Commerce and Infrastructure Archives

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.

Syd Terry

Syd Terry serves as a Vice President with BGR’s Commerce and Infrastructure Practice. He helps clients navigate issues ranging from telecommunications, consumer protections, auto safety, and competition policy both on Capitol Hill and in the administration, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). He previously served as the Chief of Staff for Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) where he led all legislative, policy, communications, and constituent services strategies for Rep. Schakowsky including her work as a Senior Chief Deputy Whip and as a Member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee and House Budget Committee. He first joined Rep. Schakowsky’s office in 2019 and led her policy work on the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. In that role he coordinated policy relating to interstate and foreign commerce, including all trade matters within the jurisdiction of the full committee; consumer protection; regulation of commercial practices; and consumer product safety. Syd also served as the Legislative Director for Rep. Schakowsky, advising the Congresswoman on all legislative areas, including energy, and assisted in the development of policy positions and legislative initiatives.

Syd started his Capitol Hill career with Senators Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Carl Levin (D-MI). He worked on the campaigns of Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and then Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), who was elected to the House in 2012 and later served as Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus. Syd joined Pocan’s Congressional office where he served as a Senior Legislative Assistant. In this capacity, he served as the primary labor, energy, and environmental policy staffer for a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

A native of Denver, Colorado, Syd earned his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and did his graduate coursework at the U.S. Army War College. He currently resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Larkin Parker, and their Scottish Terrier, Sargent Pepper.

Steven Pfrang

Steven Pfrang is a Principal with BGR’s Commerce and Financial Services Practices. Steve assists clients with their advocacy campaigns by leveraging his nearly 20 years of experience in Washington, D.C., working in the public and private sector. He is well known for his ability to combine his knowledge of tax, trade and health care policy issues with his detailed understanding of the political environment to drive policy results through the legislative process.

Most recently Steve served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Darin LaHood (R-IL), a senior Member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the House Select Committee on China. In his position, Steve was responsible for managing the Congressman’s congressional operations, including all legislative and communications activities. As the Congressman’s primary advisor, Steve also managed the Member’s entire political operation, including the Congressman’s National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) activities.

Prior to his time with Congressman LaHood, Steve served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to a member of the Ways & Means Committee and as a Senior Legislative Assistant to a member of the House Energy & Commerce and the Financial Services Committees.

Steve previously worked on the government affairs staff of a Fortune 100 company where he was responsible for advocacy to advance the company’s retirement policy priorities before the House, Senate and Executive Branch.

Originally from Wisconsin, Steve is an avid Packers fan and active outdoorsman. Steve received his Bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College and his MBA from Lakeland College.

Joel D. Bailey

Joel Bailey, Vice President, started at BGR in September 2021. Joel works with clients on crafting political, engagement, and policy strategies to achieve their goals. In this role, he regularly represents client interests on Capitol Hill and within the Administration.

Prior to joining BGR, Joel served for over a decade on Capitol Hill in several Congressional offices. Most recently, Joel served as Chief of Staff to House Committee on Ways and Means Member, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.). There, he managed the Congressman’s political, policy, and whip operations. Before serving as Mr. Panetta’s Chief of Staff, Joel represented the hospitality industry to Congressional Democratic offices as a lobbyist for the National Restaurant Association (NRA).

Earlier in his career, Joel worked for a number of House Members who served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce primarily focusing on health policy. During this time, Joel worked on the formulation and passage of the Affordable Care Act, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA IV and V), and the Safeguarding America’s Pharmaceuticals Act.

In each of these roles, Joel regularly worked with Member of Congress, staff, Congressional leadership, and allied outside entities to build coalitions, formulate policy, and execute on strategies to achieve his Members’ or clients’ goals.

Katie McHenry

Katie McHenry, Senior Government Affairs Coordinator, joined BGR Group in 2007 after three years as a Schedule C political appointee in the George W. Bush Administration. In her current role, she supports the Commerce and Infrastructure Practice with scheduling, event planning, copy editing and other administrative tasks.

From 2003 – 2006, Katie served as a Confidential Assistant at the U.S. Department of Commerce: from 2003 – 2005 in Secretary Donald Evans’s scheduling office, and from 2005 – 2006 in Secretary Carlos Gutierrez’s front office. In these positions, she assisted with managing the secretary’s day-to-day operations, translating documents between English and Spanish, scheduling and administration, and coordinating between the Office of the Secretary and other executive branch agencies.

Currently, Katie serves on the Army Heritage Center Foundation Board in Carlisle, Pa., and on the advisory board of White Coat Waste Project, a watchdog group working to end wasteful taxpayer-funded animal experiments. She also volunteers for the SPCA of Northern Virginia.

A Houston native, Katie graduated in 2003 from Texas A&M University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Battalion, and received her B.A. in journalism.

Erskine Wells

Erskine Wells is the President of BGR Group. He joined BGR in 2011 after serving on Capitol Hill for more than a decade. At BGR, Erskine represents clients with interests in defense, telecommunications, transportation, financial services, and appropriations before Congress, the administration, and state and local governments.

Erskine also has extensive experience leading coalitions in Washington. Working with Fortune 50 firm Caterpillar, he was instrumental in the successful launch of the Alliance for American Competitiveness and served as its Executive Director. Collaborating closely with Alliance members Honeywell, Dow, BNSF and UPS, Erskine led efforts to improve freight infrastructure throughout the United States by engaging policy makers at the local, state and federal levels. Through his efforts, the Alliance briefed the White House, Senate and House of Representatives on the role infrastructure plays in economic competitiveness.

