David Turkovic
David “Turk” Turkovic is Principal of National Security Policy at Lewis-Burke Associates. He is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive advocacy strategies that resonate with the Department of Defense (DOD) and Capitol Hill. As a national security policy expert, he leverages his experience working in the Pentagon and maintains strong bipartisan relationships with congressional committees and personal offices on Capitol Hill.
Turk comes to Lewis-Burke having served the Secretary of Defense as special assistant for legislative affairs, where he was the primary liaison to Capitol Hill for both the Undersecretary for Acquisition & Sustainment (USD/A&S) and Undersecretary for Research & Engineering (USD/R&E). In that role, he spearheaded the Department of Defense’s legislative efforts on critical supply chain issues, including microelectronics, hypersonic weapons, and other advanced capabilities; he also advocated for a range of priorities on behalf of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the Defense Innovation Board (DIB), and the Defense Science Board (DSB).
Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Turk was director for industrial base policy at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) where he was responsible for developing AIA’s national security agenda, and for planning and executing advocacy efforts to support supply chain issues for the defense industrial base.
At Lewis-Burke, he provides clients with informed strategies and effective legislative approaches to supporting the missions of the Department of Defense and the Intelligence community.
Issue Expertise: Defense, national security R&D, defense supply chains, and authorizations & appropriations.
Additional Experience: Previously, he was special assistant for legislative affairs to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy & Environment (ASA IE&E), where he encouraged Army priorities in energy & environment, and managed relationships on Capitol Hill.
Vital Statistics: A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Turk holds a bachelor’s degrees in both political science and history from Cleveland State University. He is a recipient of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service and the Secretary of the Army Meritorious Public Service Medal. Turk is an active member in the Croatian community, enjoys cheering on the Cleveland Browns and plays volleyball around DC.
Gavin Meyer
Gavin Meyer supports Lewis-Burke and its clients by providing research and tracking of congressional legislation and agency updates concerning emerging technologies, computing, education, and immigration. His insights primarily center on the work of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Education (ED). His unique background in education and immigration work informs his understanding of important political issues through a community-oriented lens.
Issue Areas: Future Technology, Education, Immigration, and Cybersecurity
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Gavin worked as a development intern for Civic Nation, focusing specifically on financial development research for college nonprofit initiatives. Gavin fostered a passion for immigration policy during the summer of 2021 as a legal assistant in the immigration department of CASA De Maryland, providing DACA renewal appointments, Spanish translation, and legal hotline services to clients affected. Gavin also brings experience working as a Public Relations team lead for TurnUp Activism, an organization dedicated to increasing youth voter registration and turnout, as well as work as a Campaigns & Elections intern with the National Education Association (NEA), developing an understanding of education policy as well as education advocacy in the political realm.
Vital Statistics: Gavin graduated from American University in May 2022 with a double major in Political Science & Spanish, and has been living, studying, and working in the Washington D.C. area since 2018. Gavin was born in Syracuse, New York, completed high school in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has been an avid Bengals fan ever since. In his spare time, Gavin interacts with the community around him through his love of music, singing a cappella and playing piano frequently. He also enjoys doing long-distance running in and around Washington D.C. and is about to begin training for another marathon soon (he insists).
Jackson Clark
Jackson Clark supports the clients of Lewis-Burke by tracking and researching funding opportunities from federal agencies and legislative updates that are related to biomedical research, health, biosecurity, and biotechnology. At the firm, he focuses on opportunities and developments at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and the Department of Defense among others.
Additional Information: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Jackson found his passion for federal health policy working as an undergraduate research assistant at the University of Minnesota. In that role, he assisted faculty in research analyzing the United States’ preparedness for pandemics over time. Through this experience, he gained an understanding of the many different priorities of federal agencies and became skilled at researching and analyzing federal budgets. Additionally, Jackson gained valuable experience at the ground level of health policy interning for Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). In that role, he assisted constituents with casework relating to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, which allowed him to better understand the nuances of federal agencies and how complex policies impact Americans.
Vital Statistics: Jackson was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama and received his bachelor’s degree with distinction from the University of Minnesota, where he double majored in Political Science and Philosophy. Outside of the office, Jackson spends his time supporting University of Minnesota and Alabama athletics, especially during football season. He also enjoys cooking, reading historical non-fiction, and biking around the city.
Elizabeth Stulberg, Ph.D.
