Washington, D.C. Archives

Chris Lafferty

Chris Lafferty is an IT Support Specialist with BGR Group. In this role, he works with the firm’s Chief Information Officer to support the technology needs of BGR team members and the firm. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the IT support sector.

Prior to joining BGR Group, Chris worked for Enginuiti, an IT managed services group, as level I and II support before being promoted to Director of Operations. As Director he provided field technician management and support, project management, and advanced systems support. In this role, Chris helped manage database migrations, local exchange server to cloud hosted email service transitions, hotel CRM migrations and upgrades, and firewall/frontend upgrades for multiple clients.

Prior to his IT career, Chris worked in office and retail management where he also offered IT support, including with a small graphic design firm in Gaithersburg, MD.

Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis is a Vice President with BGR’s Commerce and Infrastructure Practice. With extensive private sector and Capitol Hill experience, Peter helps clients navigate complex policy issues and legislative strategies. He supports clients on a range of policy issues ranging from telecommunications to broadband deployment and spectrum regulation.

Prior to joining BGR, Peter served as Vice President of Government Affairs for DISH/EchoStar. While at DISH, Peter worked on a wide range of issues, including: spectrum management, wireless infrastructure and technologies, Open-RAN development and deployment, broadband access, satellite TV, over-the-top TV streaming, and video competition.

Peter began his career on Capitol Hill. He worked in the office of Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) where he managed the Senator’s telecommunications portfolio. During his time on Capitol Hill, Peter worked on broadband access, media issues, and regulations impacting the Universal Service Fund.

Divya Baron

Divya Baron is a Policy Analyst with BGR’s Commerce and Infrastructure Practice. In this role, Divya helps support the Commerce and Infrastructure team with policy briefings, research, and legislative tracking.

Divya most recently worked as a Policy Engagement Assistant at the Government Outcomes Lab where she focused on social outcomes-based contracting mechanisms. She has also worked at the Poverty and Inequality Research Lab, where she conducted mixed methods research on the impact of housing vouchers for low-income families.

Divya has a background in political campaigns and research; she was the Deputy Campaign Manager for Rep. Dr. Yadira Caraveo’s successful 2022 congressional election. She also served as the Deputy Campaign for Delegate Alex Askew, and as a Finance Assistant for Senator Mark Kelly.

Alessandra Italiano

Alessandra Italiano is a Policy Associate specializing in Appropriations at BGR Group. In this role, she supports clients by providing analysis on federal funding decisions, assisting with appropriations requests, and tracking key budgetary developments across various sectors. Alessandra plays a central role in preparation of legislative reports, briefings, and updates, ensuring clients are informed on the latest trends and opportunities.

Alessandra first joined the appropriations field in early 2025 after interning with the offices of Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and Congressman John Garamendi. During her internships, she gained valuable experience in policy research and legislative operations, supporting the teams on a variety of legislative projects and constituents’ services.

Alessandra holds a degree in Public Policy and Sociology from Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania. She has a strong background in policy and public service, which she developed through her work in both local government and nonprofit sectors. Originally from Massachusetts, she now brings her expertise to Washington, DC.

Kirsten D. Madison

Kirsten D. Madison is a Senior Vice President with BGR Group’s International and Trade Practice. In this role, she advocates for and provides strategic advice and counsel to BGR clients.

Kirsten has 30 years of experience in international affairs, national security, counterterrorism, law enforcement, and homeland security matters. She has advised U.S. Congressmen and Senators, the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of State, and the President of the United States.

Her executive experience includes transformative senior leadership stints with the U.S. Department of State and the USCG. Nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate as the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) in May 2018, she managed a bureau with $4.5 billion in active appropriations, operations in 90 countries, a multinational network of law enforcement training academies, an independent aviation wing with multi-country operations, and a global workforce of over 2,000. During her INL tenure, she initiated and oversaw the first strategic realignment in the bureau’s 40-year history which modernized the bureau’s governance, strategy and learning practices, infrastructure, and business practices to enhance its ability to effectively carry out its mission of combating transnational crime and strengthening the rule of law around the globe. As Director of International Affairs and Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commandant at the USCG, Kirsten led the development and implementation of the International Strategic Guidance and a tiered strategic partnership model, to better align resources with strategic goals and deepen the impact of programs and training.

