How to Become a Personal Contact for Congress
Suggestions from a former staffer

In a talk at the workshop to plan for a Center for Science and Security, Sherri Stephan, a former AAAS Fellow and Senate staffer gave the following tips for how to become a trusted source of information to policy makers:

• Know who you are visiting and what is important to him or her;
• Know the issue, the politics and the procedure; stick to what you were invited to discuss;
• Don't communicate disappointment about talking to "just" a staffer;
• Provide information that is reliable, accurate, timely and objective;
• Invite staff to events at your organization;
• Hold events on the Hill that involve a broad range of speakers with differing opinions.

Return to main article.

23 April 2003