ROBERT BYRD. When the confusion, the divide and the intricacies are at their worst, if anyone can be counted upon to pick his way through, it is Bob. One of Bob's most memorable legislative achievements was the legalization of slot machines at the state's racetracks.

Bob can provide expert advice on legislation, government contracts, regulatory review, local government matters and congressional action and see it through by getting to the right people at the right time with the right touch. Bob has the background to work with everyone, from his days as a state representative with a blue-collar constituency to his time as the vice president and chief lobbyist of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.

His leadership talents were recognized by his fellow legislators, who elected him the majority whip in the Delaware House of Representatives, and by Governor Ruth Ann Minner, who appointed him as the chair of the Delaware Economic & Financial Advisory Council, the panel responsible for the revenue projections that have kept the state's multi-billion-dollar budget balanced year after year. Bob's list of clients in Delaware in unequaled. It includes Aetna, Anheuser-Busch, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River & Bay, and the Medical Society of Delaware.

Tanner Polce served as both the Chief of Staff (2023-2024) and Chief Advancement Officer (2020-2023) at the Brandywine Valley SPCA, the first tristate animal welfare organization in the nation. During his tenure, Tanner was responsible for revenue and fund development, external affairs, and strategies that support the organization's $20+ million in annual revenues. Tanner was also instrumental in the acquisitions strategies that brought the Human Society of Harrisburg Area (PA), the Animal Adoption Center (NJ), and most recently the Humane Society of Washington, DC into the BVSPCA management portfolio.

Prior, Tanner served years in numerous roles for the State of Delaware and as a Councilmember in the City of Dover. Tanner was senior staff in the Office of the Lt. Governor from 2016-2020. Prior to the role of Policy Director for the Office, he served as Legislative Aide to Senator David Sokola and then-Senator Hall-Long. In 2017, Tanner was elected to Dover City Council and served a term before electing to not seek re-election. His deep understanding of relationship management, policy and strategy has been instrumental in his past roles and in ensuring strategic growth, greater connections and key objectives are met.

Tanner holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Master of Business Administration. Tanner and his wife, Shelby, live in Felton with their four dogs- Brutus, Allen, Marty and Charlotte. In their spare time, they are often planning their next travel adventure, watching their favorite soccer teams, or pitching in amongst a number of community service projects.

11-15 years

Member of the Delaware Bar Association
Member of the Maryland Bar Association

REBECCA BYRD knows government, policy and politics with the inside knowledge that comes from broad experience with all three branches of government, and she combines it with the perspective of a lawyer. She can draft legislation. She can lobby for it. She can decipher federal and state regulations.

There was a method to Rebecca's decision not to specialize in just anything. With the breadth of her background, she is ready for everything. Rebecca is a third-generation practitioner. Her grandmother was an aide to Gov. Sherman W. Tribbitt, her father is Bob Byrd, and here she is to carry on the family tradition. Rebecca was the deputy legal counsel to Governor Ruth Ann Minner and a deputy attorney general in the state Justice Department under Attorney General Beau Biden. She also clerked on the Delaware Supreme Court for Justices Carolyn Berger, Jack Jacobs and Henry duPont Ridgely and served as a liaison for the court to the General Assembly.

She is the author of articles on Delaware's Coastal Zone Act (Delaware Chamber of Commerce, 2016) and a co-author of "50 State Survey: The Law of Eminent Domain"" (American Bar Association, 2012). Rebecca is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association and the American Bar Association, where she is a member of the Business Law Section and its Government Affairs Committee. She is a graduate of the George Washington University and the Catholic University of America School of Law.

Delora R. Sanchez, Esq. joined Cornerstone in October 2015 after leading Johns Hopkins Medical System's government affairs team. Delora spent nearly a decade representing Hopkins' interests before the Maryland General Assembly, Governor's office, and state administrative agencies. She has an extensive background in state legislative and regulatory issues.

As a senior vice president in Cornerstone's Annapolis office, Delora specializes in representing hospitals, managed care organizations (MCOs), pharmaceutical manufactures, medical cannabis companies, and private sector special interests. Over the past 10 years, Delora has used her deep policy expertise and legislative connections to save or create tens of millions of dollars in state funding for clients; shape Maryland's medical liability policy; and steer the top healthcare system in the world through the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the creation of the Maryland Health Benefits Exchange.

