20+ years

Tim provided a long sought-after voice to retirees in the Retired Detroit Police & Fire Fighters Association. He and his team successfully fought unions, the City of Detroit, and the pension board's opposition to amend decades-old state law. The association spent 25 years trying to obtain representation on its pension board through litigation and city charter amendment to no avail. Tim and his team did it in a fraction of the time.

Prior to becoming president of MLC, Tim was appointed as Governor John Engler's Campaign Manager to manage his 1998 re-election campaign, after having worked in the Governor's office as Director of External Affairs and Deputy Director of Public Affairs. Former positions also included stints in the Michigan House and Senate, Oakland County government and Senior Director of Government Affairs of the Michigan Credit Union League.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Lawless was a legislative director for a health care network for over four years. In addition, she worked as a project manager for a real estate development company and was a policy consultant. She worked as a deputy policy director for a candidate for Governor, and she was the Pennsylvania state campaign director for the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI National). Ms. Lawless was a public affairs/legislative director for the American Society for Pharmaceutical and Experimental Therapeutics and the American Society for Nutrition for 10 years.

Holly Salmons Kirby is a principal with JohnsonPossKirby Government Relations. She has been working on the hill and in other functions of state politics since 2000. Kirby served as an intern for the Senate Transportation Committee during the 102nd General Assembly. There she worked on key pieces of legislation such as fiber optic right-of-way for the Intelligent Transportation System and primary restraint. Kirby attended the University of Tennessee at Martin and Western Kentucky University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. After graduating from Western Kentucky, she served as one of the field coordinators for Andy Womack's gubernatorial campaign. In this capacity, she managed all volunteer efforts, coordinated supporter databases, and assisted the candidate at events across the state.

Holly began her lobbying career when she interned for the firm of Smith Johnson & Carr in 2002. She returned to the firm as an associate for Bo Johnson in 2003. In this capacity, she worked on many issues ranging from outdoor advertising and railroads to manufacturing and alcoholic beverages. In 2006, Kirby worked with key legislators and railroad representatives to pass legislation strengthening the railroad trespassing laws.

In 2007, Holly accepted the position of Senior Associate with the new firm, JohnsonPoss Government Relations. In this capacity she continued to focus on the wide range of business issues she had worked on previously while expanding her work scope to include a variety of education issues. In 2010, Holly accepted the offer to become a principal in the firm.

Katie has been working on Capitol Hill and in other functions of state politics since 2007. Katie has worked in the office of United States Senator Lamar Alexander, as well as the Office of Governor Bill Haslam.

During her tenure in Governor Haslam's office, Katie was instrumental in the governor's Drive to 55 Initiative, helping shepherd key legislation such as the Tennessee Promise and the FOCUS Act.

While working as Director of Legislation, Katie advised the governor, his senior staff, and twenty-three state agencies on political strategy and legislative affairs.

Prior to joining the JohnsonPossKirby team, Katie worked as Senior Advisor of Government Affairs and Economic Development at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP.

Katie graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2008. She continues to serve her alma mater as a member of the Advisory Board.

Katie lives in Franklin with her husband, Luke, and daughters Ryall and Mackie.

Prior to joining K&L Gates, Ms. Diehl served as Deputy Secretary of Legislative Affairs to the Pennsylvania Governor, a senior staff position that involved the development and implementation of legislative strategy intended to advance the Governor's legislative priorities for several state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Revenue, the Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Lottery. Ms. Diehl was directly and integrally involved in the enactment of several major legislative initiatives, including the historic transportation funding package of 2013, numerous pieces of legislation impacting energy and environmental policies and programs for the state, as well as, significant reforms intended to enhance operations and funding for the Pennsylvania Lottery. She was also directly involved with negotiations with the House of Representatives and the Senate relating to the enactment of the annual General Fund budget and related enactments.

Prior to working in the governor's office, Ms. Diehl served as Director of Legislative Affairs for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. During her tenure as Legislative Director, and prior to that, as Assistant Legislative Director, she advocated for legislative priorities related to taxation and the Pennsylvania Lottery, including significant business tax reform packages that dramatically changed state tax administration and tax compliance.

Before joining the Department of Revenue, Ms. Diehl worked in a senior staff capacity for the House Democratic Caucus. Her responsibilities included monitoring House floor activities and advising House Democratic Leadership in message development and legislative strategy.