20+ years

6-10 years

Callie Michael joined The Southern Group in 2010 with over eight years of valuable experience in both the budget and policy areas for state and federal government. Callie maintained a top-secret security clearance from the United States Department of Defense and worked in the U.S. House of Representatives' Appropriations Committee on the Defense Subcommittee. In this capacity, Callie gained rare insight into the federal appropriations and committee process as well as the role and interplay of government relations in the legislative arena.Following Callie's work in Washington, DC, which provided valuable experience and contacts at the federal level, Callie returned to the South where she joined the Georgia Senate Budget and Evaluation Office as the Program Analyst for the Criminal Justice, Public Safety, and Judicial Subcommittees on Appropriations. Callie was soon promoted to the position of Principal Analyst, to assume the duties and responsibilities of the departing Deputy Director. As Principal Analyst, Callie oversaw the day-to-day operations of the office and the budget development process, briefed the director and Senators on budget and policy issues, supervised and assisted other budget staff members, and served as the main contact to the 56 Senators.Callie served as Senate President Pro Tem Tommie Williams' Policy Director during the 2010 legislative session. In this capacity, Callie provided key policy analysis and recommendations to Senate Leadership.Callie is a graduate of the University of Alabama.

20+ years

TCG passed legislation giving Medicaid recipients, many with chronic conditions, easier access to home services, supplies and medical equipment. The legislation was opposed by Department of Social Services and was a target for the agency throughout the session.

TCG was successful in leading a coalition to sustain a veto by the Governor that had overwhelming support by the legislature and the Connecticut Education Association. The legislation would have had unintended negative consequences to students with behavioral health issues. TCG secured its client a position on the working group.

TCG was the driving force behind successfully lobbying the Governor's Office, the Office of Policy and Management, and the Department of Corrections to issue a RFP for inmate medical services at UConn Health. TCG's advocacy on this issue reversed a twenty plus year relationship between UConn Health acting as the sole provider of health services to Connecticut's incarcerated population.

TCG defeated legislation proposed by the Governor's office that had a negative impact to its client. TCG created a legislative campaign plan leveraging the extensive alumni network of Norwich Free Academy, along with organizing a coalition.

TCG has direct lines to the all of Connecticut's Constitutional Officers and their senior staff. Constitutional Officers comprises of the Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, Secretary of State's offices, and the Treasurer's office.

TCG possesses a strong network within the legislative leadership along key staff members in the four caucuses.

TCG commands far reaching contacts state agency including but not limited to the Department of Consumer Protection, Department of Public Health, Department of Education, Department of Administrative Services, and the Department of Economic and Community Development.

Alan Deckman is an influential and respected lobbyist at the Connecticut General Assembly and the Executive branch state agencies with over 30 years of experience. His personalized approach to representing clients blends practical business expertise with a thorough knowledge of the legislative and governmental process.

Mr. Deckman is the President and principal owner of the TCORS Capitol Group, LLC. Based in Glastonbury, CT, Mr. Deckman oversees all aspects of the company and client servicing. He directs strategic planning and management of the company, as well as marketing and long-term growth and business opportunities.

Mr. Deckman has successfully developed innovative ways to impact legislative and executive decision-making to help achieve the best results for his company's clients. This proactive approach has produced numerous victories for clients with interests in the state budget and tax matters.

As the senior lobbyist of the TCORS Capitol Group, LLC, Mr. Deckman assists Fortune 500 companies and small Connecticut businesses with complex state and municipal procurement matters. Further, he has resolved many administrative inquiries for clients from a wide range of industries at both the state and local levels of government. Mr. Deckman regularly provides lead identification and relationship marketing services to clients looking to expand their business development efforts within the public and private sectors. As executive director and lobbyist for several Connecticut non-profit educational organizations and institutions, he frequently serves as a media spokesperson and advisor on public policy issues of direct concern to those entities.

Mr. Deckman is also the Founder and President of the Connecticut Blockchain Association, whose mission it is to develop, promote, and advance blockchain technology and to establish Connecticut as a leader for blockchain innovation. The Connecticut Blockchain Association strives to create a unifying advocacy voice for the Blockchain industry in the state of Connecticut. Mr. Deckman also serves as an advisory board member for the Pennsylvania Blockchain Coalition.

Born in New London, Connecticut, Mr. Deckman graduated from Assumption College, where he received the distinguished Crown and Shield Award for leadership and service. Subsequently, he earned a master's degree in Public Administration from the Sawyer School of Management at Suffolk University in Boston, where he was also selected to participate in the Dean's Fellowship Program.

6-10 years

Served on the Georgia Department of Revenue Local Government Advisory Group. As a member of this group, Joel provided the Revenue Commissioner with feedback and suggestions on the impact of important tax issues on local governments.

Joel has developed extensive relationships with elected and appointed officials at the state and local level. Many of these relationships are concentrated in revenue and finance with strong relationships with finance directors all across Georgia's 538 cities and 159 counties. In addition to these local relationships, Joel has done extensive work with the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Joel began his career in local government by providing planning, zoning, and land use support with over 63 cities and 17 counties for one of Georgia's Regional Commissions. Joel then moved to Talladega, AL where he assisted the city manager in all planning and community development projects. It was in this capacity that Joel first started learning municipal budgeting and operations. Joel's work in Talladega caught the eye of a state trade association, and Joel got his introduction to lobbying with the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association (AMHA) in 2013.

As AMHA's Deputy Director, Joel learned the business operations of one of Alabama's major industries and lobbied on their behalf both locally and on the state level. After nearly four years with AMHA, Joel decided to combine his local government and lobbying experience by taking a job with Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). While at GMA, Joel specialized in a wide array of tax issues and lobbied on behalf of Georgia's 538 cities. Joel's knowledge of local government operations, business operations, and public policy development allowed him to develop a broad array of relationships at the General Assembly, while effectively advocating for all of Georgia's cities.

Joel graduated from Georgia College and State University with a BA in political science and Masters of Public Administration. Joel grew up in Byron, Georgia and currently resides in Atlanta with his wife Lucy and daughter Willow.

David Pratt began his career in politics in 1998 as Legislative Aide to Representative Ben Harbin, Chairman Emeritus of House Appropriations. After serving as Legislative Aide, David was hired as a lobbyist for the Georgia Society of Ophthalmology (GSO) and was named the GSO's Deputy Director before the end of his first year. In 2002, David became a contract lobbyist and has since then successfully lobbied on behalf of corporations in the areas of pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices, physician advocacy, information technology, private prisons, mental health facilities, construction, transportation, telecommunications, and real estate development. David enjoys very strong relationships at the Capitol across the ideological spectrum.

David served in the enlisted ranks of the United States Army from 1991 to 1993. After receiving a commission in 1996, David served as an Army Reserve officer until honorably discharged in May of 2003. David graduated Valedictorian at Marion Military Institute (1993-1996) after which he transferred to the University of Georgia majoring in Political Science (1996-1998).

Civically, David is a member of the following organizations: the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and University of Georgia Rugby Alumni Association.

David is from Saint Marys, GA, and resides with his wife, Jessica, in Atlanta.