Becker & Poliakoff

Anthony Bedell

Senior Corporate and Government Relations Director

abedell@beckerlawyers.com

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Bio

Anthony Bedell currently serves as Senior Corporate and Government Relations Director. He advises his clients on using a bipartisan and diverse approach to strategically and tactically secure funding and achieve successful public policy initiatives with federal, state, and local governments.

Some notable clients include the Virginia Port Authority, the City of Virginia Beach, Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization, Loudoun County Virginia, Transurban, National Association of Waterfront Employers, City of Jacksonville, Hitachi and Railspire.

On May 1, 2017, he was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental and Tribal Affairs by U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Elaine L. Chao. Secretary Chao then promoted Bedell to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs. The number two governmental affairs position in the Office of the Secretary on March 31, 2019.

His duties included acting as Secretary Chao’s liaison and surrogate to the U.S. Congress, executive branch departments and agencies, all 50 state Governors, state legislatures, state departments of transportation, regional transit authorities, ports, airports, mayors, county boards, city councils, tribal councils, and national trade associations such as AASHTO, APTA, National League of Cities, and the National Association of Counties. He also served as one of the Department’s appointed representatives on the Northeast Corridor Commission and NETT Council.

Bedell’s experience and unique understanding of the Executive Branch, Congress, States, Localities, and the business world have translated into successful results working on numerous public policy initiatives over the last 30 years. Politico has called Bedell “… lobbying firepower.”

Before joining U.S. DOT, Bedell was President of Red Five Strategies, a prominent government relations firm he started in 2014. He was also the former Director of Federal and State Government Affairs for a Fortune 500 software company. In that role, Bedell was responsible for operating the company’s Federal and State government relations programs and contributing to the growth of several of the company’s software programs.

Bedell also has additional executive branch experience. In 2001, he was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao as Senior Legislative Officer for Congressional Affairs, handling various legislative matters for the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2003, he was appointed Associate Administrator for the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs by U.S. Small Business Administrator Hector V. Baretto, where he served as the chief advisor to the Administrator.

In 2012, Governor Robert F. McDonnell appointed Anthony Bedell to serve a four-year term on the Board of Visitors of Radford University. He was elected Rector of the Board of Visitors for the 2015 and 2016 academic years. He led the successful Presidential Search Committee responsible for hiring the former President of Radford University (2016). He also served as the Governance, Athletics, and Administration Committee 2014-2015 Chairman.

In 2021, Virginia Speaker of the House J. Todd Gilbert appointed Bedell to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, a regional transportation planning agency.

In 2022, Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Anthony to the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors. He currently serves as Chairman of the Finance and University Resources Committee and also serves on these Committees: Audit, Integrity and Compliance, Intercollegiate Athletics, and the VCU BOV/VCUHS BOD Joint Task Force.

Bedell graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (1996). He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force (1990-1996).

PROFESSIONAL / COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

  • Member, Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors, 2022-present
  • Member, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, 2022-present
  • Rector of the Board of Visitors, 2015-2016
  • Member, Board of Visitors, Radford University, 2012
  • Governance, Athletics, and Administration Committee, Chairman