State and Local Advocacy Archives

Chad Horrell

Chad Horrell is a Vice President with BGR’s State and Local Advocacy team. He brings more than two decades of experience managing public policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local level. He has extensive experience managing integrated advocacy, communications, and coalition campaigns as well as engaging with policymakers on both sides of the aisle.

Before joining BGR Group, worked for DoorDash, helping to build the company’s brand with policymakers, regulators, and community leaders, working to ensure a viable marketplace for delivery that remains fair to restaurants, delivery drivers, and customers alike.

Chad managed DoorDash’s policy engagements across the Mid-Atlantic and South region. In this role, he oversaw multiple contract lobbyists, partnered with governors, attorneys general, and legislators, and engaged with national policy organizations including RGA, DGA, RSLC, DAGA, RAGA, and others. Among the issues he managed were third-party delivery, alcohol licensing, portable benefits, pricing regulations, and data-sharing mandates.

Prior to joining DoorDash, Chad managed issue advocacy campaigns focused on federal and state legislative affairs at DCI Group. Chad developed and executed campaigns designed to help clients successfully navigate their most challenging government and public affairs challenges. Chad also worked previously at AARP.

Caitriana Corkill

Caitriana Corkill, Esq. is an experienced legislative counsel and committee director who works with BGR’s State and Local Advocacy practice in Austin, Texas. She brings over a decade of legal and policy experience in the Texas Legislature, where she has directed Senate committees, advised lawmakers, and shaped landmark state legislation on judicial reform, constitutional law, health policy, and education.

Caitriana most recently served as Committee Director for Chairman Bryan Hughes over the Texas Senate Committees on State Affairs and Jurisprudence, where she managed policy agendas, provided legal counsel, and facilitated the drafting and passage of high-profile legislation including the establishment of Texas’ business court, clarifications to the state’s abortion laws, and reforms to the judiciary. Previously, she served as Deputy Committee Director for the Senate Committee on State Affairs. Earlier in her career, she was General Counsel to Senator Charles Perry, providing legal advice across multiple Senate committees and drafting Attorney General opinion requests, in addition to policy and legal roles with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, U.S. Representatives Sam Johnson and K. Michael Conaway, and the office of Texas Senator Donna Campbell.

Caitriana holds a J.D. from Liberty University School of Law, where she concentrated in Constitutional Law, and a B.A. in International Relations and Global Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, with a Certificate in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. She also studied French language and culture at the Paris-Sorbonne University. She has been licensed to practice law in the State of Texas since November 2018.

James Williams

James H. Williams is Senior Vice President at BGR Group. A seasoned public policy and health care expert, James works within both the State and Local Advocacy and Health and Life Sciences practices. He brings over a decade of experience in public policy development, health care innovation, economic analysis, and government leadership across federal and state levels. He is particularly experienced in the field of technology implementation to expand delivery and administration.

Most recently, James served as Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services, where he oversaw a $2.6 billion budget and managed over 14,000 employees to administer critical human services programs across the Commonwealth. Prior to that, he served as Chief Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources and Chief Transformation Officer for Behavioral Health under Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, spearheading major reforms in Medicaid, behavioral health, and public health infrastructure.

From 2019 to 2021, James served in the first Trump administration as Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy at the White House. He led key initiatives on health care affordability, drug pricing, rural telehealth access, and pandemic response. Earlier in his career, he served as an economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers and as a consultant at The Lewin Group (UnitedHealth Group), supporting strategic, financial, and regulatory analyses.

James holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Virginia Batten School, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Gordon College.

Kirk Adams

Kirk Adams is a Managing Director with BGR Group. He is a fourth-generation Arizonan and founder of Phoenix-based Consilium Consulting, which partners with BGR Group on federal and state lobbying initiatives on issues including health care, economic development, defense and fintech.

Kirk has extensive experience in state government. In 2008, he was elected as the youngest Speaker of the House in Arizona, eventually going on to serve as Governor Doug Ducey’s Chief of Staff from 2014 to 2018. In his time as Chief of Staff, Kirk served as the principal adviser and implementer of the Governor’s political, policy, and government operations agenda.

Following his time in state government, Kirk founded Consilium Consulting, which offers top-tier professional services to guide clients through intricate policy challenges, leading to long-term solutions. Kirk and his team specialize in city, county, state, and federal government affairs, legislative affairs, and general consulting.

Lisa Gherbi

Lisa Gherbi is a Government Affairs Coordinator supporting BGR Group’s State and Appropriations teams. She joined the firm in April 2025 and brings experience in federal government operations, diplomacy, and international relations.

Prior to joining BGR, Lisa served as an Executive Assistant at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where she supported the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator and front office leadership in the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia. In this role, she coordinated high-level events, travel, and stakeholder engagement, managed executive scheduling, and helped develop standard operating procedures to improve internal operations.

Lisa’s background also includes a co-op with the U.S. Department of Commerce at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, where she focused on international business and trade, as well as an internship with the Consulate General of France in Boston, where she supported press and communications efforts.

Originally from Massachusetts, Lisa earned a B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from Northeastern University in May 2024.

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.

Blake Harris

Blake Harris is a Managing Director with BGR Group. His background as a strategist with national influence in politics, business, and economic development makes him one of the leading advocates in Tennessee. He manages BGR’s Nashville presence.

