ASHRAE Government Affairs Mission Statement:
To establish ASHRAE as a leading source for expertise in the built environment and a resource for policy-makers in the development of legislation and regulations affecting the public, the HVAC&R community, and the engineering profession.
To this end the ASHRAE Washington D.C. office will:
- Build relationships between the Society and all levels of government in the United States and with the appropriate international community representatives.
- Facilitate the transfer of technical counsel and assistance on matters affecting the public, engineering profession and ASHRAE professional community.
- Collect, digest and disseminate to members and staff relevant information regarding current or anticipated government actions.
- Pursue technology transfer and government funding opportunities independently or jointly with other appropriate organizations.
Washington Office Staff
Alice Yates
Alice Yates is ASHRAE’s Director of Government Affairs.
Alice has over 25 years of experience in legislative development, policy analysis and government advocacy. Prior to her position at ASHRAE, Alice served at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, serving first as a Senior Congressional Advisor and then as Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy. Alice served for a decade in the United States Senate as a senior legislative advisor. Prior to her Hill experience, Alice advanced economic development projects in Massachusetts with MassDevelopment’s real estate and policy teams. Alice started her career conducting economic and environmental policy analysis at Industrial Economics, Inc. in Cambridge, MA. Alice earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s of Science in Technology and Policy from MIT.
Bryce Causey
Bryce Causey is ASHRAE's Manager of Federal Government Affairs.
Bryce is an experienced public servant, having served in both the legislative and executive branch. Previously, Bryce served as a Policy Advisor at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. Prior to that, Bryce served for over 3 years as a Legislative Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives to multiple members of Congress. Bryce started his career in the environmental consulting field, helping clients navigate the Clean Water Act regulatory permitting process. Bryce graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Environmental Policy & Planning and Political Science, and is from Virginia Beach, VA.
Emily Porcari
Emily Porcari is ASHRAE's Manager of State and Local Government Affairs.
Emily has extensive experience in both legislative and regulatory policy analysis in the energy and environmental sectors. Previously, Emily was a Senior Associate Analyst at StateScape, a company that provides analysis to clients on federal, state, and local legislation and regulations. Prior to that, she served as the Special Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she worked with the Service's regions and offices around the country to provide briefings and information to agency leadership. She has also completed various fellowships related to public policy and sustainability. Emily graduated from the University of Dayton with a B.A. in Political Science, and is from Cheverly, Maryland.
Jacob Karson
Jacob Karson is ASHRAE's Manager of Government Outreach and Engagement.
Jacob Karson equips ASHRAE volunteers to conduct advocacy work by leading teams of volunteers to meet with their elected officials and developing issue focused campaigns to advance the Society’s public policy priorities. In prior positions, Jacob worked at the International Code Council, where he oversaw state and local advocacy for Washington DC, Delaware, and Maryland, interned in the congressional office of Representative Adam Schiff, and has also worked on several political campaigns. He holds a degree in International Political Economy from the University of Puget Sound.
Neil Gavigan
Neil Gavigan is the Government Affairs Legislative and Policy Analyst
Neil has nearly a decade of experience supporting policy and advocacy for associations. Most recently, Neil was the Policy and Advocacy Manager at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). In addition to supporting the association’s broad range of policy and advocacy priorities related to the higher education business office, Neil managed multiple policy communications projects. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from George Mason University and a B.A. in History and Spanish from the University of Montana.
Chris Miller
Chris Miller is the Government Affairs Office Manager.
Chris is a local of the Washington Metropolitan Area with a wide range of experience in government affairs. Previously, Chris worked as a Sales Operations Administrator at Teaching Strategies, an educational materials company. He also served as a Legislative Associate for a private government relations firm as well as interning at the Virginia General Assembly. In his spare time, Chris works with International Academic Competitions, serving as a head writer for the National Political Science Bee. Chris has a M.P.A. from George Mason University and a B.A. in Government from the College of William & Mary.
ASHRAE Washington Office
1255 23rd Street, NW
Suite 825
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone (202) 833-1830
Fax: (202) 833-0118