MLC lobbyist Emily has been part of our firm for two years. Click here to read her full bio and get to know her better!
- What did you want to be when you were a kid?
- I often flip-flopped between wanting to be a teacher or a Senator. In college, I realized neither would ever be for me; the lobby corps was where I felt most drawn.
- What is your favorite activity to unwind from work?
- Immediately upon leaving the office, I turn the car radio up to max volume and blast rock music on my drive home. I try to wait until I’m out of the parking garage to start this ritual, but sometimes it just can’t be helped – my drive home is only seven minutes after all!
- If you were to give a TED Talk, what would it be on and why?
- I don’t think I’m qualified to be a professional voice on the subject, but I would have tons of fun giving a TED Talk on the science of sleep. It’s totally random, but endlessly fascinating, and a topic I weirdly have a lot of niche knowledge on. I once gave a 40-minute presentation on the subject in my high school speech class, and I repeated it in college.
- Who are three people, living or past, that you would most want to have dinner with?
- This is very Gen-Z of me, but it’s my honest answer.: Timothee Chalamet, Conan Gray, and maybe Maya Hawke. I believe if I had an honest shot with these three, I could form the best friend group of all time.
- What skills are most important in your role?
- People skills! You can’t be shy in this job, and if you’re naturally more of an introvert, you absolutely must overcome it to succeed. Relationships are essential in our industry – without them, you won’t get far.
- The ability to think strategically and to be creative. In a constantly changing political environment, being able to quickly pivot and easily adapt is the key to continued success.
- Confidence. Lawmakers aren’t going to get on board for a bill with a wishy-washy advocate, and clients aren’t going to trust an uncertain consultant. Knowing an issue forward and backward is a must, but knowing how to fake it while you learn is an equally important skill!
- How do you describe your job to someone outside of the industry?
- Lobbyists are the lawyers of the legislature. I’m not an attorney, and as such, I wouldn’t want to walk into court without someone by my side who knows the system AND the relevant people. Similarly, for an outsider to the government, trying to pass legislation or secure an appropriation can be confusing at best, and completely ineffective at worst. Our role is to work alongside our clients to develop strategy, offer guidance, and open doors with the right people in order to ensure the best chance at success.
- What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
- This is something I’m still working to appreciate, but the last year has served as an important reminder of this: you don’t always have to have all the answers. What you do need to have are the critical thinking skills to respond to any problem, the wisdom to learn from past experiences, and the stamina to continue fighting for our clients and our issues for as long as it takes to achieve the best outcome.
- What is one thing about MLC that makes us great?
- I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: our team! From our world-class operations team to the multitalented lobby team, it’s our people that make us great. I’m blessed to work alongside individuals with such a wide array of diverse knowledge and experiences, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new from one of them.
- In particular, I love that each of our lobbyists has their own individual style. There isn’t a single one of us who works on an issue in the exact same way, and that’s what makes us strong, especially when we collaborate to develop new ideas and strategies for our clients.
Fast questions, real insights—meet MLC lobbyist Emily Simmons in our rapid-fire Q&A.
