Jessica Monahan brings experience, substantive expertise, and creative thinking to her work with clients. Her practice includes a diverse spectrum of non-profit organizations, Fortune 100 companies, emerging businesses, government contractors, and associations. Her tailored approach to representing clients and policy acumen have yielded a significant record of achievement, including securing billions of dollars in federal funding and influencing critical legislation.
Jessica’s practice focuses on appropriations, transportation, arts and the humanities, technology, energy, economic development, and industrial policies. She provides comprehensive government affairs services to clients that include advice on legislative and regulatory issues, developing public policy proposals, legislative drafting, spearheading advocacy campaigns, coalition development and management, and political strategies.
Jessica began her career working for Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN) on constituent services and supporting Sen. Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) campaign and political action committee. Prior to joining Arnold & Porter in 2020, Jessica worked at two other multi-client firms and served as the Associate Legislative Director for Transportation Policy at the National Association of Counties (NACo).
During Jessica’s time at NACo, she established herself as an expert and thought leader on matters related to transportation policy and funding. While representing the nation’s 3,069 counties, Jessica spearheaded the organization’s presidential initiative and led its efforts to advocate for county governments in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (“FAST Act”) and FAA reauthorization process. Today she applies that experience in her representation of airports and one of the largest U.S. transportation companies.
Early in her career, Jessica began working with local governments, universities, transit authorities, and non-profit organizations to advance their goals through the federal appropriations process. Prior to the banning of earmarks in 2011, she secured appropriations funding for research initiatives, infrastructure projects, transit investments, and economic development efforts. This experience has benefited Jessica’s current clients with the return of community project funding (CPF). Since Congress reinstated congressionally directed spending in FY 2022, Jessica has helped non-profit organizations and universities navigate the CPF process and access federal funding. Jessica also has been successful in securing significant programmatic and report language for clients in appropriations legislation.
Jessica graduated from the University of Wisconsin with distinction and honors.
Experience
- Professional Nonprofit Theater Coalition in establishing a Washington presence and successfully advocating for access to more than US$15 billion in COVID relief funding to support venues shuttered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Multiple trade associations in providing strategic advice for establishing and developing a federal government relations organization and plan.
- Industry-leading international technology companies in providing strategic advice and securing appropriations language on their behalf.
- Transportation companies and organizations in navigating and participating in the drafting, passage and enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Perspectives
Recognition
Credentials
Education
- B.A., Political Science, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 2008, Pi Sigma Alpha–National Political Science Honors Society, Order of Omega, Certificate of Academic Achievement
Admissions
- *Not admitted to the practice of law