WIP’s Board of Directors
Charles John O’Byrne is Executive Vice President for Policy at Related Companies where he serves in a leadership role on government affairs on the federal, state and local levels; labor issues, litigation matters, and questions of strategy on multiple projects within the Related portfolio. He also serves on the management team of EnergyRe, an energy company founded by Related’s principals dedicated to green power. Charles is a native of Manhattan and currently resides in the borough as well. Trained as an attorney, his career prior to joining Related involved varied experiences in government, religion, academia and business. Long active in charitable and philanthropic works, O’Byrne presently serves on the boards of Citizens Union, the Steering Committee of ABNY, as a Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission, Chair of the Washington Ireland Program, and as a member of the Selection Committee for the Robert G. Wilmers Integrity Prize. Charles holds his BA summa cum laude from Columbia College, where he majored in history and studied Chinese philosophy. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the Columbia University School of Law where he was named to the International Fellows Program. He holds a Masters in Divinity with Distinction and an S.T.L., in Theology from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology.
Mrs Larmour is a leadership consultant and international strategic police advisor, successfully contributing to reform in Mongolia, the Balkans, Ireland and North Africa, to clients facing critical leadership challenges whilst undergoing transformational change. She is an Associate Assessor with the College of Policing, UK, an Associate Leadership Coach with Queen’s University, Belfast, held non-executive roles with Birmingham Metropolitan College for 5 years and is currently the Chair of the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust. Mrs Larmour is an experienced executive leader, with over 31 years’ service in UK policing, leaving in 2017 as Assistant Chief Constable, in England’s second largest force, West Midlands Police, having significantly contributed to the one of the largest UK policing transformations. Previously she served over 28 years policing Northern Ireland. She has a B.Sc (Hons) Degree, graduated top performer on the UK Strategic Command Course and has completed the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Leadership Programme.
Patrick McGlone is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Ullico Inc., an insurance and financial services company. He supervises a staff of twelve attorneys, compliance professionals and support staff. Patrick had previously been a senior in-house counsel at Mobil Corporation and U.S. Office Products, Inc., and has held positions at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the firm now called Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. He is a 1986 graduate of the George Washington University Law School (with High Honors), where he was an editor of the G.W. Law Review, and a 1983 graduate of Fordham College (summa cum laude). Patrick’s involvement in community, bar, and professional organizations includes serving as President of the District of Columbia Bar (2017-2018); member of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center Committee (2019-present); President (2019-present) and Vice President (2010-2016) of the Council for Court Excellence; member of the board of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (2019-present); member of the board of the D.C. Access to Justice Commission Foundation (2018-present); member of the Pro Bono Committee of the Association of Corporate Counsel National Capital Region chapter (2021-present); and Treasurer of the D.C. Bar Foundation (2013-2016). He is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Association and has served on the ABA’s Subcommittee on the Federal Courts of the Standing Committee on the American Judicial System, Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and the Council of the Section of Civil Rights & Social Justice. Patrick lives in Washington, D.C., with his husband Kevin Taylor.
Catherine May is the General Counsel for Bank of America (Europe) and serves on their senior management team in Dublin. She is also a member of Bank of America’s Philanthropy Advisory Board in Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA). She is a highly motivated and experienced Head of Legal with over 18 years of international experience on all aspects of financial services and corporate law including banking, asset finance, captive financing and capital markets across EMEA and Asia-Pacific (APJ) regions.
A native of Scranton, PA, Virginia McGregor was appointed in 2021 by President Joseph R. Biden to serve as Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee, a position she is very proud to currently hold. She also serves as National Co-Chair of the DNC’s Women’s Leadership Forum, and was appointed to the America 250 Commission by PA Governor Tom Wolf. For more than a decade, Virginia has served on the Board of Directors of the nationally-recognized Geisinger Health System, where she chairs the Geisinger Family Committee. Virginia is also Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, and was the first woman appointed to that role. She also currently serves on the board of McGregor Industries, a family-owned business founded in 1919 that is a manufacturer of miscellaneous and structural steel products for the construction industry. Virginia and her husband Bob reside in Scranton and are parents to six children and grandparents to three.
