Jimmy Ryan

With over 15 years of experience working in the Senate leadership and lobbying Capitol Hill on behalf of one of the world’s largest financial services companies, Jimmy Ryan has broad experience navigating the many complex legislative and regulatory issues fac- ing the nation’s leading businesses and deep expertise in developing meaningful public policy solutions. Ryan joins Elmendorf Strategies from Citigroup where he was a Senior Vice President and Co-Head for Federal Government Affairs at Citigroup. As Co-head of the Washington Office, Ryan was responsible for developing and executing Citi’s expansive legislative agenda on Capitol Hill and managed a team of in-house lobbyists and outside consultants to accomplish the company’s public policy goals. Citi, a global financial giant, operates in over 100 coun- tries and houses an incredibly diverse business line that houses a diverse financial services ranging from investment banking to consumer credit cards. Prior to joining Citigroup in June 2003, Ryan served as the Chief Counsel and Floor Policy Director for U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the Assistant Senate Democratic Leader and Whip. As the number two Democrat in the Senate, Reid was responsible for managing all legislation brought to the Senate floor and was the chief vote counter for Senate Democrats. Ryan managed his Leadership Floor operations from 1999-2003. In that position, Ryan was re- sponsible for developing and coordinating the Democrats day-to-day Senate floor operations; managing whip counts on key votes; assisting Reid in troubleshooting and resolving conflicts and crises on the Senate floor; and, advising other Democratic Senators offices on Senate floor strategy and procedure. He also served as a senior communication’s advisor to Reid assisting in Sunday talk show preparations, drafting of op-eds and speeches; and responding to requests from national media. Additionally, following Reid’s ascension to the Chairmanship of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, Ryan served as his liaison to the Democratic Leadership Committees. During his time on the Senate Democratic Leadership staff Ryan was repeatedly named to Roll Call newspaper’s annual list of the 50 most influential Capitol Hill staffers. In addition to managing Senator Reid’s floor operations, Ryan also served as Senator Reid’s Chief Counsel for the Senate Ethics Committee during the five years that Senator Reid led the committee as both its Chairman and Vice- Chairman. From 1993 to 1999 Ryan served Senator Reid in various professional capacities including, Legal Counsel, Legislative Director and counsel to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reid, Nevada’s senior Senator is often called on to assist in handling the challenges confronting state’s largest employer, the gaming indus- try. Ryan was Reid’s top advisor on all matters involving gaming and spent a considerable amount of time working on the often unique legislative, regulatory and political challenges that often confront the gaming industry and the travel and tourism sector. Ryan is a 1993 graduate of the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. While in law school, Ryan worked on the Senate Judiciary Committee as a Robert LaFollette fellow. He also spent a year with then Chairman Chuck Schumer’s House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Criminal Justice. He also worked at the Washington law firm of Collier, Shannon Rill and Scott. Ryan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola College in Baltimore in 1987 where he majored in Political Science and Theology. From 1987-1989 Ryan worked in the newsroom at The Washington Post as a news aide and research assistant to a Post columnist.