Press "Enter" to skip to content

RELEASE: Husch Blackwell expands federal lobbying team with addition of Morgan, Schenck

JANUARY 29, 2018 – Husch Blackwell Strategies (HBS), a leading lobbying and government affairs consulting firm, is pleased to announce that Christian Morgan, a nationally recognized political consultant who has deep experience with both campaign management and public policy advocacy, and Alexander Schenck, a seasoned Capitol Hill staffer with science and environmental policy expertise, will join HBS’s federal lobbying team, providing a level of depth and scope of experience that places the Jefferson City-based firm among the top federal lobbying consultancies anchored in the Midwest.

“Christian and Alexander have top-shelf connections and are tremendous strategic thinkers,” said Husch Blackwell Strategies CEO Gregg Hartley. “Their arrival provides our team with a breadth and depth that bring real value to clients.”

Most recently, Morgan served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) from 2012 to 2017, during which time he developed a legislative portfolio focused on financial services, commercial regulation, sex trafficking, identity theft, and foreign affairs. Morgan served as Executive Director of the Kansas Republican Party during the 2008 election cycle, guiding Republicans to one of their few Congressional upsets of the cycle. After leading the Kansas GOP, Morgan became Vice President of Axiom Strategies in Kansas City where he managed 54 Congressional campaigns across the country over two election cycles.

Schenck was previously a member of Senator Dan Sullivan’s (R-AK) staff where he oversaw the work on the Environment and Public Works and Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committees. Alex authored S. 756, the Save our Seas (SOS) Act, which passed the Senate under his direction, and coordinated the Senator’s efforts on the Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard. Prior to his time in the Senate, Alex was a member of the government relations team at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) where he directed advocacy campaigns, oversaw the organization’s House and Senate appropriations work, coordinated Capitol Hill engagement, and lead multiple coalitions.

The arrivals of Morgan and Schenck, both of whom join HBS as Principal, bolster a growing group of consultants at Husch Blackwell Strategies. Upon its launch earlier this month, the firm added key players from Husch Blackwell’s Government Affairs team, including Kyle Gilster, Adam Sachs, and Steve Lyons.

Gilster will remain a partner of Husch Blackwell and will serve as General Counsel of Husch Blackwell Strategies while also maintaining an active federal government affairs practice. He has worked extensively with legislation related to banks, insurance, brokerage companies and trade finance. Notably, he was counsel on the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee for Chair Mike Oxley of Ohio and Subcommittee Chair Doug Bereuter of Nebraska. His experience includes issues related to financial services, agriculture, energy, natural resources, pharmaceuticals and healthcare. He is also the Managing Partner of Husch Blackwell’s Washington, D.C. office.

Joining the firm as a Principal, Sachs previously served in senior legislative and legal capacities for the House Veterans Affairs Committee; Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (D-SC); former Illinois Senator Paul Simon (D-IL); and former Illinois Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL). He most recently served as Chief Democratic Counsel and Staff Director to the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations. Sachs spends significant time in Washington and has represented a number of high-profile private and publicly traded clients at the state and federal levels of government since joining the Husch Blackwell in 2004.

Lyons has also joined Husch Blackwell Strategies as Principal. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Lyons has more than 20 years of experience in government affairs, communications and public relations, including eight years as the Chief Policy Advisor to Wisconsin State Sen. Scott Fitzgerald and a stint as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of Wisconsin. He has implemented legislative agendas for corporate and business clients, led numerous government relations, communications, public relations, grassroots and media campaigns, and orchestrated broad support for positions for business and non-business clients.