Richard Erkel

About Richard Erkel

As Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor for the Minority Staff of the Committee on Small Business at the U.S. House of Representatives, I bring over a decade of experience in legislative relations and public policy. My role involves managing a 17-person team, while spearheading policy initiatives in financial services, economic development, small businesses, and the nation\'s housing sector. I contribute to drafting and advancing legislative priorities across administrations, with several bills having become public law. My expertise spans U.S. capital markets, financial institutions, consumer protection, housing policy, and small business capital access programs, demonstrating a commitment to impactful policymaking that addresses diverse economic challenges.

Experience

1. Deputy Chief of Staff & Senior Policy Advisor, Minority Staff, Committee on Small Business

   U.S. House Of Representatives

   Feb 2023 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Responsible for managing and coordinating a seventeen-person personal office staff, as well as originating all of Representative Velázquez’s policy initiatives pertaining to the United States’ financial services industry, domestic and international economic developments, small businesses, and the nation\'s housing sector. Core duties and achievements include: • Serving as a top advisor on all policy, communications, and political matters;• Drafting and advancing legislative and regulatory priorities across Democratic and Republican presidential administrations in both a majority and minority environment. Wrote several bills that have become public law;• Acting as a liaison to Congressional leadership, administration officials, and key stakeholders;• Authoring reports, op-eds, committee statements, and floor speeches for use by the Member; • Organizing outreach programs to build coalitions of external stakeholders and interest groups;• Overseeing and directing all legislative and regulatory activities pertaining to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Capital Access for Democratic members on the House Committee on Small Business.

Education

• California Western School of Law

  Doctor of Law (J.D.)

  2007 — 2010

• Loyola Marymount University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, cum laude

• Loyola Marymount University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), cum laude, Political Science and Government, History

  2001 — 2005

Skills

• Political Communication
• Grassroots
• Legislative Research
• Strategic Communications
• Politics
• Public Policy
• Policy Analysis
• Government Relations
• Legislation
• Political Campaigns
• Policy
• Grassroots Organizing
• Legislative Relations
• Campaigns
• Federal Government