Mark Isakowitz, PresidentMark Isakowitz joined the firm as a name partner in January of 1998 and in the decade since has been a strategic advisor, advocate, and coalition manager for the firm's clients. He learned to run large, complex lobbying campaigns in his previous job as director of federal governmental relations for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation's largest small business advocacy organization. He managed NFIB's House lobbying team and developed strategy on issues affecting NFIB's 600,000 members. Mark was also NFIB's specialist on health care, working with House and Senate leaders on numerous major bills. According to an article in National Journal, "Isakowitz played a big role in helping derail President Clinton's health care proposal in 1993."
Mark served for several years as a press secretary to Congressman Paul Gillmor, who was a senior member of the House Commerce Committee. He has also worked as an aide in the Ohio Legislature. In addition, he worked on presidential, gubernatorial, and congressional campaigns in past years, including communications and advance work for the Dole for President campaigns.
In 2000, Isakowitz was also a member of the Bush-Cheney Transition Advisory Team.
Mark is a cum laude graduate of The Ohio State University and a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He and his family currently live in Oak Hill, Virginia.
Kirk Blalock, PartnerKirk Blalock joined the firm in November of 2002 and became a name partner in October of 2003. Kirk joined the team after serving President Bush as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director, White House Office of Public Liaison. At the White House, Blalock managed and coordinated all White House public affairs, outreach and coalition development activities for the Executive Office of the President with the Business Community. He also worked closely with the President’s Office of Legislative Affairs, Office of Strategic Initiatives and Office of Political Affairs to promote and support Presidential Initiatives on a local, state and national basis. In addition, Blalock coordinated with the National Economic Council, the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Department of Treasury, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of Policy Development on all Presidential Initiatives related to business and the economy.
Previous to his Presidential appointment, Blalock served in several key positions including: Director of External Affairs, Philip Morris Companies Inc., Special Assistant to the Chairman, Republican National Committee (when Haley Barbour was chairman), and Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Education (when Lamar Alexander was Education Secretary).
Kirk is a graduate of Auburn University and a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He and his family currently live in Alexandria, Virginia.
Kirsten A. Chadwick, PartnerKirsten Ardleigh Chadwick joined the firm in February of 2004 after serving President George W. Bush as a Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs. As a liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives, Kirsten served as the primary point of contact for the President and senior White House staff to the Committees on Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, Ways & Means and to the House Republican Leadership. Kirsten managed the day-to-day White House legislative strategy for several major pieces of legislation in the 108th and 107th Congresses including the No Child Left Behind Act (HR 1), the Trade Act of 2002 (HR 3009) and the Jobs and Growth Tax Act of 2003 (HR 2). Kirsten co-chaired the interagency task force charged with passing the Trade Promotion Authority Act in 2001-2002.
Prior to joining the Administration, Kirsten was a Principal at the law firm of O'Brien Calio, LLP. From April-August 2000, Kirsten served as the Deputy Assistant Convention Manager for Public Liaison at the Republican National Convention. Kirsten served in the George H. W. Bush Administration in 1992 and as a volunteer on the gubernatorial campaign of Governor Bill Weld (MA).
Kirsten is a graduate of Penn State University and is a native of Boston, MA. Kirsten and her family currently reside in Alexandria, Virginia.
Mike Chappell, PartnerPrior to joining the firm in May of 2003, Michael Chappell served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Chip Pickering of Mississippi. Michael served as the senior policy advisor for legislative matters. In addition, Mike managed Congressman Pickering's activities on the Energy and Commerce Committee and his role as the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Wireless Telecommunications Caucus and the Congressional Electricity Caucus.
Before joining Pickering's staff, Mike was the Office Manager and Press Aide to Mississippi Congressman Roger Wicker. Mike also worked on the presidential campaign for Senator Phil Gramm during the 1996 election cycle.
Mike graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and is a native of McComb, Mississippi. Mike currently resides in Arlington, Virginia.
