Michael Carlson Email & Phone Number

Tallahassee, Fl, Us

Tallahassee, Florida Area

I am the founding president of a Florida property & casualty insurance trade association providing dynamic industry leadership in government relations, media relations, and strategic policy development for leading national property and casualty insurers and their subsidiaries operating in Florida. PIFF members write $12B in auto premium and $1B in homeowners' premium in this state. I focus on legislative and executive branch government relations, advocating for pro-market and consumer-oriented laws and policies that will serve the greater good. I create effective advocacy and public relations strategies yielding demonstrable positive results for association members.I am the principal manager and strategist of an affiliated political committee that contributes to state-level candidates, committees, and parties. I am responsible for candidate slate development, political reporting, and donor outreach. I serve as lead legal analyst for amicus filings in state and federal courts on matters of interest to the association membership and routinely collaborate with national and other state trades in presenting the industry’s views before appellate tribunals.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

I worked directly with the Chief of Staff in operational leadership of the department, managing a staff of 2,000+ employees and a budget of $232 million. I shared responsibility for agency operational activities, which included the settlement of accounts owed by the state ($8B monthly), the auditing of state expenditures, the investment of state funds in the Treasury ($18B in assets), the oversight of the state workers’ compensation program, the licensing of over 400,000 professionals in the insurance and deathcare industries, the investigation of insurance fraud and arson, and insuring state agencies against loss through the risk management program ($100+M in claims annually). I led the Office of Cabinet Affairs, through which the CFO asserts authority over state insurance and financial institution regulation, the state retirement investment program ($135B in assets), the state bond finance program, the state hurricane catastrophe fund ($17B in reinsurance coverage), and state lands management. I led the Office of Legislative Affairs, which represents the CFO and the Department before the Florida Legislature. I also led the CFO’s Correspondence Office, which provides outreach to constituents on a multitude of policy issues relating to the CFO’s cabinet and agency duties.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

As the CFO's chief lobbyist, I developed an ambitious legislative agenda which expanded the CFO’s legislative and executive branch advocacy over four legislative sessions, leading to enactment of laws in the areas of consumer protection in annuities sales, state contract reform, enterprise information system governance, state pension fund oversight reform, and state hurricane catastrophe fund reform. I worked diligently to form bipartisan coalitions of state legislators, lobbyists, and stakeholder groups to advocate for policy changes advantageous to the CFO, the Department, and its customers.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

I served as the staff director of the House Insurance Committee during the tumultuous period following the 2004-2005 hurricane seasons. During the fall of 2006 and winter of 2007, I served as the committee manager and policy adviser to House leadership. During the January 2007 legislative special session "A," legislative leaders made significant changes to Florida's property insurance laws, expanding state oversight and participation in the homeowners' property insurance market.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

I led the staff of the Economic Development, Trade & Banking Committee during 2005 and 2006. In this role I managed all aspects of committee operations, developed legislative strategy for House leadership, and served as policy adviser to the committee chairman and senior House members on economic development, trade, and banking issues.I was instrumental in ensuring passage of key economic development legislation that created the Innovation Incentive Program ($200M), expanded the Quick Action Closing Fund ($45M), and modernized the state "enterprise zone" economic development program.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

As lead legal counsel for the Committee, I was responsible for legal and policy analysis on various educational policy initiatives, including school choice and the Voluntary Pre-K program. I also served as a procedural rules adviser to the Staff Director, Policy Coordinator, and Committee Chair, with the goal of effectively steering critical issues through final passage.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

I prosecuted license disciplinary cases against healthcare licensees under the state Administrative Procedures Act on behalf of the Prosecution Services Unit. I also served as lead appellate counsel for various appeals of license disciplinary orders.

Greater Atlanta Area

I practiced insurance defense law, handling an active caseload of approximately 40 lawsuits.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

As counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, I helped craft tort reform and Year 2000 litigation law.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

I practiced commercial litigation, insurance defense, and insurance regulatory law. I also represented the Southern Shakespeare Festival and various artists on a pro bono basis.

Tallahassee, Florida Area

I practiced administrative, appellate and insurance regulatory law, representing clients before the Office of Insurance Regulation and in Florida courts and administrative tribunals.

J.D., Law, With Honors

Activities and Societies: Editorial Board, Law Review; Moot Court; Order of Barristers.As editor of the annual Legislative Edition.

M.S., Political Science

Academic focus on international relations theory, foreign policy analysis and comparative political development.

B.A., Political Science, Cum Laude

Activities and Societies: Pi Sigma Alpha, Sigma Iota Rho, Pi Gamma Mu.Academic focus on comparative politics, political theory.

Screenwriting I, A

The course provided an introduction to the basic techniques of screenwriting and storyboarding. It included exercises in story structure.