Charles has more than 25 years of experience working in politics and media, starting his career as a print journalist and newspaper editor. He has managed and worked on political campaigns and consulted on media and government relations for infrastructure projects. His past positions include work as a press officer for former New York Governor George Pataki, communications director for former Oregon Speaker of the House Karen Minnis, Vice President at Edelman public relations, and Director of Government and Media Relations for NorthernStar Natural Gas, and Manager of Government and Labor Relations for Jordan Cove LNG.
Charles has worked on a variety of public policy issues from both inside and outside of government and specializes in building and managing relationships with the media, policy makers and other key influencers such as business, community, and labor leaders. He is experienced at recognizing legislative threats and developing and implementing strategies to combat them. Charles holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Oregon.
With over 20 years of government affairs experience, Shawn has served as a senior advisor to top legislative leaders in both the Oregon House of Representatives and State Senate. For over a decade, Shawn lobbied for two of Oregon’s largest grass roots trade associations. His experience has provided a unique opportunity to deliver on multiple projects impacting land use regulations, economic development and lower tax rates for small businesses.
Relationships, timing, and messaging are all components of a winning political strategy. Shawn has passed estate tax reform for Oregon’s family farmers and was instrumental in the adoption of Oregon’s first-time homebuyer savings account program. He enjoys working on complex issues, distilling them to their components, and developing positive consumer facing campaigns.
Scott is a Senior Advisor to Pilot Strategies providing strategic counsel on public affairs strategies, with a special emphasis on energy, infrastructure and manufacturing issues. He has an extensive track record of successfully executing large-scale public affairs campaigns across local, state and national jurisdictions, and global markets.
Before joining Pilot Strategies, Scott was a senior vice president with a global consultancy, dramatically growing a regional public affairs practice in the Pacific Northwest, as well as building a start-up public affairs firm in Washington, DC. He was also a project developer of mobile natural gas distribution systems for vehicle fueling and industrial applications, and developer of new natural gas technologies. For Pilot Strategies’ clients, he brings more than 25-years of experience winning. And as an energy developer himself, he has experienced personally the issues facing our clients.
Jihun is the Director of Campaigns & Advocacy at Pilot Strategies, with experience in leadership management for state and local campaigns. He has managed some of Oregon’s most contested legislative seats in recent elections and has served in an advocacy position with the Oregon Association of REALTORS®, one of Oregon’s largest trade associations. During the 2019 session, as a top aide for a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, Jihun played a crucial role in helping pass legislation on affordable housing.
Jihun values the importance of strong grassroots, messaging, and data to winning political campaigns. He is experienced in crafting campaign budgets and implementing voter outreach programs. Jihun holds a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast & Digital Journalism and Political Science from Syracuse University.