The Nonprofit Leader's Guide by Boundless
We want to bring you the thoughts of some of the most impactful leaders in health and human services. Their real-world experience in driving growth and impact and leading in hard times might be just the extra dose of motivation and common sense you need to bring to your organization whether you are an Executive Team member or the Board President. We think that leading the conversation about the nonprofit business sector and what nonprofits should think about now is part of our mission, “Building A World that realizes the boundless potential of all people.”
Our purpose in this podcast is to make your mission, our mission.
The Nonprofit Leader's Guide by Boundless
From Statehouse To Capitol Hill: What Makes Government Relations Work Is Not A Mystery
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Policy doesn’t move because of one meeting or a flashy stat—it moves when people align around a mission, build trust over time, and show up with care and consistency. We sit down with government affairs pros Anthony Kukura (Boundless), Casey Davison (Roberti Global), and Kelly Keyes (Kallner & Associates) to lift the curtain on what truly works on Capitol Hill and in statehouses.
We explore why alignment across partners is the first step to meaningful wins, how to root relationships in trust instead of transactions, and Casey’s “four Cs” framework—care, consistency, candidness, collaboration. You’ll hear how federal policy like Medicaid sets the rules of the road while states control implementation, and why smart advocates work both levels to turn broad mandates into local impact.
The team shares tactics to localize data and elevate lived experience—bringing self-advocates and families into the room, leaving a sharp one-pager behind, and following up with clarity. (hint: handwritten notes!)
We get real about administration changes and election cycles, with practical contingency planning and bipartisan relationship building to stay effective when power flips. We also tackle misconceptions on both sides: nonprofits fearing the process is “too big,” and policymakers seeing nonprofits as charity rather than essential infrastructure. This episode also included two mission moments to spotlight how inclusive networking reshapes opportunity.
If you’re a nonprofit leader or advocate looking to make your next meeting count, this conversation gives you a clear playbook—what to do, what to avoid, and how to persist with purpose. Enjoy the episode, then subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help more mission-driven teams find it.
Rapid-Fire Principles Of GR
SPEAKER_05Okay, a quick rapid fire here to all of our guests before I give you the full introduction and the whole thing. All right, really quickly to all of you. So, Anthony, why don't you start us off with this? How would you complete this sentence?
SPEAKER_02Government relations is effective when uh there is collective alignment around a policy goal. Okay, Kelly?
SPEAKER_01When it's rooted in trust and not transactional relationships.
SPEAKER_05Awesome. Casey?
SPEAKER_04When it's grounded in consistency, candidness, care, and collaboration. I call it the four C's of government relations.
Meet The Guests
SPEAKER_05All right, great. I will kindly ask all of you to expound on those answers in just a little bit. But first, to all of our listeners, to everyone listening, welcome to the Nonprofit Leader's Guide Podcast brought to you by Boundless. I'm your host, Scott Light. Okay, so you heard their voices very briefly there. Now let me properly introduce you to them. Anthony Kakura is director of government affairs for Boundless and also a repeat guest to the podcast. Anthony, good to have you here. Casey Davison is a partner at Robert Global and a seasoned policy professional working on Capitol Hill. And Kelly Keyes is here. She is manager of government affairs for Counter and Associates. She has worked on The Hill and also at the Ohio State House. Hey, welcome all. It's good to see you.
SPEAKER_01Hi, it's good to see you too. Thanks for having us on today.
SPEAKER_02Good to be back. Thanks, Scott.
Why Alignment, Trust, And The Four Cs
SPEAKER_05All right. I want to circle back to the rapid fire off the top. Anthony, back to you. You said that government affairs, government relations is effective when there's collective alignment. Uh explain, please, sir.
SPEAKER_02Sure. So I think uh it really kind of speaks to what we've brought together even here this morning is I don't think anybody ever accomplishes anything in this space by themselves. And without the partnerships that even we have here at Boundless, we would never be able to, you know, have a lot of the success we've had, especially in a year like we've had this past year. Uh the partnership that we've had with Kelly has been phenomenal with the work we've done at the state house. And as we've really sought to look for a similar partnership at the federal level, when the opportunity arose to work with Casey and his team, uh it just seemed like a really natural next step. But we we felt that that same type of partnership uh that we've had here in state is really what we were looking for uh at the federal level as well.
