Introducing The Daily Record’s 2024 Lobbying & Government Affairs Power List

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The ways that state and local governments influence our daily lives in Maryland are both prosaic and profound. From taxes to schools, street cleaning to dog licenses, there is very little that isn’t shaped or at least influenced by our various levels of government.

The lobbyists and government affairs people that influence what type of things government focuses on are often the real power behind those decisions.

In this list, we offer a look at the men and women we believe are the most powerful figures in Maryland’s lobbying and government affairs field.

Some of these individuals are well known as lobbyists and representatives of industry, business and labor groups or as advocates for various public interests and causes. While they hold no office, they can play a powerful role in shaping local and state laws and policies.

This group was chosen by our editorial leadership team. We reached out to readers and others for suggestions and perspective.

In this list, we explore how these men and women view the challenges facing the state and what they view are their most significant achievements.

This list is part of a series of Power Lists throughout 2024 that will showcase the most influential figures in law, higher education, health care, government affairs, financial services and other fields. At the end of the year, we’ll offer a special Power 100 List that showcases the most powerful people in the state.

If you know of someone you think is a strong candidate for inclusion on our Power Lists, we’d love to hear from you. Just go to thedailyrecord.com/power-list-recommendation-form/ and tell us about the individual.

We hope you enjoy this Power List, and we welcome your feedback and suggestions.

Patrick Brannan
Managing Editor

See the Lobbying & Government Affairs Power List digital edition here.

Rick Abbruzzese
Partner,
KO Public Affairs and Sandy Hillman Communications

Hannah Allen
Director of Government Affairs,
Maryland Chamber of Commerce

Joanne Antoine
Executive Director,
Common Cause Maryland

Bruce C. Bereano
Principal,
The Office of Bruce C. Bereano

Frank D. Boston, III
Attorney at Law,
Boston Plaut Attorneys at Law

David H. Carroll, Jr.
Principal/Lobbyist,
Capital Strategies, LLC

Gerard Evans
Owner,
Evans & Associates LLC

Hannah Garagiola
President & Founder, Government Relations; Principal, Public Relations,
Compass Advocacy

Delora Sanchez Ifekauche
Principal and Director,
Cornerstone Government Affairs

Jonas Jacobson
Principal,
Perry White Ross & Jacobson, LLC

Michael V. Johansen
Administrative Partner,
Rifkin Weiner Livingston LLC

Lisa Harris Jones
Founding Member/Attorney at Law,
Harris Jones & Malone, LLC

Mindy Lehman
Chief Government Relations and Policy Officer,
TEDCO

Cailey Locklair
President,
Maryland Retailers Alliance

Nicholas G. Manis
Owner/Managing Partner,
Manis Canning & Associates

Timothy Perry
Partner,
Perry White Ross & Jacobson, LLC

Gregory “Steve” Proctor Jr.
President and CEO,
G.S. Proctor & Associates, Inc.

Michael Sanderson
Executive Director,
Maryland Association of Counties

Sushant Sidh
Principal,
Capital Strategies, LLC.

John R. Stierhoff
Partner,
Venable LLP

Angelica Bailey Thupari
Director of Public Affairs & Policy Analysis,
Maryland Muncipal League

Mike Tidwell
Founder and Executive Director,
Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Do you know a person who you feel should appear on one of The Daily Record’s future Power Lists? Take a few minutes and tell us why in this form.