Kate Owens
As a Legislative Research Assistant, Kate supports Lewis-Burke by conducting research and tracking legislative developments to provide clients with actionable insights in the environment, health, and agriculture policy areas. She brings a strong background in environmental policy and regulatory affairs, along with hands-on experience in both the public and private sectors. The agencies Kate primarily covers are the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Science Foundation (NSF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Issue Expertise: Environment, health, agriculture
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Kate served as a Corporate Sustainability Intern with MITRE, where she managed the company-wide greenhouse gas inventory and strengthened employee engagement with sustainable initiatives. Previously, Kate interned at CropLife America as a Science and Regulatory Affairs Intern, where she synthesized EPA regulatory updates and wrote newsletters for stakeholders. On campus, she was a Peer Leader with the Office of Sustainability, leading projects on environmental justice, and making events on campus more sustainable.
Vital Statistics: Kate grew up in Arlington, VA outside of Washington, DC. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a minor in climate and society earning summa cum laude honors and leadership distinction in civic and professional engagement. She also studied abroad at the University of Dubrovnik in Croatia, widening her global perspective and inspiring her love for travel. Kate enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, painting, and eating sushi.
Keaton Dicapo
Keaton supports Lewis Burke by utilizing his research background to track policy and legislative developments for clients, providing them with unique insight into the areas of public health, biomedical research, environmental impacts, and product safety. He further assists clients in navigating the changing dynamics of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), among others.
Issue Expertise: Healthcare, public health, public safety, environment, energy.
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Keaton interned in the Louisiana House of Representatives and worked on a gubernatorial and District Attorney campaign in Tennessee. He also interned at a land-use consulting firm in Nashville where he worked on community development and energy projects, solidifying his love for energy and environmental policy. Keaton moved to Washington, DC, in 2024 working to support projects in the energy, healthcare, infrastructure, and education sectors. Most recently, he worked at a trade association for health insurance brokers where he managed state affairs, worked on federal policy initiatives, and assisted with the association’s PAC.
Vital Statistics: Keaton is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and lived there until leaving for boarding school. He received his bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Rhodes College. Keaton and his significant other, Kate, live in DC’s historic Foggy Bottom neighborhood, where he serves as the Vice Chair of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC). Outside of work and the ANC, Keaton spends his time baking, writing poems and short stories, reading, and playing guitar. Keaton also enjoys watching sports, particularly the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Isabel Simons
Isabel Simons assists Lewis-Burke by providing insights into areas pertaining to space, energy, national security, and environment. With a background in national security and energy science, Isabel’s experiences enable her to provide clients with valuable perspectives on federal research and development priorities, funding opportunities, and interagency operations. Isabel focuses on programming across agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of State (DOS), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Issue Expertise: National Security, Space, Energy, and Environment
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke Associates, Isabel interned at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Foreign Assistance. Through her work on the Near East and North Africa team, Isabel developed regional expertise, informed foreign assistance levels, and contributed to interagency discussions over funding priorities and policy recommendations. This experience provided Isabel with insight into congressional budget processes and federal programing. Additionally, Isabel studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark where she engaged in research pertaining to Arctic geopolitics. This opportunity enabled her to develop an in-depth understanding of Arctic policy from both domestic and international perspectives.
Vital Statistics: Isabel is originally from Pasadena, CA and graduated with distinction from the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy with a bachelor's degree in public policy and a minor in energy science and policy. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, scuba diving, and playing the daily New York Times word games. Isabel is also a native French speaker.
Michael Peterson
Michael Peterson serves as a Principal at Lewis-Burke Associates, utilizing over a decade of congressional and agency experience to promote client interests, advance their long-term goals, and improve their relationships with stakeholders in both Capitol Hill and in the Executive Branch. In particular, Michael specializes in advising organizations and achieving results in the health policy space and in congressional appropriations.
Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Michael served as a senior staffer in the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations’ (FDA) congressional appropriations office, as well as led the Agency’s policy engagements with state, local, tribal, and territorial officials, as well as related associations. He also served as the Agency’s intergovernmental affairs liaison with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on critical topics such as foreign drug importation. During his tenure at the FDA, Michael worked with Appropriations Committee staff in Congress to secure important new funding for the Agency, including $10 million to permanently establish the first program to enhance U.S. supply chain resilience for medical devices. In addition to his Agency experience, Michael also served as Legislative Director for former Congressman Peter J. Visclosky (IN-01), a senior appropriations cardinal. During his time in this role, Michael coordinated efforts to successfully secure funding from HHS to assist Indiana safety net hospitals during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Issue Expertise: Congressional appropriations, federal health policy
Additional Experience: In addition to Michael’s work on health policy, he is also experienced in both appropriations and authorizing matters regarding education, agriculture, tax, and other issues. Further, Michael is well-versed in matters concerning transportation and environmental infrastructure funding, having previously worked with partners during the first Trump Administration to secure a $354.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to expand the South Shore Rail Line operating between Northwest Indiana and Chicago. He is also proud to have worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure approximately $20 million in new funding increases for environmental infrastructure projects in his home district.
