Stateside Associates Professionals

Ms. Campanella consults with clients regarding strategic problem solving, crisis management, legislative and regulatory issue campaigns, public sector sales and lobbyist retention and management. No ivory tower consultant, Ms. Campanella rolls up her sleeves to write project plans, analyze legislative threats, hire and manage lobbyists, lobby state Attorneys General and Governors and get into the details of a public sales opportunity. She actively directs and manages client affairs and presides over the weekly Issue Management Team meetings in which the entire Issue Management team reviews the goals for each client and decides how best to achieve them.

She is also a frequent lecturer about emerging state issues and current trends in issue management. She previously served as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management where she taught a graduate course about state and local government relations.

Prior to establishing Stateside Associates in 1988, Ms. Campanella served as Executive Director of a national organization of state legislators for three years. She earlier worked for the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation, as Intergovernmental Affairs Officer of another federal agency and for two Members of Congress.

She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Affairs Council.

An avid birder and photographer, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Audubon Society.

In her words…

“I enjoy helping a company or association executive get to the next level with their program. We work with many talented clients, but no one has all the answers or the depth of experience and network that Stateside offers. I like to approach each client and project with fresh eyes and then incorporate all of my experience and my ‘goal focused’ approach.

“I have honed many lessons over the past 30 years, such as ‘leading from the middle,’ ‘just ask’ and ‘no client, no issue’ (explanations available upon request). Some are now mantras that my clients recite back to me with a hint of triumph in their voice. I love that.”

Download Constance Campanella’s Bio

Since 1993, Mr. Anderson has helped corporate, trade association and government clients manage state environmental, energy and healthcare issues.

Working with state regulatory officials throughout the U.S., Mr. Anderson advises clients on regulatory engagement strategy and directs educational and “grasstops” campaigns directed at governors and regulatory officials. Mr. Anderson also has created issue advocacy coalitions and facilitates work group meetings of state and federal stakeholders addressing environmental issues.

As head of Stateside’s Regulatory Services Division, Mr. Anderson has managed its evolution from an information resource to a full-service issue management team.

The Regulatory Services Division provides strategic counseling, lobbying support, policy analysis, compliance research and regulatory monitoring of state, federal and local government issues.

In 2009, Mr. Anderson was named Chair of the newly-formed Government Affairs Practice Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association.

As Chair, he plans to explore how the disciplines of law and government affairs complement one another and how attorneys can use their dual obligations to achieve maximum benefit for clients.

In 2010, Mr. Anderson joined the newly formed Advisory Council of the Democratic Governors Association. By achieving Advisory Council status, Mark will participate in a variety of new, exclusive events hosted by DGA.

Mr. Anderson is also on the editorial board of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Today. In that capacity he managed publication of a “mini-theme” issue dedicated to state lobbying.

Mr. Anderson is also a frequent contributor to several journals about environmental and energy issues. He provides expert testimony at state legislative hearings on behalf of clients and has been a featured speaker at trade association meetings.

Before joining Stateside Associates, Mr. Anderson worked in the Environmental Enforcement Section of the U.S. Department of Justice. He earlier served on the legislative staff of a Member of Congress. He is a member of the District of Columbia and Virginia Bars.

In his words…

“Thanks to the many years we have spent at Stateside building issue specialties, the LobbyUSA Network and the Groups practice, I feel we have a 360 degree perspective on what is happening in state and local government.”

“That is why I have so much respect for the power of a well-crafted issue management campaign. That does not necessarily mean an expensive effort, but it does mean thinking through the variables and making good decisions with our clients.”

Download Mark Anderson’s Bio

Michael J. Behm is Senior Vice President and a Principal of Stateside Associates. During his 20 years with Stateside Associates, Mr. Behm’s advocacy work and leadership roles in the state officials groups have brought him to many state capitols and local governments yielding an extensive network of relationships with legislative leaders and other public officials across the 50 states.

Mr. Behm advises private sector and federal agency clients on a broad range of state and local issue management needs and works alongside his clients while directing state advocacy efforts, helping them to build sustainable relationships with state and local policymakers, prepare strategic plans and hire and manage lobbyists.

As a result of his close work with state officials organizations, Mr. Behm was reelected Vice President of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Foundation for State Legislatures in 2011. The Foundation for State Legislatures – which includes senior corporate, association and union executives, state legislative leaders and staff – raises money and provides leadership to support NCSL initiatives and advance the state legislative process. Mr. Behm has also received two Council of State Governments (CSG) Associate Partner in Excellence Awards in 2004 and 2006, and serves as a member of the CSG Associates Advisory and Annual Meeting Committees.

