Alum Spotlight
Ms. Missy Edwards, the founding principle of Missy Edwards Strategies, has more than three decades of professional experience in Washington D.C. government relations, electoral politics and public affairs.
Ms. Edwards has significant experience crafting and executing government relations and communications strategies that have helped shape federal public policy over the past 20 years. She has successfully provided strategic policy guidance to some of the country’s top elected officials, corporations and trade associations on a wide range of issues.
Today, Ms. Edwards provides clients of her boutique lobbying firm, Missy Edwards Strategies, a unique perspective with an extensive policy and political background focused almost exclusively on the Senate Republican Caucus. Her clients range from Fortune 100 companies, major trade associations to nimble start up companies.
Ms. Edwards began her career in Washington DC as a policy adviser to Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), focusing first on health care, energy/environment and appropriations; and later advising the Senator on the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Government Affairs Committee.
Following her service to Senator Thad Cochran, Ms. Edwards was recruited by the American Medical Association (AMA) to serve as its chief Senate Republican lobbyist. In this role, she provided strategic input for policy initiatives and played a key role in the implementation of its legislative agenda. Ms. Edwards was largely responsible for AMA’s advocacy efforts in the Senate Republican Caucus.
During the 1998 and 2000 campaign cycles, Ms. Edwards served as the Director of Development and Finance for the National Republican Senatorial Committee under Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-KY). In this role, Ms. Edwards was responsible for the NRSC’s business community outreach across the United States. She worked directly with the Senate Republican Leadership, Committee Chairs and Members to contact and liaise with business leaders and organizations. Prior to launching Missy Edwards Strategies in 2010, Ms. Edwards served as a Republican lobbyist at the prestigious firm The Washington Group.
Throughout her career, Ms. Edwards has spent significant time passionately serving on numerous Congressional and Presidential campaigns. In addition to her political work, she currently serves on several Boards, including the Board of Directors for Horton’s Kids, a children’s education non-profit and the Trust for the Preservation of the National Mall, both based in Washington, DC.