Drew Willison

About Drew Willison

Drew Willison served at the highest levels of government for over 20 years. He has a reputation for being one of the most knowledgeable and effective staff members on Capitol Hill with deep, bipartisan relationships in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Prior to forming Oldaker & Willison, Drew served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. He led and oversaw a staff of 150 and all aspects of the Senator’s leadership, communications, policy, and national and Nevada political operations. Working with the White House and other congressional leadership offices, he was one of the principal architects of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, a comprehensive two year budget and taxation deal. Previously, Drew spent six years as the United States Senate Sergeant at Arms and Deputy Sergeant at Arms. The Sergeant at Arms is the Senate\'s largest organization, with over 850 employees and an annual budget exceeding $200 million. In that capacity he served as a member of the US Capitol Police Board and led senior managers responsible for all operations, including the Chief Information Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, security and emergency preparedness, police operations, General Counsel, Human Resources, the media and public galleries, and many other back-of-the-house activities. Earlier in his career, Drew served as the Vice President of Public Policy at Battelle, the world’s largest independent research and development organization, and as the Staff Director of the Energy and Water Subcommittee of the US Senate Appropriations Committee. In that capacity, Drew oversaw the $35 billion per year funding bill for the US Department of Energy, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other independent agencies. Drew is the current Vice Chairman of the Humane Rescue Alliance, the regional animal shelter for Washington, DC, and on the Board of Advisors for the public policy program at William and Mary. In February 2018, Drew was appointed as a Trustee of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. He enjoys travel and outdoor sports, including triathlon training. He is also a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3 Sommelier. SPECIALTIES: Building High Performance Teams, Cross Functional Teams, Strategic Advisor to Non-Profits, Public Policy, DEI, Non-Profit Board Leadership, Public Speaking, Process Improvement, Communication Strategy & Execution

Experience

1. Senior Vice President, Government & Corporate Affairs

   National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

   Apr 2023 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is the nation\'s largest private conservation grant-maker. We work with both the public and private sectors to protect and restore our nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats for current and future generations.NFWF supports conservation efforts in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Our projects – more than 21,600 since our founding – are rigorously evaluated and awarded to some of the nation’s largest environmental organizations, as well as some of the smallest. We do not fund advocacy or litigation, and do not conduct membership campaigns. Instead, NFWF focuses on bringing all parties to the table, getting results, and building a better future for our world. Financial commitments to our conservation mission since our founding now reach $8.1 billion.As the Senior Vice President for Government and Corporate Affairs, I• Raise public, corporate, and individual resources to support the Foundation’s grantmaking. • Assess, guide and respond to any impacts from the government’s legislative and policy efforts.• Align key external affairs functions – Development, Communications, Executive, Congressional and Agency Relations — with conservation and financial strategies of the Foundation.

Education

• The Ohio State University

  Masters of Public Administration, Public Administration/City and Regional Planning

  1988 — 1990

• The George Washington University Law School

  Doctor of Law - JD, Law

  1997 — 2001

• William & Mary

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Political Science and Government

  1984 — 1988