Board of Directors

In her role at FedEx Corporation, Ms. Adams shapes and promotes the interests of all FedEx Corporation operating companies, including FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight, in the political and policy arenas.  As a lawyer and the company’s top lobbyist, she works with Administration officials, members of Congress, the diplomatic community and industry associations on domestic and international commerce, infrastructure and transportation issues.  Ms. Adams also participates in a variety of activities in the non-profit and corporate arenas: she is Vice Chair of the American University Board of Governors, serves on the Howard University School of Law Board of Visitors, as well as the boards of the Town Hall Education Arts & Recreational Campus and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Mr. Ahmed is the Head of Global Public Affairs and Strategic Research at PayPal Inc. His work covers a variety of global issues including financial services regulation, innovation, international trade, and entrepreneurship. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law School where he teaches a course on Fintech Law and Policy. Prior to PayPal, Mr. Ahmed worked at a number of policy think tanks in the Washington DC area focusing on good governance issues.

Mr. Ashton, Jr. is the Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of The St. James, a leading developer and operator of performance, wellness and lifestyle brands, experiences, technologies and destinations. Prior to founding The St. James, Mr. Ashton was a founding member and Managing Director of Perella Weinberg Partners, a global boutique financial services firm. Mr. Ashton is a member of the Board of Directors of The Cronos Group (NASDAQ: CRON), an innovative global cannabinoid company, the Board of Trustees of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Board of Trustees of the National Urban League. He is also an emeritus member of the Board of Visitors and Foundation Board of the College of William & Mary.

Sameer Bhargava is CEO of Clark’s Asset Solutions Group, which provides development, capital, technology, and advisory services that optimize a real estate asset’s lifecycle and user experience. In this role, he oversees the strategic direction of Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, S2N Technology Group, Carta Advisors, Coda, Fractile, and Align Capital Solutions.

As an executive team member of Clark Construction, an 118-year-old national construction and real estate firm, Sameer is also responsible for the organization’s corporate planning, strategy, innovation, risk management, and information technology functions. Prior to his current role, Sameer served as Chief Financial Officer of Clark, where he was also responsible for financial, compliance, and risk aspects of the business. 

Prior to joining Clark, Sameer served as managing director and director of corporate development at The Carlyle Group, where he focused on firm strategy and planning, firm acquisitions, fundraising initiatives, new product development, and strategic relationships. Before this role at Carlyle, he was an investment professional in their US Buyout Fund in the Aerospace & Defense group and the Industrial group.

Sameer’s career has also included various roles with Bain Capital, Advent International, and McKinsey & Company.

Sameer earned his bachelor’s degree in biology with honors from Harvard University and an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School.

Sameer is a board member of StubHub, a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, a member of the DMV Regional Congress, and served as Chair of the Board of The Potomac School. In 2019, Sameer was a Washington Business Journal C-Suite Awards recipient. He and his wife Nimisha have four children and reside in McLean, VA

Mr. Bynum serves as Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for PNC Bank, where he leads PNC Community Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility; Community Development Banking; and Diversity and Inclusion.  Bynum is an accomplished executive with 20 years of executive leadership experience, most recently serving as President of PNC Bank's Greater Washington Market.  Bynum serves on the boards of numerous non-profits and civic organizations, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, the United Way of the National Capital Area, and the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Teresa is a visionary female leader in the world of tech, working to enact change. She’s an industry disruptor for new and emerging technologies focused on accelerating global resilience in AI, cyber, cloud computing and mission intelligence. A veteran executive of large tech companies Amazon and Microsoft. She has spent her career working to ensure governments securely had the most cutting-edge access to technology. Teresa is a current investor, board member and advisor with General Catalyst Institute, one of the largest investors in emerging artificial intelligence technologies in the United States, Europe and India. Teresa also dedicates time to philanthropic and leadership roles in the global community. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of White House Historical Association, Executive Committee of The Atlantic Council, The Pentagon Memorial Fund and Commissioner at the National Portrait Gallery.

Formerly President of Riggs National Corporation and CEO of Riggs Investment Advisors, Inc. which managed assets of over $1 billion, Coughlin currently manages business development activities and is a member of Edgemoor’s Investment Selection Committee. He is Chairman of WETA Public Television and Radio and a Trustee of the Washington National Cathedral.

Under de Picciotto’s leadership, Octagon is regarded as a leader in talent representation, property ownership, event management and corporate marketing. He may be best known for building the brands and overseeing the careers of many of the world’s most recognizable athletes and celebrities, ranging from Super Bowl champions to Olympic gold medalists to royalty to network broadcasters.

Terri leads United Airlines' federal, state and local government engagement and is based in Washington, D.C. Before joining United, she served as vice president of Exxon Mobil Corporation’s Washington, D.C. office and led the company’s federal and state government affairs operation. In her 16-year tenure at Exxon Mobil, Terri advised the company’s senior leadership on key issues before Congress, the Executive Branch and state governments.