Blake has been a core part of Tennessee’s historic economic development and a number of initiatives that have reshaped health care and public education. He previously served as Gov. Bill Lee’s Chief of Staff for three years and was a key player in the administration’s historic TennCare III waiver approval, the successful recruitment of Ford’s Blue Oval City, and Oracle’s Nashville move, among other wins. Blake was the political strategist behind Gov. Lee’s dark horse gubernatorial win in 2018, and the governor’s resounding 2022 re-election win.

Blake founded BHA Strategy in 2022 with a special emphasis on government affairs and strategic communications for companies and startups in highly regulated industries. Blake is a partner in several technology companies, and a non-practicing attorney and real estate investor.

Julia Canady King

Julia Canady King serves as a Vice President for Washington and Florida for BGR Group. With a background in state government policy management, particularly in Florida, Julia assists BGR clients with building advocacy strategies to help them achieve their legislative objectives.

Prior to joining BGR, Julia served as Government Affairs Manager for the Outdoor Hospitality Industry. In this role she represented priorities at the state and federal level for outdoor brands and hospitality groups. She coordinated with 50 state level associations on state legislative priorities and coalition efforts, led congressional outreach and strategy at the federal level, and managed public affairs efforts and subsequent grassroots campaigns on issues ranging from seasonal labor to tax issues.

Julia also served as the Federal Affairs Coordinator for the Office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Office of Federal Relations & Intergovernmental Affairs. In this role, she served as a liaison between the federal government and Gov. DeSantis’s Office of Policy and Budget. She was responsible for briefing staff across eight policy units on all federal policy issues, assisting in the development of policy initiatives, and advising on issues with a federal government nexus. She also assisted with communication and outreach to offices within the Florida Congressional Delegation and served as a point of contact for the Office of Policy and Budget on federally declared emergencies, with a particular focus on hurricane response and disaster supplemental funding.

Julia also served as a Gubernatorial Fellow in Gov. DeSantis’ Tallahassee and D.C. offices, where she functioned as a liaison to the Office of Policy and Budget for federal rulemaking process and connected Washington-based experts with Tallahassee-based policy units. Julia also facilitated Hurricane Ian rapid response and ongoing recovery efforts and served as the primary policy analyst on state redistricting, covering state legislative committees.

Prior to joining Gov. DeSantis’s office, Julia worked with Heritage Action for America in support of data collection and advocacy efforts connected with the Virginia gubernatorial race in 2021.

Julia is a native Floridian and a graduate of the University of Florida and the Florida State University College of Law.

Nick Iarossi

Nick Iarossi is a Managing Director with BGR Group. He helps clients navigate political and policy challenges at the local, state and federal levels.

A founding member of Florida-based Capital City Consulting, Nick has been a leading advocate for over 20 years. He was recognized by Influence Magazine as one of the top 100 Most Influential People in Florida, a member of The News Service of Florida’s Power 100, and the most influential lobbyist in the State of Florida according to The Florida Standard. 

Nick is considered the best in his field representing a diverse client base in sectors such as: financial services, insurance, environmental, gaming, retail, education, information technology, and procurement. Throughout his career, Nick successfully lobbied for countless pieces of legislation on behalf of his clients and secured billions of dollars in legislative appropriations. Furthermore, Nick is often relied on by clients to assist on various public affairs efforts such as crisis management, message development, ballot initiatives and political branding.

Nick is active politically and a prolific fundraiser who has served in leadership positions on several national and state campaigns. Most recently, Nick raised money for the Trump 47 Campaign and supporting committees. Prior to that, Nick served as the National Finance Co-Chair for the DeSantis for President Campaign. In 2016, he served on the Marco Rubio for President National Finance Committee. Additionally, Nick served as the Inaugural Co-Chair and Inaugural Finance Chair for both of Governor Ron DeSantis’ inaugurations for Governor, and on both Inaugural Committees of Governor Rick Scott.

In 2023, along with BGR Group and other nationally leading public affairs firms, Nick and his Capital City Consulting partners helped found Advocus Partners, a bipartisan, national, public affairs firm that provides comprehensive and integrated government advocacy and advisory services for every level of government in all regions of the country.

Before starting Capital City Consulting, Nick practiced law and government affairs at a prominent Florida law firm after working in the Senate Majority Office and Office of Insurance Regulation. Nick graduated from Florida State University with honors, where he served as student body president and also received his JD from Florida State University Law School.  He is a member of the Seminole Boosters Board of Directors and served on the university’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee. 

Nick enjoys giving back by mentoring students, supporting the March of Dimes, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and many other charities.

Anna Reese Couhig

Anna Reese Couhig is a Policy Analyst in the State and Local Advocacy and Appropriations practices at BGR Group. In this role, she supports clients on a variety of policy issues by conducting research and analysis, providing regular legislative updates, developing briefing materials and reports, and drafting correspondence. Anna Reese also plays a key role in coordinating congressional meetings, assisting with fly-ins, and performing administrative duties in relation to advocacy efforts.

Prior to joining BGR Group, Anna Reese interned with Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) and worked on a variety of Democratic congressional campaigns. Anna Reese graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2023 with a B.A. in public policy leadership and a B.A. in English with an emphasis in literature, justice, and society. While at Ole Miss, Anna Reese served as Senior Class Vice President, Chief of Staff for TEDxUniversityofMississippi, and as an ambassador for the university’s English department. Additionally, Anna Reese graduated as a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College after the successful defense of her thesis examining student perceptions of COVID-19 mitigation strategies and correlation to demographics.

Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Anna Reese joined BGR Group as a clerk and researcher after moving to Washington, D.C. in August 2023.