its Commerce and Infrastructure practice as a Managing Director in mid-February. Sean brings with him years of legal and policy work in the White House, the Federal Election Commission, and the United States Senate. In addition to his broad background managing government oversight and investigations, Sean deepens BGR’s expertise in antitrust and competition policy, intellectual property and technology policy, and other litigation support matters.

“Sean is a proven leader and has been a widely recognized policy and legal expert both in the administration and on Capitol Hill,” BGR Chairman and CEO Bob Wood said. “We are thrilled to welcome him to BGR and have him work with our clients on a wide range of critical competition and legal issues.”

“I’m delighted to be joining BGR’s tremendous policy team at this pivotal moment,” Sean said. “I am proud of my service in the White House and on Capitol Hill, and I look forward to using that experience to help BGR’s clients alongside so many talented colleagues.”

Prior to joining the BGR team, Sean has served as Counsel to Vice President JD Vance. In this role, he served as the Vice President’s chief legal adviser and a senior policy staffer within the White House. As part of the Trump-Vance administration, he regularly advised the Vice President and senior White House staff on constitutional law, domestic policy, ethics, and executive and judicial nominations.

Previously, Sean was a member of the Federal Election Commission, after being nominated by President Trump in 2020. Sean served on the FEC for four years and was elected Chairman for the 2024 presidential election year, overseeing an agency of 300 staff to administer federal campaign-finance law.

Sean began his political career in the United States Senate, where he served as General Counsel for Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Deputy Chief Counsel for Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). During his tenure in both offices, Sean worked on the Senate’s Committee on the Judiciary on some of the Senate’s most high stakes matters, including major legislation and two Supreme Court confirmations.

Prior to his Senate service, Sean worked at an international law firm in Washington, D.C., where his practice focused on appeals and constitutional law. He also served as a law clerk for Judge Jerry E. Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas.

Sean has appeared on television, on radio, and in print in outlets such as The Ingraham Angle, Varney & Co., Morning Edition, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Axios, and Politico. He speaks regularly at major conferences, including the Republican National Lawyers Association and the National Association of Business PACs.

Sean received his B.A. in economics, summa cum laude, from Truman State University. He received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where he graduated with High Honors and Order of the Coif, and served as a Managing Editor on the University of Chicago Law Review.

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