Sunday, December 7
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View WednesdayPublic Campaign Finance: America's Next Top Model
Across the country, public campaign finance programs are reshaping elections, but no two models are alike. In this session, hear quick overviews from cities and states using vouchers, matching funds, and more. Ask questions, compare approaches, and explore what’s working and what still needs a makeover. Who will take the crown as America’s next top model for fair elections?
Andy Szekeres (Moderator)
City Clerk, City and County of Denver
Alyson Heimer
Program Administrator, New Haven Democracy Fund
Tom Collins
Executive Director, Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission
Wayne Barnett
Executive Director, Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission
Lobbyist Gifts: Implications, Considerations, and Challenges
Lobbyists and lobbyist employers can be generous, providing tickets, meals, and other gifts to government officials. This panel will explore how that generosity is regulated with a particular focus on disclosures by lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and recipient officials. We'll delve into less common topics as well, such as notice requirements, behested payments, and valuation issues, and will also discuss training and enforcement considerations.
Michael Cooke (Moderator)
Senior Officer, Legal Affairs and Deputy Senior Counsel, The Pew Charitable Trusts
Sean Flynn
General Counsel, Washington Public Disclosure Commission
Lauren Maniatis
Deputy Director, Chicago Board of Ethics
Adam Silver
Chair, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Matthew Bobys
Counsel, Skadden
Communicating with Impact About Local Elections
It has been a powerful year for local elections and local election officials. This panel will hear from experts about why local elections can matter the most yet be talked about the least. Learn from policy experts, educators, and communication specialists about how to motivate civic engagement and participation in the face of ongoing democracy threats and voter fatigue.
Helen Brewer (Moderator)
Senior Policy Specialist, Elections & Redistricting, National Conference on State Legislatures
Sarah McAfee
Chief Communications & Engagement Officer, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder
Dr. Bridgett King
Associate Professor of American Politics, University of Kentucky
Amanda Melillo
First Deputy Executive Director, NYC Campaign Finance Board
Where is the Line? Examining When Advice Intersects with Enforcement
Advice is a crucial function of any governmental ethics agency. But when it comes to giving advice, how much is too much? What are the pros and cons of offering immunity to advice requestors? Where is the line with the ethical wall across the agency? What are some effective strategies for increasing your outreach within the constraints of tight budgets and smaller staff? This session will explore all of these questions and the regulator's important function of providing advice to the public and the regulated community. Regulators and practitioners will exchange stories and draw inspiration, driving a lively discussion about how we guide and drive compliance across various agencies, ranging in size of budget, staff, and programs.
Chloe Hackert (Moderator)
Manager, Education and External Affairs, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Dominika Wojenska
Manager, PREP and Special Projects Unit, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Elizabeth J. Bassett
Commission Counsel, Nevada Ethics Commission
Shannon Kief
Legal Program Director, Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission
The Sphere of Influence(rs) - Is It that Easy to Follow the Money?
Looking at and outside of the realm of campaign finance to see the total potential for influence on elected officials with different types of payments, such as gifts of travel, behested payments, independent expenditures, and beyond! Join other ethics agencies and organizations in comparing payments and disclosure rules. Has the disclosure of these payments been helpful in bringing the potential for influence to light? Has it generated complaints and enforcement cases? This session will tackle these important questions and provide an opportunity to learn from other agencies what they are doing to enhance disclosure. Gain insight into all the possible ways in which influence can occur and the important disclosures to shed light on that influence for the voters.
Chloe Hackert (Moderator)
Manager, Education and External Affairs, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Elizabeth Shimek
Senior Legal Counsel, Campaign Legal Center
Stuart McPhail
Director of Campaign Finance Litigation, CREW
Lance Hachigian
Supervisory Special Investigator, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Thank You for Your Service ... Now Please Don't Break the Law: Helping Public Employees Exit Ethically and Stay Compliant
Nothing last forever, people come and people go. But in government, ethical obligations often stick around long after the exit interview. This panel dives into the often-overlooked world of post-employment restrictions: why they matter, how to enforce them, and when to start preparing employees for the ethical road ahead. We'll tackle the real-world complications these rules can create and offer practical strategies for training and compliance.
Renata Ramsini (Moderator)
Chief Ethics Officer & Campaign Finance Administrator, City of Columbus
Danielle Gardner Wright
Chief Integrity Officer, City of Philadelphia
Stephanie Bonhomme
Chief, Program Review Branch, Office of Government Ethics
Jason Gramitt
Executive Director, Rhode Island Ethics Commission
Investigations and Enforcement Update 2025: Trends, Challenges, and Developments
Don’t miss this highly anticipated session where we dive into the latest trends and critical developments in investigations and enforcement across all COGEL disciplines and levels of government. You'll get exclusive insights from the COGEL Enforcement Blue Book and explore what’s on the horizon for 2026. This is more than just a presentation — it’s a chance to exchange ideas, share updates from your own agency, and engage with colleagues tackling similar enforcement challenges across the country.
Erin Lama (Moderator)
Partner, Politicom Law LLP
Bertha Cheung
Senior Investigative Analyst, San Francisco Ethics Commission
David Emadi
Executive Director, Georgia State Ethics Commission
Kai Olson
Associate, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Nathan Rice
Executive Director, Illinois Executive Ethics Commission
Mission Control: Agency Leaders Roundtable - Unplugged & Unfiltered, Just Facts
Managing and leading in the campaign finance, ethics, elections, lobbying, and/or FOIA space comes with a unique set of pressures. Join agency heads in an open, frank, and facilitated discussion on government agency administration, operations, budgets, technology, succession planning, training, and communications while navigating political pressures or board dynamics, maintaining public trust, and managing limited resources. This is your moment to tap into the collective wisdom and experiences of your peers with no media, minutes, cameras, or microphones. Bring your best practices, burning questions, and real world dilemmas. This is a space for candor, connection, commiseration, collaboration, and collective insight – and maybe, even some humor.
Kristin E. Izumi-Nitao (Moderator)
Executive Director, State of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission
Galena West
Executive Director, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Jared DeMarinis
State Administrator of Elections, Maryland State Board of Elections
Paul Ryan
Executive Director, New York City Campaign Finance Board
Presenting WITH the Audience: A Guide to Making Presentations More Interactive
The best way to keep the air moving in a training room is to make sure that some of it is coming out the mouths of the audience members. This workshop offers a blueprint for hosting a class as a creative discussion rather than a lecture or a slide show. Participants will be introduced to several techniques that they will have the opportunity to practice during the session. They can expect to walk away with some new approaches to bring the audience into the discussion so that ideas and teaching points can be arrived at collaboratively.
Alexander Kipp
Director of Education & Engagement, New York City Conflicts of Interest Board