6-10 years

Built a proven record of winning tough floor fights in New Hampshire's 400-member House of Representatives on a myriad of issues.

I've stopped harmful committee recommendations, overturned committee votes, adopted emergency floor amendments, used creative solutions to stop legislation from advancing, and scripted floor fights and debates for members.

Passed the region's most aggressive biodiesel production credit into law and guided the state's largest biodiesel producer through the entirety of the process from drafting to rulemaking. I then advocated for loosening of regulations on the use of biodiesel by large energy consumers and the state government to further increase the client's potential revenues.

As a freshman lobbyist, I was named "Rookie of the Year" by my colleagues.

I worked with a coalition of healthcare providers and lobbyists to stop a workers' compensation fee schedule. Our efforts successfully overturned the House Labor committee's recommendation on the House floor to pass the coalition's desired floor amendment which was signed into law. The client's amendment has since lowered worker's compensation costs by ~10% and did so without a fee schedule.

I have guided clients through successful issue advocacy campaigns during the First in the Nation primary. Deliverables involved getting Presidential candidates on the record, one-on-one meetings with candidates or senior level staff, grassroots organizing, event planning, press opportunities, and earned media for the client.

Served as the State Director to the New Hampshire Energy Forum where I provided grass tops lobbying and communications consulting to one of the nation's largest energy trade associations; I was instrumental in successfully changing Federal laws and Executive guidelines surrounding ozone and air quality regulations, energy exports, and energy infrastructure.

Provided strategic communications consulting for state legislators and stakeholders to lobby New Hampshire's Federal delegation to change mandates in the Affordable Care Act on behalf of a coalition of insurance providers. Our coalition was victorious in these efforts.

I've worked as a political & fundraising consultant to numerous State Senators, Executive Councilors, State Representatives, and County officials.

Work Experience:
Government and Public Affairs Advisor, Preti Strategies, Concord, NH, December 2019 to Present
Government Relations Advisor, Dennehy & Bouley, Concord, NH, December 2014 to November 2019
New Hampshire Field Organizer, Republican National Committee, 2014
Bill Status Aide, New Hampshire State Senate Clerk's Office, 2013

Political Experience:
Republican Political & Fundraising Consultant for State Senators, Executive Councilors, State Representatives and County officials, 2014- Present
Vice Chairman- Region 2, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, 2017-2018
Voting Member, New Hampshire Republican State Committee, 2014-Current

Education:
University of New Hampshire, BA, Political Science

0-5 years

Leadership Iowa Graduate

Nick is an experienced government relations, public affairs, and public relations professional with a successful history of executing lobbying and issue campaigns. He began his journey in the political arena at a young age and has had the opportunity to work a number of political campaigns at the local, state, congressional, and even presidential level.

Nick's career has included leading extensive public affairs issue campaigns, communications and public relations efforts, and marketing campaigns across the Midwest and country influencing state and federal policymakers and garnering media attention. He also spent a couple of sessions being fully immersed in the legislative process while working for a committee chairman in the Iowa House.

These diverse experiences have all culminated in Nick's successful ability to execute strategic plans to introduce, pass, block, or amend legislation at the Iowa Statehouse for clients and build strong relationships with lawmakers and stakeholders. From legislative agenda development and interim planning to PAC management and issue campaigns, Nick specializes in elevating a client's message and executing legislative strategies. Nick also leads Advocacy Strategies' administrative rulemaking engagement and media relations efforts on behalf of our clients.

Nick grew up in Byron, MN and made his way to Iowa through Simpson College's John C. Culver Public Policy Center where he was selected as a Fellow. He graduated Simpson with the highest academic honor with majors in Political Science and International Relations and a minor in Religious Studies and also received his Master's Degree in Public Policy and a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from the University of Northern Iowa.

Outside of work, Nick is actively involved in his church community, local political activism, the Simpson College Alumni Association Board, and serves as the President of the John C. Culver Public Policy Center Alumni Association. He graduated from Leadership Iowa, the state's premier professional leadership development program, in June of 2022.

11-15 years

KATE HAAS is a lawyer and lobbyist specializing in challenging legislative and regulatory issues. She is also a community-relations expert with deep experience organizing coalitions and campaigns for both businesses and political operations. As a former chief of staff and top policy aide to an Idaho congressman, she has nearly a decade of experience on Capitol Hill in both the Senate and House, and has worked directly on some of our nation's most complicated issues. Kate is a graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, where she was named to the Dean's list, served an externship for a U.S. District Court Judge and graduated with top honors. She is on the board of directors of the Treasure Valley YMCA and is an avid trail runner. She and her husband, Bret, have a young son.

20+ years

Current member of the Dean's Advisory Council for the La State University School of Veterinary Medicine

Member of Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) - A Non-Paritsan Policy Group

Sigma Nu Alumni Association

Former Member-Governor's DWI Task Force

Eric M. Sunstrom has had a distinguished career communicating complex issues to public officials; first as an in-house government affairs executive and most recently as the head of a successful lobbying firm. Eric's career began in local lobbying as the first ever director of governmental affairs for the St. Tammany Home Builders Association. From there he was hired as the Louisiana Restaurant Association's VP of government affairs.

His experience in the halls of the legislature made for an easy transition to contract lobbying and public relations. Eric launched The Chesapeake Group in 2004 bringing his expertise to a wider range of clients, designing and implementing programs to promote legislative and regulatory initiatives on their behalf. Since that time he has advocated issues from industry-supported fee increases, tax cuts and pro-business legislation. Currently, Eric serves as President of The Chesapeake Group, coordinating the legislative agenda for a number of clients. Mr. Sunstrom was recently appointed to the LSU School of Vetinary Medicine Dean's Advisory Council. He is a former member of the Governor's DWI Task Force, and the Hunting and Fishing Advisory Education Council.

Eric is a native of Baltimore, Md and attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. He resides in Baton Rouge with his wife Meg and their Doberman, Copper.