SPEAKER_05That's fantastic. Okay, Kelly, you said it's effective when there's trust and when it's not transactional. Tell us more.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I think a lot of people think that lobbying is going to the government and asking for something on, you know, in one single swoop. Um, but that's not the case. It's actually long-term, it's educational, and it's investing in relationships so that way those legislators trust you because when they trust you, they're going to take your um opinion into consideration a lot more. It's investing time into those relationships and helping lawmakers understand the real life impacts of their policy choices and not just the policy that's on the paper.
Personal Paths Into Public Service
SPEAKER_05Okay. Casey, we'll come to you. Now you have to be careful when you when you mention uh four C's in Ohio, because we have the three C's here in terms of Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus, but your four C's are different. Tell us about yours.
SPEAKER_04Anthony and uh Kelly actually touched on at least two of them. I I think Anthony's answer r really focuses on uh collaboration, the the one C, and then I would say Kelly's focuses on candidness. Um the the other two I mentioned are care and consistency. So let's start with care. It's critical that advocates care about the underlying issues that they are presenting and pushing on Capitol Hill or in the State House. Um, it's important that you have some semblance of personal experience or exposure uh to the issue that you're that you're fighting for. It it really informs your work ethic and it adds this sense of genuineness to how you conduct yourself with lawmakers and their staff. And then when it comes to consistency, it's so important to actually make meaningful impact in these places of power. We show up, we constantly check um, you know, uh the legislative process, committee activity, and we continue to sort of sound the drumbeat of advo of advocacy and being passionate, happy warriors.
SPEAKER_05I want to come back to the word that you just mentioned, care there, Casey. And let's have you you start and then we'll come back around the horn here. Um, all of you are in your respective fields because you care about this work. It's for the good of the whole, right? So uh before we get into, again, talking about specifics with government relations and and government affairs, um, what brought you to uh this this field? What what what was that first maybe spark to the where you thought, you know what, this is what I want to do with my career, Casey?
SPEAKER_04So for me, what brought me into government relations and and before that, my time as a congressional staffer really was my passion for public service and supporting communities. And I think that's derived from you know my early childhood. So uh when I was young, um, I lost my father at a young age to suicide, and my mother has uh neurological condition. And and those personal experiences have really informed everything I do career-wise. Um, going back to the importance of caring about uh the mission at hand, um, having skin in the game really, you know, makes your your your narrative more compelling.
SPEAKER_05Kelly, what about you? What brought you to this work?
State Versus Federal: How They Differ
SPEAKER_01So for me, there was never really a defining moment that brought me to this work or made me realize that government relations was going to be my path. Um, I think when I was in high school, government or sorry, not government relations, government and history classes were always my favorite. And much to my parents' dismay, I always loved a good debate. So um I kind of took that and ran with it in college. Um I started my freshman year in 2016, which was one of the most, you know, contentious elections of what I think is of our history as a country. And um, being on campus at that time really inspired me to study political science. And from there, you know, when I started working on The Hill and at the Ohio State House, I worked directly with constituents, heard their stories, and I really dug deep into the problem solving for those constituents. And it wasn't just policy on a paper, it was helping real people in their real lives. Um, and so I spent a few years there, and I think that that is when I realized that I wanted to be on the other side of the coin and really help advocates go to the government and make that change and advocate for that change that really impacts our communities.
SPEAKER_05I love your shout out to government and history in school. I still remember my 12th grade government teacher, Mrs. Vi. She was absolutely fantastic. And again, that was one of the sparks for me. Anthony, what about for you?
Prepping For Lawmaker Meetings
SPEAKER_02Sure. So I think just a genuine, just kind of lifelong love of politics. Like, you know, I feel so many people want to stay away from this, but I never was one of those people. Uh you know, growing up in in my family, my great-grandfather uh was really involved in local politics up in Parma, Ohio, right outside of Cleveland. And we were really brought up with this sense that that work was really, really valued in our family and what he really was able to contribute to his community uh is something that, you know, we we still talk about. Uh his really big project up that way uh was Parma Hospital. Uh, at the time that he was really involved in in local politics there, Parma was really growing, you know, pretty fast. And there was a really just genuine need that the community needed its own kind of healthcare center. So that was really a lifelong project that he kind of sought out to bring to fruition. And I'd say his proudest moment in life is when they, you know, broke ground and and started working on that. And his final really position in in public service was he was the first chairman of the board of the hospital. But I loved the story and I loved listening to that. It's, you know, the whole idea of the work we're doing is is sometimes takes a lot of time. But when you finally get to that point, uh you you you see it pay off.
