User:TJMSmith/Mindy Carlin

Mindy Carlin (also known as Mindy Williams in press accounts) (Hess; born January 7, 1971) is an American public affairs lobbyist and former chairman of the Board of Directors of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Carlin currently serves as spokesperson at the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia for the Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership, an aggregate of four chambers of commerce in the region. In 2017, Carlin received a Chairman's Award from the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce.

Early life
Carlin was born in Fort Meade, Maryland, the daughter of Penny McDermott, a homemaker, and David Hess, a Vietnam War Veteran. In 1992, she graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Public Relations, where she was in the sorority Sigma Kappa.

Washington Gas
Carlin served as a lobbyist and executive for Washington Gas, a subsidiary of WGL Holdings in the early 2000s. In this capacity, she was involved in the Virginia gubernatorial election, 2001. Former Attorney General of Virginia and gubernatorial nominee Mark Earley, consulted with Carlin in order to reach out to constituents in Northern Virginia. In 2002, the Senate of Virginia, in a 27 to 12 vote, rejected a sales tax referendum for transportation in Northern Virginia to which Carlin responded for Washington Gas that "Any vote against infrastructure investment is a vote against what the business community has been lobbying for."

Route 50 Corridor
In 2004, Carlin was appointed to a 15-member task force established by the the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to explore concerns with U.S. Route 50. She was the head representative for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The task force produced a final report in July 2005.

Carlin is a proponent of the Silver Line Dulles Metro Station extending to the Washington Dulles International Airport Stating in a 2012 WAMU report that "The opportunity to increase the commercial tax base, the economic opportunity, and the ability to leverage the tremendous asset we have in Dulles airport".

Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce
Carlin served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce in 2006.

As the head of the Loudoun County's Chamber of Commerce Policy Committee, Carlin advocated for the business community when, in 2008, Virginia Delegates David Albo and Joe T. Mayas were considering a real estate tax increase to improve transportation infrastructure and relieve traffic congestion. Concerned that such legislation could stifle businesses and hinder economic growth, Carlin issued a statement: "We recognize the problem is significant, and we want to pay our fair share," and "Ultimately, we would like a more comprehensive package though, so [state lawmakers] aren't relying on just us."

In 2009, the Loudoun Board of Supervisors explored amending the zone laws to require Big-box stores to apply for a special exception. Carlin responded to inquires from The Washington Post that the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce would track progress on the amendment. She further explained that the chamber would like "the process to be as streamlined and as pro-business as possible." Carlin added on her first remark, that, while balance is important, the additional restrictions may inhibit Loudoun County's "commercial base."

Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership (NVCP)
Carlin has served from 2009 to the present as the designated representative for the NVCP to the Virginia General Assembly. The Partnership represented over than 2,800 Businesses, 100,000 jobs; workforce development, K-12 investment, and economic development. It is a partnership between the Loudoun, Reston, Dulles Regional, and Mount Vernon Lee chambers of commerce. In 2013, the Virginia House of Delegates Constitutional Amendments Subcommittee, backed by Delegate Scott Lingamfelter, proposed to amend the Constitution of Virginia to permit the Virginia State Board of Education to hold the power to locate Charter schools. Presenting on behalf of the NVCP, Carlin stated to the subcommittee that "Under current law, local school boards approve or deny applications for charter schools." She went on to say that "the application process isn’t easy. It is very difficult to get approved here in Virginia".

Carlin currently serves on the Virginia Leadership Council for the National Federation of Independent Business.

In 2003, Carlin co-founded Access Point Public Affairs in Alexandria to serve clients in Virginia.

Carlin served on the 2012 Board of Directors and Officers for the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance.

Loudoun Health Council
Carlin was the subject of a campaign in 2009 to removed her from the region's "chief advisory health board" as a result of her efforts to block state legislation regarding autism and insurance costs for therapy.

Islamic school funding
Delegate Rob Krupicka introduced Carlin as she presented to the Virginia State Board of Education, a controversial application by the Northern Virginia Education Foundation to establish the Loudoun Math & IT Academy Charter School. The dispute revolved around whether the charter school was part of the Gülen movement schools, a network of Islamic schools. Opponents to the application stated that the charter school would be funded by followers of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish preacher and former imam, and would likely be used as a "vehicle" to spread the group's beliefs. Proponent Carlin faced criticism after stating she along with Loudoun School Board Vice Chairman Jill Turgeon and Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Janet Clarke did not believe the charter school was affiliated with the Gülen movement. Carlin responded to critics, explaining that because the school would be a public institution, it "would be illegal" for there to be a religious or ethnic focus. Carlin spoke to with The Washington Post, requesting the assistance of the Loudoun County School Board to develop a promising plan.

