Women of Excellence

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Joann Payne

Title: Founder and President
Industry: Government Relations
Type of Organization: Woman-Owned Business
Major Product/Service: Providing government relations, lobbying and consulting services
Expertise: With over 32 years experience, Ms. Payne is the Founder and President of both Payne, Shea & Associates (PSA) and Women First National Legislative Committee (Women First). She serves as an advocate for state and municipal governments, small businesses, coporate and business groups at the federal, state and local levels. She helps to ensure that local governments receive necessary federal funding and successfully accomplish all goals. Ms. Payne is responsible for lobbying and consulting for a variety of industries in the transportation, defense, education, coporate, federal, state and local government arenas. At Women First, she promotes the economic interests of women business owners by lobbying and monitoring federal and state legislation in the areas of small business, local government, government subcontracting, affirmative action, transportation, defense and small business innovative research companies. She also handles media outreach and outreach communications.
Geographic Area of Distribution: National
University/Degree: B.A., Political Science and History, University of Mary Washington, 1977
Born: November 2, Petersburg, Virginia
Hobbies/Sports: Breeding Champion English Springer Spaniels
Children: Charlie, Frank, Julia
Work History: Previously, Ms. Payne served as an award-winning American Government teacher in Stafford, Virginia
Honors & Awards: "Seat at the Table" Award, National Women's Business Council; Mortar Board, National Honor Society; National Science Honor, Phi Gamma Mu
Career Accomplishments: Ms. Payne began her career successfully lobbying the Reagan Administration and the Democratic controlled Congress gaining support for her client's initiatives on a bipartisan basis. This lobbying effort successfully added women to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. Her close relationship with both Republican and Democrats has made her one of the most effective lobbyists on Capitol Hill. She successfully lobbied to include women-owned construction businesses in the U.S. Department of Transportation's DBE Program, a landmark legislation as it is the first time in U.S. history that congress legislatively allowed women-owned business in an Affirmative Action Economic Development Program. Ms. Payne lobbied successfully for Parker Brothers and Walmart to remove the board game "Careers for Girls" from distribution due to its inaccuracy, offensiveness and encouraged discrimination against women. She also lobbied successfully for over $160 million for local government. She is especially proud of the coveted internship she completed with the late Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts.