Board of Directors

Ms. Adams serves as Vice President, Federal Government Affairs and Canada, Johnson & Johnson. She manages a team of D.C.-based federal lobbyists and political programs professionals as well as the J&J Canada government affairs team. Ms. Adams' experience in Washington, DC spans over 30 years in public health and biomedical research policy, patient advocacy and public affairs. Her outstanding contributions as a lobbyist earned her a spot on the 2018, 2019 and 2020 lists of the Hill Newspaper’s “Top Lobbyists”. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Public Affairs Council; the Bryce Harlow Foundation; the US Global Leadership Coalition; the Ford’s Theater Board of Governors; and the US Chamber Foundation.

Mr. Ashton, Jr. is the Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of The St. James, a leading developer and operator of performance, wellness and lifestyle brands, experiences, technologies and destinations. Prior to founding The St. James, Mr. Ashton was a founding member and Managing Director of Perella Weinberg Partners, a global boutique financial services firm. Mr. Ashton is a member of the Board of Directors of The Cronos Group (NASDAQ: CRON), an innovative global cannabinoid company, the Board of Trustees of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Board of Trustees of the National Urban League. He is also an emeritus member of the Board of Visitors and Foundation Board of the College of William & Mary.

Mr. Bynum serves as Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for PNC Bank, where he leads PNC Community Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility; Community Development Banking; and Diversity and Inclusion.  Bynum is an accomplished executive with 20 years of executive leadership experience, most recently serving as President of PNC Bank's Greater Washington Market.  Bynum serves on the boards of numerous non-profits and civic organizations, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, the United Way of the National Capital Area, and the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Formerly President of Riggs National Corporation and CEO of Riggs Investment Advisors, Inc. which managed assets of over $1 billion, Coughlin currently manages business development activities and is a member of Edgemoor’s Investment Selection Committee. He is Chairman of WETA Public Television and Radio and a Trustee of the Washington National Cathedral.

Under de Picciotto’s leadership, Octagon is regarded as a leader in talent representation, property ownership, event management and corporate marketing. He may be best known for building the brands and overseeing the careers of many of the world’s most recognizable athletes and celebrities, ranging from Super Bowl champions to Olympic gold medalists to royalty to network broadcasters.

As the 17th President, Dr. Frederick’s goal is to enhance the Howard University legacy, ensure that the University maximizes its impact and that its students receive a well-rounded educational experience.  Upon his return to Howard University, his academic positions included Associate Dean in the College of Medicine, Division Chief in the Department of Surgery, Director of the Cancer Center and Deputy Provost for Health Sciences.  A distinguished researcher, surgeon, and author, Dr. Frederick has also received various awards honoring his scholarship and service.  In January 2017, the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors elected Dr. Frederick to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Baltimore Branch.  In May 2016, President Barack H. Obama appointed Dr. Frederick to the Board of Advisors for the White House Initiative on HBCUs.

Amy Gilliland is president of General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics Corporation. GDIT is a $8.5B global technology enterprise with operations in 30 countries worldwide and 30,000 technologists and services professionals delivering critical mission capabilities across defense, civilian and intelligence agencies. Gilliland has more than 25 years of public sector experience including service in the U.S. Navy and nearly two decades in leadership positions at General Dynamics.

Prior to her current role as president, GDIT, Gilliland held a variety of leadership roles at General Dynamics including senior vice president of human resources and administration, chief of staff for the chief executive officer and staff vice president of strategic planning, and staff vice president of investor relations.

Before joining General Dynamics, Gilliland served in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, Congressional Affairs Liaison Officer and Public Affairs Officer.

She earned a bachelor’s degree with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy, a master’s degree from Cambridge University and a master’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University.  Gilliland is a Board of Director of BNY Mellon and for the Northern Virginia Technology Council. She is also involved in raising Rett Syndrome awareness through the Rett Syndrome Research Trust.

Ms. Unger is vice president of Cargill’s North America government relations team where she is responsible for driving business value for the company by anticipating, analyzing and influencing government and regulatory intervention in North America. In her free time, Unger serves on the board of the Cargill Hispanic Latino Council (CHLC), which strives to make Cargill the employer of choice for Hispanic Latino talent and is chair of the board of Urban Ventures, an organization focused on stopping the cycle of urban poverty in Minneapolis.

Joyce led Danaher’s $18B global, multi-industry portfolio of businesses. With Danaher’s 67,000 associates world-wide, he has strengthened Danaher’s focus as a leading science and technology company through the strategic acquisition of more than two dozen companies.