Ed Meehan is a partner and the Chief Growth Officer at Guidehouse. Ed is a seasoned executive spanning both public sector and commercial initiatives and has a long track record in selling and delivering transformation programs across a diverse set of clients and industries. He brings extensive experience in sales leadership roles spanning large programs that integrate consulting, digital, and managed services elements to maximize client outcomes and drive growth. Ed is recognized for defining innovative solutions that accelerate customer objectives in a rapidly changing technology and business environment. Previously, Ed led the firm’s Defense Segment. Prior to Guidehouse, Ed served as Chief Operating Officer of Accenture Federal Services. During his 27+ years with Accenture, he also led the Safety and Citizen Services portfolio and the Civilian portfolio and was the Federal Sales Lead. Before WIP, Ed completed three terms on the board of The Women’s Center, a nonprofit counseling and resource center providing support independent of ability to pay.
Erik Huey is a senior entertainment, tech, and media industry government and public affairs executive with over twenty-five years of experience. Along with Darius Anderson, he recently opened Platinum Advisors DC in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Platinum Advisors, Erik was the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at ESA, where he oversaw the entire federal and state advocacy apparatus for the $36 billion US video game industry. In this capacity, he regularly briefed industry CEOs and top executives on public affairs, and oversaw an internal team and a roster of 50 consulting firms. He has been repeatedly listed on The Hill’s Top Lobbyists in DC, Hollywood Reporter’s Top 100 Entertainment Lawyers, and Top 100 Irish American Attorney in the US. He routinely speaks and guest lectures at NYU, USC, American University and UC-Irvine. At ESA, he led the successful industry campaign in response to recent media violence challenges, and coordinated the industry’s IP protection, privacy, cybersecurity and tax efforts. He also orchestrated the government affairs component of ESA’s historic US Supreme Court free speech victory. In addition, he worked with US House members to form the Congressional Video Game Caucus.
Amy K. Dacey is Executive Director of the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics at American University. For more than two decades, she managed prominent national organizations, advised leading elected officials and candidates, including President Barack Obama and Senator John Kerry, and counseled a variety of nonprofits and companies. Before joining AU, Amy was President of AKD Strategies, a strategic firm working with non-profits, and Foundations in the progressive policy space. During the 2016 presidential election, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Democratic National Committee. During the 2004 elections, she worked for then-Senator John Kerry on his presidential campaign and, following his narrow loss, helped to lead Kerry’s political operation. She also managed Rep. Louise Slaughter’s congressional campaign in 1998. From 2010 to 2013, Amy served as Executive Director of EMILY’s List, the organization dedicated to electing Democratic women to national, state, and local offices, and led the organization’s revitalization, restructuring and rebranding efforts. In addition, she served in various leadership positions for several other organizations.
Ben is Strategy Director with Accenture where he advises Fortune 100 clients on innovative approaches to drive growth and scale new offerings in across global markets. Prior to joining Accenture, Ben was CEO & Co-Founder of Dublin Tech Summit, one of Europe’s largest technology conferences. He was recognized with the Emerging Leader Award by the US Embassy in Dublin for his achievements in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Based out of Washington, DC, Ben is also the Executive Director of the US-Ireland Partnership for Growth, an organization that promotes engagement between legislators and business leaders to unlock economic growth in Ireland and the United States. Ben holds a BSc in Government and Public Policy and also attended the University of Maine as a George Mitchell Scholar.
Rachel Powell is the Equality and Diversity Manager of the Education Authority NI, the single biggest employer in Northern Ireland. Prior to this role, Rachel worked as the Women’s Sector Lobbyist for Northern Ireland with the Women’s Resource and Development Agency, was the Chair of the Women’s Policy Group NI and was a member of the Expert Advisory Panel on developing the Northern Ireland Executive Gender Equality Strategy. Rachel has been committed to women’s rights and equality for many years and has an MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice from Queen’s; a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Queen’s and a Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Gender and Transition from UU. She was heavily involved in student politics and has been both VP for Equality and Diversity and VP for Postgraduates. Rachel worked as a Human Rights Officer for the Human Rights Consortium and was a member of the WIP Management Team in 2018 and WIP Class of 2013.
Susan Hoffman, as Public Service Partner at Crowell & Moring LLP for the past 27 years, promotes and participates in the pro bono work of the Firm. For many years she has also been a WIP Host Family. Ms. Hoffman serves as President of the Crowell & Moring Foundation, a separate nonprofit organization, which funds a post-law school fellowship in conjunction with Equal Justice Works, and makes grants to nonprofits that focus on education for at-risk youth. For nearly 30 years, Ms. Hoffman has worked on issues affecting women and children, particularly domestic violence victims, both on the professional and personal levels. Ms. Hoffman is active on several boards and legal advisory committees for legal services providers and was the President of the D.C. Bar Foundation.
