Jim Stowers

Senior Policy Associate

Jim Stowers brings to The Sheridan Group over 20 years of professional government affairs experience.  Prior to joining TSG, Jim served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Obama Administration.  In that role, Jim successfully worked to advance the priorities of the Commerce Department before Congress by promoting new federal investments in economic development initiatives, advocating to establish funding to enhance competitiveness in the U.S. manufacturing sector and expanding access for U.S. goods and services in foreign markets.  Key legislation enacted into law that Jim worked on during his tenure at the Commerce Department included the America Invents Act, the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015, the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act and the annual Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations legislation which provides federal investments for key Commerce Department initiatives.     
 
Prior to his public service in the Obama Administration, Jim worked on behalf of his home state of Arkansas for 12 years in the office of U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln, including seven years as legislative director.  Jim helped manage a wide range of public policy issues for Senator Lincoln, including economic development, appropriations, health care, tax, energy, agriculture, civil rights and foreign affairs. During his tenure in Senator Lincoln’s office, Jim worked to advance a number of legislative proposals including the Affordable Care Act, the 2008 Farm Bill, the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act which established new benchmark nutritional standards for school meal programs and the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010.

During his work in the U.S. Senate, Jim also helped manage the Senate New Democratic Coalition which Senator Lincoln co-founded with other likeminded Senate colleagues in 2000.  The Senate New Dems Coalition worked to bridge the partisan divide in Congress and promote pragmatic, reform-oriented policy proposals on important issues such as education reform and the federal budget.     
 
Jim’s background in both the executive and legislative branch adds valuable experience to the TSG team.  Jim understands the legislative, policy making and federal budgeting process at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue and has learned strategies to effectively engage decision makers throughout government during his two decades as a government relations professional in Washington, D.C.      

Jim earned his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a BA from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. 

Jim has lived and worked in Washington, DC since 1996 where he resides with his husband and son.