STAFFER – Details, episodes & analysis

Nicole Isaac has worked for the US State Department, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Vice President's office, and the President’s office, where she served as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs during the Obama Administration. She has worked in external relations for the biggest technologies companies, including Meta, Google, LinkedIn, and now, as Vice President of Global Public Policy at Cisco. And, she has even founded her own nonprofit and works with many more. She talks about it all this episode.

Keenan Austin Reed is known as one of the most impactful government relations experts in Washington D.C. — and with good reason. She spent over a decade in local politics, on Capitol Hill, and on the campaign trail; co-founded and now chairs the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance; and rose through the ranks at the Alpine Group and is set to be CEO in 2025. This STAFFER guest's insights on leadership, mentorship, and advocacy are a must-listen.  

As a little girl, Jocelyn Frye wanted to be a lawyer. That she did – and so much more. Today, Jocelyn leads the National Partnership for Women and Families. On this episode, she shares insights about her journey from attorney to advocate to White House staffer, and back to advocate. Along the way, she describes what it was like to work so closely with the First Lady Michelle Obama, how she views the ongoing work for justice and equality, and so much more.

President Biden’s first two years in office resulted in several landmark laws: the American Rescue Plan Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS & Science Act, and more. During that time, this episode's guest, Louisa Terrell, served as Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. In this episode, hear Louisa discuss her journey to the West Wing and how she helped the President achieve historic wins under incredibly challenging circumstances.

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Mike Harney knows the federal government like few others. Prior to his position as Senior Vice President and Head of Public Affairs at Clear, he held a range of impressive positions as a staffer. Hear about the joys and challenges of each position on this episode of STAFFER.

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On this episode of STAFFER, Steve Haro dives into his experiences throughout his over two decades in government and politics. He has served as Chief of Staff to two senators, worked in the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Obama Administration, and now works at TelevisaUnivision. He talks about what makes a good staffer, how he finds the private sector after life in government, and more.

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Patrice Willoughby started her career in the office of the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, where she learned to lead with grace and so much more. Learn more about her experiences in Congress, the Executive Branch, the private sector, and now at the NAACP. All that and more on this episode of STAFFER.

In this episode, Greg Butler, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Eversource Energy, talks about his time as a staffer in the NYS Assembly and U.S. Department of Justice, and what lessons he’s taken with him in the decades since then.  

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Janno Lieber is a New Yorker through and through. He worked in the mayor's office during Ed Koch’s administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the private sector (where he oversaw major projects including Port Authority Bus Terminal and the new World Trade Center), and now at the MTA, where he serves as the Chair and CEO to largest public transportation network in North America. Hear about his experiences as a staffer and so much more on this episode of STAFFER.

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To say that Patrick Gaspard has had an impressive career as an activist is an understatement. Listen to this week's episode of STAFFER to hear more on his experiences: fighting against South African apartheid as a teenager; working in several presidential campaigns, including for Jesse Jackson, Howard Dean, and Barack Obama; running politics and policy for labor giant SEIU 1199; working in the Obama White House and DNC; serving as U.S. Ambassador to South Africa; and today, as the CEO of Center for American Progress Action Fund.

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