Mr. Knox is the Senior Vice President and Counsel at Aflac, joining the company in 2006. Mr. Knox leads and oversees the company's Federal Relations team. He also represents Aflac in legislative and regulatory matters with the federal government by providing policy direction, coordinating federal affairs initiatives and lobbying for the company’s interests in Washington, D.C. Knox is actively involved in the community serving on several boards including those of Meridian International Center, Congressional Award Foundation, Small Business Council of America, and Public Affairs Council. Additionally, he is co-founder of the Washington Heads of Office Leadership Council (WHOOLC) and was recently recognized as National Diversity Council’s 2021 Most Influential African Americans in Business. 

Ms. McLean is Chief Executive Officer of EDENS, one of the nation’s leading private owners, operators and developers of retail real estate. She is responsible for EDENS’ strategy to move the portfolio to major urban centers, creating a portfolio of assets that are the center of community life. She was named Chief Investment Officer in 1997, President in 2002 and CEO in 2015. Overall, Ms. McLean has been responsible for the development, redevelopment, acquisition and disposition of more than $15 billion in retail assets.

Mr. Pelletier has served as a trusted advisor at the highest executive levels of Congress, the White House, and the private sector. In 2000, he was tapped by President Bush to be the Associate Director of Legislative Affairs for the White House Office of Management and Budget. He currently leads the Alibaba team and manages all government and regulatory affairs activity in the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia outside of China at the national, regional, state and local levels. 

Mr. Rozanski is President and Chief Executive Officer of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., a global technology and consulting company that serves government clients and Fortune 500 corporations. Since 2012, he has led a strategic transformation of the firm, investing in innovation, advanced technology, and highly skilled talent, and reshaping its portfolio toward mission-critical, high-margin solutions. Mr. Rozanski joined Booz Allen in 1992 as a consultant to commercial clients, was elected vice president in 1999, and served as chief personnel officer, chief strategy and talent officer, and president and chief operating officer before becoming CEO. He also is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors.

Samet leads a $5.7 billion regional healthcare delivery system—the largest healthcare provider in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region. He serves on the boards of Greater Washington Partnership, Greater Baltimore Committee, United Way of the National Capital Area, and Goodwill of Greater Washington, and on the Executive Committees of Georgetown University and the Greater Washington Board of Trade. In addition to being a recipient of the Anti-Defamation League Achievement Award, Samet has also been inducted into the Washington Business Hall of Fame.

With more than 20 years’ experience in change management, sales strategy and professional development, Ms. Schoppmann is focused on elevating talent, strategy, performance and client service across the Mid-Atlantic. Ms. Schoppmann serves as President of CBRE’s Mid-Atlantic markets, which include Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. She is a part of CBRE’s global Executive Inclusion Council, a senior leadership team committed to enabling CBRE’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy. She is a Founding Member of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of Chief, the only private membership network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders.

Prior to becoming CEO in September 2019, Julie served as chief executive officer of Accenture’s business in North America, the company’s largest geographic market.  A leader on topics including innovation, technology’s impact on business, and inclusion and diversity, Julie serves on the Board of Directors for Catalyst, the Center for Strategic & International Studies, and the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities - Bridges from School to Work.  She is also a member of the TechNet Executive Council, the World Economic Forum's International Business Council, and the Business Roundtable (BRT), previously serving on the BRT Board of Directors and as chair of the Technology Committee. In 2019, she was named to FORTUNE’s list of “Most Powerful Women” for the fourth consecutive year.

Mr. Vargas is the Vice President, Head of Global Public Policy at General Motors (GM). Prior to joining GM in August of 2021, Vargas held senior government relations roles with 3M, Praxair and PepsiCo. Earlier in his career, Vargas worked in Government Service as an appointee of President George W. Bush to the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served in a variety of capacities.  He currently serves as co-chair of the Meridian Center’s Executive Committee and as a board member for Fiscal Note, Executive Institute Advisory Board.

Ms. Wright is a litigator concentrating in the area of white-collar criminal defense, with a specific focus on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and international anti-corruption laws; criminal antitrust; public corruption; government contracts matters; and complex civil litigation matters. As a litigator, Ms. Wright has represented individuals and corporations in state and federal courts throughout the country on a variety of criminal and civil matters. She is currently an independent director for the National Capital Bank of Washington, the oldest community bank in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Outside of work, Ms. Wright maintains active membership in various bar associations, currently serving as the Vice Chair of the National Bar Association Division – Minority Partners in Majority Firms as well as many other organizations.