This fall, Cassidy & Associates has hired five senior legislative and policy experts. Former Bureau of Land Management Director Neil Kornze, former Chief of Staff for the late-Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) James Sauls, telecom and technology expert Hawley Stanton, Deputy Legislative Director Kelly Riddle, and Molly O’Scannell join a growing team of experienced and effective federal specialists.

“I am thrilled to welcome Neil, James, Hawley, Kelly, and Molly to Cassidy’s dynamic and successful bipartisan team. Their tremendous policy and political experience will help achieve successful outcomes across the federal landscape. Their initiative, leadership, and professionalism dealing with a variety of complex issues, including natural resources, national security, technology, and telecom, is an advantage for our clients,” said Cassidy CEO Kai Anderson.

Neil Kornze – Senior Vice President

Neil Kornze is a Senior Vice President at Cassidy & Associates. For the past two decades, Neil has worked on the nation’s most vital conservation, land, wildlife, and energy issues from Capitol Hill, the Department of the Interior, and the philanthropic world. Most recently, he served as chief of staff to U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO). During the Obama Administration, Neil was the senate-confirmed Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the nation’s largest natural resource agency.

During his time at the BLM, Neil oversaw the authorization of the largest wind and solar energy projects in North America, in addition to major additions to the nation’s transmission grid. He also led the agency’s efforts to protect sacred and sensitive public lands across the West, including Bears Ears National Monument in Utah and key areas in California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Washington state. 

While working for U.S. Senate for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Neil served as lead staff for the development and passage of the landmark law, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which protected more than 1,000 miles of river and designated wilderness in nine different states. 

Additionally, Neil spent four years as the CEO of two west coast philanthropies, the Campion Foundation and Campion Advocacy Fund, where he worked on expanding access to housing as a solution to homelessness and the conservation of public lands as an essential tool for addressing climate change.

Neil holds degrees from Whitman College and the London School of Economics. He was a founding board member and vice chairman of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands. Neil lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two young sons. 

James Sauls – Senior Vice President

James Sauls is a Senior Vice President at Cassidy & Associates, leveraging an impressive eighteen-year career spanning key positions in Congress, Department of Defense, and the Intelligence community. James most recently served as U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) Chief of Staff overseeing all legislation, policy, and communications for the office representing 39 million Americans. 

Prior to his role as Chief of Staff, James served as a Professional Staff Member for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for six years as the staff lead for Military Intelligence, U.S. Special Operations, CIA, maritime issues, and various geopolitical issues. His responsibilities included examining programmatic aspects of the Department of Defense and CIA, oversight of sensitive activities, and serving as the committee designee for Senator Feinstein.

Additionally, James previously served on active duty for eleven years as a Naval Intelligence Officer. Various assignments included CIA Headquarters as a US Special Operations Command representative; Department of Navy staff at the Pentagon writing and briefing current intelligence products to the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, and senior Admirals; and Intelligence Officer at a Navy SEAL Team with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

James is a 2005 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and lives in Alexandria, VA with his wife and two sons. He continues to serve as a Naval Intelligence Officer in the United States Navy Reserve.

Hawley Stanton – Vice President

Hawley Stanton is a Vice President at Cassidy & Associates, with over ten years of public and private sector experience working with Congress and the Administration. She has in-depth knowledge and experience involving Capitol Hill, specifically within the House Energy and Commerce Committee, due to her time in Congressman Bob Latta’s (R-OH) office and in the telecommunications industry. Hawley provides key insights into a diverse set of issues including telecommunications, technology, broadband deployment and grants, AI, privacy, cybersecurity, appropriations, NDAA, and infrastructure.

She joined Cassidy after six years as a Senior Director of Government Affairs at USTelecom – The Broadband Association, where she specialized in advancing modern broadband policies and helping close the digital divide. She worked on behalf of the member companies that made up USTelecom to develop and advance business-friendly bipartisan legislation. Her expertise includes government relationships, lobbying, policy analysis, and coalition building. She has advocated for the Traced Act, Broadband Data Act, and telecom priorities within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the National Defense Authorization Act.

Prior to her time at USTelecom, Hawley served at the office of Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH), who serves as chair of the House Energy & Commerce’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology; as well as a co-chair of the Rural Broadband Caucus. She worked alongside Congressman Latta to further his priorities in boosting our economy, advancing innovation, and deploying broadband. During her time working in Congress, she honed the skills necessary to reach across the aisle to craft and push legislation through Congress, like her work on the INFO Act.

A native of South Orange County, California, Hawley received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science & Sociology from California State University, Fullerton.

Kelly Riddle – Vice President

Kelly Riddle is a Vice President at Cassidy & Associates. She joined Cassidy after nearly a decade of working on Capitol Hill, most recently as Deputy Legislative Director for Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV). Kelly served as lead staff on public lands, energy, environment, water, agriculture, and Tribal policy. She was responsible for advancing several of the Senator’s public lands and environmental priorities through both the Inflation Reduction Act and the National Defense Authorization Act. Kelly helped secure bipartisan provisions related to electric grid security in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and led the Senator’s efforts on preventing solar tariffs. Throughout her time with Senator Rosen, Kelly also led on appropriations, education, and science policy, and helped advance the Senator’s first bill signed into law: the Building Blocks of STEM Act. 

Kelly previously served as a Legislative Assistant for Rosen in the House, leading a wide array of policy issues and advising Rosen on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Prior to working for Rosen, Kelly served on the staff and campaign of former Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-CT). 

Kelly was born and raised in Connecticut and received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communications from Boston College. After calling Washington, DC home for nearly a decade, Kelly now lives in Reno, Nevada with her husband.

Molly O’Scannell – Legislative Assistant

Molly O’Scannell is a Legislative Assistant at Cassidy & Associates, working on energy and natural resources issues. Molly joined Cassidy after serving in the office of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski as the Assistant to the Chief of Staff and Deputy Scheduler.

During her time in Senator Murkowski’s office, she provided executive support to the Senator and Chief of Staff, coordinated legislative staff, and assisted constituents with issues with federal agencies.

Molly is a born and raised Alaskan. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, while serving as the Student Body President.