Josh helps Fortune 500 consumer brands and their trade associations navigate Washington’s most difficult issues. He assists clients in developing effective policy responses, political strategies, and communications messages to achieve favorable outcomes that support their organization’s mission. To achieve these favorable outcomes, he has worked with Congress to shape legislation and with Executive agencies to improve Administration action.

In addition to working directly with Fortune 500 brands and their trade associations, he has significant experience managing multi-sectoral coalitions across a variety of issues from trade enforcement to voting rights. As an experienced leader and manager, Josh works closely with coalition member companies and associations to build consensus on successful strategies and then drives them toward execution. Coalition activities that he has managed include coordinating large scale lobbying activities like fly-ins, speaking at and hosting public events in the U.S. and abroad, and, among other things, crafting regulatory submissions and other public messaging documents.

Prior to joining Akin, Josh served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles, Consumer Goods and Materials with the International Trade Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). While serving in this role, Josh was a policymaker for, and public advocate of, the Obama administration’s highest international trade priorities.

Josh's work included substantial contributions to the development of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement among other multilateral, regional and bilateral trade initiatives. His work spanned a broad cross section of U.S. industries, including textiles, apparel, home furnishings, processed foods, distilled spirits, recreational transportation, cosmetics, chemicals and building materials.

Prior to his role at the DOC, Josh held a number of positions with Members of Congress in both the House and Senate, advising on a wide range of issues, including health care, trade, education and financial services.

Josh's experience with health care policy includes navigating the passage and subsequent implementation of the Affordable Care Act as well as the FDA Safety and Innovation Act of 2012 to reauthorize and modify the review processes for drugs, devices and biologics. He worked closely with constituent health care providers including nursing and physician practices, hospital systems and patient advocates.