Amy Gilliland is president of General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics Corporation. GDIT is a $8.5B global technology enterprise with operations in 30 countries worldwide and 30,000 technologists and services professionals delivering critical mission capabilities across defense, civilian and intelligence agencies. Gilliland has more than 25 years of public sector experience including service in the U.S. Navy and nearly two decades in leadership positions at General Dynamics.



Prior to her current role as president, GDIT, Gilliland held a variety of leadership roles at General Dynamics including senior vice president of human resources and administration, chief of staff for the chief executive officer and staff vice president of strategic planning, and staff vice president of investor relations.



Before joining General Dynamics, Gilliland served in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, Congressional Affairs Liaison Officer and Public Affairs Officer.



She earned a bachelor’s degree with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy, a master’s degree from Cambridge University and a master’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University.  Gilliland is a Board of Director of BNY Mellon and for the Northern Virginia Technology Council. She is also involved in raising Rett Syndrome awareness through the Rett Syndrome Research Trust.

Leslie D. Hale is the President and Chief Executive Officer at RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE: RLJ), a leading hotel real estate investment trust that owns 97 hotels with approximately 21,200 rooms across the United States. Since joining in 2005, Ms. Hale has played a pivotal role in setting and executing the strategic vision at RLJ and has held progressively senior roles – she was appointed to Chief Financial Officer in 2007, Chief Operating Officer in 2016 and Chief Executive Officer in 2018. In addition, Ms. Hale helped successfully lead the execution of RLJ’s initial public offering (IPO) in 2011, oversaw the first merger of two hospitality REITs in 2017, and is on RLJ’s Board of Directors. 

In addition to her work at RLJ, Ms. Hale currently serves on the Board of Directors of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL), is a Howard University Trustee and is a Board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Baltimore Branch. Other organizations in which she is a member are the MINA Advisory Board, NAREIT Advisory Board of Governors, AHLA Executive Board, IREFAC, and The Real Estate Roundtable. 

Before joining RLJ, Ms. Hale held senior positions at GE – working in GE’s Commercial Finance Mergers & Acquisitions Group and GE’s Real Estate Strategic Capital Group. Ms. Hale was also an investment banker with Goldman Sachs, advising on mergers, acquisitions, and corporate finance. Ms. Hale received her BBA summa cum laude from Howard University, and her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was a Goldman Sachs and Toigo Fellow.  

J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, is the President and CEO of Inova Health System. He is a board-certified urological surgeon and a Professor of Surgery at the University of Virginia. Previously, Dr. Jones served as President of Cleveland Clinic Regional Hospitals and Family Health Centers. He holds multiple degrees, including an MD from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Jones is widely published and serves on various medical boards and organizations.

Mr. Knox is the SVP, Federal Corporate Affairs and Public Policy, joining the company in 2006. Mr. Knox leads and oversees the company's Federal Relations team. He also represents Aflac in legislative and regulatory matters with the federal government by providing policy direction, coordinating federal affairs initiatives and lobbying for the company’s interests in Washington, D.C. Knox is actively involved in the community serving on several boards including those of Meridian International Center, Congressional Award Foundation, Small Business Council of America, and Public Affairs Council. Additionally, he is co-founder of the Washington Heads of Office Leadership Council (WHOOLC) and was recently recognized as National Diversity Council’s 2021 Most Influential African Americans in Business. 

Ms. Lea oversees all government and public policy work for Paramount globally, having two decades worth of leadership experience and institutional knowledge.  She previously served as Viacom's Executive Vice President of GLobal Government Affairs since 2013.  Currently, she serves on the Boards of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the MedStar Washington Hospital Center.  In 2019, Lea was named by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America.

Stephanie Linnartz is the former President and CEO of Under Armour. Prior to joining Under Armour, she served as the president of Marriott International, overseeing the company's global consumer strategy, brand, marketing, sales, technology, and loyalty initiatives. Linnartz is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and holds an MBA from William & Mary. She is actively involved in various boards and organizations, including The Home Depot Inc. and the College of the Holy Cross.

Ms. McLean is Chief Executive Officer of EDENS, one of the nation’s leading private owners, operators and developers of retail real estate. She is responsible for EDENS’ strategy to move the portfolio to major urban centers, creating a portfolio of assets that are the center of community life. She was named Chief Investment Officer in 1997, President in 2002 and CEO in 2015. Overall, Ms. McLean has been responsible for the development, redevelopment, acquisition and disposition of more than $15 billion in retail assets.

Ziad Ojakli most recently served as Executive Vice President of Government Operations at The Boeing Company. He was Boeing's chief lobbyist and a member of the company's Executive Council. Prior to joining Boeing, Ojakli served as Managing Partner and Senior Vice President of SoftBank. He has extensive experience in government relations, having spent 14 years at Ford Motor Company in various leadership roles. Ojakli has also served in the White House under President George W. Bush and holds board positions in several notable organizations, including the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Ford's Theatre. He holds a bachelor's degree in American government from Georgetown University.

