• Direct Lobbying: WSW develops specific policy and budgetary priorities for each client, and plans and executes a full range of activities to advance these proposals into law.
• Strategic Development: We work with our clients to develop and execute a comprehensive federal government relations strategy that meets their unique objectives in Washington.
• Relationship-Building: We help our clients build meaningful near- and long-term relationships with elected leaders and the key government decision makers that impact their enterprise.
• Policy Analysis: Our team of dedicated policy and regulatory experts work with clients to identify and create opportunities to advance their priorities.
• Regulatory Expertise: Our deep understanding of the regulatory process allows us to identify and respond to relevant regulations and other regulatory documents on behalf of clients.
• Intelligence Gathering and Monitoring: We provide real-time monitoring, immediate updates, and analyses of relevant proceedings in Washington. Our team provides timely reports on executive branch meetings and congressional activities, including floor proceedings, hearings and markups, bill introductions, and third-party policy briefings.
• Hill Day and Fly-In Management
• Developing a Relevant Narrative: We help our clients prepare to thoughtfully engage with policy makers at the federal level, whether that is a one-on-one meeting with a Member of Congress or testifying before a Congressional Committee. We help clients frame their story for the audience they are addressing, and connect it to the current policy agenda in a way that resonates with policymakers.
• Crisis Management: No organization wants to deal with a crisis, and we work hard to ensure our clients avoid them. However, when a crisis arises, you want a solid team on the ground to help you manage any policy, budgetary, or political fallout—and we are that team.

Matthew Braun joined WSW as an Associate in August 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Sociology from Rowan University. During his time at Rowan, Matthew actively engaged in various organizations, including Model United Nations and the Rowan Institute of Public Policy and Citizenship. He also took on leadership roles as an elected officer in the Student Government Association and the Political Science Clubs.

Recently, Matthew earned a Master of Science in Addiction Policy and Practice from Georgetown University. Throughout his graduate studies, he developed expertise in addiction, mental health, and drug policy through writing memos, policy proposals, briefs, and presentations. Additionally, he interned with the Office of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), where he represented the Congressman in meetings, drafted policy proposals for legislative staff, and assisted with high-profile events.

At WSW, Matthew contributes to client support by conducting research, planning and executing fly-ins, assisting with project management, covering congressional hearings, and tracking relevant federal rules and regulations.

Carl specializes in coalition-building for trade associations, relationship development, campaigns and political analysis, strategic planning, and project management. He is particularly skilled at taking clients with no previous experience in Washington and helping them build a meaningful presence in order to achieve their goals.

A former Democratic political operative, Carl held senior political roles with an array of senior Democrats, including Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), as well as with the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and the John Kerry for President Committee.

Beth Connolly brings decades of public health policy and implementation experience to WSW. Recognized nationally and internationally for her expertise in behavioral health, she has spent her entire professional career advancing evidence-based public health policy and practice.

As a senior leader at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Beth led some of the most progressive advances in the history of behavioral health policy. Her work saw the expansion of harm reduction services, treatment access, recovery supports, and overdose reversal medication and messaging. She has a deep knowledge of public health financing and designed the curriculum and teaches Health Care Finance in Georgetown’s Master of Science in Addiction Policy and Practice program.

Beth served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, the state’s largest cabinet agency, managing 15,000 employees and $19 billion in state and federal funds. She led reforms in Medicaid, behavioral health, and home and community-based services. Her work there included addressing housing, transportation, food insecurity, child welfare, law enforcement, and labor and employment, much of which carried into her non-profit and federal work.

Bridging her time between state and federal leadership positions, Beth headed up efforts at the nationally recognized Pew Charitable Trusts, leading a portfolio centered on equipping states with evidence-based behavioral health policy solutions.

Beth maintains relationships across numerous federal agencies including HHS, HUD, USDA, Veterans Affairs, and DOL. Her leadership in both government and non-profit sectors provides her a unique insight to help clients build coalitions, plan for strategic advances, and realize sustainable funding opportunities.

