ASHRAE Government Affairs Mission Statement:
To establish ASHRAE as a leading source for expertise in the built environment and a resource for policy-makers in the development of legislation and regulations affecting the public, the HVAC&R community, and the engineering profession.
To this end the ASHRAE Washington D.C. office will:
- Build relationships between the Society and all levels of government in the United States and with the appropriate international community representatives.
- Facilitate the transfer of technical counsel and assistance on matters affecting the public, engineering profession and ASHRAE professional community.
- Collect, digest and disseminate to members and staff relevant information regarding current or anticipated government actions.
- Pursue technology transfer and government funding opportunities independently or jointly with other appropriate organizations.
Washington Office Staff
Alice Yates
Alice Yates is ASHRAE’s Director of Government Affairs.
Alice has 20 years of experience on Capitol Hill, federal and state government, and private consulting. Most recently, Alice served at the General Services Administration (GSA) in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, serving first as a Senior Congressional Advisor and then as Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy. Prior to her work at GSA, she spent 10 years as a senior legislative advisor in the United States Senate. Alice has also advanced economic development projects in Massachusetts with MassDevelopment’s real estate and policy teams. She also provided consulting services for government and private clients at Industrial Economics, Inc. in Cambridge, MA by analyzing the economic impacts of environmental regulations, sustainable development and land use planning. Alice has a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s of Science, Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Emily Porcari
Emily Porcari is ASHRAE's Manager of State and Local Government Affairs.
Most recently, Emily was a Senior Associate Analyst at StateScape, a company that provides analysis to clients on federal, state, and local legislation and regulations. Her work focused specifically on energy and environmental issues. Prior to that, she served as the Special Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Department of the Interior, where her role was to work with the Service's regions and offices around the country to provide briefings and information to agency leadership. She has also completed various fellowships related to public policy and sustainability. Emily graduated from the University of Dayton with a B.A. in Political Science, and is from Cheverly, Maryland.
Jacob Karson
Jacob Karson is the Associate Manager of Government Advocacy and Outreach.
Most recently, Jacob was the Government Relations Coordinator at the International Code Council, where he oversaw state and local advocacy for Washington DC, Delaware, and Maryland, and provided logistical support to the full government relations team. Prior to working at the International Code Council, Jacob interned in the congressional office of Representative Adam Schiff, and has also worked on several political campaigns. He holds a degree in International Political Economy from the University of Puget Sound.
Jason Davidson
Jason Davidson is ASHRAE's Manager of Federal Government Affairs.
Jason has over 10 years of experience on Capitol Hill, federal and state government, and advocacy. Most recently, Jason served worked as an advocate for non-profit associations as the Director of Government Relations for the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance and then for the National District Attorneys Association as the Director of Government and Legislative Affairs. Prior to his non-profit advocacy work, he spent 10 years in State and Federal government serving as a Legislative Aide in the Maryland General Assembly, a U.S. Senate office, and overseeing government and public affairs for several Maryland State agencies. Jason has a B.A. in politics from Messiah University.
Chris Miller
Chris Miller is the Government Affairs Office Manager.
Prior to ASHRAE, Chris worked as a Sales Operations Administrator at Teaching Strategies, an educational materials company. Chris also works with International Academic Competitions, serving as a head writer for the National Political Science Bee. Previously, Chris has worked as a Legislative Associate for a private government relations firm as well as interning at the Virginia General Assembly. Chris has a Masters of Public Administration from George Mason University and a Bachelors of Arts in Government from the College of William & Mary.
ASHRAE Washington Office
1255 23rd Street, NW
Suite 825
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone (202) 833-1830
Fax: (202) 833-0118