You want to make a difference.
We do too.
STATE, FEDERAL, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
When you need help with the government, Sequoya is here to help you. It’s that simple. Our team at Sequoya Strategies strives to make your interaction with the government both easier and more effective. Whether you need help one time with one issue, or on an ongoing basis, we are a full-service government affairs, legal and communications consulting firm that can provide your team with a wide range of services. Expert local government consulting service for effective solutions
If you have an idea you think would make sense as permanent federal or state policy, an issue you need to educate lawmakers about, a regulatory problem needing assistance, or simply want help navigating the system – be it local, state or federal level – we can handle it. Your issue becomes our issue. We will help you analyze your issues, formulate your goal, weigh the probability of success, design a strategy, and see it through to the end. We will always be honest with you. And we will not waste your hard-earned money or time.
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WHO WE ARE
Our primary partners, Herb Frierson, Ashlee Ellis Smith, and Dr. Tyler Adams have combined decades of experience in the policy, legislative and legal arenas, from different vantage points. Sequoya is also associated with trusted and seasoned government affairs professionals across the United States, so if help is needed across the region or country, a team can be assembled quickly and efficiently to get the job done.
Ashlee Ellis Smith
Founding Partner
Herb Frierson
Partner
Dr. Tyler L. Adams
Partner
SERVICES
Local Government Consulting
The term “government affairs” can mean many different things. At Sequoya, that term means engaging with policy makers or their staff to educate them about an issue. But first, we make sure we know the issue inside and out, and we make sure we believe in it. We know your issues and needs are of vital importance to you, and if we don’t feel the same way, we won’t be effective at our job. That means we don’t take every issue and we don’t take every client that walks through our door. But when we do engage in an issue, we fight to make sure we do everything in our power to make sure you get the outcome you want – that we BOTH believe will make the world a better place in the future. Is this philosophy idealistic? Perhaps. But does it make us better advocates for you, and more fulfilled in our purpose? Absolutely. We think you’ll agree once we start working together.
We offer a range of services, including legislative advocacy, issue analysis and education, field tours and fly-ins, legal consulting, PAC formation and management, web-based communication and outreach, coalition building and coordination, regulatory and commission/board engagement, social media engagement and campaigns, and op-ed and other publication PR efforts.
Legislative advocacy is the most direct way to effect change in government policy. This includes helping a legislator introduce a bill that could help your organization or working with legislators to stop a bill that could harm your organization. It includes drafting legislation from scratch, or an amendment to existing legislation or regulation, and educating lawmakers on why the change is needed.
Issue analysis involves identifying the issue, understanding the cause, evaluating all of the circumstances surrounding the issue, and finding a path forward or solution. Issue analysis can also entail defining the situation, complication, and overriding question and identifying the issues to be addressed, and deriving a project plan. Once the plan is put together, we move forward educating the pertinent parties and stakeholders on the issue and its solution.
Some of the most effective legislative advocacy and government affairs tools are field tours and fly-ins. With fly-ins, we take clients and stakeholders to the United States or state capitols to meet with multiple relevant legislators in a series of meetings designed to maximize time and effort. The lawmakers are strategically canvassed based on their committee assignments and the issues as to which they have the most ability to affect the outcome. Field tours bring the lawmakers out into the ”field.” They visit the geographic area or business or physical location about which we are trying to educate them. These are both education and (hopefully) fun and provide a great opportunity for lawmakers to engage with their constituents.
While Sequoya is not a law firm, Mrs. Smith has been a licensed attorney for over 20 years, and can provide a consultant’s view as to legislation and its effect, contracts, regulations, and the legality of actions taken by regulatory boards. She can also help clients navigate business steps they may need to take with regard to making sure they are in compliance with laws and regulations within their state.
A political action committee (PAC) is an exceptional tool for associations and stakeholders to use to impact issues that are important to their mission as well as ensure that candidates and legislators who support their mission and beliefs continue to be elected and those that do not are not as likely to win or remain in office. PACS can be started by any person or organization but must be properly set up, organized, run and remain in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws. Sequoya has that capability and knowledge.
It is difficult to present as a credible organization in today’s world without an active website or regular and ongoing electronic communication with clients and with lawmakers and their staff. It’s the quickest and most effective method of regular correspondence, and also one of the best ways to disseminate messages and campaign messages to grassroots supporters and the public. Sequoya can facilitate website design and construction, hosting and ongoing web-based communication between clients and lawmakers as well as clients and the general public.
You can be effective as an individual person or organization. You can be even more effective as a coalition of like-minded individuals or organizations acting as one to effectuate change or pursue a common mission. Sequoya can help build your coalition and, if needed, can also help coordinate ongoing and regular communication between members of the coalition, as well as any outreach by the coalition to policymakers or the general public.
Often, local issues and regulations can be the most frustrating, and the most difficult to navigate. There are hosts upon hosts of city, county and municipal boards, councils, commissions, officials, local agencies with appointed heads, and local elected officials; and they each have their own rules and regulations that must be followed. Navigating this dizzying system of rules, regulations and people can by challenging, but Sequoya is up to the challenge, and is committed to helping you determine who the proper party to engage with is, what the proper process of engagement is, and how best to secure the desired outcome. We will be with you for every step of that process, and make it is easy as possible.