Mr. Behm has also helped shaped the growth of the firm’s successful state environmental practice and has managed several of the legislative teams at Stateside, which provide high level substantive and political intelligence to its clients.

Mr. Behm began his public policy career holding staff positions with the Ohio House of Representatives and the U.S. Congress. He also worked for the State Governmental Affairs Council (SGAC).

In his words…

“The internal and external pressures on state and local officials today are endless. Elections and fundraising, an ever-expanding policy agenda, growing public scrutiny, confrontational politics, constituent demands and increasingly sophisticated advocacy efforts of fellow lobbyists… All of these factors “compete” with you for the attention of – and access to – policymakers, legislators and staff.

“My aim is to make clients more competitive. I show them how to better leverage their resources and relationships, target the right audiences, develop effective messaging and utilize a variety of policy forums – whatever it takes to be successful.”

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Stephen Arthur brings to Stateside Associates over 20 years of public policy experience in both the public and private sector. Mr. Arthur provides clients with hands on state government relations support from strategic planning and issue management to lobbyist management and direct lobbying. He is one of the leaders of Stateside’s Attorneys General practice, guiding clients through the process of working with, and lobbying, state Attorneys General.

In addition, he directs Stateside’s Retail Industry Practice, helping those clients to work with state government officials as well as state trade associations.

An economist by training, Mr. Arthur cut his teeth in government as a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate before working nine years in various appointed positions in California state government. After four years staffing the Governor’s Office, he served as the state’s Assistant Secretary for Economic Development as well as the Chief Deputy Director for the Department of Conservation which regulated the mining, and oil and gas industries.

Mr. Arthur brings real world state government affairs experience to the firm as well. Before joining Stateside, he directed the state government relations activities of an international manufacturing company, a food industry trade association and one of the world’s largest retailers. He has served on the boards of directors of numerous state retail associations.

Currently residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, his poor golf game is enjoying some added length (if not accuracy), due to the high altitude.

In his words…

“A great state government relations program doesn’t just deal with an issue in a particular state; it anticipates trends and understands how actions in one state can influence legislative or regulatory action in several others. Helping clients see those broader impacts and developing appropriate short and long range plans to benefit the client company’s bottom line is what keeps me excited about coming to work every day.”

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Jacob Hegeman is a Vice President at Stateside Associates. Mr. Hegeman provides issue management services to clients and manages the regulatory practice, which includes the Regulatory Forecasting service. In a previous position with Stateside Associates, he served as Senior Regulatory Counsel. In that capacity he managed the regulatory team and contributed to the firm’s consulting work on environmental and natural resource issues.

Mr. Hegeman previously served as National State Liaison at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), where he worked closely with state officials on agriculture and natural resource issues. He was brought on-board at the Agency to help create and maintain a state government affairs program for which he served as the contact for the 50 State Departments of Agriculture. Mr. Hegeman worked alongside Agency leadership and state partners to improve regulatory processes and enhance communication and coordination on a wide range of animal and plant health issues.

Mr. Hegeman earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and his Juris Doctor from Tulane Law School with honors. He is a member of the New York State Bar. Jake travels as often as he can, in particular to pursue his passion for alpine skiing.

In his words…

“Stateside’s combination of legislative and regulatory expertise provides our clients with a unique ‘big picture’ understanding of the State policy environment. It’s this kind of information that enables our clients to anticipate new scenarios and stay ahead of the latest trends. With a background in regulatory issues, my goal is to help clients interpret the range of rules applicable to their industry and, when needed, be an active part of the rulemaking process.”

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Robert Holden is a Vice President at Stateside Associates. Mr. Holden specializes in health care, environment, professional licensure and transportation issues. He joined Stateside as an attorney in the Regulatory Division.

Mr. Holden manages Stateside Associates’ health care practice, addressing a variety of health care issues concerning public and private payers, as well as service and product providers. Mr. Holden also uses his issue and policy group experience to guide the legislative and regulatory monitoring teams focused on health care policy issues. Their intelligence gathering informs the issue management services he provides our clients.

As an Issue Manager, he works directly with state and local officials to assist retail and industrial clients engaging in roll-outs of new products and services by analyzing the regulatory schemes for marketing and compliance purposes. He then manages advocacy campaigns involving the relevant state and local regulatory officials.

Mr. Holden has worked with a number of policy Groups on behalf of clients, including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the National Council of Insurance Legislators, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, the National Association of Medicaid Directors, the Environmental Council of the States, and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

He is a frequent presenter at corporate and association client meetings concerning health policy, not only addressing state regulatory and legislative activity but also how state and federal policies drive each other.

Prior to joining Stateside Associates, Mr. Holden worked as an attorney with Dilworth Paxson PLLC. Mr. Holden holds a Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies from Washington & Lee University. He is a member of the Virginia Bar.