In addition to her unmatched appropriations and federal funding expertise, her policy skills include defense and homeland security; telecommunications and technology; transportation and infrastructure, including disaster relief and recovery; energy; water resources; international affairs; and Food and Drug Administration issues. Nancy is known as an accomplished leader and strategic thinker with a strong track record of success in high pressure, fast-paced, complex environments. For example, during her tenure, the House Appropriations Committee had to respond to an unprecedented number of natural disasters; Nancy led the effort to respond, working with House, Senate, and Executive Branch leaders to assess priorities and swiftly pass disaster relief packages to act on those priorities. Clients benefit from Nancy’s firsthand experience as the lead Appropriations Committee negotiator on a wide range of funding and policy issues, and in particular, her relationships forged during such intense times, which extend to the highest levels of the House, the Senate, and the Executive Branch.

In addition, Nancy managed a professional staff of over 80 and successfully discharged more than 60 bills through the committee during her two-year tenure. Notably, taking an essential step in returning to the regular federal funding process, under Nancy’s leadership in fiscal year (FY) 2019, Congress approved 75 percent of all annual discretionary funding prior to the end of the fiscal year on September 30, an accomplishment that had not occurred in over two decades.

Nancy is widely respected across the political spectrum by Members of Congress, congressional staff, and other stakeholders and decision-makers in Washington. Her unique ability to work across the aisle has earned her a well-deserved reputation as a trustworthy, pragmatic problem-solver.

Katie brings an extensive background in federal policy and research to the WSW grants team. She specializes in K-12 and higher education policy, with an expertise in the federal budget and appropriations process. She maintains relationships with key personnel across several government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education and Health and Human Services, as well as the House and Senate. 

Prior to coming to WSW, Katie was the Coordinator for Advocacy Support Services for the National Association of Elementary School Principals and before that was a teacher for five years. 

Chelsey Penrod Hickman brings a wide array of experience to the WSW team. Her policy expertise includes appropriations, budget, and tax; defense, including defense health; health care, including pharmaceuticals, patient advocacy, Medicare, and Medicaid; energy, environment, and interior; and trade, tariff, and quota issues.

Chelsey is known for her ability to plan, manage, and execute large scale legislative and regulatory efforts to accomplish a client’s goals. In particular, she specializes in coalition-building, grassroots organization, strategic planning, and project management. Chelsey is also a trained technical writer, and clients benefit from her unique abilities on a wide range of writing needs, from writing grants, to producing white papers, to editing government RFP responses, and beyond.

In the Senate, Chelsey maintains close working relationships with Republican Leadership and professional staff on the Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance, and HELP Committees. In the House, her relationships include Republican Leadership and professional staff on the Appropriations, Armed Services, Energy & Commerce, Financial Services, and Ways & Means Committees. She also has an array of personal relationships with senior-level staff in key congressional offices and federal agencies.

Having worked as an Appropriations Associate in both the House and Senate, and also as Chief of Staff for Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), currently Ranking Member of the full Appropriations Committee, Chelsey uses her broad knowledge of the federal funding and appropriations process to help clients advance their funding and policy priorities.

Scott re-joined WSW in January 2023 after spending nearly a decade on Capitol Hill. Most recently, Scott served as Legislative Director for a senior Member of the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure; Science, Space, and Technology; and Natural Resources.  In that role, Scott handled the vast majority of the legislative portfolio including national security, transportation, water, telecom, trade, energy, science, law enforcement, healthcare, banking and financial services.

Scott also served as Senior Policy Advisor to then-Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies where he was directly responsible for the national defense, law enforcement, homeland security and telecom portfolios. 

In both roles on the Hill, Scott engineered and executed strategies to develop, advance, and implement policy and appropriations priorities for each Member. He worked with stakeholders to navigate extremely complex issues involving major legislation and engaged in direct high-level negotiations with senior cabinet officials.  Scott maintains extensive and strong relationships with his former colleagues. 