Kirsten has served on boards and executive bodies including the Executive Steering Committee of the U.S. Committee on Transnational Organization Crime and the Department of State Aviation Governance Board. She was selected to serve on the Commission on Synthetic Opioids on behalf of the Secretary of State, chaired the Inter-American Commission on Drug Abuse Control, headed U.S. delegations to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and served as the U.S. chief interlocutor before the International Narcotics Control Board.

In addition, she served as Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council for President George W. Bush; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs; Deputy Staff Director of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Director of Homeland Security at the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs; Vice President for Government Relations at the National Endowment for Democracy; Deputy Director and Resident Fellow for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute; and Advisor to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States.

Alex Gallo, Ph.D

Alex Gallo, Ph.D is a Vice President in BGR’s Defense and Critical Technologies Practice where he applies his extensive expertise to help clients navigate the complex and evolving national defense and technology landscape. With over 20 years of experience in the U.S. military, government relations, defense policy, and innovation, Alex has forged a distinguished career bridging government, private industry, and academia. He has held leadership roles across the Executive Branch and Capitol Hill, advising senior policymakers and advocating for a diverse array of clients—including defense tech companies, non-profits, and startups shaping the future of national security. 

Prior to joining BGR, Alex served as Senior Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy at the NobleReach Foundation and Executive Director of the Common Mission Project (CMP) where he expanded the Hacking for Defense® (H4D) program to more than 60 universities across the United States. He also held a senior advisory role at BMNT Inc, a defense innovation consultancy based in Palo Alto and Washington, DC. 

Throughout his career in government service, Alex has held key roles that have influenced national defense policy. As a Professional Staff Member on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), he advised the Chairman, conducted oversight, and contributed to drafting critical provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). He was a professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he educated future military leaders on global security issues. Additionally, he served as the Deputy Director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, focusing on counterterrorism research and education.

In addition to his work in government and academia, Alex has served as a non-resident Senior Associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC. His writing and analysis have been featured in The Hill, Foreign Affairs, The Economist, the Modern War Institute, The Cipher Brief, Defense Studies, and CTC Sentinel.

Alex is an adjunct associate professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is also a Fellow with the National Security Institute at George Mason University and the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.

Alex began his career as a U.S. Army officer. His operational deployments included a peacekeeping tour in Kosovo and a combat tour in Iraq.

Alex holds a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a PhD from Leiden University’s School of Governance and Global Affairs.

Marvin B. Figueroa

Marvin B. Figueroa is a Vice President at BGR’s Health and Life Sciences Practice, where he helps clients navigate the intersection of healthcare policy, politics, and government decision-making. With extensive experience at both the state and federal levels, he provides strategic counsel on access, reimbursement, regulatory affairs, and legislative advocacy.

Before joining BGR, Figueroa served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler, overseeing the Senator’s operations and advising on policy and communications strategy while managing relationships with congressional offices, government agencies, and California-based partners.

Previously, he was appointed by President Biden as Director of Intergovernmental and External Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), leading a 60+ person division across 10 regional offices. Reporting directly to Secretary Xavier Becerra, he built coalitions with state, local, and tribal governments, as well as advocacy organizations, to advance White House healthcare priorities.

At the state level, Figueroa served as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources and Legislative Director in Virginia under Governor Ralph Northam. He played a pivotal role in implementing Medicaid expansion, providing healthcare access to over 500,000 Virginians, while leading efforts to improve behavioral health services and strengthen the state’s healthcare and social services programs.

Earlier in his career, Figueroa was a Senior Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Mark Warner, focusing on healthcare, education, and workforce development. He co-led the Senate Finance Committee’s Chronic Care Working Group, which resulted in the bipartisan CHRONIC Care Act of 2017, a landmark law that improved care for seniors and individuals with chronic illnesses.

A frequent speaker at national forums, Figueroa provides insights into the evolving public policy landscape. His expertise has been recognized with honors such as the Presidential Leadership Scholar (PLS), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Health Braintrust Congressional Staffer of the Year, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Young Alumnus of the Year. He is also a Distinguished Fellow and Founding Faculty Member at Meharry Medical College School of Global Health.

