Jay Morgan, Principal
In his role as an advocate for some of the Fortune 500’s leading corporations and business organizations, Jay Morgan has developed a reputation for building strong coalitions to withstand controversy on tough issues. Politicsmagazine.com named him as a “Top 10 Georgia Influencer” for 2010 and commented, “He is at the top of his game”. In his first announcement as Governor-elect, Nathan Deal appointed him as the co-chairman of the 2011 Inaugural Committee and a senior advisor to his transition team.
In January 2007, the Atlanta Journal Constitution drew distinction with his colleagues by saying, “lobbying when Democrats were in charge, he has continued to have success now that the Republicans run things.” Morgan was heavily involved in the 2007 video services legislation which passed both houses overwhelmingly as well as telecommunications deregulation legislation at both the federal and state level. Also during 2007, he successfully “quarterbacked” tort reform legislation (successor liability relief). In the 2003 session of the Georgia General Assembly, he provided strategic and tactical leadership in passing legislation that began the process known as public private partnerships (P3) to address pressing infrastructure needs. He was the lead strategist in passing tax legislation that resulted in securing Philips Arena, a top-rated concert and professional sports facility, for the city of Atlanta at no cost to the taxpayers. He has twice led efforts to pass legislation that improved access to “Epi-pens” for schools and organizations such as 4H camps. He has been recruited to work on lobbying teams for his experience in forming coalitions on controversial issues such as healthcare, litigation reform, criminal justice reform, state tax credits, and financial transactions.
Embracing the entrepreneurial spirit instilled in him by his father and grandfather, he established his own firm in 1996 after serving as Senior Vice President of the former firm of Edington, Wade, and Sanders. He is a partner in the National Field Resource Network, which he co-founded so his clients would be able to access the most experienced grassroots activists in all fifty states. He is the current chairman of the Federal Affairs Committee for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Council. He serves on the Board of Governors of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, a premier state-based “think tank”, as a member of the board for The Essential Economy Council, and as the immediate past chairman of the Georgia 4H Foundation.
As a consultant to over twenty-five state, federal, and local campaigns as well as a regional director for the George H. W. Bush for President Campaign and the Republican National Committee, he has experience in directing strategic campaigns that is unparalleled for its longevity among Georgia-based public affairs consultants. He was a senior strategist in each of U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s runs for the U.S. Senate and has performed key roles with Governor Nathan Deal (R-GA), Speaker Newt Gingrich, Governor Pete Wilson (CA), the late Congresswoman Tillie Fowler (R-FL), former Congressman Mac Collins (R-GA), and numerous state legislative leaders. Following the 1992 elections, he served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Collins and directed both his re-election campaign in 1994 as well as the “Committee on Committee” campaign to win a seat on the prestigious House Ways and Means Committee.
For almost thirty years, Jay Morgan has provided corporations, coalitions, candidates, and business associations with solid strategic plans for execution of public affairs tactics. As the youngest Executive Director of a Republican Party organization in the country in his home state of Georgia, he applied grassroots and telemarketing strategies for the first time in Georgia and oversaw the effort to triple the party’s donor base at a critical time in its development. With then-GOP Chairman Paul Coverdell, he engineered the Georgia GOP’s first algebraic targeting system for state legislative races, which identified vulnerable incumbents and winnable open seats.
Tyler J. Kaplan, Managing Director
Tyler “TJ” Kaplan, a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, began his career in politics in the office of former US Congressman Tom Price. After learning to navigate local political issues as they pertain to federal government, TJ made the transition to state politics by working with the Georgia Tech Research Institute as a Policy Analyst assigned to provide support to the members of the Senate Resolution 68 Study Committee. The committee was tasked with cataloguing Georgia's existing technology assets, reviewing state and national policies that encourage technology advancement, and developing specific recommendations for a strategic plan for science and technology in Georgia.
Following his work at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, TJ worked as a top aide to Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller, then a Floor Leader for Governor Nathan Deal. As an aide, TJ served as a liaison between Senator Miller and the Governor’s staff, lobbyists, and constituents who sought to influence legislation in the General Assembly. He also served as a key strategist to Senator Miller, working with other legislators in the House and Senate to build support for legislation and acquire votes. His work aided in the passage of several significant pieces of legislation across various sectors. During his time working in the State Senate, TJ established an extensive network within both the General Assembly and the lobbyist community. It was there he gained a reputation for successful coalition building and strategic legislative advocacy.
After leaving Atlanta to work in Washington, DC as an Eben Tisdale Fellow with the Computing Research Association and study at the Institute on Business and Government Affairs at Georgetown University, TJ returned to his native Georgia to work for the J.L. Morgan Company. In his position at the J.L. Morgan Company, TJ works as a strategic advisor to a number of the nation’s leading Fortune 500 companies. His portfolio includes clients across the healthcare, transportation, education, utility, and technology sectors. This wide range of client work serves to further augment his relationships with key decision makers and stakeholders in the advocacy community.
Lauren Pollow, Legislative Director
Lauren E. Pollow,a graduate of University at Buffalo, holds a master’s in Public Policy and Healthcare Management. She began her career as an aide to the Committee on Rural Resources for the 143rddistrict for the New York State Assembly. It was there that she focused on the economic development and revitalization of a former industrial community still devastated by the closure of Bethlehem Steel in 1982. Pollow successfully helped steward cross-sector collaboration and revitalization projects through the committee before being recruited by one of the largest law firms in Albany.
Lauren worked as a policy analyst, and later a lobbyist for Whiteman Osterman & Hanna’s non-legal subsidiary focused on healthcare policy. Lauren acted as their chief policy analyst and lobbyist for a myriad of client issues before the Department of Health, Office of Children and Families Services, Legislature, and Executive branches of government. After her time with the firm, Lauren went in-house at the New York State Health Facilities Association/ New York State Center for Assisted Living, where she was the Director of Governmental Affairs for the association’s legislative and regulatory agenda. The majority of her work focused on defending against unfunded mandates, managing proposed reimbursement changes and advocating for stable funding of programs for the 400+ long-term care members within the association. She joined the J.L. Morgan Company in 2018 and has applied her experience with association management to the clients she works with every day.
Graham Segrest, Project Manager
Graham is the newest addition to the JL Morgan team. As a Zell Miller Hope Scholar, Graham attended the University of Georgia's School for Public and International Affairs, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in political science. During his time at The University of Georgia, he served as captain of UGA's cheerleading squad. After joining the firm in the fall of 2019 as an intern, Graham began expanding his knowledge of the state's political landscape. He has now moved to a full-time position. During his time with the firm, he has proven himself as a capable communicator, with a deft hand at relationship management. Graham has spearheaded multiple short term advocacy campaigns, working with federal, state, and local leaders to get results for our clients. He regularly monitors board meetings of state agencies and departments to proactively identify trends and issues of concerns for current and future clients. Graham has also been at the forefront of the firm's campaign coverage, helping to keep clients up to date and aware of rising stars in the State Legislature.
Stephen P. Georgeson, Of Counsel
Stephen Georgeson received his B.A. degree upon graduation in 1971 from Emory University in Atlanta, with a History and Political Science major. He was admitted to the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville in 1971, and graduated with honors in 1973. He was a member of both the Tennessee Law Review and the Order of the Coif.
He served as appellate counsel for the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare, in the Atlanta regional office, from 1974 until 1980, when he accepted the position of Southeastern Regional Governmental Affairs Attorney with Sears in the Atlanta regional office. He remained in that position until 1991, when he established a private state governmental affairs practice, which he continues to this day.
He was admitted to practice law in Georgia in 1975.