Delora was recognized by the Daily Record in 2017 as a VIP, 40 under 40 and as a Leading Woman in 2013. In 2014 Sanchez was named a Marshall Memorial Fellow -- the flagship leadership development program of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. From 2008 to 2010 she was appointed by the President of Johns Hopkins University to serve on the Johns Hopkins Diversity Leadership Council. During the same time period, she was also appointed by then Governor Martin O'Malley to the Maryland Commission for Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities.

Delora is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and serves as chair of community engagement on the board of directors for Thread, which engages underperforming high school students facing significant barriers outside of the classroom. As a native of Baltimore and current South Baltimore resident, Delora was proud to accept an appointment by the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates to the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership Board. The organization is responsible for distributing approximately $8 million in casino revenue for community development projects in the areas immediately impacted by the casino's construction. Previously, she was a board member of the Charles Village Community Benefits District and Vice Chair of the board for Hope Forward, which provides support transitioning for former foster youth.

Delora holds a Juris Doctor degree with a concentration in Health Law from University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and an undergraduate degree in Healthcare Management from Towson University. She is licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Delora is a lifelong resident of Baltimore and enjoys living downtown, yoga, and biking around the City.

11-15 years

With a track record of delivering results in communities across Colorado and in Denver, Brett Moore has been engaged in the state since 2007. Building on experience gained as a non-partisan employee at the Colorado General Assembly, he founded OnTheBallot Consulting (OTB), a Denver-based lobbying firm. He has achieved legislative wins by building strong relationships with elected officials, staff, and other government affairs professionals.

Entering his 16th legislative session, and 12th with OnTheBallot Consulting, Brett brings lobbying expertise across a variety of issue areas, including: energy development; private property rights; ag/rural/water; health care; and behavioral health. OTB's clients are non-profits, small businesses, trade associations, and local governments whose voices are amplified by this representation.

6-10 years

Jenna Massoni serves as a senior associate supporting the firm's Annapolis, Maryland office. She assists a team of seven senior professionals with issue monitoring, policy research and analysis and legislative advocacy and outreach. She became a member of the Public Relations Society of America Inc. in 2021.

Prior to her current position, Jenna managed health care benefits for the students of Johns Hopkins University and was involved in planning the annual commencement ceremony.

Jenna graduated from Washington College in May 2015 with a B.S. in Business Management and received her M.A. in Contemporary Communications from Notre Dame of MD University in December 2019.

20+ years

Former President of the Minnesota Government Relations Council

Jeremy has worked extensively with all legislative committees and with the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor and Industry, Employment, Pollution Control, Transportation and Public Safety

Jeremy partners with clients to navigate legislative and public policy processes to help them reach their goals. His experience ranges from initial messaging, bill drafting, working with legislators to advance or defeat legislation and amendments, and working with regulators to ensure proper application of the law. In every client engagement, Jeremy draws upon his prior legislative and public policy experience and builds relationships with national, state and local legislators and government officials.

Jeremy advocates for clients on issues related to energy, fuels, transportation, workforce and labor, economic development, financial services and small business. His experience includes:
Workers' compensation reform on behalf of self-insured businesses.

Transportation finance and policy issues, particularly related to freight and fuels.

Workforce and labor issues, particularly those related to FMLA, independent contractor status and Davis Bacon statutes.

Procurement of public investment.

Price and supply stability in for utility consumers.

Prior to joining Taft Advisors, Jeremy was a government relations director at a national law and consulting firm. He previously served as the committee administrator for the Transportation Finance Committee for the Republican Party in the Minnesota House of Representatives. He began his career at the Minnesota Trucking Association and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

20+ years

Indiana State Bar Association, Legislative Committee - Past Chair
Indiana Society of Association Executives, Governmental Affairs Committee - Co Chair
CKC Member - Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis
Governmental Affairs Society of Indiana - Board of Directors
Columbia Club

Continual presence before House and Senate Environmental Affairs Committees. Several years of experience with Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

For more than twenty years, Mr. Bennett has represented business interests as a lobbyist before state government. In both the legislative and regulatory arenas, he has become a trusted source of information and a tireless advocate. For the last several years, environmental and energy issues have been his primary focus.
Mr. Bennett holds a bachelor of science from Ball State University and a Juris Doctorate from IU Law School -- Indianapolis.