SPEAKER_05Kelly, why don't you start us here? What are the broad differences when people are asking you a question like this? Okay, what's the difference between what you're doing at the state level versus the work you may do at the federal level? What do you tell them?
SPEAKER_01So the federal level, and Casey can probably compound on this a little bit later. Um, the federal level is much larger scale. You're dealing with uh, you know, senators and um representatives from across the country. There's way more of them to convince or sway on an issue. Um, and it's a little bit more difficult. Um, they're also dealing with much broader policy frameworks and funding frameworks that kind of trickle down to the states. Um, and also their districts are much bigger at the federal level. Their constituency is much larger. Um at the state level, though, the just because the districts are smaller, I think that there's more of an opportunity for quicker response. If there's um, you know, something in district that's a crisis that needs attention to, direct problem solving. You know, there's just a lot more of opportunities for that to happen at the state level.
SPEAKER_05Okay, Casey, you're you're a guy in DC. You're uh you're joining us uh from the district right now. Uh big differences, broad differences between state and federal work.
SPEAKER_04Touching on what Kelly said, I think, you know, the interesting elements of this is that structurally speaking, state and federal government are actually quite similar, right? I mean, both have three chambers of government. The big difference really comes from the players that we're dealing with, the tempo, um, and also the jurisdiction, right? And that's kind of also touching on what Kelly had spoken about earlier. So uh in many ways, the two end up mirroring each other, but almost in a funhouse mirror sort of way. Um and I kind of want to elaborate on that. So let's look at Medicaid, for example, right? The federal government sets broad rules governing the program and also determines funding of, you know, for the states, whereas uh the states themselves actually administer their respective programs and choose eligibility groups, benefits, uh, payment methods, things like that. And so depending on what you're trying to get accomplished as a government affairs advocate, uh, that really informs how you will tackle both the state and federal government with that that program or a different program that you care about.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
Data That Lands And Stories That Stick
SPEAKER_02Anthony? I think just to build on both what Kelly and Casey said, is I always look at it as the difference between uh the big picture and the day-to-day is we are really in a unique space when it comes to Medicaid policy, as Casey mentioned. Obviously, that starts at the federal level. That is a federal program. The money starts at the federal level, but the states have vast uh really autonomy over how a lot of those programs are set up and administered. So you you really need to make sure that you're you're paying attention to both sides of the coin uh because that broader policy is going to affect how how a state is going to be able to implement it.
SPEAKER_05Okay. Let's lift the curtain a little bit on each of your respective processes. I've been dying to ask each of you this. Okay. We know that there are thousands of groups that come to Washington, D.C., and probably uh that number is probably a little less, but still at least hundreds that come to a statehouse like uh like the one we have in Columbus. How do you prep? And then how do you prep your clients for those meetings?
SPEAKER_02I think we do a lot of uh just general research on who are we meeting with first and foremost. Okay. Uh we we do a really great job of thinking about, or at least trying to think about what are some of the issues that we can bring to the table that they're going to take the most interest in. Because, you know, a lot of these times these conversations are short, the time goes really fast. Uh, and if you don't have something that they're gonna bite on, you're just gonna kind of talk in circles for 30 minutes. Okay. So I I think uh, and even with the best preparation, I say it's not always, you know, it's not always gonna work out the way that you think. I mean, we walk into the room so many times thinking we're gonna talk about issue A, and they bite on issue C and D. And we're like, well, that's what we'll take it and run with. So, you know, even the best preparation in this space, uh, you know, it's it's the human element that you never can quite, quite prepare for.
Navigating Administration Changes
SPEAKER_05All right. So for you, if if one cup of coffee is the norm in the morning, if you've got a big meeting at the state house, do you hit three? Do you hit two? Or you're like, you know what, I don't need that much caffeine. I'm already amped up. I feel like you at least need two to get going. Sustain through the rest of the day. Excellent. Excellent. All right, Kelly, what's your process here? And then also, how do you prep your clients?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so um, Anthony hit on the biggest part for me, which is doing your homework in advanced and um looking at their bios. And also, this is where government relations professionals can come in because because we've worked with these legislators on issues in the past, maybe not in the context of this client, we can give Anthony and his team context going into that conversation. Look, this legislator really is sensitive about this topic. They have a personal connection to this topic, they they might bite on topic A, let's avoid topic C. Um, and so we can kind of customize those conversations beforehand. Anthony and I always have like hour-long sessions before the meeting, usually a few days in advance, to kind of go over every single legislator that we're meeting with and what our game plan is.
