Al brings a unique level of global and domestic expertise to clients seeking strategic government relations, political, and communications counsel.

Prior to joining the firm, Al served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Emergent BioSolutions, a life sciences company. He also served as Emergent’s General Counsel and Head of Worldwide Government Relations, where he worked with the European Union, NATO, and U.S. allies across the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Latin America to equip military forces with chemical and biological countermeasures. In this capacity, Al helped expand Emergent’s revenue and manufacturing capabilities by 200 percent.

Al has worked extensively with the U.S. Congress, multiple presidential administrations, and key federal agencies—including the Department of Defense, State Department, Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Homeland Security. He has supported agencies such as the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Project BioShield, and the Strategic National Stockpile, and played a lead role in the drafting and implementation of major legislation, including the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. Al has provided similar counsel to the European Union to strengthen bioterror preparedness and response capabilities.

He currently serves as Vice President of the International Security & Biopolicy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization addressing the global challenges and opportunities of emerging biosciences. Al is also a member of Business Executives for National Security, an organization that applies private sector best practices to national security challenges.

Earlier in his career, Al served as a senior advisor and congressional liaison to former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman during his 2012 presidential campaign.

Before joining Emergent in 2005, Al held senior executive roles with major global corporations, including Eli Lilly, 3M, and British American Tobacco. He was a top strategist for the Minnesota Republican Party, a trusted advisor to Governor Arne Carlson, and Chief of Staff to Congressman Gil Gutknecht.

Al serves on the Board of Directors of Opera Lafayette in Washington, DC, and the Board of Trustees of the El Hibri Foundation, which funds incubators supporting orphans in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon. He was appointed to the board of directors of the MdBio Foundation in 2013. Al is fluent in several languages.

Education
BA, University of Minnesota
LLM, University of Leicester School of Law