Anthony Harbinson retired from the Northern Ireland Civil Service as Permanent Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural after almost 40 years in public service. During that time, he held senior roles with the Northern Department of Justice, The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Health Service. He currently sits on a wide range of Boards in the voluntary sector as well as the Boards of the Irish Policing Authority and UK’s Food Standards Agency. A qualified Accountant by profession he was the Global President of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the worlds largest Global Accountancy Body. He also was Chair of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies the umbrella group for the main accountancy bodies within the UK and Ireland. Throughout his career he has been a leading advocate for the development of ethics standards in finance and accounting as well as the combatting of organised crime, money laundering and corruption. He is a Visiting Professor at Ulster University and has contributed to the dissemination of various research and professional education related activities in the Business School and the Department of Social Policy. He has supported the dissemination of research in the area of gender equality issues and is a module coordinator on the university’s MPA course and has organised and hosted several events for students and staff in Stormont.
Chris Brown is the Director and Founder of Brown O’Connor Communications, a public affairs led communications advisory firm in Ireland. Chris is an experienced public affairs and corporate communications specialist with 20 years’ experience working across the UK and Ireland advising high profile private sector companies and a range of government bodies involved in issues from economic development to the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland. He represents several of the main trade bodies in Northern Ireland and is currently the media advisor to a major health and social care inquiry in Belfast. He has picked up several awards for his work from the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, Chartered Institute of Public Relations, PRWeek and a European SABRE award. Chris is an Alum of the Washington Ireland Program Class of 2022 and the AMBIT Program and has completed the Leaders for Tomorrow Program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He holds a MSc in Political Communication and Public Affairs at Ulster University and a BA Politics with Media at The Queen’s University of Belfast. Chris also serves on the Board of the NOW Group, an influential social enterprise working across the island of Ireland supporting people with autism and learning difficulties.
Chris Leahy is Founder of LongView Public Strategies, a corporate affairs and policy firm that offers strategic guidance to innovative companies and entrepreneurs navigating the complex public policy landscape of market creation, product protection, and regulatory compliance. Chris is expert at evaluating public sector impacts, formulating advocacy strategies, navigating regulation, and securing optimal business results. Prior to LongView, Chris spent close to three decades as a senior corporate affairs leader at major global companies, including Intuit, Bayer, Peabody Energy, and Volkswagen, spanning energy, mining & minerals, transportation, life sciences, and technology. Earlier in his career, Chris served in government as Policy Coordinator and Senior Counsel with the House Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. Congress for the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce. Chris holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from American University. He is a member of the Washington D.C. and Virginia Bars, and sits on several boards, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Meridian Center, the Bryce Harlow Foundation, the Congressional Award, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Chris has been honored annually as a “Top Corporate Lobbyist” by The Hill newspaper.
Ben Howard is a partner at the Duberstein Group after serving more than a decade in key roles in both the White House and the House of Representatives. Most recently, Ben served as Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs and Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs in the White House. In this role, Ben advised President Trump and senior officials on legislative strategy in the House and served as the primary liaison between the House and the White House. Ben has built strong relationships with members of Congress across the political spectrum. During Ben’s several stints in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs, he oversaw key House committees and House leadership and crafted many successful legislative strategies on major legislation, including tax reform, the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA), a long-term extension of the Export-Import Bank, and the Space Force. Prior to his time in the White House, Ben served as Floor Director for Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy where he used his bipartisan relationships and knowledge of House procedure to effectively manage the House Floor. Ben graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a BA in History and a BA in Medieval Studies. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two sons.
John McCarrick is a Registered Auditor and Certified Public Accountant with over 40 years experience. John is a former President of the Irish Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants, Managing Partner of John McCarrick & Associates and Chairperson of the Kenyan Child Foundation, Ireland. As President of the Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants, John led the successful campaign to merge with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland. John served on the Council of CPA Ireland from 2017 to 2022. His accountancy work with John McCarrick & Associates has regularly been recognised by both the British and Irish Accountancy Awards. Throughout his career, John has demonstrated a keen interest in international development. He previously worked with the World Bank Group and led the restructuring of the Industrial Bank of China. He was also appointed by the Department of Justice in Ireland to serve as a Peace Commissioner. John currently serves as Director of the Kenyan Child Foundation, a registered charity, that provides inclusive and quality education to hundreds of children in Kenya. For the last ten years, John has overseen the development of both Saint Patrick’s Primary School in Kawese and the Songa School for children with disabilities in Nairobi, Kenya. Currently, John lives in Dublin, Ireland with his wife, Ciara, and his three children, John, Conn and Sadhbh.
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