Originally from La Ceiba, Honduras, Figueroa is bilingual and a proud Garífuna (Gah-ri-fu-nah). A POSSE Foundation Scholar, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and his master’s degree from Harvard University. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Don Andres

Don Andres serves as a Vice President with BGR’s Appropriations Practice. With over 14 years of Congressional and campaign experience, Don has worked in freshman, ranking member, committee, and leadership offices. He has deep relationships across the Quad-Caucus offices having worked for multiple members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Equality Caucus and as a decades-long member within the Congressional Asian Pacific American and LGBT Staff Associations.

Don most recently served as the Chief of Staff for senior appropriator, Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA) who serves on the THUD, FSGG, and SFOPS subcommittees. He also served as her principal advisor in her role as an executive board member of both BOLD PAC and Elect Democratic Women (EDW).

Don has extensive experience across various legislative issues with an expertise in appropriations and transportation & infrastructure related issues. He has staffed three members of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (Fmr. Chair of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX); Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN); and Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL).

In addition to staffing the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, Don worked with Members on the following committees: Oversight & Government Reform; Natural Resources; Financial Services; and served as a shared staffer for Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson on the Science, Space, & Technology Committee.

Don served as a Regional Organizing Director on Secretary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential campaign in Nevada, Washington, and Colorado and has worked on several Congressional campaigns. Don has previously served as the legislative director and chief of staff for Rep. Chuy Garcia; senior policy advisor for Rep. Steve Cohen; senior legislative assistant for Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson; a shared staffer on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology; scheduler and legislative assistant for Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04) (fmr. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus); and staff assistant for former Chair of the Democratic Caucus, Rep. John. B. Larson (CT-01). He started his political career as an intern for Rep. Karen Bass; Rep. Howard Berman; and then-Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti.

Steve Benjamin

Mayor Steve Benjamin is a Co-Chair of BGR Group’s Advisory Board. Steve was previously a member of the Advisory Board before he served as a Senior Advisor to President Biden and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. He brings decades of experience in government, public engagement, and municipal leadership to his work with BGR and its clients. He is a remarkably credentialed and distinguished leader who connects people and builds coalitions to find solutions to tough challenges.

Prior to his service in the Biden-Harris administration, Steve was the Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina from April 2010 through December 2021. During his time as Mayor, he served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (2018-2019), as President of the African American Mayors Association, Vice Chairman of the Global Parliament of Mayors, Executive Chairman of Municipal Bonds for America, Chairman of the FirstNet Authority, a Member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee.

Mayor Benjamin also has a background in education. He was the Spring 2022 Richard L. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He previously served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina’s top ranked Honors College teaching a course titled “Columbia, South Carolina: Building a Great City” and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Pi Phi fraternities. Benjamin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he served as President of Student Government and as President of the Student Bar Association. 

Jen Brown

Jen Brown is a Vice President in BGR Group’s Financial Services Practice. A seasoned veteran of both the Legislative and Executive Branch, Jen helps clients navigate the complex regulatory and political landscape of financial services, digital assets, retirement/ERISA, and tax policy.

Before joining BGR Group, Jen served as the Banking Counsel to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) from 2023 to 2025 during his service as Senate Majority Leader. She advised the Leader on issues affecting the financial services sector including digital assets, cannabis banking, and anti-money laundering (AML) and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) requirements. She also represented the Democratic Leader in negotiations between Senate and House leadership, Congressional Committees, and the Executive Branch on all financial services legislation before the Congress. Jen also advised Leader Schumer during the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and the proposed Basel III regulations.

Previously, Jen served as the Tax Counsel to a Senior Senate Finance Member and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as the Economic Policy & Oversight Counsel to House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-7), where she was instrumental in the development, passage, and implementation of the CARES Act, American Rescue Plan (ARP), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and SECURE 2.0 during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic recovery.

Prior to her time on Capitol Hill, Jen led economic policy work for UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. In this role, she was responsible for the organization’s efforts related to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), SECURE Act, state retirement savings plans, and the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, S.2155.

Jen also worked as the Manager of Research at the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) where she routinely testified in front of Congress and advised federal and state lawmakers on the intersection of retirement and tax policy.

She also served as an Employee Benefits Law Specialist for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration’s Office of Exemption Determinations where she drafted complex individual exemptions and helped to finalize regulations mandated by the Dodd Frank Act.