In his words…

“We have a great opportunity to help our clients through all phases of state policy making. I enjoy seeing our work pay off for clients over the long term, by identifying issues early, working with policy Groups to see that our clients’ policy preferences are successfully communicated to a broad audience, and using those successes to help clients manage emerging state legislation and regulation. Our strategy is to combine excellent regulatory and legislative intelligence with extensive political skills and depth of relationships with policymakers. That is how we help the client see the entire state policy making spectrum and succeed.”

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Josh Veverka is a Vice President at Stateside Associates and manages the Legislative Information Services Division. The Legislative Information Services Division is organized into teams. The four Legislative Issue Teams are comprised entirely of former state legislative staff members.

Mr. Veverka joined Stateside Associates as a Legislative Coordinator. He subsequently served as a Legislative Associate and Team Leader and has been responsible for Division recruitment, training and resourcing. Working closely with the other senior managers, Mr. Veverka ensures that the Division staff has all the resources necessary to deliver the highest quality legislative information to clients.

Prior to joining Stateside, Mr. Veverka gained political and legislative experience by working in the offices of a Pennsylvania State Senator, a United States Congressman and in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Veverka holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Communications from The American University.

In his words…

“As the director of the Legislative Division, it is my job to make sure the entire 25-person legislative staff is performing optimally because our clients depend on us to protect their companies, industries and organizations. Consistent excellence and enthusiastic client support are Stateside Associates standards and we’re not modest about it.”

“From day one I instill that commitment in each Coordinator and Associate. From recruiting and training new staff, through day-to-day management of even the most veteran staffer, I am actively involved in all aspects of our Legislative Information Services. I have experienced each job in the division first hand, and know what it takes for every individual to be a success. There are rewards for having and reaching high standards.”

Download Joshua Veverka’s Bio

Heather Williams is a Vice President at Stateside Associates. Ms.Williams’ role is to help clients manage state and local government issues. She also manages client relationships with key Groups, including her “alma mater,“ the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), where she served as National Finance Director.

Prior to joining the DLCC, Ms. Williams worked in political fundraising with campaigns ranging from gubernatorial to state legislative.

A native Minnesotan, Ms.Williams graduated from Drake University in Iowa with a degree in International Relations and a minor in French.

In her words…

“A truly effective government affairs program is not just about policy or understanding the legislative process, it’s also about politics. To really understand what is going on in a state and determine how to act strategically, you have to understand the political environment. I’m excited to help clients navigate through issues and politics to accomplish their goals.”

Download Heather Williams’ Bio

Tim Riordan works at Stateside Associates as Vice President, Client Services.  In this role, Mr. Riordan is responsible for collaborating with our team of Issue Managers, Senior Consultants and Partners to build and enhance our relationships with clients while ensuring they receive maximum benefit from Stateside’s numerous service offerings, experienced staff and comprehensive knowledge base. Additionally, he oversees the marketing and communications functions of the firm.

Prior to joining Stateside, Tim was Vice President at the DC Chamber of Commerce where he oversaw all member services and programs for the Chamber’s membership of more than 1,700 businesses and organizations.  Additionally he served as the Chamber’s representative to the Government Contracting Work Group, which works to facilitate members doing business with State, Local and Federal government agencies.  Prior to joining the DC Chamber, Tim spent several years in direct response marketing and fundraising.

Tim is a graduate of the University of Scranton, where he captained the varsity lacrosse team and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in International Business, with a minor in German. 

In his own words…

“I am excited to join the Stateside team and look forward to working to improve the quality and diversity of our client services. As the pace at which business operations continue to increase, it is imperative that businesses and trade associations have access to the most timely and accurate analysis.

Our commitment to providing the best possible legislative and regulatory intelligence to our clients ensures that in dynamic political environments, they will always have the most up to date and actionable information.”

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Graham Grossman is the Manager of Social Media Services. Working at Stateside Associates for both internal and external clients, he is developing an active Web 2.0 presence, including integrating social media services and strategies into client offerings

Graham brings a rich and varied background to Stateside. His political career began working for the San Jose, California City Council and has included campaign work and tenure with a large direct mail marketing firm. He has also spent time working as a Project Manager for the House of Representatives. While on Capitol Hill he also worked for a Member of Congress to develop and integrate social media and constituent outreach.

Bilingual in English and Spanish, he holds a Masters Degree in Political Management from George Washington University and a certificate in PAC management.