SPEAKER_05Right. And you look at their interests, you look at their education, you look at their background, uh, everything, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And you never know if, you know, maybe there's someone who has the same alma mater as Anthony and he can start the conversation off with that. Hey, I saw you went to X, Y, and Z university, so did I. And that just kind of welcomes the conversation and opens it up.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Okay, Casey, jump in here. What's the process?
What Nonprofits Get Wrong
SPEAKER_04Yeah, they take big picture. It's important that everyone going into the meeting is aligned on what your goal is. So strategically speaking, you are going into these meetings with lawmakers or staffers to build a long-term relationship. You're working to build something with them. You're not trying to, you know, swing for the fences on your first interaction with this policymaker or their staffer, expecting a home run on your first meeting. You're you're really building purposeful awareness. And then tactically, it's important that everyone understands that your job is to make sure the lawmaker or staffer knows who we are, knows why we're here, why what we're talking about is important, and then to be honest with them about what we're asking for and its ramifications.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna add something. Sometimes it's also setting this initial conversation with the legislator is setting up for something in the future. Sometimes it's a longer term strategy and it's not just this one meeting that we're having. Okay. Um, I I think a lot of the strategy that we've done together is we're building the relationship, like Casey said, and then maybe in a few months when Anthony's back in town, we're going to in for an ask. We're going in a little bit deeper on the policy now that they have a basic understanding.
SPEAKER_05Okay. Okay. All right. So now we're in the office. How do you start to storytell from there versus say just data sharing? I think about that classic car sales pitch. You know, the uh a really great salesperson doesn't say, hey, this car goes zero to 60 in three seconds. Data. No, you say when you put your right foot in this car, you're gonna get the most exhilarating drive of your life. So I ask that in context with you guys. How do you how do you marry data? Because you have to have data, you study data, but then how do you marry that to the storytell?
What Government Misunderstands About Nonprofits
SPEAKER_02Sure. So I think it really is, you know, it's said so many times, but all politics is local, is what can we do to bring it back home? Is we're not just saying, you know, we serve 10 people, you know, in some random location around the state. It's say we serve 40 people, 50 people at this location that is only a mile from where you might live. So it's tying the data into a story, but also bringing it back to uh their local community. And I think that oftentimes is is what's most meaningful.
SPEAKER_04Sort of adding to what Anthony had just said there about localizing data, members of Congress and their staff, first and foremost, are doing everything they can to represent their constituents. So if you're able to frame the issue that you're there to talk about from a district or state lens, depending on whether you're talking to a House member or a senator, barriers perk up. Um so if you're able to provide data on the number of you know patients uh uh suffering from a particular condition you're talking about in their state, that help, that helps. If you're a company talking about the number of employees that you know you have in the member's district, that helps. Um and that that data gets their attention and makes them realize, okay, this directly impacts my constituency. But as important as data is, the member or the staffer isn't going to remember that particular figure that you brought up, but they are gonna remember how you made them feel. And that's where the power of storytelling really factors in and is all the more reason why it is so important that we have, you know, self-advocates um included in uh our meetings with congressional staffers or members as well. And that's something that Boundless does incredibly well.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, you're flirting with that Maya Angelou quote that will that will just serve the test of time, Casey. People will remember, you know, how how you made them feel. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I think um we tap into two resources a lot um in my line of work. And one of those is kind of what Casey was leading on to. If you have a constituent who um even better if they know the member, no worries if not, if they can come and tell their story personally, and that's what opens up the conversation and grabs their attention, that is so powerful and impactful on the legislators. Um, and then second, for the data piece of it, we always encourage our clients to have a one-pager or some kind of leave behind that has that data on it. So you can throw out the really eye-grabbing um data points during the meeting, but I think if you're leaving them with a a paper that goes into some of those deeper data points, um, they will read it.
SPEAKER_05What about changes at the federal level and at the state level from administration to administration? I think about my home state of Virginia, for example, governors there cannot can only run for one term. So, in essence, every governor in Virginia is is a lame duck. And so I I can imagine that um lobbyists, folks, again, in government relations work, they they get relationships built, and then whammo, there's a new governor. Um, so how do the three of you handle changes in in various administrations?
