Please join RightNOW for an evening reception:

Women Helping Women

Accomplished Women Who Share the Good, the Reality and the Importance of Supporting Each Other

Featuring a discussion with

The Honorable Barbara Comstock

Laura Cox Kaplan

Barrett Karr

Tuesday, October 29th, 2019, 6:30 PM

at

The Home of Beth Saunders
5831 Bent Twig Road, McLean, Virginia 22101

The Saunders residence is less than one mile from the DC border, conveniently located right off of the GW Parkway exit.
 

RSVP to Lisa Spies at [email protected].

About our Guest Speakers:

The Honorable Barbara Comstock: Former congresswoman Barbara Comstock is a senior advisor with Baker Donelson, active in the technology and cybersecurity areas, national security and space, and congressional investigations. Barbara was elected to Congress in 2014, and served two terms representing Virginia's Tenth Congressional District, making her the first woman elected to that seat. She was named as one of the Top Ten Most Effective Lawmakers; in the 115th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a joint effort of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.

During her time in Congress, Barbara was a leader on technology and cybersecurity issues, chairing the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's Research and Technology subcommittee, as well as serving on the Joint Economic Committee, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her legislative achievements include passing legislation to promote women and disadvantaged populations in STEM, as well as expanding research in the technology space. Barbara also was the leader on anti-sexual harassment legislation in Congress, and legislation to tackle the opioid crisis and gang crime. She partnered with Senator McCain to reauthorize multi-year firefighter grants to increase innovation and public safety. While in Congress, Barbara was the only woman in the Virginia congressional delegation and the only Virginia member to chair a subcommittee.

Barbara worked as a strategic advisor for the Mitt Romney presidential campaigns, was head of Research and Strategy at the Republican National Committee and worked with the George W. Bush 2000 presidential campaign. Barbara first worked on Capitol Hill as a senior aide to Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf (1990 – 1995), working on transportation, health care, business, and appropriations matters. She also served as the Chief Counsel for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and as outside counsel on numerous high-profile investigations.

Laura Cox Kaplan: Laura Cox Kaplan is the creator and host of the “She Said/She Said” podcast, and an adjunct professor in the School of Public Affairs at American University. She has more than two decades experience in communications, corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, and public policy strategy, as well as extensive experience in women’s leadership development. Laura spent almost 12 years as the Partner-in-Charge of Government, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and a decade on the firm’s executive management team. She also served in senior positions at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and on Capitol Hill.

Currently, Laura serves as a corporate director at CoStar Group, and The Hunt Companies; is the Board co-chair at non-profit Running Start; and on the boards of the Bush School of Government; Public Service at Texas A&M University; The Women in Foreign Policy Group; and the American Council on Germany. She also serves as an advisory to several other non-profit organizations. 

Laura has a Master’s degree from American University in Washington, DC, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She lives with her husband and two children in Chevy Chase, MD.

Elizabeth “Barrett” Karr: In 2019, Barrett joined Silver Lake after an accomplished career in Washington, D.C. She has served in a variety of roles, including most recently as Chief of Staff to Rep. Kevin McCarthy and earlier as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Kay Granger. In addition, Barrett previously worked at The White House as Deputy Assistant to the President, Legislative Affairs under George Bush and was the Staff Director for the House Committee on Education and Workforce. In addition to the breadth of her legislative and executive branch experience, Barrett also previously worked at The Carlyle Group, where she was a key member of their Government Affairs team. Barrett attended Texas Christian University, where she received her B.A. in International Relations, and George Washington University, where she received her M.A. in Legislative Affairs.

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