Vital Statistics: Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Valparaiso University. In his free time, Michael enjoys catching up on tv and movies with his wife and taking his son to the park.
Helen Glover
Helen Glover supports Lewis-Burke Associates at the intersection of environmental resilience and emerging technologies. Drawing on her multidisciplinary background, she assists clients by conducting legislative research, providing congressional updates, and offering insights on funding and research opportunities. Helen covers the Department of Defense (DOD), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Issue Areas: Future Tech, Computing, International Science Policy, Environment, Agriculture, Geosciences
Additional Experience: Having grown up on a family farm for young adults with disabilities, Helen is passionate about advocacy and community engagement - values that continue to shape her work. Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, she gained experience through various internships and projects in the government, nonprofit, and research sectors. In the government, Helen worked with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, NOAA, and the U.S. Senate. In the nonprofit and research sectors, she collaborated with Oxfam International, the World Wildlife Fund, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Currently, Helen is a research fellow with a focus on the geopolitics of cybersecurity and national security. Since 2022, she has also served as an Advisory Board Member for the Alliance for Sustainability, fostering strategic partnerships and supporting pragmatic initiatives.
Vital Statistics: Helen graduated from Smith College with dual degrees in Computer Science and Environmental Science and Policy. Outside the firm, she contributes to civic tech projects and conducts human-computer interaction research, exploring how people build communities through online platforms. In her free time, she enjoys coding and expanding her reading library on design.
Sarah Gianotti
Sarah Gianotti supports Lewis-Burke by utilizing her background in environmental science and grants consulting to assist clients interested in environmental and energy issue areas. Her experience in client outreach, grant research, and government affairs has prepared her for her role, which includes tracking legislation, agency developments, and funding opportunities, as well as providing insight into a variety of issues. The agencies Sarah primarily covers are the Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
History: Sarah’s passion and expertise is evident through her experience in consulting, government, and sustainability. Before joining Lewis-Burke, Sarah assisted at a grant writing company where she was familiarized with DOE, NSF, and education funding opportunities and projects. She also gained exposure to the lobbying world through interning at Alpine Group, a bi-partisan lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C.. During college, she served in the Texas Senate as a Messenger during the Texas 87th Legislative Session and the Summer Interim. Additionally, she led a student organization under her University’s Office of Sustainability called Green Greeks; there, she organized and executed environmental focused service and social events for fifty student members.
Issue Areas: Environment, Energy, Weather and Climate, Infrastructure, Clean Energy Resilience, and Transportation.
Vital Statistics: Sarah was born, raised, and schooled in Austin, Texas. She graduated in 2023 from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a focus in Geography. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys practicing yoga, going to farmer’s markets, and taking hikes through Rock Creek Park with her husband, Austin, and her little dog, Kiki.
Dominique Carter, Ph.D.
Dr. Dominique Carter is an award-winning scientist whose pioneering work at the nexus of science policy and strategy has advanced the agriculture, health, and bioeconomy sectors. Recognized as a cross-functional thought leader, innovative problem solver, and strategic communicator, Dominique is a former federal government professional who leverages her interdisciplinary technical expertise to champion science and bolster clients’ pursuits across various health, agriculture, science, and technology areas.
Formerly, Dominique held the position of Vice President of Food & Nutrition Affairs at FoodMinds, where she provided senior counsel on nutrition policy to agricultural commodities and food & beverage companies. Prior to this, Dr. Carter served as Assistant Director for Agricultural Sciences, Innovation, and Workforce at the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, where her contributions were pivotal in shaping and executing groundbreaking policy initiatives, including the first-ever White House Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative; and National Security Memorandum on Strengthening the Security and Resilience of United States Food and Agriculture (NSM-16).
Issue expertise: sustainable agriculture and food systems policy agricultural research, education, and extension; food and nutrition research; infectious disease research; biotechnology; health and life sciences workforce development; international science cooperation; data governance, science and research security; and monitoring and evaluation of scientific and education programs.
Additional Experience:Her illustrious career also involves serving as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation (NSF) within the Office of the Director. In this role, she defined the science and technology landscapes of emerging economies in Europe and Africa, informing strategic partnerships between NSF and foreign counterparts. She also served as an Agricultural Science Advisor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Chief Scientist, where she spearheaded visionary initiatives, including the development of the USDA Science Blueprint, USDA’s vision for agricultural research and innovation through 2025, and the Sustainable Agriculture Intensification Team to develop a five-year roadmap for USDA science agencies to deliver innovative, environmentally, and economically sustainable solutions for meeting global demands for healthy and affordable agricultural products.
Vital Statistics: In the community, Dominique is an Aspen Institute Food Leaders Fellow, member of the Council for Foreign Relations (CFR), an Advisory Council Member for the Harvard Business Review (HBR), and an expert for the Atlantic Council. A Chicago native, Dr. Carter holds a BS in Chemistry from Saint Norbert College and a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Bioengineering from the Medical College of Wisconsin.