SPEAKER_02Sure. So I think uh, you know, we we say pretty often is we can't predict the future, but we can prepare for it. I think, especially as we move into another election year, at least a major election here in 2026, we can start to kind of, you know, scenario play, if you will, as you know, we are not exactly going to know how everything's gonna shake out, but we can start to reasonably, as we get closer, especially, narrow it down to the two or three most likely outcomes. And what do we need to do to prepare for those outcomes? And then especially as we get closer, what are the immediate next steps we need to take should one of those outcomes, you know, come to fruition? So it's it's not an exact science, but uh that that's kind of the closest you're gonna get to it. Okay, Kelly?
Mission Moments: Advocacy In Action
SPEAKER_01I think being proactive is key. And I think Anthony hit on that. But um, regardless of who wins, there's going to be an administrative change um in 2026 in Ohio at least. And um, we are always thinking as government relations professionals ahead in one year, two years, three years, four years, five years. What is it, what is the political landscape gonna look like and how will it impact our clients? And sometimes it also means not necessarily changing the client's mission or their values, but how can we message that to align it with the new administration's values? Um, to make sure that the conversations that we're having are effective. And also from a government relations standpoint, we're starting to build connections within those potential administrations early on. That way we're not day one, hi, nice to meet you.
SPEAKER_05Right, right. Okay. Casey?
SPEAKER_04Contingency planning is critical in this case because. Because administration change is inevitable in DC, right? I mean, you're you're you're always going to see a change from a Democrat to a Republican administration. And as a government affairs firm, it's pivotal that you are as bipartisan as possible so that, you know, when the administration changes from one party to another, you have members of your team who already have built-in relationships with the new ascendant players. Even members of your team who belong to the party that is now out of power still have a really critical role to play. I would say that just as important to this job as your relationships is your knowledge of underlying policy and processes. And that is an area where, you know, I myself, as a former uh House Democratic staffer, am still able to shine in my firm during, you know, a Trump administration.
SPEAKER_05Let me ask you all a couple of nonprofit specific questions here. Kelly, what are some of the biggest misconceptions that nonprofits have about how state and federal governments actually work, actually operate?
Closing And Listener Reminder
SPEAKER_01Well, I think that um many organizations and nonprofits underestimate how powerful it is to ask your legislator to come out for a site visitor tour.
SPEAKER_05Oh wow.
SPEAKER_01Um, you know, how showing lawmakers firsthand the work that you're doing in your communities and in their communities is incredibly powerful. And in my experience, most legislators genuinely want to learn um from the subject matter experts that are in their communities and they want to see the work that you're doing. And there's no better way to show them that than to have them out and show them physically, you know, who you're serving, the work that you're doing.
SPEAKER_02I think there's a general sense from a lot of organizations that it's just too big of a challenge to take on, or they feel they need to be doing everything, or it's not worth getting involved in it. I think I even look at where we're at, you know, we don't have an endless supply of resources to engage in this process. We put a lot of time and thought into what is the best use of our resources to engage in state. And now as we we kind of look more towards the federal level, but there are really tangible small ways to get started in this, whether that is engaging your uh employees in grassroots work or people served in grassroots work. To Kelly's point, any organization has the capacity to invite out uh any local leader to to one of their sites or facilities. And it is, I think that is the most impactful uh experience we've had with a lot of the elected officials we've interacted with.
SPEAKER_05Well, and even here on the boundless campus, there was a major transformation here over the last couple of years. And and when we did the you know, the big ribbon cutting, kind of the big welcome um when the construction was over, you know, there were plenty of local and state lawmakers who were invited. And you know what? They came and they did the tour and they were, you know, meeting and greeting and talking to people. And uh that's just a great thing to do. Uh, Casey, do you want to jump in here?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I think one of the biggest misconceptions that nonprofits might have about how uh the federal government perceives them, either lawmakers or staff, is that they know everything there is to know about the issue that they're there to lobby about, right? I can speak as a house staffer on the legislative side. I was a legislative director managing um a member of Congress's policy portfolio. When you're a house staffer, you typically cover six to eight different policy areas, and you are typically meeting with about 200 to 300 stakeholder groups on an annual basis. It is very difficult when you're juggling all of those meetings, all of those policy priorities, checking what is going on on the House floor to truly be in sync with who you're talking to about the issues that they care about. And that's okay. And that's exactly why we have advocates come to the Hill to inform them and give them more textured information about what it is that they're advocating for.
