Have you ever wondered what a public policy maker thinks when she or he hears the name “eBay”? Well, it's the job of the Americas Government Relations (AGR) Team to shape the perception of eBay at the federal, state and local levels in the U.S., as well as in Canada and Latin America. Enhancing opportunity and reducing barriers to markets for small businesses is the thread that binds AGR’s narrative around legislative issues such as Internet sales taxes (IST), cross-border trade (CBT), and ensuring an open secondary ticket market. Our job is to assess public policy and examine how proposed or current legislation affects eBay and the people who use our platforms to conduct their business.
David London - Although AGR handles a wide variety of issues, the team acts as a cohesive unit led by David London, Senior Director and Head of AGR. In this role, he sets eBay’s public policy strategy within the U.S. on the state and federal level, as well as in Canada and Latin America. David has worked with the team to position eBay as a powerful player in the halls of power throughout the Americas, regularly meeting with officials at each level of government in the name of the small businesses eBay represents. He continues to build our reputation as an advocate for free and open cross-border data flows and drives AGR’s momentum toward an adequate small business exemption in any online sales tax legislation.
The Federal AGR Team
The members of the Federal AGR team are the main liaisons to the White House and Capitol Hill for the business. They are responsible for monitoring legislation and policy, reporting that information back to key decision makers, and influencing positive policy outcomes. They are the ambassadors for the business in D.C. affecting real, positive change and increased visibility for the company, all while moving the needle in favor of our business priorities. The team is comprised of the following members:
Caitlin Brosseau – As our resident trade policy expert and democratic lobbyist, Caitlin works with the Obama Administration, including the Department of Commerce vis-à-vis an official eBay partnership, and key Democratic Members of Congress to advocate for policy that increases global market access for our sellers. This year, due to Caitlin’s work, President Obama mentioned eBay in his State of the Union address and sent a letter to eBay Main Street members highlighting the benefits for small businesses and e-commerce companies in the recently negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership. Additionally, both houses of Congress have passed separate customs reauthorization legislation which would increase the US low-value shipment de minimis threshold from $200 to $800, a debate in which eBay played a major role. Caitlin has positioned eBay as a strong voice on cross-border trade issues and continues to highlight eBay’s unique story in the nation’s capital.
John Lawrence - As eBay’s republican lobbyist, in-house counsel, and the main point of contact for Congressional Leadership, his issue portfolio includes Internet sales tax (IST),intellectual property, and cybersecurity. Last year, along with the rest of the team, John was instrumental in keeping extremely harmful internet sales tax legislation out of a must-pass spending bill in the “lame duck” session and has continued this effort by spearheading two record-breaking eBay Main Street campaigns against IST in 2015. These campaigns encouraged our more than 600,000 Main Street members to contact their Members of Congress and explain to them that IST legislation remains a huge threat to their businesses. Whether it’s preventing onerous IST legislation or advocating for the right to resell devices and digital goods, John’s efforts and the relationships he has developed throughout his career have proven invaluable to the company.
Meredith Monti - Meredith works on the Federal AGR team as an AWF supporting projects, research, and logistics for the department. She frequently represents the eBay community at events related to eCommerce issues in D.C. Meredith also tracks outreach to congressional offices, helps the External Affairs team with seller engagement, handles scheduling for the AGR team, and develops policy materials and reports for both internal and external distribution.
The State AGR Team
Consistent with the Federal team’s message, the State AGR team also focuses on spreading the word about Connected Commerce in state and local legislatures around the country. New policies surface at the state level almost daily and have the potential to help or hurt the business in an extremely meaningful way. The State AGR team has its hands full advocating for small ecommerce businesses on the ground and maintain impressive travel schedules. State AGR is perpetually building relationships with key influencers and remains the face of eBay in state legislative halls around the country. The team is comprised of the following members:
Katie Stevens – As the only member of the team based in San Jose, Katie monitors legislation important to eBay in the western U.S. states, regularly meeting with legislators to relay eBay’s positive story of small business opportunity and empowerment. She frequently hosts events and learning sessions with sellers in her designated states, most recently organizing a “Discover eBay” event with Assemblyman Jim Cooper in Sacramento. At the event, eBay seller Holly Richardson gave a presentation on how to start an eBay business. Katie attends conferences and events regularly and is well-versed on issues important to the technology industry.
Laura Dooley - Laura is the newest member of the AGR team, but has hit the ground running. Previously a senior State Affairs manager at the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Laura is the StubHub lobbyist for the U.S. and Canada, but also monitors ecommerce issues in the eastern U.S. states. Laura is the person on the ground building support for an open secondary ticket market to allow fans the fundamental right to resell their tickets fairly. She also ensures the voice of eBay sellers is heard by policymakers in cities and states where potentially harmful legislation might surface.
We hope you've enjoyed this overview of the Americas Government Relations Team. If you’d like to learn more about the team's public policy advocacy efforts, please explore our eBay Main Street website.