Brian Hess named NILE’s 2021 Top Lobbyist
Today, Brian Hess was named one of the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics (NILE) 2021 Top Lobbyists.
Brian has had a banner year. Despite the challenges the pandemic still brings, he has been instrumental in our firm's success in advocating on your behalf. His crowning achievement in 2021 is the passage of the Sports Bettors' Bill of Rights in Maryland. This follows his successful passing of the Sports Bettors' Bill of Rights in Washington, DC and Virginia in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, he also advocated for the Concentrating on High-value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to an End Act, policies to improve the childhood cancer survivorship experience, restoring the civil rights act of 1865 by working to get the Economic Inclusion Civil Rights Act of 2021 introduced in both chambers, relief funding for local journalists in COVID packages, and tax credits to local newspapers to keep journalists on the job.
Brian also serves as the Executive Director of the Sports Fans Coalition. Here, he performs several important roles. He manages the annual budget and has traveled to more than a dozen state capitals advocating for pro-fan policies in spaces like ticket resale and sports betting consumer protections.
In addition to his Sports Bettors’ Bill of Rights success in Maryland, Brian lobbied for passage of the Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act in Maryland. Federally, Brian manages a coalition of like-minded organizations to promote these same issues before Congress and regulators. Brian also led the effort to have policymakers re-introduce the Equal Pay for Team USA Act in the summer of 2021.
Brian joined NILE at the beginning of the year and, soon after that, founded the Next Generation Executives initiative to create a space for young lobbyists to network, learn, and develop their skills.
In his own words:
"I'm honored to be included as one of NILE's 2021 Top Lobbyists alongside such an illustrious line-up. The pandemic has posed many challenges, not the least of which is the difficulty breaking through the noise on Capitol Hill to make sure lawmakers hear from disadvantaged constituencies. I'm proud of the work I've been able to do with my clients to preserve local news jobs, promote better health care, protect at-risk sports bettors, and advance civil rights. I'm also grateful for how NILE lifted young and new lobbyists up during this time by forming the NextGen Executives initiative and creating a space for young professionals to thrive."
Being named one of 2021's top lobbyists is a well-deserved honor for Brian. We can't wait to see what he accomplishes in 2022.