SPEAKER_05Let me flip that. So now what do government leaders and and their staffers what do they maybe not get or maybe misunderstand about the nonprofit world?
SPEAKER_02I think we are still fighting the the kind of old-fashioned view that what we're doing is charity work. And I I think we're still trying to break through that in a lot of respects. Is yes, we are a nonprofit organization, but you know, we're we're a service provider first and foremost, and our mission might be service-oriented, but the purpose of the work we do is not charity work. It is to make sure that we're providing the services uh that we offer to the most people possible in a sustainable way. Is there is a business element to what we're doing that is is not necessarily uh what one thinks of when they think of a nonprofit.
SPEAKER_04You took the words right out of my mouth, Anthony. I I think the biggest misconception is the idea that nonprofits are supplementary and not but not essential. Um and I know, having had firsthand experience with so many different nonprofits, you know, in the IDD space, in the healthcare space, that the services that nonprofits provide uh can really be a matter of life or death to the communities they serve. And that's why it's all the more important that we have uh these voices uplifted and shared with members and their staff, provide the opportunity to have these individuals come to your facilities, your sites, see the work that you do firsthand. Uh, and that informs all the more why it is important to fund these critical programs.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I don't have much to add to that, but I will say I don't think that they always understand the day-to-day constraints that nonprofits face. And I also sometimes think that they have a misconception about how tight budgets truly can be and how important that that federal and state funding can be for many organizations.
SPEAKER_05Okay. Well, I started with one rapid fire question for each of you out of the gate. Let's end with a couple here. Anthony, would you start us with this? What's one thing people going to the hill or to the statehouse for a visit should probably never do?
SPEAKER_02I think, you know, the easiest one is never be confrontational. I mean, there is there's a way to, you know, pass your message along in a strong way and be confident in your message, but uh being adversarial or confrontational is is generally not gonna produce a lot of positive results.
SPEAKER_05All right. One thing that people should always do on that uh on that visit.
SPEAKER_02Uh keep an open mind. Don't box yourself into a corner of of what uh message you're gonna give, because each person you're gonna meet with is is different, and what uh they're gonna want to have a conversation about or the tempo of their conversation is gonna be different person to person.
SPEAKER_05Kelly, the one thing that people should not do.
SPEAKER_01Use industry-specific acronyms.
SPEAKER_05Oh, that's so good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we actually, um when I was a staffer, I remember um I think it might have been the Department of Developmental Disabilities gave out these humongous pamphlets, and it was called like Alphabet Soup, and it was all of the acronyms that they use. And it was so helpful. And um, you know, I think whether you're meeting with a legislator or a staff, never assume that they understand the the lingo that you're used to using in your in your world.
SPEAKER_05Okay. And the one thing that you should always do.
SPEAKER_01Well, we had kind of already touched on this earlier, but I think it's super important to do your homework um and to read those bios ahead of time. But I also, to Anthony's point, I think it's important to go into these conversations with no preconceived notions of, you know, I I've seen this person in the news, I've I've heard them talk, this isn't going to be a good conversation. Right, right. They might surprise you. Yeah. And oftentimes they do.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Sometimes how lawmakers act in a televised committee hearing is very different than how they act in an office setting again when you're just sitting down with them. All right, Casey, one thing that people should never do when they're going to the Hill or to a state house.
SPEAKER_04I would say don't get frustrated if you don't end up meeting with the lawmaker. Uh staff are critical, uh, they are the lifeblood of Congress. They, you know, manage the members' schedule, give them critical policy recommendations, tell them how to vote. Their members really respect and trust their staff, and having the opportunity to meet with staff is just as important. Um, oftentimes, if you're meeting with a legislative staffer several years down the road, that staffer could end up being the member's chief. Um, so it's really important that you not take for granted who it is you're meeting with and give it your all no matter what, whether it's the lawmaker themselves or one of their staffers.
SPEAKER_05All right. And one thing to always do always follow up.
SPEAKER_04Again, staff and members meet with so many different stakeholders on a daily basis. Uh, it is very easy to get lost in the shuffle. Um, as important as it is to leave a leave behind document, following Buff on email via email, reminding them about your priorities, being proactive with them about a new development in an issue that you care about when it arises, that builds that purposeful awareness.
