Overview
(December 6, 2024, Washington, DC) – Leslie Belcher, Elizabeth Burks, and Rowan Bost have been named to The Hill's Top Lobbyists 2024. The list honors the corporate lobbyists, hired guns, association leaders and grassroots activists who leveraged their expertise and connections to make a difference in Washington, DC. The lobbyists on this list are some of the best in the business and have been go-to advocates during a year defined by unprecedented political events, legislative logjams, federal spending cut crusades and big rulemaking swings by the outgoing Biden administration.
As Managing Director, Government Affairs & Public Policy at Steptoe, Leslie Belcher, an Oklahoma native, is a power-player and recognized trusted advisor to members of Congress. She offers clients more than 36 years of public and private sector experience, directing government relations campaigns for a variety of clients. Leslie has her finger on the pulse of the House Republican Conference and possesses an extensive knowledge of the legislative process. Her ability to navigate the complex and narrow majority of the GOP Conference, understand intricate policy details, and master the "art of the possible" is unmatched in Washington. Previously, Leslie served as Chief of Staff for Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK) (House Appropriations Chair) and Wes Watkins (R-OK), Legislative Director for Rep. Bill Brewster (D-OK), and Appropriations Associate for Rep. Wes Watkins (D-OK). This bipartisan experience provides Leslie with a unique and valuable perspective.
Elizabeth Burks is the lead Democratic lobbyist for Steptoe's clients. She served for almost two decades as a Senate and House staff member, including as Chief of Staff to both Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)–Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and senior member of the Senate Finance and Energy Committees–and Rep. Jim Turner (D-TX), for whom she also served as Legislative Director and Coordinator of the Blue Dog Coalition when Turner served as the Administrative Co-Chair. In her role as Managing Director, Government Affairs & Public Policy, Elizabeth helps clients navigate government relations and legislative issues impacting their business. She applies her deep understanding of policy and legislative process with keen political savvy and a wealth of strong relationships to accomplish her clients’ goals before Congress and federal agencies. Elizabeth is a tireless advocate on behalf of our clients, who trust her work ethic, her strong attention to detail, and her candid strategic advice.
As Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, Rowan Bost brings a decade of experience in policy development and legislative strategy to Steptoe. Prior to joining Steptoe, Rowan served as a legislative staffer to incoming Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), and managed daily operations for Senator Collins' successful 2020 re-election campaign. In her first three years in the private sector, Rowan has established herself as a leader among the next generation of lobbyists. A natural problem-solver with a deep understanding of the legislative and budget processes, Rowan helps position clients to maximize their chances to successfully bid on federal opportunities, and elevates client profiles to establish them as go-to resources in their respective fields at the federal level. Rowan's clients benefit from her extensive bipartisan relationships and broad political experience. They appreciate her impeccable work product, and trust her pragmatic approach to integrating their goals into the flow of legislative business.
Read the full list of Top Lobbyists on The Hill's website.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
