About Us
All-Around Record of Service
When I came to Washington, DC to serve in government in the mid-2000s, shortly after receiving my B.A. in Washington State, I had encountered only a few government employees in my life. As a young Congressional staffer, I worked with government employees who were experts in national security, economics, and public health, and listened to the stories of whistleblowers bravely telling the truth about government malfeasance.
Having worked for many years in Congress and the White House and having consulted for several other agencies, I’ve remained continuously inspired by the immense dedication and patriotism that motivates the people of the federal workforce. The government is largely made up hard-working people doing their best to bring benefits to the public. I have also seen how government systems break down, lose sight of goals, or become captured by narrow interests. The government doesn’t have a monopoly on waste, fraud, and abuse. The difference is that in government, when bad things happen, it is all our business.
Attention to Detail Meets the Big Picture
Over four years working with FOIA requests and litigation for the White House Office of Management and Budget, I got to know how agencies work with FOIA requests, the sometimes well-meaning shortcuts they take, and how the most effective requesters avoid problems. The details of FOIA requests matter, starting from the very beginning of writing a request, to following up on it, to filing and managing litigation. At the same time, being able to see the big picture and keep focus on what requestors want and how to get it is essential to my approach.