SPEAKER_05All right. Now, I have more gray hair than all of you here. So I I'm a little old school. Do people still like a thank you note or just a handwritten note?
SPEAKER_02I like to think they do. I mean, I'm real big on handwritten thank you notes. Okay, you know, the uh marketing department here might get annoyed with me with the amount I order, but uh I think in a world that has become more digitized, I think there still is something to be said about sending something they can physically hold.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. I think personally I appreciate them, so I don't know why others wouldn't appreciate them.
SPEAKER_04Well, let me put it this way I've never been upset when I receive a thank you.
SPEAKER_05See, all right, I'm gonna clip this part of the podcast and send that to my two sons who are in their 20s, who are always like, Dad, no one writes thank you notes anymore. Uh okay, all right. So thank you for proving my point. All right, last question to all of you. Kelly, what's the best part of your job?
SPEAKER_01I love that I, because I'm a contract lobbyist and I have clients across industries, I love that I get to learn about different things every single day. I'm not a subject matter expert in anything, but I know a lot about, or I know a little about a lot.
SPEAKER_04Kelly took the words right out of my mouth there, too. I'm a multi-client lobbyist. I love not being the smartest person in the room and constantly being exposed to, you know, new issues, uh, new, new information, new topics. Uh being in DC, it's it's such an incredible space with so many bright, talented people. Um, that's definitely one of the highlights of my job. But I would also say uh seeing impact, um, helping, you know, your clients uh get a meaningful, tangible grant from the federal government that allows them to carry on services that otherwise they wouldn't be able to do or commit to new services that are really going to make an impact in their community.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. Just to build right on that, I think the the benefits and what we can bring back home is what's most important. When we have a really big policy win or we see something we've been really advocating for go forward, to go back and see how it affects the services that we provide and the people that we're serving. That's really what it's all about. And when we're able to really go back and bring something you know is enhancing their lives, uh there's really nothing, nothing more that I enjoy than that.
SPEAKER_05This has just been terrific. Fascinating conversation. All three of you did lift that curtain for our listeners on what you do and how you do it effectively. So, Casey, Kelly, Anthony, thanks so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER_01Thank you for having us.
SPEAKER_05Thank you. Well, before we officially wrap it up, we actually have two mission moments to close out this episode. Angela is going to start us off.
SPEAKER_00My name is Angela Bellin, and my mission moment is to show gratitude toward these advocacy programs through Boundless Advocacy and through Open Circle Society. The clients that I serve are able to really participate in networking in an authentic, realistic way. They get to stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers talking about the issues that are at hand. And it's incredibly meaningful for me to have these conversations with them week by week, and for them to learn that their voice matters, and that what they say really does go somewhere, and the networking that they're doing does really matter towards something. It's so empowering and it's wonderful to watch.
SPEAKER_03And my name is Jameson Lett, and my mission moment occurred when I was at one of the flagship events for the Open Circle Society. The Open Circle Society puts on networking nights that they call networking and neurodiversity. This brings together emerging professionals in a traditional sense, maybe in um, you know, a setting somewhere around town, could be a bar or some venue, um, and also works to include people who maybe can't access the traditional networking space. So a very cool initiative that OCS is doing. And I had the privilege of being around to watch open circle society uh grow from the beginning. And early on, as you can expect with organizations that are new, you see some bumps or hiccups. And what was really exciting was when I knew that uh the open circle society was on the right track. And that was at this networking night when one of the parents came to me and said, uh, uh, this is a parent of a person with a disability who attends the events, and the parent often comes along as transportation. And she found me and said, you know, my son would never do something like this. They they wouldn't, they're uh, they're an artist and they're a professional. Um and uh but they would never go to an event like this. And so to see this person, and they still attend, and I've seen them at many of the events since then, but as a parent myself of a child with a disability who is now into his teenage years in high school, I'm thinking about my son's future and what that's gonna look like. So the open circle society, just like Boundless, exists to shake things up and to uh do that in order to create a new landscape for people with disabilities. So that's what I love about Boundless as a parent organization. And I think the Open Circle Society is a great offshoot of that, creating these small moments uh that would not otherwise happen, which is uh my favorite part about it.
SPEAKER_05Jameson and Angela, wow, those were two terrific mission moments. Again, thanks to our listeners for joining us. And don't forget, like, subscribe, and refer our podcast to your friends, your colleagues, and your peers. This is the Nonprofit Leader's Guide Podcast brought to you by Boundless.