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Tom Rice, CEO
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Expertise
Congress & Executive Branch
Tom spent eight years as a senior congressional committee staffer executing legislative objectives and driving policy within the complex appropriations process.
He worked for senior appropriators, the ranking member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Tom’s career also spans 20 years working for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) as a military officer culminating in an assignment working for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His service provided him with critical insight into the executive branch's program development and budgeting.
His work was integral to secure congressional action on key policy efforts related to foreign military sales pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act.
Government & Business Development
Known for his expertise in appropriations and accessing funding solutions, Tom’s reputation for ethical and bipartisan engagement with his colleagues is the foundation to his strong relationships with members of Congress, professional committee staff, and congressional offices.
C-Suite Executive
As the senior director for legislative affairs for a leading aeronautical manufacturer for the DoD, Tom garnered over $1.694 billion worth of congressional “plus-ups” for his company’s products in the decade he worked there.
In 2020, 100% of the company’s domestic aircraft production in that year’s Defense Appropriations Bill (Fiscal Year 2021) was the result of Tom and his team’s efforts on Capitol Hill. Tom’s skill in interpreting "in the weeds" technical engineering concepts for Hill staffers and the layperson alike, is key to moving complex issues forward.
U.S. Military Service
Tom is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel with 20 years of active duty experience. While in the Army, he served in tactical assignments as an aviator, paratrooper, and part of special operations units. His overseas assignments included Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. He served in combat operations with the 82nd Airborne Division in Desert Storm, supported the invasion of Panama, and commanded the aviation unit in disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Hugo. Following Desert Storm, he was selected for service in the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. His final assignment was at the Pentagon as a special operations staff officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Education
After receiving his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, Tom earned a master of public administration from the University of Oklahoma. In 1999, he was selected for a year-long fellowship program in international relations at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Civic Engagement
Tom holds various leadership positions in civic and philanthropic organizations to include serving as president of The Plains Community League (2019 to present), commissioner on the Planning and Zoning Commission for the Town of The Plains, VA (2018 to Present), board member for AMVETS Charities Inc. (2016 to 2018), and executive committee member of the United Way of Alexandria (2003 to 2005).
Cheryl Cotterell,
President
Cheryl Cotterell, a distinguished leader with over 25 years of experience in national defense, has been a driving force in advancing next-generation technologies and preserving critical legacy platforms. Known for her strategic thinking and results-driven approach, Cheryl has spent over 13 years as a proven lobbyist in Washington, D.C. Her expertise spans defense, space, homeland security, and foreign military sales, with a specialization in aerospace programs. Cheryl has managed a diverse portfolio, including electronic systems, directed energy, space systems, unmanned aerial systems, missile defense, and electromagnetic systems.
As a federal lobbyist, Cheryl led innovative defense companies such as Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, BAE Systems, and General Atomics. Cheryl's commitment to supporting the warfighter began during her time as a Second-Class Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy and has continued through various roles, including her service at the Naval Postgraduate School and All-Star Maintenance. A proud graduate of San Diego State University, Cheryl is also a dedicated mother of four. She and her family currently reside in Alexandria, VA.
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Strategic Partners
Jocelyn Hong, Principal
Jocelyn Hong is a recognized leader in getting her clients the results they seek at the federal level. With over 20 years of experience as a bipartisan lobbyist, she has successfully pushed through many pieces of standalone legislation for her clients and fought against surprise amendments brought up during the debate of complex bills.
She is the chair of the H Street Group, an informal organization of over 100 Asian American lobbyists. Jocelyn is a founding board member of the Asian American Action Fund, which is dedicated to supporting Asian Americans for elected office.
Jocelyn started her career in Washington, D.C. as staff for Senator John Glenn and a congressman who served on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Recognized by her peers, Jocelyn received the 2021 and 2020 Top Lobbyist Award by The National Institute For Lobbying & Ethics.
Marc Lubin, Principal
Marcus "Marc" Lubin has over 30 years of experience working on Capitol Hill, with a focus on foreign policy and defense issues. His expertise was widely recognized early in his career as he was chosen to serve as an international observer in Angola’s presidential election.
Marc has a unique background having worked for both senior Democratic and Republican members of Congress. This has provided him with extensive personal contacts on both sides of the aisle, including current committee staff and senior staff of the majority and minority leadership. In addition, he has significant contacts throughout the executive branch, including senior figures in the White House, Department of Defense, and State Department. He most recently served as chief of staff to a House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee chairman; and not surprisingly, he has significant knowledge of the appropriations process.
Marc has considerable expertise in developing and implementing legislative and appropriations goals and strategies, beginning with the shaping of the legislative strategy that funded the Reagan Administration’s insurgency programs. His expertise in this area grew over the next two decades with the forming of legislative strategies to promote and thwart various different legislative initiatives in almost every issue area before Congress. Some examples from the previous year include: successful bipartisan efforts on eminent domain, border security, and increasing defense funding, to name just a few.
Marc has a B.A. with honors from Lafayette College and a M.A. in international affairs from Columbia University. In addition, he was nominated to the prestigious Phi Alpha Theta, National History Honor Society.
Executive Staff
Melody Walker, Director of Operations
Melody Walker joins Westmoreland160 as its Director of Operations. She spent the last decade serving in various capacities while working for advanced engineering and aeronautical manufacturing companies in the defense sector. As a strategic engagements coordinator, she organized events with captains of the industry, distinguished members of Congress, and even the Honorable Mark Esper for classified industry briefings and tours. Prior to this, she served a stint with the State Department at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. Melody is a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving both stateside and abroad.
Tam Nguyen, Senior Operations Manager
Tam Nguyen is a Vietnamese American professional from Maryland. She returned to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area after living in Iwakuni, Japan for three years, as her spouse is an active-duty Naval officer. While in Japan, Tam volunteered over 500 hours for the United Service Organizations (USO) and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for 2021.
Prior to Japan, Tam served as the director of operations at the Twenty-First Century Group, a bipartisan consulting firm led by former Congressman Jack Fields of Houston, TX, for five years. Before then, Tam spent two months working for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. During the 2014 Presidential Management Fellows Program application cycle, she was named a semi-finalist.
In 2011, Tam graduated cum laude with a double major in political science and French studies from Rice University. Two years later, she completed her master of public policy at the University of Maryland at College Park. She speaks French and Vietnamese.
Dean Rodan, Operations Manager
Dean Rodan joins Westmoreland160 as its Operations Manager. A proud Asian American and Native Hawaiian professional in D.C., he has previously worked with senior leadership of a federal agency and on Capitol Hill with experience in foreign policy and telecommunications. Prior to his government service, he worked in business advocacy in Kazakhstan for the American Chamber of Commerce in Almaty. In 2019, Dean graduated from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs focusing on U.S.–Russia geopolitics. He speaks English, Russian, and French.
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