Principal
Washington, DC
rtaylor@hbstrategies.us
Rachael is an experienced legislative strategist and trusted executive with more than 25 years of public service at the highest levels of the federal government. Her career includes serving as chief of staff to a Cabinet Secretary, Subcommittee clerk for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and in other positions in the White House, executive branch, and both houses of Congress – giving her clients an authentic insider’s perspective on how Washington works.
Rachael’s expertise in policy development and implementation, organizational management, and the federal budget and appropriations process is a valuable trifecta for clients looking to protect their interests and build opportunities in Washington. Calling on her firsthand experience from the executive and legislative branches, Rachael skillfully advances client priorities and develops actionable solutions to complex challenges.
As Chief of Staff to a former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Rachael provided strategic direction to a 70,000-person federal agency, overseeing policies and programs for the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and other bureaus of offices. She also served as the primary advisor and counselor to the Secretary and managed a team of more than 100 senior Interior Department leaders and political appointees. Her leadership ensured the effective execution of the Department’s mission across federal land management, energy development, Tribal, and science programs.
As Clerk of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee’s Interior Subcommittee, she led a team responsible for drafting legislation and enacting annual operating budgets for more than 20 federal agencies, including the Interior Department, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, Indian Health Service, and Smithsonian Institution. In this role, she oversaw the allocation of nearly $40 billion in annual appropriations, including supporting more than $15 billion in grants and assistance to state, local, and Tribal governments, non-profits, and other organizations nationwide each year.
Earlier in her career, Rachael also served in positions with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. House of Representatives, and the Office of the Vice President in the White House.
Rachael is a native of West Virginia and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Public Administration from American University in Washington, D.C.
