Leland Cogliani, J.D.

Leland Cogliani has over 20 years of experience advancing science and technology priorities for research institutions.  Leland works closely with congressional authorizing and appropriations committees and federal research agencies on behalf of academic institutions, scientific societies, facility management organizations, and energy startups to create new research initiatives and programs, advance science, and energy infrastructure projects, and increase federal research funding.   

As the firm’s Energy Practice lead and Co-Chair of the Energy Sciences Coalition, Leland is a leading voice in the higher education and research advocacy community to advance basic and applied energy research and development programs, especially at the Department of Energy (DOE).  Leland also uses his substantive subject matter expertise in nuclear security and nonproliferation science and technology issues to grow the participation of institutions of higher education in addressing national security challenges.  Leland is currently a board member of the Arms Control Association and is a frequent speaker at science and technology forums. 

Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Leland was the lead Senate Appropriations Committee staff member, with budget and oversight responsibility for $17 billion in federal programs, including the DOE Office of Science, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE intelligence programs, and DOE national laboratories.  

Issue Expertise: Appropriations and congressional budget process, basic and applied energy research (DOE Office of Science; ARPA-E; renewable, energy efficiency, fossil, carbon management, nuclear, and grid-related research); emerging technology areas, including artificial intelligence, quantum science and technology, microelectronics, advanced computing, and biotechnology; energy infrastructure investments; DOE national laboratories; nuclear security and nonproliferation (National Nuclear Security Administration)  

Additional Experience: Prior to the Senate, Leland was a Senior Analyst in the Natural Resources and Environment Division at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) with oversight responsibilities over U.S. nuclear weapons and nuclear nonproliferation programs.  He authored more than a dozen reports to Congress on science and national security issues, including life extension programs of nuclear warheads, the U.S. fusion program, and the International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear safeguards activities.   

Vital Statistics: Leland earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Studies at Boston College and his Master of Arts in International Affairs at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. He received a Juris Doctor from Catholic University Columbus School of Law.  Leland is a proud father of two daughters and enjoys traveling with his family around the country and the world seeking new adventures.  Leland is a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo and continues to train twice a week.  Born in Rome, Italy, Leland is a native Italian speaker. 


Miriam Quintal

Miriam Quintal boasts fourteen years of advocacy and client success at Lewis-Burke, managing the federal relations portfolios for large academic institutions, scientific societies, and facility management organizations. As Managing Principal, she oversees the firm’s client engagement and issue practices to ensure success and advancement across the firm.  Miriam fiercely protects client priorities, leveraging her unique combination of scientific training with political insight.

Miriam is a prominent leader in National Science Foundation advocacy, co-chairing the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) and working closely with the higher education and research advocacy community to guide policy for and champion the Foundation. Her wealth of knowledge and federal research enterprise acumen provides value to all components of client interests: supporting executives and university leadership, shepherding research initiatives, and shaping policy across a range of issues. Major advocacy efforts have included successfully guiding large-scale science projects through the appropriations process, restoring funding for key programs proposed to be eliminated in the President’s budget request, establishing new agency funding for research infrastructure, and creating opportunities for clients to showcase research and leadership in Administration initiative areas.

Issue Expertise: Basic research (National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, Department of Energy Office of Science), STEM education, computing and computational science, math and physical sciences, engineering, and space and astronomy.

Additional Experience: Miriam has twice served as NSF lead for the Association of American Universities (AAU) Innovation Task Force.  Before joining Lewis-Burke, Miriam gained policy experience as a Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow with the Board on Science Education at the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.  At the Academies, she contributed to several projects, including a review of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s education programs and a study of gaming and simulations for science education.

Vital Statistics: Miriam developed her passion for politics while growing up in the DC region, before venturing north to get an undergraduate degree in chemistry with highest honors from Smith College and a Masters Degree in Organic Chemistry from Harvard University.  She has been a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and a Fulbright Fellow.  Miriam loves raising her son in DC alongside her wife.  She is deeply engaged in her community, serving as a Founding Trustee and coordinator for Minyan Segulah, a local independent prayer community.


Reed Skaggs, Ph.D.

Dr. Reed Skaggs, Lewis-Burke’s dynamic Chief Strategy and Business Operations Officer, combines a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry with decades of federal defense expertise to deliver strategic brilliance to clients. With a stellar track record of serving the national security S&T enterprise (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Army Research and Technology, Army Research Laboratory, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)) Reed is a force in shaping national policies and securing unique funding opportunities.  

As the go-to expert in defense and national security R&D, he spearheads initiatives to elevate clients’ federal presence and capitalize on emerging opportunities. With a passion for emerging technologies like quantum information sciences and infectious diseases, Reed is not just a leader but a visionary in navigating the evolving federal landscape of national security.  

Vital Statistics: Reed grew up in southern VA, attending Hampden-Sydney College followed by his pursuit of an advanced degree in physical chemistry at George Washington University.  Off-duty, you’ll find him on the golf course or cheering on his beloved Ravens and Nationals with his wife Jennifer and two daughters.  


Amber Cassady

Amber leads Lewis-Burke's national security practice and spearheads both client-specific and firm-wide efforts in defense appropriations, defense authorization, and engagement with the Department of Defense (DOD) and Military Services.  Amber is especially involved in the national security R&D ecosystem related to manufacturing, microelectronics, and emerging technologies. She also leads the firm’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) portfolio, most recently keeping a pulse on “CHIPS”-specific opportunities and funding from the landmark CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.  Amber is an active member of the Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR), which advocates for basic and applied research funding on behalf of many Lewis-Burke research universities and organizations. 

