This past weekend, Addison was awarded by the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus at the Chairman’s Farewell Reception for his service to the caucus. Addison previously served three years as Chief of Staff for Legislative Black Caucus Chairman, Delegate Daryl Barnes.
The reception was a part of the 27th Annual Legislative Weekend hosted by the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation at Live Casino & Hotel.
We are so proud to have Addison on our team!
For nearly a decade, Elly has been lobbying at the state, local, and federal levels on a wide range of topics including tax credit policy, environmental and land use issues, and budget priorities. Prior to joining Compass, Elly advocated on behalf of historic preservation, smart growth, and land conservation non-profits, and she has forged strong relationships with General Assembly leadership and other key players during her time in Annapolis.
Her years of experience in all aspects of advocacy – from public policy development to coalition building to grassroots organizing- ensure a wholistic approach to lobbying for her clients.
A Baltimore native, Elly lives in the City with her husband, son, and three cats. When not working, she enjoys cooking, reading, and supporting small businesses in her neighborhood.
As a Staff Assistant for Compass Advocacy, Katherine works closely with the both the Government Relations and Management teams by scheduling meetings and providing necessary office support. Katherine interfaces with clients during visits to the Annapolis office as well as during client intake. Day to day, Katherine works to ensure the office runs smoothly by answering phones and supplementing office logistics and procurement as necessary.
As a part of our public relations team, Katherine mainly produces social media content for clients. This requires her to learn the inner workings of our client’s operations and effectively communicate that to specific audiences, as well as create consistent branding. She also manages some of the administrative tasks for the team including prepping meeting materials and monitoring team goals.
Katherine received her B.A. in Political Science and Public Policy from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she also had the opportunity to intern for Maryland State Delegate Dana Jones. Outside of her work on the Compass team, Katherine spends much of her life on the water. As an Annapolis native, she grew up competitively sailing and coaching sailing, and continues to do so on weekends.
The Maryland General Election this year is a rare opportunity to see the “big four” up for election: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Comptroller, and Attorney General. With a new gubernatorial administration comes opportunity for increased legislative movement. Select legislators could move into the administration, allowing for some committee shakeups.
In Delaware, all seats are up for re-election due to redistricting. Compass will keep a pulse on contentious races that could impact the composition of the leadership in the General Assembly. This is not an election year for Governor Carney, so we do anticipate general consistency in the make up of the Administration.
District of Columbia will also hold their General Election on November 8th. We expect to see a few new faces in the coming year. Compass is monitoring contentious At-Large race between Kenyan McDuffie and Elissa Silverman.
This election lends the Compass team an opportunity to facilitate working relationships from freshman delegates to Governors’ offices, while strengthening the relationships we currently hold.
We will hold a call on November 9th to deliver a live update from our government relations team about election results in Maryland, Delaware, and D.C.
The 2023 Session will bring a significant change to the state budget process. Prior to 2023, once the Governor submits the operating budget to the General Assembly in January, the legislature could only make cuts. They could not add money to the budget and could not shift money from one program to another. Beginning in 2023, the legislature will be able to add money to sections of the operating budget, as long as the Governor’s overall level of spending is not exceeded. The Governor maintains some power as they will be able to veto these individual budget actions. This creates additional advocacy opportunities should money not make it into the Governor’s proposed operating budget.
The Compass Government Relations team is here to help you navigate these changes. Contact us today!
Addison is a Principal of Government Relations and Director of Public Relations at Compass Advocacy. Wearing both hats, Addison connects the dots between government advocacy and brand strategy, helping clients on projects ranging from lobbying to logo design.
Government Relations
Prior to joining Compass in 2021, he served as the Communications Specialist for the U.S. Architect of the Capitol’s historic Cannon Renewal Project, where he coordinated messaging and outreach initiatives to House Members, staff, and key congressional stakeholders.
Addison also spent three years in the Maryland General Assembly as Chief of Staff to Delegate Darryl Barnes, Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. In this role, he worked on legislation to improve equity, procurement, and funding opportunities for minority businesses and disadvantaged communities across the state of Maryland.
Public Relations
Aside from his political experience, Addison has helped several nonprofits and businesses in the Greater Washington Region, providing consulting services in branding, graphic design, website development, and multimedia. With a spirit for community and collaboration, he launched a creative pop-up event series in 2017 for young professionals to connect through arts and music.
Additional Background
Addison studied Marketing with a concentration in Product and Brand Management at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a lifelong resident of Prince George’s County and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alex has a decade of legislative, lobbying, and advocacy experience at the federal, state, and local levels of government. As a former Government Affairs Director for the Port of Baltimore, she has strong relationships with members in the Baltimore region of the Maryland General Assembly as well as Hogan Administration officials. Having worked for members of the House and Senate that represented Maryland’s Eastern Shore Alex brings unique, long-standing relationships in this rural jurisdiction. In addition, Alex manages the Delaware book for Compass’ Government Affairs practice. In Delaware, Alex works to advance client objectives within Leg Hall and at the local levels of government.
Alex has extensive background on business and tax policy, particularly with respect to issues that impact the transportation and logistics industry. She has experience in cannabis, energy, and civil justice policy and often assists clients in procurement pursuits in both Delaware and Maryland. Her ties to departments like transportation, natural resources, and information and technology in both states enable clients to easily get in front of decision makers ahead of sought-after procurements.
When not lobbying in the halls of Annapolis or Dover you can find Alex hiking, running, or growing something new in her garden. She has a strong sense of community and believes in giving back often and supporting the efforts of those doing good in her area.
Josh excels in policy analysis, logistics, and strategic advice. For the past several years, Josh has represented clients in policy matters related to business regulation, labor & employment, planning and zoning, civil justice, and behavioral health. Josh advocates for clients across Maryland and its local county jurisdictions including Montgomery and Anne Arundel Counties. Josh also heads Compass’ Washington D.C. government relations division, representing clients before the D.C. Council and Mayor’s executive agencies.
As a former staffer to Maryland State Senator Nancy King, Josh ran the Montgomery County Senate Delegation. Since his time in the private sector, Josh has been able to effectively leverage strong relationships with members and staff of the General Assembly to obtain our client’s policy priorities. Josh ensures Compass clients are ready to advocate before the Maryland General Assembly and leads effective advocacy training for clients and their association members. Josh routinely appears with and on behalf of clients before the Senate Judicial Proceedings and Finance Committees, as well as the House Judiciary, Economic Matters, and Health & Government Operations Committee.
Originally from Calvert County, Josh is a graduate of the University of Maryland College Park, enjoys running, camping, and playing golf.