Dr. Elizabeth Stulberg advises clients in the areas of food, agriculture, and life sciences. Elizabeth has worked in Congress, the White House, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and holds an ScB in Biology and German Studies from Brown University and a PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from Yale University. Elizabeth uses her deep subject matter expertise and broad experience working within the federal landscape to advocate for science, leverage federal programs, and enhance clients’ scientific and technological endeavors.
Before joining Lewis-Burke Associates, she spent five years as a Science Policy Manager for the Agronomy, Crop, and Soil Science Societies of America. In this role, she supported food, agriculture, and natural resources research programs. On one occasion, she facilitated a campaign that brought students and scientists to Capitol Hill to advocate for specific funding for agriculture equipment grants, an effort that resulted in a new, $5 million program in the 2018 Farm Bill.
Issue Expertise: Food and agriculture policy, microbiome science, higher education, plant and soil science, genetics and biotechnology.
Additional Experience: Elizabeth started her career in science policy with an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Congressional Science Policy Fellowship supported by the American Society for Microbiology. As a Fellow, she worked in the office of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter of Rochester, New York, where she advised on issues of agriculture, public health, genetics, and food safety. She then moved into the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy with a fellowship from the American Phytopathological Society, leading initiatives on microbiome science and agriculture workforce development and earning the position of Senior Advisor for Food and Life Sciences. Elizabeth gained agency experience as an Agricultural Science Fellow in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Chief Scientist before spending five years with the Agronomy, Crop, and Soil Science Societies of America.
Vital Statistics: Elizabeth lives in Northeast Washington, DC with her husband and two beautiful children. She has a passion for food, both cooking and eating, and is thrilled that her career lets her dive deeply into issues dealing with the food system, from plant biodiversity to nutritional inequities. She also loves snowboarding and science fiction.
Sierra Cato, J.D.
Sierra Cato is a principal at Lewis-Burke Associates LLC. As a skilled advisor and strategist in the energy policy practice, Sierra helps clients advance legislative priorities in Congress, protect their interests, secure federal funding, navigate challenges in the political landscape, and raise their profile in Washington. Prior to joining Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, Sierra served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Executive Secretariat at the United States Department of Energy (DOE) where she oversaw the Department’s response to high level communications and policy actions from the White House related to energy policy and national security. She also spearheaded legislative reform efforts across DOE and supported the Secretary of Energy as Acting Staff Secretary where she led cross-agency coordination, preparation, and finalization of briefing materials for his domestic and international engagements. In addition, Sierra received a Secretary’s Appreciation Award for exceeding expectations in the strategy and creation of the Department of Energy Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office in September 2019.
Issue Expertise: Energy Sciences, Physical Sciences, Applied Sciences, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation, Nuclear Energy, DOE National Laboratories, Research and Development, Transportation, Appropriations, Artificial Intelligence, Technology Transitions, Grid Resilience and Modernization, Cybersecurity, Workforce Development and STEM
Additional Experience: During her career, Sierra gained sound knowledge of the inner workings of Congress while serving in various positions in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, including the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. During her time in the Senate, Sierra was Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee for the Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus. In addition to a strong appreciation for service, Sierra values the importance of building strong relationships and working in a bipartisan manner.
Vital Statistics: Sierra earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Sociology at North Carolina State University. She received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Sierra was born and raised in Whiteville, North Carolina. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Sharon Eshelman
Sharon Eshelman is a strategic planning and communications professional with decades of government service and consulting experience, who has specialized in stakeholder management, and government affairs related to national security since 2001. At Lewis-Burke, Sharon serves as a strategic advisor to clients helping to advance their defense, cybersecurity, and homeland security priorities. Sharon joins Lewis-Burke after spending two years as Senior Advisor in the Office of Legislative Affairs for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she guided the Department’s response to a myriad of Congressional oversight investigations and served as the primary liaison with Capitol Hill on Intelligence matters. Ms. Eshelman previously served as the National Security Subcommittee Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee, overseeing more than 35 investigations into the Departments of Justice (DOJ), Homeland Security, State, Veterans’ Affairs, Defense, and the Intelligence Community.
Issue Expertise: Defense and national security, homeland security, immigration, criminal justice, cybersecurity, congressional oversight.
