Frank J. Donatelli
Executive Vice President and Director
Federal Public Affairs
A long-time political activist, Frank Donatelli is an executive vice president and director of Federal Public Affairs for McGuireWoods Consulting. He also serves as counsel to McGuireWoods LLP. Frank is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and the American University Law School.
Upcoming Events
02/29 'Tis the (Campaign) Season: The Laws of Political Fundraising for 2012"Do's and Don'ts" for lawfully soliciting contributions for political candidates and political committees in 2012. Read More
View Past Event(s)
Expand Information...
During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senator John McCain tapped Frank to serve as Deputy Chairman of the Republican National Committee where he coordinated the RNC’s fundraising and organizing activities directly with the McCain-Palin presidential campaign.
His previous appointments have included serving as an Assistant to President Ronald Reagan for Political and Intergovernmental Affairs and as Deputy Assistant to the President for Public Liaison at the White House. He served on White House Chief of Staff James Baker's team that negotiated presidential debates in 1984. Frank was also a senior advisor to Bob Dole in 1996 and represented his campaign in debate negotiations.
Frank has over 20 years of experience in public policy advocacy and boasts substantial expertise in the legislative process. He has represented a wide variety of companies in such diverse areas as energy, taxes and trade, telecommunication, and Homeland Security, and has provided strategic advice and policy guidance to many large companies and trade associations.
Frank has appeared on numerous public affairs programs on MSNBC, Fox News and CNN, and is a noted writer whose articles have been printed in the Washington Post, the Washington Times and the New York Daily News.
In 1992, Frank chaired the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commission which celebrated the 500th Anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in the New World. He is also Chairman of the Reagan Ranch Board of Governors of the Young America’s Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving President Reagan’s Ranch in Santa Barbara, California as a historical property. In March 2009, Frank was elected Chairman of GOPAC, a group that assists Republican "rising stars" running for state and local office.
Education
- University of Pittsburgh
- American University Law School
Honors
- Named One of the "Best Lawyers in America," Woodward/White, Inc., 2008-2011
- Chairman, Reagan Ranch Board of Governors, 1998-Present
- Chairman, Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commission, 1990-1992
- Board Member, Young America's Foundation, 1973-Present
- Board Member, America Studies Center - Radio America, 1992-Present
Past Positions
- Partner, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., 1995-2001
- Partner, Bond and Donatelli, 1989-1995
- Member, Ronald Reagan's Presidential Debate Negotiations Team, 1984
- Deputy Assistant to the President for Public Liaison, The White House, March 1984-May 1995
- Director, Agency for International Development, Africa Bureau, 1983
- Attorney, Patton, Boggs and Blow, 1981-1983 and 1985-1987
- Regional Political Director, Ronald Reagan for President, 1979-1980
- Campaign Director, James A. Baker III for Attorney General of Texas, 1978
- Executive Director, Young Americans for Freedom, 1973-1977
- Campaign Finance
- Ethics Compliance
- Executive Branch Affairs
- Federal Appropriations
- Federal Legislative Affairs
- Regulatory Solutions
- Trade & International Affairs
- Federal Public Affairs
