Working as part of the National Association of Counties Financial Services Corporation, I lead the development and implementation of strategic partnerships that result in innovative, value-added financial solutions for county and local governments across the United States. I provide strategic public sector sales leadership, outreach, communications and relationship management with our numerous state association affiliate partners representing local government and local government prospects to identify and facilitate helpful solutions and listen to the unique needs of their members. I work closely with our carefully-selected corporate partners to drive public sector sales, technology innovation and value to county governments nationwide where it is needed most. Through our corporate partnerships, I serve as an extension of their sales and business development teams working to identify, qualify, present the value proposition and follow up with local government prospects and leads through the entire pipeline process (prospecting to deal close).I develop and execute government sector sales and business development/marketing plans and strategies in conjunction with state association partners related to innovative financial technologies and management. The goal is always to relentlessly pursue and create new revenue opportunities and cost savings for county government members and their taxpayers. I manage a regional staff and provide oversight including the development of a strategy, goals and objectives to carry out the mission of providing value-added programs and services to our many state association partners and county government members. Our approach is consultative, entrepreneurial and focused on business development and sales that provide real value to our members and partners.

I led national business development activities, marketing and state legislative strategies related to the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance Program on behalf of NACo and local governments everywhere. I managed a national team of regional development staff members while also providing program support and development activities to our state affiliate sponsors (i.e. endorsing state associations) in the Midwest and Northeast. About U.S. Communities U.S. Communities was founded by the National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC), U.S. Conference of Mayors, Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) and National Governors Association (NGA). U.S. Communities is the leading national cooperative purchasing program, providing world-class government procurement resources and solutions to local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education institutions, and nonprofits looking for the best overall supplier government pricing. Our Lead Public Agency (LPA) bidding model allows government agencies nationwide the ability to "piggyback" off of existing public contracts resulting in significant time and cost savings for agency budgets and taxpayers.

Managed the eastern territory for NACo on behalf of the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance Program. In this role, I developed and executed statewide marketing strategies and plans in conjunction with our state affiliate program sponsors (i.e. state associations) to increase usage of the USC Program, drive sales and deliver member savings. Conducted specific outreach and communications to targets and general populations in each state to educate public agencies about the time and cost saving benefits of cooperative purchasing.

Working as part of Ag Solar Solutions (A Lattice Energy brand), I deliver tailored solar energy solutions to farmers, agribusiness and other businesses across the nation, improving their bottom line and contributing to sustainability goals. Manage all stages of the sales cycle, from prospecting to proposal presentation to negotiation and closing of the deal. Experienced in solar sales to commercial, agriculture and residential clients nationwide.

Represented Indiana Farm Bureau's 73,000 farmer members and their families at the national level as head of federal government relations. Ensured the voices of our members were heard in Washington, D.C. by successfully managing congressional relations, legislative and regulatory strategies, and involvement in coalitions to achieve policy goals. Developed and implemented advocacy education, action campaigns, and member programs for the organization. Identified and implemented a new online advocacy action campaign system and platform resulting in a doubling of member reach and response rates and over 85% savings for the organization compared to the previous system. The online strategy and platform also resulted in a significant increase in social media activity and "follows" for the organization while providing a smart phone application for members to easily take action on legislative and regulatory action campaigns and stay up to date on the latest activities.Improved the organization's annual national legislative "fly-in" to Washington, D.C. by expanding program content in strategic policy priority areas, connecting with key coalition partners, and increasing the quality and diversity of meetings on Capitol Hill. Led the development of new educational materials for members, including a program that included logistical and best practice information to enhance their experience and improve the organization's presence among key stakeholders and congressional members and their staff.Developed and implemented a new international study trip called the Agricultural Leadership Exchange (ALE), which led 20 members to Germany and Belgium to learn and share about agriculture production, food, and policy issues in foreign countries. Led program/agenda development, budgeting, served as trip leader, and hosted educational briefings before and after the trip. Successfully promoted the trip via a designated website, newsletters, social media, and member videos.

During the Robert Bosch Fellowship in Germany, I was Employed by Ecologic Institute where I developed and executed a project to collect and analyze environmental and energy policies and outcomes of various EU Member States to assess their progress meeting stated EU climate goals. Recommendations were provided following my analysis. I also led a comparative research study on renewable energy ownership structures, energy policy, and tax implications in Germany, which included a focus on rural communities and agricultural stakeholders.

At Climate-KIC, the EU's clean technology business incubator, I led efforts to develop a strategic plan for the Sustainable City Systems Platform. The goal of SCS was to develop a clean technology innovation ecosystem and engage small and medium sized businesses, public utilities, government, and NGOs to address market barriers and gaps for clean technologies. Specific work included research, analysis, and recommendations to the organization regarding economic, policy, and structural feasibility of the initiative. While all clean technologies were considered, the primary strategic focus areas included advanced mobility, electric vehicles, smart grid development, and the internet of things (IoT).

Managed all day-to-day business activities of a leading interdisciplinary research institution consisting of over 40 faculty research members, 30 post-doctoral students, and an annual research budget of $7 million which grew each year during my employement. Duties included internal and external communications, public outreach, government and industry relations, budgets, grant proposal development, project management, and event planning. Identified and secured strategic external partnerships that assisted the organization in more effectively meeting our mission including relationships with other universities, government agencies, laboratories, non-profits, and industry leaders. The primary focus of outreach activities centered around the key competencies and expertise of the organization and its members, including advanced mobility, electric vehicles, advanced battery storage (grid and EV), fuel cells, bio-fuels, and public policy. Served as co-chair of the Public Policy Working Group.Led the development and implementation of a new marketing strategy including the development of a new website, social media, brand development, presentations, special events, and media outreach. Managed a team of 3 employees and provided oversight for a number of projects including serving as an instructor for graduate-level capstone projects and faculty adviser for the university Energy Club.Organized and marketed the annual Indiana Renewable Energy Forum resulting in a doubling of attendance and corporate sponsorships in less than four years.

As a Max Kade Fellow, I managed an independent research project and wrote a thesis on the topic of German renewable energy policy and economic development. I traveled to Germany to conduct field research and interviewed high-ranking federal government officials, university researchers, industry experts and private sector business leaders.

Managed and marketed the export assistance program and provided support to over 70 small and medium sized companies on behalf of the Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Provided market research and analysis to assist companies with identifying potential international opportunities, facilitated appropriate investment decisions and helped recruit prospective companies for international buyers missions and trade shows. Facilitated food and agriculture companies' participation in educational workshops, seminars, and other services or funding programs to promote their products in the international marketplace.

Provided labor market research, reporting and recommendations to college leadership to facilitate strategic decision-making regarding to continuing and community education programs. Specific duties included the gathering and analysis of labor market and wage information, researching best practices across the country, and making analytical assessments of key economic trends. Summaries and recommendations were provided to managers for over 20 academic, community, and continuing education programs.

Provided support in the hosting of diplomatic delegations, administered analysis and reported on economic trends, legislation and EU regulatory issues affecting U.S. business interests in Germany.I Managed the research and identification of potential candidates for the International Visitor Program, administered the coordination efforts between agencies for the revision of the Emergency Action Plan, and provided other logistical assistance to the Political-Economic Section of the U.S. Consulate.