Additional Experience: From 2009 to 2017, Ms. Eshelman worked as a professional project manager at both Deloitte Consulting and the Sentinel HS Group where she supported strategy and policy clients within DHS, DOJ and the Treasury Department. Prior to becoming a consultant in 2009, Ms. Eshelman served five years with the federal government, assuming various policy development roles in both DHS and the White House. Throughout her career, she has contributed to a variety of federal initiatives such as: the White House Strategy (and Implementation Plan) for Pandemic Influenza; national disaster and COOP planning; various criminal justice and civil enforcement plans; federal fraud, waste and abuse investigations; victim support initiatives; federal program, planning, budgeting and execution (PPBE) efforts; state and local law enforcement outreach campaigns; government re-organizations and has written pieces included in the President’s Daily Briefing Book.
Vital Statistics: Ms. Eshelman received a B.S. in Business Administration from American University in Washington, DC, and a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI, and has completed additional coursework in political science and education.
Beyond her professional and academic accomplishments, Ms. Eshelman has volunteered with the Anne Arundel County Public School System, Junior Achievement, National Youth Leadership Forum and College Summit organizations, and continues to look for ways to support youth development initiatives in the Greater Washington DC area.
Sharon is originally from the Greater Philadelphia area and is an avid Eagles, NASCAR and cheesesteak fan. She enjoys playing golf and frisbee, jogging, swimming, and spending time outside with her husband and three children.
Griffin Reinecke
Griffin is a passionate advocate for science and technology policy. An expert in space, energy, and transportation issues, he leverages his experience working on Capitol Hill and relationships with congressional staff to provide Lewis-Burke clients with insight on potential congressional action and upcoming federal funding opportunities.
Issue areas: Civil space research and policy, fundamental and applied energy research and development, environmental research, transportation and infrastructure, and aeronautics.
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke Associates, Griffin worked on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, where he served on the full committee and more recently on Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. During his time on the Committee, he developed an in-depth knowledge of space and science policy issues while building relationships with key stakeholders at relevant agencies, in academia, and industry. Griffin also worked as an intern in the office of Ron Wyden.
Vital Statistics: Griffin was born and raised in Bend, Oregon and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and sustainability from the University of Michigan. When not supporting Michigan athletics, Griffin spends his free time outdoors skiing, hiking, or playing golf.
Mia Luckett
Mia Luckett delivers timely insight, detailed research, and federal agency and congressional updates to Lewis-Burke clients. Mia specializes in monitoring and analyzing agency and legislative activity related to the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Issue Expertise: Technology, Engineering Communities, Social Science, and Public- Private Partnerships.
Additional Information: Before joining Lewis-Burke Associates, Mia was a legal administrative assistant to a criminal defense and real estate attorney. Mia also interned with the district office of Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), where she gained an understanding of education policy and aided incarcerated constituents in utilizing government agencies. Mia was previously an Eben Tisdale Public Policy Fellow with the Fund for American Studies. As a fellow, she interned with lobbying firm Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas and worked with the Technology CEO council. During this time, Mia gained expertise in high-tech public policy, the latest innovations in science and technology, and conducted research on the effectiveness of bipartisanship.
Vital Statistics: Originally from the southern suburbs of Chicago, Mia graduated magna cum laude from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. While attending Hampton, Mia also joined Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and often does community service with other organization members. Mia is a self- proclaimed foodie and loves trying out a new recipe, or the latest and trendiest restaurants. In her free time Mia also enjoys traveling, reading, and working out.
Hale Stolberg
Hale Stolberg supports Lewis-Burke by providing research and up to date information on the energy, defense, and environment portfolios, tracking developments and opportunities at the Department of Energy, Department of Defense (DOD), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Having studied physics as an undergraduate and gained experience working in science policy, Hale brings a valuable perspective and passion to Lewis-Burke’s clients.
Issue Areas: High energy physics, defense, environment, commercial space, Earth observation, and workforce.
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Hale worked as a Science Policy Communications Intern at FYI: Science Policy News, an authoritative news and resource center for federal science policy from the American Institute of Physics. While there he reported on a range of issues including developments within space, energy, and research policy. Before that, he interned with NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Team, assisting the agency’s integration of robotic and human exploration missions.
Vital Statistics: A Chicago native, Hale moved to DC to pursue a B.A. in physics and minor in public policy from American University, graduating cum laude in 2020. Having spent more than four years in the District, Hale still likes to explore the city by foot, and is also an avid cyclist. Eventually, his goal is to bike down every street in the city and he has already made significant progress.