Erskine works closely with clients ranging from wireless and hardware manufacturers to national security manufacturers and global shipping companies. Erskine is known as a substantive policy expert with connections throughout government, who quietly delivers results for his clients.

Prior to joining BGR, Erskine served in the office of Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in various capacities, including deputy chief of staff and military legislative assistant. Earlier, Erskine managed appropriations accounts for then-Rep. Roger Wicker’s office in the House of Representatives. In these positions, Erskine advised the Senator and Congressman on national security, defense, foreign policy, transportation, financial services and telecommunications, working closely with Committee staff and Administration officials.

During his time on the Hill, Erskine collaborated with the intelligence community and Congressional committees to create and fund the Center for Intelligence and Security Studies at the University of Mississippi, which prepares students for careers in intelligence analysis.

A graduate of Davidson College in North Carolina, Erskine earned his master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College in Newport, R.I. He lives in Northern Virginia.

Sam Teague

Sam Teague is a Senior Policy Analyst at BGR Group, where he works on domestic policy issues with a focus on health care, infrastructure and commerce. He works daily on time-sensitive projects, regularly attends hearings on and off Capitol Hill, and conferences with industry leaders. He works very closely with BGR principals and produces in-depth research on companies, public figures and legislative activity. Sam also produces and distributes weekly updates directly to clients on the issues that impact them.

He joined the BGR Government Affairs team in December of 2016, after working more than a year as a research clerk at the firm. Prior to joining BGR, Sam performed research for Indian River Advisors, LLC. He also interned at the American Continental Group.

Jerry Strickland

Jerry Strickland is Principal and Texas Director at BGR, where he practices at the federal, state, and local levels. Leading BGR’s Austin office, Jerry helps companies navigate government to effectively position themselves for growth. He has successfully assisted companies in passing legislation at the state and federal levels, navigated rulemakings before agencies, and put his clients in front of frontline decision-makers at all levels of government to succeed.

As part of his work with BGR’s Commerce and State practices, Jerry represents clients in a variety of industries, including oil & gas, semiconductors, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, transportation, health care, mental health, trade, and waterways. Working with the Coalition for a Fair and Open Port and energy companies along the Houston Ship Channel, Jerry and his clients led the federal advocacy effort for the widening and deepening of the Houston Ship Channel to achieve authorization, appropriation and a new start for construction decision from the White House in less than one budget cycle. Jerry also worked recently to help a leading international semiconductor company with its multi-billion expansion. BGR’s Texas office recently led the location selection, incentives negotiations and infrastructure improvement agreements with state, county, city, and school district officials. The $40 billion project is approved for a $200+ million tax incentive and is the largest foreign-direct investment in Texas history. The project also secured more than $3 billion in federal CHIPS Act funds as part of a Congressionally-passed program BGR also assisted clients with passage. Jerry also served as the Executive Director of the FABSS Texas Coalition, a coalition of Texas semiconductor manufacturers, which he represented before electricity and natural gas regulators in Texas. Jerry also serves as the Executive Director of the FABSS Texas Coalition, a coalition of Texas semiconductor manufacturers, which he represents before electricity and natural gas regulators in Texas.

Prior to joining BGR, Jerry served as Governor Greg Abbott’s appointee to lead the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations, where he ran Texas’s federal affairs office and was lead advisor to the Governor on federal issues. While leading the office, Jerry helped secure billions of dollars in disaster relief funding to Texas to recover from Hurricane Harvey.

Jerry also served on the Department of Interior’s Royalty Policy Committee, advising the Secretary on issues related to the determination of fair market value and the collection of revenue from energy and mineral resources on federal lands.

Jerry spent nearly 12 years at the Texas Attorney General’s office as then-Attorney General Abbott’s executive advisor, communications director and spokesperson. In this role, Jerry was part of executive leadership addressing EPA, ACA, child support and school finance litigation at every level of the legal system, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Prior to his career in public service, Jerry’s career had him at the intersection of government and the media, spending a decade as a news reporter, investigative journalist and news anchor at television stations in Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi. His work has been featured on CNN, CBS News, ABC News and the Weather Channel.

Justin Rzepka

Justin Rzepka, a Principal with BGR Group, is a seasoned advocate and policy expert with over two decades of experience. His multifaceted career spans Capitol Hill, private sector leadership, and coalition management.

As Head of the firm’s Commerce and Infrastructure Practice, Justin oversees a comprehensive policy portfolio that encompasses telecommunications, technology, artificial intelligence, content, media, transportation, infrastructure, and energy. His strategic approach delivers tangible results for clients, aligning their goals with effective strategies.

Justin’s advocacy extends to all levels of government. He engages with Congress, the Administration, and independent agencies, ensuring client access and influence. At BGR, he serves as the Executive Director of the CAR Coalition, championing affordable auto repair for consumers.

His risk mitigation expertise benefits Fortune 100 companies and trade associations across diverse sectors. Justin’s impact is evident in the permanent extension of a tax moratorium on internet access during his tenure at NCTA – The Internet & Television Association.

Before joining BGR, Justin honed his skills on Capitol Hill. His work spanned foreign policy, telecommunications, transportation, and taxation. Notably, he contributed to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s annual report. Justin’s commitment to effective policy and advocacy continues to shape the landscape of critical issues.

Justin, originally from Ohio, graduated from Regis University in Denver. An enthusiastic alpine skier, he now lives in Virginia with his family.