Lobbying loophole
In 2013, Carlin and her husband and business partner, Michael Carlin were the subject of a Washington Post article exposing a loophole in a Virginia state law requiring lobbyist to disclose gifts and entertainment expenses on disclosure forms. In this case, the Carlin's paid for a dinner on Capitol Hill with Senator David W. Marsden and his wife. The issue revolved on how the value of the gift was to be determined, the Carlins had divided the total value of the bill among the nine clients she represented to the Virginia General Assembly, none of whom were in attendance during the meal. State legislators including the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Bill Bolling and House Speaker William J. Howell both agreed that this loophole "may comply with the letter of the law, it certainly violates the spirit of the law”. Even Senator Marsden agreed that it is a "a valid argument" that this practice should be reconsidered. In the interview with The Washington Post, Carlin responded that these dinners with legislators are not focused on legislation but rather a time to nurture relationships and "decompress." She rationalized splitting the dinner and entertainment of the dinners among all clients because "they all share the cost." Carlin stated that she had previously consulted with state officials on whether this is deemed to be an appropriate practice.

Community involvement
Carlin served on the 2011-2012 Healthy Kids Grants Committee of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. The Health Kids Grants Initiative distributed $10,000 to "support efforts made by public schools in Northern Virginia to improve activity level and nutrition of kids throughout the region."

Chambers of commerce
In 2009, Carlin served on the Loudoun County Government's Health Council on behalf of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. She was later made the chairman of the Health Council in 2010.

At the "Battleground Forum" Virginia gubernatorial debate in 2013, Carlin was chosen to be one of four Virginia business leaders on a panel questioning candidates Ken Cuccinelli and Terry McAuliffe. The Forum was hosted by the Fredericksburg Regional, Greater Reston, Loudoun County and Prince William chambers of commerce and moderated by Derek McGinty of WUSA9 (TV).

Carlin, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Policy Committee was a speaker in the 2014 "State of Innovation in Education" forum, along with Northern Virginia Community College President Robert Templin, Loudoun County School Board Chairman Eric Hornberger, and Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton. Discussion included reform strategies for breaking barriers in education.

Carlin has served as a moderator of forums at the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. On October 7, 2015, Carlin moderated over politically charged forum for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors election. She was forced to act as a "referee" when dispute erupted between Republican incumbent Eugene Delgaudio and Democratic opponent, Koran Saines. Carlin requested the microphones be turned off, later remarking, "So, this has been a feisty panel."

Carlin is a past chairwoman of the Leadership Luncheon Series for the Loudoun County Chamber of commerce. In this capacity, she emceed the "Lessons in Leadership" luncheon on June 24, 2016 at The National Conference Center where the head coach of the Washington Redskins, Jay Gruden and sports broadcaster Larry Michael discussed management, leadership, and football.

At the "Executive Committee Meeting" on August 12, 2017 in Virginia Beach, the Virginia Municipal League recognized Carlin as an "active and engaged leader at the state and regional level." Currently, Carlin serves on the Board of Directors of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. She is also a former Health Council and Policy Committees Chairman, and past Executive Committee member. She is also currently a Board member for the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce. Previously, Carlin was a Policy Committee

Chairman and also a "Board of Directors member for the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce."

Education
In 2015, Carlin represented the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce on the Fairfax County Public Schools Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Task Force headed by then Superintendent Karen Garza. The task force contributed to recommendations for the multibillion dollar fiscal year 2017 budget and was charged with following the specific criteria: "the number of students impacted, effect on employees and students, disruption to the system, permanent cuts instead of “one-time” cuts, magnitude of the cut and student outcomes especially on the core instruction." She was one of only two members of the panel of 36 to abstain from from voting on budget cut recommendations. Later, a representative from the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce stated that Carlin would not "comment personally" on the matter.

Financial support
According to Virginia State Board of Elections Campaign Finance Reports and the Virginia Public Access Project, Carlin has contributed campaign funds for the following Virginian politicians: Sharon Bulova, Thomas Greason, Steve Landes, Chris Peace, Thomas Rust, Richard L. Saslaw, Steve Shannon, and Frank Wagner. She has donated to the Virginia Association of Community-Based Providers, Citizens for Better Transportation, Water.org, and the Virginia Public Access Project. Through Access Point Public Affairs, Carlin was a Leadership Sponsor of the 2017 Northern Virginia Family Service, Road to Independence Gala.

Awards and recognition
In 2015, Carlin was honored with a Chairman Award from the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce. At the November 4, 2016 22nd Small Business Awards ceremony, Carlin's company, Access Point Public Affairs was recognized as a Loudoun County Small Business Award honoree for the category: Home-Based Business of the Year. In 2017, Carlin received a Chairman's Award from Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce for her "work to support the local business and nonprofit community."

Carlin was the subject of an feature in the The Washington Examiner by journalist Mary Katharine Ham.