Speakers

Stephanie Badger, The Nickels Group

Stephanie Badger is a Vice President at The Nickles Group. She leads the firm’s financial services practice while also assisting clients on legislative and regulatory issues relating to health care, intellectual property, budget, and energy. Stephanie works closely with client coalitions, building groups that share a common interest and leveraging their collective advocacy strength to make an impact.

Stephanie’s strategic council and leadership helped a broad coalition successfully fight unfair debit and credit card fees and her ability to foster collaboration – complete with member recruitment – was instrumental in the creation of a non-profit organization dedicated to the value of copyright as an agent for creativity, jobs and growth. Stephanie’s previous experience includes research analysis and legislative assistance for a range of clients. 

Bruce E. Lundegren, SBA Office of Advocacy

Bruce Lundegren currently serves as an Assistant Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy.  The Office of Advocacy oversees federal agency compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, a law that requires federal agencies to assess the impact of their regulations on small business and to consider less burdensome alternatives.  As such, Bruce works closely with federal agencies, business and trade groups, and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget to ensure that the voice of small business is heard within the regulatory process.  Bruce’s areas of responsibility include occupational safety and health, transportation, and homeland security.  Prior to joining the Office of Advocacy, Bruce served as Director of Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and as Regulatory Counsel for the National Association of Home Builders.  Before that he worked in the private practice of law.  Bruce received his Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his law degree from the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University.  He is a member of the bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Janis C. Reyes, SBA Office of Advocacy 

Janis C. Reyes is the assistant chief counsel for labor, employment, immigration, and disabilities law at the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. Reyes has held this position for almost twenty years. Reyes reviews regulations from the Department of Labor, Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the Department of Justice, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She also completed a detail as a policy analyst at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the White House Office of Management and Budget. Reyes received her B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles and her J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.  Reyes is a member of the Virginia Bar.

Eric Schmitz, Office of the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson

Eric Schmitz serves as Coalitions Director for Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. Named in 2025 as one of the top 25 staffers who keep Capitol Hill running, Schmitz brings more than a decade of experience navigating the Washington policy and political landscape. Prior to joining the Office of the Speaker, he held several senior roles within House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s office. As Coalitions Director, Schmitz oversees relationships with outside trade associations, including NLBMDA. He works to address industry concerns and build support for the House leadership’s legislative agenda.

Ken Wingert, National Association of Home Builders 

Ken Wingert serves as the Chief Advocacy Officer for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).  Wingert leads the joint efforts of the association’s Federal Government Affairs, State and Local Government Affairs, Housing Finance, Legal Advocacy, and Regulatory Affairs departments, as well as BUILD-PAC, NAHB’s political action committee.  These teams are responsible for advancing the interests of the residential construction industry at the local, state, and federal levels of government.

Wingert brings over 20 years’ experience in housing and construction policy to NAHB.  His previous positions include leading the financial services practice for Monument Advocacy, Head of Federal Government Relations at Zillow, and lobbying roles at the National Association of Realtors and the Associated Builders and Contractors.  He is also a veteran of several political campaigns at the state, federal and presidential level.

Wingert holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communications from the University of Iowa and Master’s Degree in Real Estate Finance from Georgetown University.