11-15 years

John has over 45 years of experience working as a corporate CEO and government agency administrator. John served in the administrations of three United States Presidents. He served as State Executive Director of the North Carolina Farm Service Agency from 1981 to 1992, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. In April 2001, John was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as the State Director of USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Rural Development for North Carolina.

6-10 years

Memberships & Associations:

West Des Moines City Council (At-Large) (2019-Present)

BRAVO of Greater Des Moines Board of Directors

ICON Water Trails Co-Chair

Polk County Bar Association Member

Iowa State Bar Association Member; Sections on: Business Law; Litigation; Government Practice Litigation Section Council (2012-present); Committee on Ethics and Practice Guidelines (2013-present)

State Law Resources (SLR) Board of Directors (2022-2023); Site Selection Committee

Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) Finance Committee

Professionals for Charity Co-Founder, Director and Secretary

The United Way of Central Iowa Policy Cabinet

Metro Advisory Council

Iowa Legal Aid Foundation Governing Director (2010-2012)

West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Member; Board of Directors and Former Chair (2015-2019)

West Des Moines Due Diligence Committee (2017)

West Des Moines Leadership Academy Graduate (Class of 2012-2013); Alumni Marketing Committee Member

Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute - Graduate (Class of 2014-2015)

West Des Moines Historical Society Board of Directors (2015-2018)

West Des Moines Sister Cities Commission Appointed Member (2014-2016)

Arizona State Bar Association Member (2009-Present)

Arizona Small Business Association Board of Directors and Vice President-Elect (2009-2010)

Maricopa County Bar Association Corporate Counsel Division - Director and Treasurer (2009-2010)

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a certificate in Entrepreneurship from the University of Iowa in 2004. Shortly thereafter, I received my J.D., cum laude, along with certificates of concentration in litigation, and criminal law and procedure from Creighton University School of Law in 2007. I was also the sole recipient of the David A. Svoboda Trial Advocacy award, recognizing excellence in trial advocacy.

I was admitted to the Iowa State Bar in 2007 and the State of Arizona in 2008. Additionally, I am admitted to practice law in Iowa Federal District Court (northern and southern divisions) as well as in Colorado Federal District Court.

It was a privilege to be elected to the West Des Moines City Council, in the at-large position, in 2019. I am an active member of the Iowa and Polk County Bar Associations, in addition to having served as a member of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Board and Executive Committee; the United Way of Central Iowa Policy Cabinet; BRAVO of Greater Des Moines, and the Metro Advisory Council ICON Water Trails. I am also a graduate of the West Des Moines Leadership Academy, the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, and Leadership Iowa. Finally, it was an honor to have Super Lawyers recognize me as a "Rising Star" in the area of Government Relations from 2017 - 2021.

20+ years

We are a lobbying firm providing one-stop services for our clients.

One critical achievement was the passage of legislation which amended the statute governing the Charter County Transportation Surtax, now called the Charter County and Regional Transportation System Surtax. The change allowed all charter counties in Florida to utilize this funding mechanism, via referendum. JEJ & Associates' strategy was to cultivate legislative sponsors in each of the chambers, while simultaneously working with other groups, such as Polk County, to develop a coalition of supporters. After securing sponsors, Lena worked with legislators to explain the priority and its importance for transit agencies. JEJ & Associates developed written materials, coordinated testimony before legislative committees and monitored opponents' activities for parliamentary maneuvers which could affect the outcome. This legislative change was approved and became law.

A Central Florida commercial airport was experiencing a problem with multitudes of birds which interfered with airline traffic due to the inherent dangers of bird strikes. Lena initiated discussions with local legislators, worked with committee staff to write the bill, found sponsors in both chambers, educated legislators on the issue, worked with committee chairs to ensure that the bill would be heard in the referenced committees, visited legislators prior to the bill reaching the chamber floors, and pushed for the governor to sign the bill into law once it was passed. As a result of this, the Airline Safety and Wildlife Protection Act became Florida law and has since served as model legislation for other states on how to deal with the issue.

Lena has been appointed to numerous state-wide boards by current and former Senate Presidents and House Speakers.

Lena Juarez is the founder of JEJ & Associates, a governmental consulting firm with offices in Tallahassee, FL and Orlando, FL. She is a graduate of Sophie Newcomb Memorial College of Tulane University and the Reubin O'D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University.

Lena has been active in politics since a very young age and has served on many local and statewide boards. She has been appointed to numerous statewide boards by current and former Senate Presidents and House Speakers.Lena is a graduate of Leadership Tallahassee and Leadership Florida, which are programs of the local and state Chamber of Commerce. Lena is a member of the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists.

Lena is a Central Florida native, competes in triathlons and is an avid traveler.

James H. "Jay" Roberts is the most recent member of our team. Prior to joining GeorgiaLink, Mr. Roberts served in the Georgia State House of Representatives (2003-2015) while in the House, Jay was elected as both Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the House Majority Caucus by his peers. Former Gov. Sonny Perdue asked him to serve as his Administration Floor Leader in his second term. He served in that capacity for 2 years. Jay was named the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee by the Speaker of the House in 2010. He served as Chairman of the House Transportation Committee for 6 years. During his tenure in the House, Jay served on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Ethics, Economic Development & Tourism, Ways & Means, Appropriations, Rules, Game & Fish and Transportation Committees. Jay has served several communities during his 13 years in the House. He served Irwin, Ben Hill, Tift, Turner, Coffee, Telfair, Wheeler, Wilcox and Jeff Davis counties. Governor Nathan Deal appointed Jay to the distinguish position of Director of Planning for the State of Georgia at the Georgia Department of Transportation. He was tasked with the planning of the State's Transportation projects including developing and implementing the STIP. Governor Kemp asked Jay to serve on his Transition Team. He was then asked by Governor Brian Kemp to continue to serve him as the Director of Planning. In September, 2019 Mr. Roberts joined GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group. He and his wife Sarah have two children, and they reside in Irwin County.

