Derek Kilmer serves as the United States Representative of Washington’s 6th Congressional District.  

With over a decade of experience working in economic development in the Puget Sound region, Derek Kilmer is focused on getting our economy and our Congress back to work. Derek has a strong record as a problem solver for Washington families and he's been recognized by veterans organizations for his support of our troops, their families, and those who have served. As the dad of two, he is working to make sure all our children receive a quality education. He is committed to honoring our promises to seniors by protecting Social Security and Medicare. Derek grew up on the Olympic Peninsula and has worked to promote local economic development and to be responsible stewards of our natural resources. 

Derek was reelected to a fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 and serves on the House Appropriations Committee, one of only four ‘exclusive’ committees in the House. Derek serves on the Interior and Environment Subcommittee, Defense Subcommittee, and Energy and Water Development Subcommittee. He was also appointed to serve as the Chair of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, a bipartisan Committee formed to investigate, study, make findings, hold public hearings, and develop recommendations to make Congress more effective, efficient, and transparent on behalf of the American people.

Dr. Tim Persons is GAO's Chief Scientist and one of two Managing Directors of the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team. The team conducts technology assessments, provides oversight of federal science and technology programs, provides technical assistance on science and technologies issues to the Congress, and develops innovative analytical techniques for carrying out audits and evaluations.  Tim joined GAO in July 2008. Prior to that, he served in key executive roles at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) and the National Security Agency.  Dr. Persons received his B.Sc. in Physics from James Madison University, his M.Sc. in Nuclear Physics from Emory University, and his M.Sc. in Computer Science and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Wake Forest University.

Dr. Tim Persons is GAO's Chief Scientist and one of two Managing Directors of the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team. The team conducts technology assessments, provides oversight of federal science and technology programs, provides technical assistance on science and technologies issues to the Congress, and develops innovative analytical techniques for carrying out audits and evaluations.  Tim joined GAO in July 2008. Prior to that, he served in key executive roles at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) and the National Security Agency.  Dr. Persons received his B.Sc. in Physics from James Madison University, his M.Sc. in Nuclear Physics from Emory University, and his M.Sc. in Computer Science and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Wake Forest University.

Schick came to the School of Public Policy from the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, where he served as a senior specialist. His professional history includes research positions at the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution and teaching positions at Tufts University and Syracuse University. Schick's extensive list of publications includes Congress and Money: Spending, Taxing, and Budgeting (American Society for Public Administration, 1987), Making Economic Policy in Congress (American Enterprise Institute, 1984), The Capacity to Budget (1990), The Budget Puzzle (1993) and The Federal Budget: Politics, Policy, Process (1995). He is founding editor of the professional journal, Public Budgeting and Finance. Schick consults for many organizations at federal, state, and local levels. He directed a multinational study of budget practices in various industrialized countries and presently directs a study of the far-reaching reforms in the public sector in six countries: Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States. Among Schick's awards are the Guggenheim Fellowship and the American Society for Public Administration Waldo Prize.

Schick came to the School of Public Policy from the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, where he served as a senior specialist. His professional history includes research positions at the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution and teaching positions at Tufts University and Syracuse University. Schick's extensive list of publications includes Congress and Money: Spending, Taxing, and Budgeting (American Society for Public Administration, 1987), Making Economic Policy in Congress (American Enterprise Institute, 1984), The Capacity to Budget (1990), The Budget Puzzle (1993) and The Federal Budget: Politics, Policy, Process (1995). He is founding editor of the professional journal, Public Budgeting and Finance. Schick consults for many organizations at federal, state, and local levels. He directed a multinational study of budget practices in various industrialized countries and presently directs a study of the far-reaching reforms in the public sector in six countries: Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States. Among Schick's awards are the Guggenheim Fellowship and the American Society for Public Administration Waldo Prize.

Joshua C. Huder, Ph.D., joined the Government Affairs Institute as a Senior Fellow in 2013. He primarily teaches courses on American government, Congress, advanced legislative process, separation of powers, and the federal budget process. He has provided political analysis to several news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, Politico, Newsweek, Washington Examiner, Bloomberg News, CNN, and more.  Prior to joining GAI, Josh worked on the Hill as an American Political Science Association (APSA) Congressional Fellow. His portfolio included legislative procedure, government affairs, financial services, voting rights, campaign finance, trade, small business, and other issues. He is currently writing a book on the history of congressional procedure and politics since 1879.

Joshua C. Huder, Ph.D., joined the Government Affairs Institute as a Senior Fellow in 2013. He primarily teaches courses on American government, Congress, advanced legislative process, separation of powers, and the federal budget process. He has provided political analysis to several news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, Politico, Newsweek, Washington Examiner, Bloomberg News, CNN, and more.  Prior to joining GAI, Josh worked on the Hill as an American Political Science Association (APSA) Congressional Fellow. His portfolio included legislative procedure, government affairs, financial services, voting rights, campaign finance, trade, small business, and other issues. He is currently writing a book on the history of congressional procedure and politics since 1879.

Eric Schickler is Jeffrey & Ashley McDermott Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of three books which have won the Richard F. Fenno, Jr. Prize for the best book on legislative politics: Disjointed Pluralism: Institutional Innovation and the Development of the U.S. Congress (2001), Filibuster: Obstruction and Lawmaking in the United States Senate (2006, with Gregory Wawro), and Investigating the President: Congressional Checks on Presidential Power (2016, with Douglas Kriner; also winner of the Richard E. Neustadt Prize for the best book on executive politics).  His book, Racial Realignment: The Transformation of American Liberalism, 1932-1965, was the winner of the Woodrow Wilson Prize for the best book on government, politics or international affairs published in 2016, and is co-winner of the J. David Greenstone Prize for the best book in history and politics from the previous two calendar years. He is also the co-author of Partisan Hearts and Minds, which was published in 2002. He has authored or co-authored articles in the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Comparative Political Studies, Polity, Public Opinion Quarterly, and Social Science History. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of American politics, the U.S. Congress, rational choice theory, American political development, and public opinion.

Eric Schickler is Jeffrey & Ashley McDermott Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of three books which have won the Richard F. Fenno, Jr. Prize for the best book on legislative politics: Disjointed Pluralism: Institutional Innovation and the Development of the U.S. Congress (2001), Filibuster: Obstruction and Lawmaking in the United States Senate (2006, with Gregory Wawro), and Investigating the President: Congressional Checks on Presidential Power (2016, with Douglas Kriner; also winner of the Richard E. Neustadt Prize for the best book on executive politics).  His book, Racial Realignment: The Transformation of American Liberalism, 1932-1965, was the winner of the Woodrow Wilson Prize for the best book on government, politics or international affairs published in 2016, and is co-winner of the J. David Greenstone Prize for the best book in history and politics from the previous two calendar years. He is also the co-author of Partisan Hearts and Minds, which was published in 2002. He has authored or co-authored articles in the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Comparative Political Studies, Polity, Public Opinion Quarterly, and Social Science History. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of American politics, the U.S. Congress, rational choice theory, American political development, and public opinion.

Maya MacGuineas is the president of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Her areas of expertise include budget, tax, and economic policy.  As a leading budget expert for the past twenty years and a political independent, she has worked closely with members of both parties and serves as a trusted resource on Capitol Hill. MacGuineas testifies regularly before Congress and has been quoted and published in numerous outlets and appears regularly as a commentator on television.