Engaging Your Legislators: Strategies on How to Achieve Your Agency's Budget and Legislative Goals

4/28/2026

Event Details

Engaging Your Legislators: Strategies on How to Achieve Your Agency's Budget and Legislative Goals Learn strategies from agency heads, former Legislative employees, and communications professionals on how to effectively engage your state and local legislative bodies to secure needed funding for your agency and to advance your policy goals through law changes. From determining who to contact and getting the meeting to advocating your position and building support from stakeholders, these policy pros will share how to convince legislators to take action to benefit your agency. Please note: This session will not be recorded. There will not be breakout rooms. There will be time at the end of the session for audience Q & A. Panelists & Moderator Kavita Bhatt-Kapadia (Moderator) Deputy Counsel,  NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government Kavita K. Bhatt currently serves as the Deputy General Counsel at the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.   She originally joined the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, COELIG’s predecessor agency, in July 2018 as an Associate Attorney in the Advice & Guidance Unit, where she provided guidance related to the State ethics and lobbying laws, drafted formal Advisory Opinions for Commission issuance, and was the lead attorney on several high-profile investigative matters. Prior to her time at the Commission, Kavita worked in the Office of General Counsel for the MTA-New York City Transit Authority, where she represented the Transit Authority in all aspects of labor and employment litigation  Emily K. DeSantis Chief of Staff and Director of External Affairs, NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government Emily DeSantis serves as the Chief of Staff and Director of External Affairs at the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. A seasoned civil service professional with more than 25 years of experience, she has led high-performing communications teams and advanced key government priorities. Before being named Chief of Staff, Ms. DeSantis served as Director of Public Affairs at the Commission. Prior to her work with the Commission, she held the position of Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs at the State Education Department, acted in a similar capacity at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, worked for the NYS Governor’s Office as Deputy Director of Communications for the Environment, and was Deputy Press Secretary for the State Comptroller. Ms. DeSantis holds a master’s degree in public relations from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Massachusetts. Scott Danigole Executive Director, Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission Scott is the Executive Director of the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission. He has been with the NADC since July 2025. The NADC addresses campaign finance, lobbyist registration and reporting, and investigates complaints against government officials and staff. Prior to heading the NADC, Mr. Danigole worked for the Nebraska Legislature in the Legislative Fiscal Office for 27 years. His experience included writing fiscal notes, analyzing agency budget and funding requests, and briefing the Appropriations Committee. Through his experience in the Legislative Fiscal Office, Mr. Danigole has gained insights into effectively presenting funding requests to elected officials. He holds bachelor's degrees in Political Science and History from Creighton University and earned his graduate degree from UNO. Adam E. Silver Chair, California Fair Political Practices Commission Adam E. Silver was appointed as Chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission on March 8, 2024 by Governor Gavin Newsom. Chair Silver's appointment is followed by a distinguished career in the public and private sectors, where he consistently championed ethics, transparency, and the use of emerging technology to increase governmental efficiency and promote public trust. Prior to his appointment, Chair Silver served as Chief Counsel to the Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee. Before joining the Assembly, he worked in various roles at the FPPC, including as a prosecutor in the Enforcement Division and Commission Counsel for the Legal Division, and in private practice at Olson Hagel and Fishburn LLP. Chair Silver earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Davis and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Peter J. Lewandowski Executive Director, Connecticut Office of State Peter J. Lewandowski has led the Office of State Ethics as Executive Director since 2019, ensuring its role as a transparent, responsive watchdog agency serving both the Connecticut public and the regulated community. As Executive Director, Peter is responsible for the agency’s legislative initiatives and interaction with Connecticut General Assembly. With over 18 years of experience in legal compliance, Peter previously served in various roles at the agency, including Deputy General Counsel, where he advised public officials, state employees, lobbyists, and contractors on compliance with the State Codes of Ethics. Before joining the Office of State Ethics, Peter worked in private practice. He holds a Juris Doctor from Indiana University- Bloomington and has an extensive academic background in ethics, philosophy, and religion, earning a master’s degree from Yale and a bachelor’s degree from St. Hyacinth College and Seminary (formerly in Granby, MA). .cc-wrap{max-width:980px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 10px;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0f243e;line-height:1.5} .cc-card{background:#ffffff;border:1px solid #e6edf2;border-radius:12px;padding:18px;margin:16px 0} .cc-kicker{font-size:14px;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#244061;margin:0 0 6px} .cc-title{font-size:22px;margin:0 0 10px;color:#0f243e} .cc-desc p{margin:0 0 10px;font-size:16px} .cc-note{background:#f1f6f8;border-left:4px solid #244061;border-radius:10px;padding:12px 14px;margin-top:10px} .cc-note p{margin:0;font-size:15px} .cc-speakers-title{font-size:18px;margin:0 0 10px;color:#244061} .cc-speaker{display:flex;gap:14px;align-items:flex-start;padding:14px 0;border-top:1px solid #e6edf2} .cc-speaker:first-of-type{border-top:0;padding-top:0} .cc-headshot{flex:0 0 92px} .cc-headshot img{width:92px;height:92px;object-fit:cover;border-radius:10px;display:block} .cc-speaker h3{margin:0 0 4px;font-size:16px;color:#244061} .cc-meta{margin:0 0 8px;font-size:14px;color:#244061} .cc-bio{margin:0;font-size:14px;color:#0f243e} .cc-divider{height:1px;background:#e6edf2;border:0;margin:14px 0} /* Mobile */ @media (max-width:520px){ .cc-speaker{flex-direction:column} .cc-headshot{flex-basis:auto} }