Early in the spring of 2010 Bennett established a consulting company; PKB Consulting, LLC. Lobbying clients include the National Waste & Recycling Association - Indiana chapter and the Indiana Cast Metals Association. In recent years, Mr. Bennett represented trade associations for manufacturing and home building.

A native Hoosier, raised in Crawfordsville, Bennett resides with his family in Noblesville.

15-20 years

Recognized by the Central Penn Business Journal, Forty Under 40

Recognized by Susquehanna Style, Women in Leadership

Pennsylvania Association for Government Relations
Women in Pennsylvania Government Relations
Anne B. Anstine Excellence in Public Service Series, Class of 2008
Past Chair, Board of Directors, American Red Cross, Central PA Chapter
Leadership Harrisburg Area Executive Program, Class of 2016
Founder and Former Co-Chair, Dickinson College Alumni Association for Central Pennsylvania
Board member, Keystone Human Services Partnership Board
Board member, D.R.E.A.M. Partnership,
Associate Board member, Members 1st FCU

Angela Leopold is a Senior Partner of Novak Strategic Advisors. A savvy businesswoman and an accomplished community leader, Angela knows people and gets results. At NSA, Angela directs top to bottom grassroots campaigns, earned and social media strategies, and coalition building activities. For the past 15 years, she has worked on state and national issues such as healthcare, taxation, and energy. Angela co-leads the Issue Advocacy division at Novak and oversees several of Novak’s government affairs clients as well.

Early in her career as a political fundraiser, Angela developed creative, direct approaches to navigating grassroots campaigns that included issue-based forums, consensus building, and reputation management. Today, she utilizes this experience and continues to cultivate her well-established relationships and strong, broad-based coalition networks. Angela has successfully managed several local races drawing on her impressive organizational skills and ability to mobilize grassroots armies at the local level. From circulating petitions to building relationships with local business and community leaders, Angela leveraged her connections in creative ways, which ultimately led her candidates to victory in these local elections.

Angela is the past board chair of the Central PA Chapter of the American Red Cross, and in 2016 graduated from the Leadership Harrisburg Area Executive program. When Angela is not pulling it all together at work, she is pulling together ways to support nonprofits, including the Midwest Food Bank, D.R.E.A.M. Partnership, and Keystone Human Services (Partnership Board). In 2021, Angela was recognized as a 40 Under 40 Leader by the Central Penn Business Journal as well as Women in Business 2021 issue in Susquehanna Style.

Angela is a graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Angela lives in Mechanicsburg with her husband, Joe, and son, Mark.

KIM GOMES became a lobbyist in her own unique way. She did not get here through politics or law or a cause. Her earliest interests had nothing to do with lobbying. She was a gymnast and a competitor in ballroom dancing. That led to a degree from the University of Delaware in fitness management, and that led to a position at the University of Delaware as the coordinator in charge of the fitness class program on the campus. From there, it was on to work at an insurance office and brokerage firm, except Kim was looking for a new direction, and she thought lobbying would be fun.

Of course she did. She had a taste for the unexpected. She had the slow heartbeat that comes from winning competitiveness. She had a practical foundation of business, organizational and management experience.

Kim added in an academic component by earning a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Delaware. One of the faculty members was Ed Freel, formerly the Delaware secretary of state, and he connected her with Bob Byrd. It clicked, and Kim joined the firm.

Kim's background has been a fine fit, even her ballroom dancing. She paired with Tom Cook, who was the Delaware secretary of finance, for a charity "Dancing with the Stars" event, where they were judged the best dancers. See? Kim was right all along that lobbying could be fun.

6-10 years

A native of Michigan's rugged, beautiful Upper Peninsula, Matt joined Karoub Associates in 2011 after serving eight years on legislative staff for a former State Senator and Senate Minority Leader. He holds degrees from Western Michigan University, Gogebic Community College, and is a 2005 Fellow of the Michigan Political Leadership Program (MPLP) at Michigan State University.

An avid golfer, musician, and NASCAR enthusiast, Matt and his wife Rebecca reside with their son in Okemos.