Nathan Honaker is a licensed North Carolina attorney and serves as General Counsel to Connect C providing insight in legislative matters. He has several years of experience in legislative affairs, lobbying and healthcare. Nathan is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of North Carolina School of Law. During college, Nathan had internships with several legislators in the State House of Representatives and the State Senate. After completing his undergraduate degree, he worked for Sen. Phil Berger, President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate, in communications and as a law clerk. During law school, Nathan worked for several lobbyists as a research assistant and policy advisor, as well as working with the State Health Plan and the University of North Carolina System.

11-15 years

Emerging Leader Nominee, Just a Kid Big Brothers Big Sisters Flint campaign (2022)

Emerging Leader Award, Greater Flint Arts Council (2008)

John S. "Trip" Martin, III is the founder of GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group. GeorgiaLink is a governmental affairs consulting firm which has been recognized by James magazine seventeen years in a row as the top lobbying firm in the state of Georgia. Mr. Martin began his Government Affairs career in 1981 as the Director of State Government Affairs in Georgia for Southern Bell. In 1986, he was promoted to the position of Director of Legislative Affairs for BellSouth in Washington, D.C. where his major responsibilities included the development and implementation of strategies for dealing with Congress on national telecommunications policy issues. He has served as the Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Southeastern Public Affairs Council and was a participant in the Leadership Georgia Class of 1983. He is the former Vice President of the University of Georgia National Alumni Association. Mr. Martin currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Advocacy Group, an international network of lobbying firms with offices in forty-eight states. Trip is married to Julie Brown, a native of Atlanta and President & CEO of Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone. Trip and Julie split their time between residences in Atlanta and Blue Ridge, Georgia, where he is a licensed realtor with the Blue Ridge office of Premier Mountain & Lake Property, Inc., and owns and operates Big Creek Alpaca Farms. Trip has three grown children and five granddaughters.

20+ years

Former Chief of Staff for the MS Department of Insurance
Campaign Manager for Attorney General, Lynn Fitch
Finance Director Commissioner of Insurance, Mike Chaney

H. Boyd Pettit, III is Partner and General Counsel for GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group, LLC Pettit, a practicing Attorney since 1979, served as a Democratic member to the Georgia General Assembly for five consecutive terms beginning in January, 1983. Elected to the House of Representatives, succeeding newly elected Governor Joe Frank Harris, he was named a member of the House Appropriations, Judiciary, and Industry Committees. Pettit became Secretary to the Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Public Services and Utilities Subcommittee of House Industry. During his membership in the House, Pettit served as Georgia's representative to the Southern States Energy Board and was selected as a participant in the Leadership Georgia Class of 1987. In 1993, he joined GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group while remaining active on behalf of local governments, local education entities, public bond finance issues, and local industrial recruitment and development. In September 2000, Pettit was selected to the Georgia State Board of Transportation. He was re-elected in January, 2001 to a full five-year term. Pettit currently serves on the State Board of the Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers and is an active member of Sam Jones Memorial United Methodist Church in Cartersville. Previously serving on Board of Directors of the North Metro Technical Institute Foundation, Pettit was a part of the effort to secure property, utilities, and funding for the state adult technical school. Boyd has two daughters, Dana and Bray. They reside in Cartersville, Georgia.

Arthur B. "Skin" Edge, IV is engaged in Governmental Relations and Consulting. Prior to joining GeorgiaLink, Mr. Edge served in the Georgia State Senate (1986-1996) and was Minority Leader of the Senate from 1992-1996. Mr. Edge served on the Appropriations, Special Judiciary (Chairman), Public Utilities and Health committees in the Senate. He also served on the Legislative Fiscal Affairs Committee and the Code Revisions Committee. Georgia Trend Magazine named Edge as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in Georgia." He was voted "The Top Registered Lobbyist in Georgia in 2018" in a poll of legislators, state officials and lobbyists. He was also named by Business to Business Magazine as one of "The Ten Most Influential People under the Gold Dome." He is a graduate of the University of Georgia (BBA 1977) and the University of Georgia School of Law (J.D. 1980). He was a participant in the Leadership Georgia Class of 1988. Skin and his wife, Bambi, have three children and six grandchildren. They reside in Newnan, Georgia.

DONALD G. ISAACSON received his bachelor's degree from Augustana College, and his law degree from Arizona State University, where he was a member of the editorial board of the Law Journal. Mr. Isaacson has been in private practice primarily in the area of governmental consulting and lobbying. Throughout his career, he has been active on the legislative committees of the State Bar Association and the Arizona and Phoenix Chambers of Commerce. He has served as the Chairman of the State Bar's Professional Liability Committee. He is on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Vice-Chairman of its Water, Energy & Natural Resources Committee. He also chairs the Phoenix Chamber's Health & Insurance Committee.

In nine of the past 10 years (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011 and 2010), Don Isaacson has been recognized as "Best Lobbyist" by the Arizona Capitol Times. He was awarded the "Toughest Lobbyist to Go Up Against" in 2019. He is also consistently ranked by his peers as a top lawyer in the field of government relations in The Best Lawyers in America, one of the most credible and definitive guides to legal expertise in the United States.