The directors
Led by Managing Director Ken Kies, the firm's expertise is nationally recognized;
a reflection of our success in achieving client objectives.
a reflection of our success in achieving client objectives.
Kenneth j. (Ken) Kies - Managing Director
Kenneth J. (Ken) Kies is Managing Director of the Federal Policy Group, LLC. The Federal Policy Group provides sophisticated strategic and technical tax advice on tax policy matters before the Congress, the U.S. Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service, and the OECD.
Mr. Kies has delivered significant legislative and regulatory results for his clients, which include major corporations, trade associations, and coalitions of companies with common objectives. Mr. Kies has led coalition efforts to enact legislation responding to the World Trade Organization’s ruling against U.S. foreign sales corporation benefits, to avert enactment of broad “corporate tax shelter” legislation that would have an adverse impact on legitimate business transactions, and to reverse Treasury regulations targeting “hybrid” arrangements of U.S. multinational corporations, among other projects.
Prior to the acquisition of the Federal Policy Group by Clark Consulting in February 2002, Mr. Kies was Co-Managing Partner of the Washington National Tax Services office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Prior to joining PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr. Kies served as the Chief of Staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation from January 1995 until January 1998. The Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation staff is responsible for developing and analyzing all tax legislation for the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and other committees of the Congress. It also is responsible for estimating the cost of enacting changes to tax laws, approving all IRS refunds in excess of $1 million, and performing all technical analysis of tax treaties considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The position of Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation was created by the Revenue Act of 1926. Mr. Kies was the 10th person to serve in this position.
During his tenure as Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, Mr. Kies oversaw development of major tax legislation, including the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, the Small Business Job Protection Action of 1996, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
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Mr. Kies has delivered significant legislative and regulatory results for his clients, which include major corporations, trade associations, and coalitions of companies with common objectives. Mr. Kies has led coalition efforts to enact legislation responding to the World Trade Organization’s ruling against U.S. foreign sales corporation benefits, to avert enactment of broad “corporate tax shelter” legislation that would have an adverse impact on legitimate business transactions, and to reverse Treasury regulations targeting “hybrid” arrangements of U.S. multinational corporations, among other projects.
Prior to the acquisition of the Federal Policy Group by Clark Consulting in February 2002, Mr. Kies was Co-Managing Partner of the Washington National Tax Services office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Prior to joining PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr. Kies served as the Chief of Staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation from January 1995 until January 1998. The Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation staff is responsible for developing and analyzing all tax legislation for the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and other committees of the Congress. It also is responsible for estimating the cost of enacting changes to tax laws, approving all IRS refunds in excess of $1 million, and performing all technical analysis of tax treaties considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The position of Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation was created by the Revenue Act of 1926. Mr. Kies was the 10th person to serve in this position.
During his tenure as Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, Mr. Kies oversaw development of major tax legislation, including the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, the Small Business Job Protection Action of 1996, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
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Jay Heflin
Director
Jay Heflin is a Director in the Federal Policy Group, where he provides tax legislative guidance to the firm.
Prior to joining the Federal Policy Group, Mr. Heflin reported on federal tax policy issues for over a decade at a number of Capitol Hill news organizations, including The Hill newspaper, Roll Call, Bureau of National Affairs, and Tax Analysts.
His coverage for these outlets was diverse as it spanned the full breadth of the tax code, from tracking the progress of individual tax relief to breaking news on the corporate tax front.
Mr. Heflin is also a former tax accountant and brings to the firm a wealth of firsthand experience on dealing with IRS officials in high stakes audits. This experience also gives Mr. Heflin a realistic understanding of how tax laws affect everyday lives, which helped him forge lasting relationships with Members of Congress and their staff, as well as decision makers on the agency level.
In all, Mr. Heflin has over 20 years of experience in tax policy.
Education:
He earned his B.S. in accounting from Butler University in 1988.
Prior to joining the Federal Policy Group, Mr. Heflin reported on federal tax policy issues for over a decade at a number of Capitol Hill news organizations, including The Hill newspaper, Roll Call, Bureau of National Affairs, and Tax Analysts.
His coverage for these outlets was diverse as it spanned the full breadth of the tax code, from tracking the progress of individual tax relief to breaking news on the corporate tax front.
Mr. Heflin is also a former tax accountant and brings to the firm a wealth of firsthand experience on dealing with IRS officials in high stakes audits. This experience also gives Mr. Heflin a realistic understanding of how tax laws affect everyday lives, which helped him forge lasting relationships with Members of Congress and their staff, as well as decision makers on the agency level.
In all, Mr. Heflin has over 20 years of experience in tax policy.
Education:
He earned his B.S. in accounting from Butler University in 1988.
Don Snyder
Tax Associate
Don Snyder is a Tax Associate for the Federal Policy Group, LLC where he advises clients on a wide range of regulatory and legislative matters.
Before joining the Federal Policy Group, Don worked at the Bank of America where he provided tax advice to several lines of business. He also partnered with colleagues across the bank to manage tax risks, address products-related tax issues, and devise and help implement plans to promote internal tax efficiency. Don also monitored judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in tax law and policy, and represented the bank’s interests in firm-specific and industry-group lobbying efforts.
