About Q Street
Q Street is the nonprofit, nonpartisan, professional association of LGBTQ+ policy and political proffessionals, including lobbyists and public policy advocates. We were founded in 2003 on the heels of the Supreme Court’s historic decision in Lawrence v. Texas, when there was renewed hope for advancing the rights of the LGBTQ community in Washington. Q Street was formed to be the bridge between LGBTQ advocacy organizations, LGBTQ lobbyists on K Street, and our colleagues and allies on Capitol Hill. Q Street was formally incorporated in 2008. We appreciate and thank the leaders who came before us!
As the march for equality has advanced, Q Street has grown and evolved as well. We now have more than 3,000 recipients of our monthly digests, hundreds of attendees at our receptions, and our monthly luncheons have featured speakers such as Members of Congress, campaign managers, activists, plaintiffs in the most important LGBTQ Supreme Court cases of our time, and the Secretary of the Army.
Today, Q Street hosts over 25 receptions, lunches, and professional development events every year. We are continuing to explore how we can best help our members grow and network in Washington.
Meet our Board Members
The Q Street Board of Directors is made-up by the Executive Committee (President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer), as well as four at-large Board members. Board members are elected by the membership and serve two-year terms.
President
Yesenia Henninger
she/her/hers
Yesenia Henninger (YE-SE-nee-ya Hen-neen-jur) is Helion Energy’s Deputy Director of Federal Affairs where she is focused on policies that support the rapid deployment and scaling of commercial fusion energy. Yesenia has a proven track record of successfully leading and implementing stakeholder engagement programs, having built a career providing federal policy, strategic communications, and campaign management for Fortune 500 companies, Members of Congress, and progressive organizations. Most recently, she led corporate reputation campaigns at Purple Strategies. Previously, she spent eight years working in federal advocacy within Congress, at ACLU, and National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. As President of Q Street, she enjoys creating professional development and networking events for queer and trans folks that provide them the necessary tools for their careers to flourish. Yesenia and her husband are proud homeowners in northeast DC where they live with their two brindle pitbulls.
Secretary
Riley Kilburg
he/him/his
Riley Kilburg is a seasoned nonprofit executive and political professional with more than a decade of experience managing teams in campaigns, nonprofits, the private sector, and stakeholder organizations. As the Executive Director of Center Forward, Riley’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission of bringing people together to drive bipartisan, pragmatic solutions to some of the most challenging policy debates in D.C.Riley leverages his relationships in Congress and the Biden Administration to drive the organization’s success in working with business and advocacy groups to build coalitions and leverage relationships as a way to deliver bipartisan policy solutions. Riley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Spanish, and International Studies, graduating cum laude from Loras College in 2015. Born and raised in Iowa, Riley now resides in Washington, D.C.
Treasurer
Brendan Neal
he/him/his
Neal is a forward-thinking communicator dedicated to advancing policy and political goals for clients across industries. With 20+ years of leadership experience, he blends business and government expertise to drive impactful advocacy campaigns. As Managing Director of Neal Strategies, Brendan provides strategic communications and government affairs services, mobilizing stakeholders across all government levels. He excels in strategy development, unified messaging, and multi-channel campaigns for energy and technology clients as well as non-profit organizations.
Previously, Brendan led public affairs for a major North American energy company, securing public and legislative support for key infrastructure projects. He also worked at the U.S. Senate, assisting organizations in navigating and seeking federal government support. His political experience includes advising federal and state candidates, and he continues to provide strategic campaign support at all levels of government.
Director
Jennifer "Jenny" Kane
she/her/hers
Jennifer Kane (Jenny) is Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs for Altria Client Services. With Altria for over ten years, Jenny is responsible for representing Altria and its operating companies’ interests through engagement with policymakers, with a focus on House and Senate Democrats. A regulatory attorney with a focus on FDA, Jenny previously stood up the tobacco portfolio through publication and education efforts at the Food and Drug Law Institute in DC. Jenny earned a B.A. with honors in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University and her J.D. from William and Mary School of Law. She lives in Maryland with her wife, two toddler daughters and a mini goldendoodle.
Director
Stuart Malec
he/him/his
Stuart Malec is the National Political Director for the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) where he oversees and implements PPI’s congressional engagement strategy, manages external relations with several key PPI partners, and administers PPI’s congressional fellowship program in New Democrat Coalition and Blue Dog Coalition offices on Capitol Hill. Before joining PPI, Stuart worked in multiple congressional offices for the first eight years of his professional career. He was Communications Director for two Democratic U.S. Representatives, serving on the senior staff for lawmakers on the Energy and Commerce, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, and Armed Services Committees. Stuart is a proud New Englander and alum of the University of Rhode Island. He now lives in Washington D.C., where he enjoys playing basketball, traveling, and co-parenting his dog, Biscuit, when not at work.
Director
Robert "Rob" Curis
he/him/his
Robert “Rob” Curis is a government affairs professional with over a decade of experience in government, politics, and public policy. He currently serves as a Government Affairs Senior Manager at Lowe’s. Prior to joining Lowe’s, Rob held a number of roles under U.S. Senate under Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. During his time on Capitol Hill, Rob also led the Senate GLASS Caucus, the Senate’s LGBTQ staff association.
Director
David Reid
he/him/his
David Reid is deeply embedded in Democratic politics and draws on his personal network on the Hill, in the Biden administration, and throughout the business community to build coalitions that drive policy success for clients. He works hand in glove with clients to lead complex public policy efforts, and leverages his extensive political finance experience to maximize the impact of clients’ political giving. He also leads Brownstein’s bipartisan political operation, setting the industry standard for political engagement each cycle with Republican and Democratic congressional and national campaign committees and candidates. He serves as a Deputy National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee and is a member of the Finance Committee of the Democratic Governors Association.Before joining Brownstein, David served as the Washington D.C. and PAC finance director at Hillary for America. David is an active member of the firm’s pro-bono committee and co-leads the firm’s LGBT+ Affinity Group. Among his many outside involvements, David serves on the executive committee of the One Victory and LGBTQ Victory Institute board, and the governing bodies of the LGBTQ Victory Fund and Institute.
Director
Suzanne Beall
she/her/hers
With eighteen years of public policy experience, Suzanne serves on Amazon’s Public Policy America’s team, providing expertise on political strategy, coalition building, and policy expertise on employment and labor relations matters.
Suzanne is widely recognized for her moderate, bipartisan approach, and has earned the reputation as a trusted liaison between the Washington, D.C. business community and Capitol Hill. She has extensive relationships with Members of Congress and senior-level staff and has been a notable public speaker to the business community across the country.
Suzanne also served as a policy and political liaison for two national trade associations. Prior, Suzanne managed a broad legislative portfolio for U.S. Congressman Sander Levin, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee. She received an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from The George Washington University Law School and is a black belt and active competitor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.