Issue Areas: Defense, national security, manufacturing, microelectronics, emerging technology, defense health, standards and technology.

Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Amber worked as a Research Assistant at the Bertelsmann Foundation, a transatlantic think tank where she covered European Union-U.S. policies in artificial intelligence, technology, manufacturing, and the future of work. Amber also worked as an Education Outreach Assistant at the Center for European Studies, at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. She interned with the Department of State in politics and economics section at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.  

Vital Statistics: Amber earned a B.A. in Global Studies and Contemporary European Studies from the University of North Carolina (Go Heels!). She earned a M.A. in Political Science at both UNC and Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, during which she was awarded two Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) scholarships by the U.S. Department of Education, and she now serves on UNC’s Transatlantic Masters Board. Amber revels in being one of the firm’s resident foodies and can be spotted most evenings at D.C. restaurants with her husband and friends. 


Amanda Bruno

Amanda is a trusted specialist in education, economic development, and workforce policy across Congress and within the Departments of Education, Commerce, and Labor, as well as the National Science Foundation.  She has years of experience in navigating the legislative processes to authorize and fund federal programs related to education and scientific research funding, sustainable economic development, and access to education and workforce training.  Amanda leverages her relationships on Capitol Hill to create tailored strategies to advance client federal policy and research goals by building on mutual areas of overlap between client strengths and congressional priorities.  In addition to her committed work on behalf of Lewis-Burke clients, Amanda drives research community initiatives through her leadership on STEM education policy and participation in the firm’s Technology Based Economic Development and Workforce practice groups. 

Issue areas: education, workforce, economic development, immigration, and advanced wireless policy. 

Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Amanda served as a Government Affairs Associate in The Ohio State University’s Office of Federal Relations in Washington, D.C., where she handled a portfolio that included higher education issues and administrative functions. 

Vital Statistics: A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Amanda graduated summa cum laude from Miami University with bachelor’s degrees in political science and international studies and has a master’s in public policy from George Mason University.  Her dedication to the pursuit of nuanced and ethical advocacy was recognized by the Byrce Harlow Foundation through her inauguration into their fellowship program’s 2022-2023 class. As a lover of history, Amanda spends her days off taking in D.C.’s historical sights and museums.  She enjoys traveling, reading, and cheering on Ohio’s professional and collegiate sports teams.  


Otto Katt

As a former educator, Otto Katt brings a passion to his workforce and education policy and advocacy work in his Workforce Practice Group Chair role. In addition to those areas, he brings experience in immigration, economic development, research, and tax policy on behalf of Lewis-Burke clients. Otto provides strategic guidance on legislative, administrative, and regulatory issues at the Department of Education (ED) and Department of Labor (DOL), in addition to other federal agencies. He leverages his professional knowledge and expertise, gained while working in the K-12 space and at the state and federal policy level, to provide timely insight and support to a wide range of clients, including institutions and systems of higher education, associations, foundations, and coalitions on key education and workforce policy issues including federal student financial aid, workforce development legislation, ed R&D, the evolving higher education landscape, and the “business” of higher education. 

Before joining Lewis-Burke, Otto served as the Education Advisor for Representative Phil Roe, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. While there, he proposed and developed education and workforce development policies for the congressman. He also staffed and advised the congressman at Education and Workforce Committee meetings and district events and engaged various interest groups, stakeholder groups, and agencies regarding pertinent legislation. 

Issue Expertise:K-12 and STEM education policy, higher education policy, workforce development policy, federal research policy, student financial aid, accreditation, “business” of higher education. 

Additional Experience:Otto has worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and policy analyst in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. These experiences include serving as a Teach For America Corps member. 

Vital Statistics:Otto received his B.A. in History from The College of New Jersey and his Masters in International Studies: Latin America from the University of Connecticut. He grew up in New Jersey, runs the occasional marathon, and enjoys exploring far Southeast DC with his family. 


Bill Ruch

Bill Ruch is the Chair of Lewis-Burke’s Technology-Based Economic Development (TBED) Practice, which provides strategic support to clients on commercializing research from lab to market, launching new entrepreneurial assistance programming, forging public-private partnerships, shaping innovation policy, and pursuing regional economic development opportunities. In addition to these efforts, Bill’s diverse portfolio covers federal interests across the research and development spectrum, including serving as one of the firm’s top experts in federal social and behavioral science and domestic security efforts.  Bill leverages over a decade of experience supporting clients as they seek to pursue and advance opportunities throughout the federal research, innovation, tax, appropriations, and workforce spaces.  

Through the TBED Practice, Bill meets clients where they are in their commercialization/ecosystem-building journey through actionable intelligence on future federal direction, support for the development of sensible federal policies and programs, and direct connections with key decisionmakers.  These efforts have led to success for our clients in extraordinarily competitive programs and numerous policy wins.   

Bill's day-to-day can include providing in-depth analysis on federal trends, targeted advocacy on Capitol Hill and at federal agencies, and coalition building with relevant stakeholders to bolster messaging. 

 Issue Expertise: Appropriations, economic development, technology transfer, social and behavioral sciences, criminal justice, homeland security, National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury, and STEM education. 

Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Bill accrued valuable state and local government experience at the Michigan House of Representatives and was involved in various political campaigns. 

Vital Statistics: Bill is a proud land-grant graduate, having attended Michigan State University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law. Outside of work, Bill enjoys distance running and American League baseball.