Prior to joining Bank of America, Don gained significant experience in resolving federal tax controversies while serving as a law clerk for Judge Mark V. Holmes of the United States Tax Court. As a law clerk, he assisted Judge Holmes in all matters before the Court, reviewing and analyzing the parties’ pleadings, participating in status conference calls, preparing judicial orders, and researching and drafting judicial opinions. He also served as trial clerk during the Phoenix special trial session, and performed his customary tasks while also helping Judge Holmes to conduct the trial.
Don began his professional tax experience as an associate for The Forefront Group, a sophisticated boutique law firm specializing in venture capital, private equity, and early-stage company finance. As the sole tax specialist at Forefront, he applied his legal training and research skills to provide sound technical advice with minimal tax-focused mentoring. In a similar vein, he frequently interacted directly with the firm’s clients and opposing counsel, sometimes managing entire transactions with minimal partner oversight.
Don’s legal education focused on tax law. In May 2011, he graduated from NYU School of Law with an LL.M. in taxation. In addition to taking a full course load, he simultaneously worked at the Forefront Group. Don received his J.D. from UCLA School of Law in May 2010, where he specialized in tax law, was in the top third of his class, and obtained a highly competitive position as a managing editor of the UCLA Law Review. Don received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University.
Before joining the Federal Policy Group, Don worked at the Bank of America where he provided tax advice to several lines of business. He also partnered with colleagues across the bank to manage tax risks, address products-related tax issues, and devise and help implement plans to promote internal tax efficiency. Don also monitored judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in tax law and policy, and represented the bank’s interests in firm-specific and industry-group lobbying efforts.
Prior to joining Bank of America, Don gained significant experience in resolving federal tax controversies while serving as a law clerk for Judge Mark V. Holmes of the United States Tax Court. As a law clerk, he assisted Judge Holmes in all matters before the Court, reviewing and analyzing the parties’ pleadings, participating in status conference calls, preparing judicial orders, and researching and drafting judicial opinions. He also served as trial clerk during the Phoenix special trial session, and performed his customary tasks while also helping Judge Holmes to conduct the trial.
Don began his professional tax experience as an associate for The Forefront Group, a sophisticated boutique law firm specializing in venture capital, private equity, and early-stage company finance. As the sole tax specialist at Forefront, he applied his legal training and research skills to provide sound technical advice with minimal tax-focused mentoring. In a similar vein, he frequently interacted directly with the firm’s clients and opposing counsel, sometimes managing entire transactions with minimal partner oversight.
Don’s legal education focused on tax law. In May 2011, he graduated from NYU School of Law with an LL.M. in taxation. In addition to taking a full course load, he simultaneously worked at the Forefront Group. Don received his J.D. from UCLA School of Law in May 2010, where he specialized in tax law, was in the top third of his class, and obtained a highly competitive position as a managing editor of the UCLA Law Review. Don received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University.
Caitlin Larocco
Assistant Director
Caitlin S. LaRocco joined the Federal Policy Group in 2008 after working on the Hill for former House Republican Conference Chair, Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (OH-15), who was once the highest ranking Republican woman in Congress. She held various legislative and organizational positions for Congresswoman Pryce.
Caitlin also has campaign experience working as a successful fundraiser on Rep. Pryce’s record setting campaign in 2006, part of an intimate team that raised over $4.2 million dollars, and achieved victory in a very difficult political environment. Prior to that she worked for the Franklin County (OH) Republican Party. Not wanting to abandon her roots, she has repeatedly returned to Ohio to campaign for dozens of candidates, volunteering as part of the Team Ohio efforts in several campaign cycles.
Caitlin has her Bachelor of Arts from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in Strategic Communications with a minor in Political Science. She is an avid runner and founding member of the Children’s National Medical Center Junior Council where she continues to help fund raise for the hospital. She and her husband have a beautiful daughter and live on the Hill in Washington, DC.
Caitlin also has campaign experience working as a successful fundraiser on Rep. Pryce’s record setting campaign in 2006, part of an intimate team that raised over $4.2 million dollars, and achieved victory in a very difficult political environment. Prior to that she worked for the Franklin County (OH) Republican Party. Not wanting to abandon her roots, she has repeatedly returned to Ohio to campaign for dozens of candidates, volunteering as part of the Team Ohio efforts in several campaign cycles.
Caitlin has her Bachelor of Arts from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in Strategic Communications with a minor in Political Science. She is an avid runner and founding member of the Children’s National Medical Center Junior Council where she continues to help fund raise for the hospital. She and her husband have a beautiful daughter and live on the Hill in Washington, DC.
Pete Woelper
Assistant Director
Peter J. Woelper is an Assistant Director with the Federal Policy Group and has been with the Federal Policy Group since its inception in 1998 providing research, editing, and technical support services. Prior to the Federal Policy Group he worked in the Washington National Tax Service at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP since moving to Washington DC in 1994.
After graduating from Azusa Pacific University in Southern California with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English he lived in England for a year and headed the editorial staff of the publishing department for a small law school in London. He hails from the Glendora, California.
Pete has lived on Capitol Hill for the past 5 years and is an avid bicyclist and lover of the outdoors.
After graduating from Azusa Pacific University in Southern California with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English he lived in England for a year and headed the editorial staff of the publishing department for a small law school in London. He hails from the Glendora, California.
Pete has lived on Capitol Hill for the past 5 years and is an avid bicyclist and lover of the outdoors.
