Cause the Effect on Policy Advocacy Experience
The “Cause the Effect on Policy” Advocacy Experience will take place just steps away from the U.S. Capitol and connect with key members of Congress. SHRM will host a series of issue-focused, caucus panel conversations with members of Congress and top staffers – policymakers committed to good policy outcomes – including:
- Bicameral Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus: Building a competitive workforce.
- Workplace Leave: Finding common ground on workplace leave and flexibility.
- Caregiving in the Workplace: Focusing on issues including child and dependent care.
Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-15-PA)
A life-long resident of Howard Township, Centre County, Pa., Congressman Glenn 'GT' Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s Fifteenth District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Prior to being elected to Pennsylvania’s geographically largest congressional district, GT spent 28 years as a therapist, rehabilitation services manager, and a licensed nursing home administrator. Through his professional experiences, GT has touched the lives of thousands of individuals facing life-altering conditions. As a result, he has learned firsthand the importance of access to quality healthcare and has become a strong advocate for increased access, affordability, quality of care, and patient choice.
An Eagle Scout and 30+ year veteran of the Juniata Valley Boy Scout Council, GT has served as Scoutmaster, Council executive board member, and Council President. He has enriched the lives of youth throughout Central Pennsylvania. Among just 2,000 presented since 1969, GT received the National Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2012.
GT is also a former member of the Bald Eagle Area School Board, past vice-chair of the Private Industry Council of the Central Corridor, and a former Workforce Investment Board member. Because of these experiences, he was appointed to the House Committee on Education & Workforce in 2009. Rep. Thompson is also serving in his fifth term as Co-Chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus. In the 115th Congress, Thompson introduced the Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act that passed the House and Senate unanimously and was signed into law by President Donald Trump.
A community leader and a volunteer firefighter with over three decades of service, GT is acutely aware of the challenges facing Pennsylvania communities. As Republican Leader of the Agriculture Committee and a senior member of the Education & Labor Committee, GT is in a unique position to bring his expertise and knowledge to bear on the issues facing rural businesses, communities, and families, in order to improve the lives of the citizens of the Fifteenth District.
GT has been the No. 1 speaker on the House Floor for the past five years. He views this as a responsibility to be a strong voice for the citizens of the Fifteenth District and an opportunity to influence the Washington legislative agenda.
GT is a proud graduate of Penn State and Temple Universities, where he earned a B.S. and a Master of Education, respectively. He and his wife, Penny Ammerman-Thompson, have three adult sons, Parker, Logan, and Kale. GT and Penny reside in Howard Township, Pa.
Jim Langevin (D-02-RI)
Congressman Jim Langevin (LAN'-jih-vin) is a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, on which he chairs the Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems Subcommittee and serves on the Subcommittees on Seapower and Projection Forces and Strategic Forces. He is a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security and serves on its Subcommittees on Intelligence & Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation.
Langevin was one of four legislators appointed to serve on the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and he co-founded the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus, which he still co-chairs, to increase awareness around the need for stronger cybersecurity. A national leader on securing our nation’s technology infrastructure against cyber threats, Langevin has authored or co-authored dozens of pieces of cybersecurity legislation, including most recently the National Cyber Director Act.
As co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, Langevin advocates to improve and increase access to training that gives students and workers the skills that best fit the needs of expanding industries. He has successfully fought for strong CTE funding under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act and has worked to foster employer-educator partnerships and career training programs across a variety of career fields in Rhode Island.
A voice for those facing health challenges, Langevin championed passage of a bipartisan bill to expand services for families caring for their elderly and disabled loved ones. He is a strong advocate for inclusion and independence for people with disabilities and helped pass the ADA Amendments Act that strengthened the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Cheryl Vincent
Cheryl Vincent serves as Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support for the Committee on Ways and Means (Republicans). The subcommittee oversees several federal programs including unemployment insurance, child welfare, child support, and child care. She also leads the Committee’s work on paid family leave.