Prior to his time on the Hill, Scott was an Associate Principal at WSW, where he successfully represented a range of clients on a broad array of matters.

Mike has developed a reputation for outworking the competition, which has led to success on behalf of clients in some of the most difficult health care issues before Congress, from Medicare reimbursement to funding for public health. WSW clients depend on Mike to develop, implement, and manage advocacy strategies, to build coalitions and develop “win-win” scenarios for clients and their Members of Congress.

Mike spent two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic, and went on to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Sen. Robert Toricelli (D-NJ). Mike has an impressive array of relationships on Capitol Hill, including Senate Democrat Leadership and professional staff of the Appropriations, Finance, HELP, and Foreign Relations Committees. He also works closely with House Democrat Leadership and professional staff of the Appropriations, Energy & Commerce, and Ways & Means Committees. Clients also benefit from Mike’s reach into agencies like CMS and the U.S. Department of State.

For the past 15 years, Kyle has helped health care executives anticipate, interpret and respond to the fast-paced, complex federal legislative and regulatory decision-making processes. He is considered a trusted, results-driven member of his client’s senior management teams, providing expert counsel and direct advocacy on a myriad of policy and political matters, including health care delivery, payment, and coverage reform.

Kyle was previously the health policy advisor for a U.S. Senator, serving as his principal liaison to the Senate Finance Committee, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Before coming to Washington, Kyle held several positions at an academic medical center in central New Jersey.

Kyle graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and from the George Washington University with a Master of Arts Degree in Legislative Affairs.

Jack O’Donnell offers clients a unique understanding of the intersection of politics and policy. That knowledge—together with years of experience—form the basis of intelligent, strategic plans and their dynamic execution, delivering results for the State of New York’s most successful leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates, and activists.

Jack is focused on problem solving. He helps clients pass—and stop—legislation, solve complex regulatory matters, craft multi-million dollar economic development packages, and win state awards and grants including multi-billion dollar procurements. His experience in government includes serving in senior positions for United States Senator Chuck Schumer and as a Senior Policy Advisor to the State Comptroller. Politically, Jack has provided strategic advice and field and communications counsel to campaigns for president, United States Senate, and Governor as well as numerous statewide and congressional campaigns.

O’Donnell has served as an adjunct faculty member at Canisius College and has been honored as a rising leader by both Buffalo’s Business First and City & State. He is the author of Bitten By The Tiger, the true story of William Sulzer, the only governor to be impeached in New York State history and a contributing author of Impeachment. Jack was recently named one of the top 50 political strategists in New York State. He divides his time between Buffalo and New York City.

Charla helps clients develop, manage, and implement comprehensive government relations strategies, often tackling some of the more complicated and technical aspects of Washington, DC as part of the process, including reviewing and analyzing pending regulations, submitting official comments to pending rules, and crafting responses to Requests for Information. Charla is able to translate complex policy matters into actionable items for clients, and gives them the context they need to make the best decision for their organization.

With close relationships in key offices in both the House and Senate, particularly with the professional staff on the Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce Committees, Charla gives clients access to key decision-makers as well as to timely information and ahead-of-the curve intel to help them plan or react quickly, decisively, and effectively.

Charla’s previous experience includes serving as the Health Legislative Assistant for Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), a senior member of the Ways & Means Committee.

In addition, Rob spent several years on Capitol Hill in both the House and Senate, including working as an Appropriations Associate for Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ), a member of the House Appropriations Committee. This experience helped Rob develop his expertise in the issues of importance to WSW’s public sector clients, including counties, municipalities, and public commissions, such as infrastructure, flood control, and federal funding. Clients rely on Rob’s particular skills related to stakeholder and third party engagement and coalition building, as well as his ability to plan and execute multifaceted lobbying and advocacy initiatives.

Rob has close relationships with a number of staff and Members on key congressional committees, including House and Senate Appropriations, Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, HELP, and Finance. He has also developed working relationships with key personnel at a number of agencies including HHS, ONDCP, CMS, and the Army Corps of Engineers.