‘Lobbying is not always well understood by the general public, but it is an integral part of the democratic political process.’
What do you do?
I am a lobbyist and spend much of my time representing clients at the State Capitol. Lobbying is not always well understood by the general public, but it is an integral part of the democratic political process. My responsibilities to clients include analyzing legislation and regulatory proposals, attending hearings and educating legislators and other government officials on issues important to my clients and community.
Please describe your career path.
At one point in my life I was quite envious of those who seemed to know exactly where they wanted to be in the future and had every aspect of their life preplanned. For me, it was never that clear. It took time before my talents showed themselves, and, once they did, figure out how best to employ them. Lobbying is a line of work where the most important aspect is still personal interaction and relationships. It isn’t a profession where you can send an email, text, power point presentation or hold a video conference call and accomplish your goal. It’s all about personal contact and many, many hours of it: a skill set that has become increasingly difficult to come by in our society due to technology advancements and social media. So, describing my career path is fairly simple. I’ve never followed a path. I’ve just tried to work hard, be upfront with people and from time to time stick my head up and assess where I stand and the direction in which I’m headed.
What’s been your biggest challenge professionally?
To get those with great ambition and large egos to acknowledge the fact that they would not have been successful without the efforts of others.
Where do you want to be in 10 years?
Other than hopefully on this side of the sod it’s hard to say. One thing I’ve learned about life is that it’s unpredictable, and very, very rarely do things go as planned. I’m sure this answer will be unlike most, but I try not to focus on where I’ll be professionally in 10 years and let that take care of itself. Most importantly, I hope to still be surrounded by my family and friends 10 years from now.
How are you involved in your community?
I serve on the board of the Hartford Public Library and my Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (SoDo). In addition I have served as a member the Hartford Democratic Town Committee for the better part of 10 years and currently serve as the town chairman. I believe community service is critical to your own quality of life as well as that of others and fosters communication and better understanding of those around you, especially in a diverse city such as Hartford.
