Fulcrum Public Affairs
Who we are

A Team Built at the Intersection of Policy, Politics & Advocacy

Our strategists have held senior-level positions in Congress and presidential administrations. As a 100% Black & Latino-owned firm, we’re one of DC’s more diverse and energetic lobbying teams — and we think it shows in the work and the results.

Leadership

The People Behind the Work

Senior-led on every account — clients get direct partner attention, not a hand-off to junior staff. Meet the people behind the work.

Oscar Ramirez
Oscar Ramirez
Co-Founder
Democratic strategist with 20+ years on the Hill, national campaigns, and the Obama Administration.
Dana Thompson
Dana Thompson
Co-Founder
Nearly 20 years in federal & state government; former chief of staff to Rep. Maxine Waters.
Sasha Hernandez
Sasha Hernandez
Principal
Former Senior Policy Advisor to Rep. Suzan DelBene; tech, telecom & privacy.
Miya Patel
Miya Patel
Principal
Former judiciary counsel to Rep. Joe Neguse; antitrust, banking & tech.
Josie Villanueva
Josie Villanueva
Principal
Former counselor to the HHS Secretary; health care & immigration policy.
Sarah Monteith
Sarah Monteith
Senior Vice President
Appropriations & education strategist; former aide to Rep. Kilmer and Sen. Murray.
Zack Laven
Zack Laven
Senior Vice President
Former Deputy Chief of Staff to Rep. David Schweikert; energy, environment & trade.
Paola De Orbeta
Paola De Orbeta
Senior Associate
Tech & banking government affairs; digital equity and workforce development.
Valerie Graham
Valerie Graham
Associate
Federal, state & local advocacy; former ED of the MD Legislative Women’s Caucus.
Brooke Van Slyke
Brooke Van Slyke
Administrative Coordinator
Operations & programmatic support across law, international affairs & nonprofits.
Jordan Valdés
Jordan Valdés
Strategic Communications Partner
Founder of Varnum Street Strategies; integrated communications & PR support for Fulcrum clients.
What sets us apart

Small Firm Service. Big Firm Capabilities.

Bipartisan by design

Relationships on both sides of the aisle at every level of government, from day one.

100% Black & Latino-owned

One of DC’s more diverse and energetic lobbying teams — and it shows in the work.

Senior attention, always

Every engagement is led by senior team members. No junior hand-offs, no associate running point.

Get in touch

Want to Work With Our Team?

We’re always looking for talented people who want to do meaningful work at the intersection of policy, politics, and advocacy. If that sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you.