The company Rabbitt founded in 1989 now yields annual sales nationally in excess of $300 million. Rand’s client-oriented, design-focused construction is consistently lauded. Ms. Rabbitt was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Class of 2016 and the Washington Business Hall of Fame, and has been named "Washingtonian of the Year".

Mr. Rozanski is President and Chief Executive Officer of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., a global technology and consulting company that serves government clients and Fortune 500 corporations. Since 2012, he has led a strategic transformation of the firm, investing in innovation, advanced technology, and highly skilled talent, and reshaping its portfolio toward mission-critical, high-margin solutions. Mr. Rozanski joined Booz Allen in 1992 as a consultant to commercial clients, was elected vice president in 1999, and served as chief personnel officer, chief strategy and talent officer, and president and chief operating officer before becoming CEO. He also is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors.

Russo has been the CEO of GW Hospital since May 2016, previously serving as COO for more than seven years.  Russo has received numerous accolades for her impact on health, including being named one of Washingtonian Magazine's Most Powerful Women in 2019.  Russo holds a number of positions supporting healthcare efforts throughout the city, including serving as a voting member of the D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformation and Chair of the Board of the District of Columbia Hospital Association.

With more than 20 years’ experience in change management, sales strategy and professional development, Ms. Schoppmann is focused on elevating talent, strategy, performance and client service across the Mid-Atlantic. Ms. Schoppmann serves as President of CBRE’s Mid-Atlantic markets, which include Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. She is a part of CBRE’s global Executive Inclusion Council, a senior leadership team committed to enabling CBRE’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy. She is a Founding Member of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of Chief, the only private membership network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders.

Mr. Sweet’s long-time experience in the security and intelligence fields led to the co-founding of The Chertoff Group, where he oversees consulting with companies and governments on their own security and advises on mergers and acquisitions in the security industry. Prior to founding The Chertoff Group, Mr. Sweet served as the Chief of Staff of the Department of Homeland Security to help manage one of the largest federal agencies with approximately 220,000 professionals and an annual budget of over $50 billion.

Mr. Vargas is the Vice President, Head of Global Public Policy at General Motors (GM). Prior to joining GM in August of 2021, Vargas held senior government relations roles with 3M, Praxair and PepsiCo. Earlier in his career, Vargas worked in Government Service as an appointee of President George W. Bush to the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served in a variety of capacities.  He currently serves as co-chair of the Meridian Center’s Executive Committee and as a board member for Fiscal Note, Executive Institute Advisory Board.

Heather K. Wingate serves as Senior Vice President, Government Affairs for Delta Air Lines. Her responsibilities include managing Delta’s Federal and International government relations teams. She is responsible for developing and advocating Delta’s public policy positions with the White House, the Administration, and Congress. She also oversees Delta’s political engagement and relationships with think tanks, industry coalitions, and other public policy organizations.

Prior to joining Delta in October 2017, Heather spent five years as the Head of Global Government Relations for MetLife. Her responsibilities included managing MetLife's State, Federal, and international government relations teams, as well as its Regulatory Policy Group, responsible for MetLife’s engagement on public policy and regulatory issues at all levels of government. From May 2010 to October 2012, she was Managing Director of Public Affairs for Nomura Holding America, Inc., where she established and ran the company's Washington office. From 2003 to April 2010, she served as Managing Director and Head of Federal Government Affairs at Citi in Washington.

Heather has served in several public sector positions, including as Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and subsequently as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs from 2001 to 2003, where she promoted the President's legislative agenda before the U.S. Senate. In addition to her executive branch experience, Heather worked in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2001, serving as Chief of Staff to then-Senator Sam Brownback. She practiced law in Washington from 1993-1995 and began her Washington career as an intern to then-Senator Bob Dole in 1989.

Heather received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at the University of Kansas in 1989 and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1993. She is a member of the Kansas Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar.

She serves on the Board of Directors of the Washington International Horse Show and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Government Affairs 50/World 50 group and the Economic Club of Washington, DC. She previously served on the National Presbyterian School Board of Trustees (2016- 2022); the board of Women's Policy, Inc., and the board of the Business-Government Relations Council. She formerly served as the President of the Kansas Society of Washington, DC, a nonprofit member of the National Conference of State Societies.

Ms. Wolff is responsible for the company’s government affairs globally, including U.S. Federal, U.S. State, and International Government Relations.  She has over 20 years of government relations experience. She served six years in the White House, including three years as the Assistant to President George W. Bush for Legislative Affairs.

Brady’s affiliation with The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. began when the Club was founded in 1986. From its earliest days, she has served as the hands-on manager, coordinating all Club activities as well as managing its growth. She became the Executive Director in 2007 and President & CEO in 2021.