In his words…

“Web 2.0 technologies are a must for all fast growing and forward thinking organizations. I am impressed by the broad range of tools that Stateside’s clients have come to depend on in order to stay ahead of the political curve. I’m excited to join the team and eager to advance the company’s digital footprint as well as the utility of existing and future client offerings. “

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Josh Fisher is a Manager of State Issues where he works with clients on a wide range of state and local government affairs related issues.

Josh brings his previous experience as the Manager for the Legislative Information Services Division to the issue management role. Mr. Fisher joined Stateside as a Legislative Coordinator and was later promoted to Legislative Associate and then, Manager.

He has gained a wealth of experience with state issues and an intimate knowledge of the legislative process in all 50 states. Additionally, Mr. Fisher has managed preparation of The Groups Report, supported the Legislative Information Division with quality control responsibility and produced client-requested reports addressing both legislative and regulatory issues.

Prior to joining Stateside, Mr. Fisher gained state legislative experience working for the Maryland General Assembly in the Department of Legislative Services. He gained federal government experience working at the Department of Labor in the Directorate of Construction. Mr. Fisher also served as a law clerk for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Mr. Fisher holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Washington & Lee University. He is a member of the Maryland Bar.

In his words…

“Issue Management is the intersection of information and advocacy. I enjoy helping clients take the information we provide to the next level. Having started at Stateside as a Legislative Coordinator and gaining my law degree along the way, I can honestly say I’ve seen just about everything the 50-states can throw at an industry or company. It’s great to be able to apply that perspective to our client’s challenges and opportunities.”

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Linda Hitchens is the Manager of Legislative Information Services. In this role, Ms. Hitchens oversees the training process and continued optimal performance of each member of the 25-person team. She has over 30 years of experience in instructional design, curriculum development, and adult learning principles with a focus on e-learning and accreditation guidelines in non-profit organizations, private educational institutions, corporations and the Department of Defense.

Before joining Stateside Associates, Ms. Hitchens served as the Director of e-Learning at the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) where she led a team of subject-matter experts and designers in the development, design, implementation and delivery of instructional and procedural education materials.

She holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education and a Master of Science degree in Clothing and Textiles from Miami University. With a passion for social action and community service, Ms. Hitchens is an active member of the Northern Virginia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. serving as president and a member of the Executive Board for nearly 20 years. In addition, she is Vice President of the Northern Virginia Delta Education and Community Service Foundation. She loves to travel and has seen the world from the deck of a cruise ship.

In her words…

“I am proud to be an educator. The field of education has changed so much from traditional face-to-face classroom instruction and professional development workshops with textbooks to e-learning with technology-based training via the Internet and Webinars. I am excited to be a part of the team training our legislative staff to better serve the interests of our clients. My mantra is “lifelong learning for lifetime success.”

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Elizabeth Schneider is the Manager of Local Government Services. In this role, Ms. Schneider oversees Stateside’s Local Government Monitoring services and stays ahead of issue management trends as they emerge at the local level.

Elizabeth most recently was an independent campaign consultant and a professional researcher doing opposition research, due diligence and policy analysis. In a previous stint in Washington, D.C., she worked at Pew Center on the States. Her degree in Journalism from Boston University lead her to work for newspapers in southern California and Chicago (as well as to Johannesburg, South Africa) where she covered local government activities.

In her words…

“Participation at the local level is more important than ever. Local elected officials and administrators have stepped up to take-on increasingly contentious and complex issues. I have found it fascinating to watch issues and officials get their start at the local level and then make their way to the national stage  from such humble  beginnings.

I look forward to working with Stateside clients to meet their immediate and long-term needs when it comes to monitoring the activities of local governments.”

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Meghan Simpson began work at Stateside Associates in 2013 as Coordinator, Projects and Editor, Groups Report. In addition to producing The Groups Report each month she supports the Issue Management team and clients with special research projects. She has had an active legislative and political career, including managing three Democratic primary campaigns for state and local elected officials in Northern Virginia. Ms. Simpson also served in the Virginia State Senate for two sessions in the Majority Leader’s Office.

Prior to joining Stateside Associates, Ms. Simpson gained a wealth of knowledge in political fundraising, finance, communications, research and field, candidate and staff management. She managed races for the Virginia State Senate and Virginia House of Delegates. She also managed a campaign for the Alexandria, Virginia City Council.

Ms. Simpson spent time working for a local non-profit in Alexandria, assisting in managing an online community platform and its social media outreach and engagement. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

In her words…

“I have learned about the importance of building and maintaining coalitions first-hand from my work with state and local legislative and political issues. Groups play a critical role in the policy process as institutionalized coalitions, and their meetings provide opportunities for stakeholders to strengthen relationships with elected officials and other members. I look forward to working with our clients to help maximize the return on investment of working with and through Groups to achieve their legislative and regulatory goals.”

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