DC Speaker to Elicit Our Political Mojo

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The “advocacy guru” who prepared TRSA members in 2011 for their Capitol Hill Day visits will be back to do the same next month. Stephanie Vance will share more of her insider tips on how to influence federal officials, discussing tactics she describes as free of “manipulation, bribery or lying!”

Her presentation is set for the afternoon of Tuesday, March 27, at the TRSA Leadership & Legislative Conference in suburban National Harbor, MD. On the following morning, conference participants will put her advice into action in downtown meetings with legislators and their staffs. Other government-related presentations highlight the event’s schedule on those two days.

Vance has over 20 years of experience in congressional affairs. She’s worked in a prominent D.C. law firm, lobbied for National Public Radio and worked in various congressional offices, holding positions, such as legislative director and staff director.

Her work on congressional communications stems from her belief that government is effective only when citizens are active participants. Vance has presented her “Citizens in Action” concepts at seminars and workshops around the country. She also is a member of the National Speakers Association, American Society of Association Executives and Women in Government Relations. Her work has been the subject of a variety of print media stories, including a column in the Washington Post.

Her new book, The Influence Game, is set for release in May by John Wiley & Sons. It’s a look at 50 of the most effective tactics D.C. lobbyists and special interests deploy to persuade legislators and their staffs. As Vance says in her blog, “Think of your influence effort as existing along a spectrum from easy to difficult from your audience’s perspective.

“Will it cost them money? Time? Political or other capital? Will someone be angry with them if they agree with you? The answer to these questions will tell you whether the influence situation is controversial or relatively easy.”

The conference begins Monday, March 26, at the Gaylord National Resort with gatherings of the Board of Directors and Associate and Centennial committees. All other committees will meet concurrently on Tuesday morning.

Government affairs presentations begin Tuesday afternoon. Besides Vance, they include these nationally recognized speakers:

• Mort Kondracke, the nearly 50-year veteran of political journalism who is senior editor of the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. He also serves as a regular commentator for Fox News Channel and as a panelist on the network’s Special Report with Bret Baier.

• Richard Fairfax, the Labor Department deputy assistant secretary who oversees OSHA’s enforcement and construction directorates. He’s opined on numerous safety regulations of keen interest to the textile services industry, particularly rules governing bloodborne pathogens and lockout/tagout.
   

Activity shifts to downtown Washington on Wednesday with a Capitol Hill breakfast, visits to congressional offices and lunch with legislators at the Capitol Hill Club.