2021 NC Top 25 Lobbyist

2019 NCED Leadership Award

Kevin Wilkinson joined The Southern Group in 2024, expanding the firm's footprint in Raleigh, North Carolina. He brings extensive legislative and executive experience from roles in both the public and private sectors.

As a proud North Carolinian, Kevin's professional path has been largely dedicated to molding and promoting key policies at local, state, and national levels. From 2016 to 2019, he held leadership roles in North Carolina's public education sector. First, as the Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to the N.C. State Superintendent at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, then later as the Executive Director of External Affairs at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. In these roles, Kevin helped design and gather support for the organization's policy priorities and initiatives.

Before that, Kevin served as a Policy Advisor to Senator Robert Bryan. He led and implemented several education reforms and staffed various committees such as Appropriations, Education, Judiciary, Pension, and Retirement. Kevin also worked on Capitol Hill as a staff member for U.S. Representative Robert Pittenger, supporting and advocating for the needs of constituents across his district.

Most recently, Kevin took his experience in North Carolina's government to the private sector, serving as SVP of Government Affairs at EQV Strategic. In that capacity, Kevin worked directly with policymakers on the state and federal levels to advocate for his clients. His range of policy areas includes education, economic and business development, technology, transportation, telecommunications, healthcare, gaming, sports, and local government.

Outside his day-to-day work, Kevin uses his expertise to give back to his community as Vice Chair of the Board of Visitors for Appalachian State University.

Kevin has received numerous awards and recognition for his work, including being named one of the top lobbyists in North Carolina by the North State Journal since 2020 and receiving the North Carolina Education Leadership Award in 2018.

Kevin studied political science and economics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earned an M.B.A. from Liberty University. He resides in Raleigh with his wife Megan and their daughter Margot.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Paul Costa brings extensive experience in local and state government to Maverick Strategies. He is the former State Representative for the 34th district situated in Allegheny County where he served from 1999 to 2018.

While serving as a legislator he sat on several committees including Appropriations, Liquor Control, Gaming, Policy, Rules, Tourism and Transportation. Costa also served on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, Point Park University Board of Trustees, University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics Board of Fellows and Eastern Area Adult Services.

In 2011 Costa was elected by his peers as Allegheny County Delegation Chair where he served until his appointment as Chairman of the Liquor Control Committee in 2013. While Chairman of the Liquor Control Committee he spearheaded several initiatives including but not limited to beer and wine modernization and consumer convenience. In addition, Costa sponsored several personal pieces of legislation such as the Film Tax Credit, 50/50 legislation which generates millions for non-profits, bills which advocate for the safety of animals, a bill which allowed for automatic granting of a CDL license upon returning home for qualified military personnel and sustainable transportation measures.

Prior to serving the 34th Legislative District, Costa spent more than 20 years working in the Allegheny County Prothonotary's office, ending as Deputy Prothonotary. Costa also served on the Wilkins Township board of commissioners for three years, serving one year as board president. Paul Costa graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Point Park University. Paul resides in Pittsburgh with his wife Kathleen. They have three children Michael, Maria, and Dante.

20+ years

Michael started working in politics as a 17-year-old staffer in 1987 race for Governor. Since then, he has worked on campaigns in almost every role, spent time working on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC and did a short stint in state government for then Treasurer Tate Reeves. He entered the lobbying profession in 2004 at Baker Donelson before taking a ten-year detour working as a public finance banker at Bear Stearns and Raymond James. Partnering with Austin at the Clearwater Group in 2017, he returned to lobbying to get back to doing what he enjoys most, shaping public policy through the political, legislative and administrative processes.

Michael leads the firm's executive branch lobbying practice area with an emphasis on regulatory and procurement efforts. He is also deeply involved in strategic development for the firm's legislative practice area and political practice area.

With more than a decade of experience in politics, Ray Zaborney has played a key role in advising some of Pennsylvania's leading political figures. For his work, he has been recognized nationally as one of the country's leading political consultants. As the founding partner of Maverick Strategies (formerly State Street Strategies), Zaborney serves as a government relations and public affairs strategist for organizations with interests in front of state government.

Zaborney has advised a wide range of clients on legislation and politics in the Commonwealth, from Fortune 500 companies to scrappy startups and everything in between. Zaborney has worked to help set up a regulatory framework for Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) here in the Commonwealth, to expand gaming to make Pennsylvania a leader in internet gaming, to pass a record investment in infrastructure, and to protect and expand the authority of our Capitol city to escape near bankruptcy. He has been a leading advocate for non-discrimination protections, affordable health care, access to quality hospitals, education reforms to improve our public schools, and legislation to give minor offenders a clean slate to pursue opportunities.

Ray has served as a political advisor to some of Pennsylvania's leading political organizations including The Pennsylvania Republican Party, The Senate Republican Campaign Committee, The House Republican Campaign Committee, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, Majority Leader Dave Reed, Justice Sallie Mundy, Attorney General and Governor Tom Corbett, Lynn Swann, and numerous House and Senate members.

Ray is often sought after as a spokesperson and as a political analyst. Ray has contributed to stories that have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, The Pittsburgh Tribune Review, The Harrisburg Patriot, The Erie Times, The Scranton Times, The Wilkes Barre Times Leader, The Allentown Morning Call, The Pittsburgh City Paper, Stateline, Roll Call, CQ Politics, PoliticsPA, ESPN The Magazine, and Sports Illustrated.

In addition to his many print contributions, Zaborney has been a frequent guest on television and radio programs throughout the Commonwealth to discuss political campaigns and the political environment both in Pennsylvania and our nation.

Ray lives and works with his wife, Jennifer, and their daughters, Grace and Emma, in New Cumberland.