Cheryl was previously a policy advisor on child care and paid family leave at the White House Office of Economic Initiatives, and senior advisor for legislative affairs at the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Prior to that, she worked as professional staff on the Ways and Means Committee leading efforts to reform the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. She also has state experience, having worked in her home state of Ohio as deputy director in the Office of Human Services Innovation under former Governor John Kasich. Vincent began her career at HHS working for more than a decade on programs to support working families.
Cheryl received her Bachelor’s from Michigan State University and a Master’s degree from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.
Alex Nock
Alex Nock brings 25 years of experience in Federal education, disability, labor and health policy to Penn Hill Group. During his time in Washington, DC, Nock has been a part of every major piece of Federal education and disability policy legislation.
At Penn Hill Group, Nock manages an array of clients across the full spectrum of policy areas. He helps clients identify and secure their policy goals with Congress, the Administration, and congressional and presidential campaigns. He also helps clients better communicate their policy goals and objectives to policymakers and the public.
Prior to his position with Penn Hill Group, Nock served as the Democratic deputy staff director for the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor. From 2007–10, Nock oversaw all aspects of the committee’s work on elementary and secondary education, higher education, disability policy, early childhood education, health care, retirement security, workplace safety, mine safety, workforce training and national service.
Nock has led numerous reauthorizations while working on Capitol Hill, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Workforce Investment Act, the Higher Education Act, the Head Start Act, and Federal child nutrition laws. Nock also played key roles in advancing and securing passage of the two major higher education budget reconciliation bills in 2008 and 2010, as well as the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Nock previously served as the director of the Commission on No Child Left Behind, a bipartisan, independent effort to improve the No Child Left Behind Act. During his time with the commission, Nock recruited Commission Co-Chairs Secretary Tommy Thompson and Governor Roy Barnes, as well as the 13 commission members. Nock managed the completion of the commission’s report, which laid out a comprehensive set of recommendations for improving the No Child Left Behind Act. At the time of issuance, the commission’s report was regarded as the pre-eminent set of reauthorization recommendations.
Prior to the commission, Nock developed education and social policy on Capitol Hill. He held several positions, including education coordinator for the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, where he spearheaded all Democratic policy and politics on higher education, elementary and secondary education, workforce and job training, disability policy, and other social service issues. Nock also worked for Rep. Matthew G. Martinez (D-CA), the Human Resources Subcommittee, the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, and Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD).
Nock holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maryland.
Mandy Schaumburg
Mandy Schaumburg is the Chief Counsel and Deputy Director of Education Policy on the Committee on Education and Labor. In this role she focuses on general oversight of education and human services policy as well as policy issues including child nutrition, parent involvement, early education and child care, charter schools, and student privacy. She also assists the education staff on the issues they cover for the Committee. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development. Prior to that she worked for Congressman Mark Green of Wisconsin as his Legislative Counsel working on judiciary issues, health care, and the faith based initiative. Before coming out to Washington, Mandy worked for Governor Tommy G. Thompson as Deputy Legal Counsel and his successor, Governor Scott McCallum, as his Legal Counsel.
Mandy graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.A. in Political Science and from Hamline University School of Law with a J.D.
Sarah Paden
Sarah Paden is Vice President and National Political director at PPI. She comes to this position with more than a decade of experience in local, state, and federal campaigns and government relations. Most recently Sarah served as head of the New York State Federal Affairs office in the Hall of States, during which time she led New York’s federal pandemic response, the state’s 2020 census effort and former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s chairship at the National Governors Association.
Sarah's work includes party and coalition building, leading the campaign to designate June Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York in 2013, building the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington. She has also worked for the Manhattan Democratic Party and New York State Democratic Party, creating and launching the Demmy Awards to highlight up and coming stars in the Democratic Party. She also served as Political Director and Senior Advisor on Cuomo 2018 and is a 2016 Hillary for America alum.
Sarah is a proud Southerner and holds an Art History degree from Bard College. She is an active member of the Washington Junior League and serves on the board of the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two daughters.