Rodney Davis is Head of Government Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The former congressman leads the Chamber’s engagement on Capitol Hill and with the administration, helping defend against the growing threats to the American free enterprise system and working to advance pro-growth policies.
As a five-term Republican U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 13th district, Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, and a Deputy Whip, Davis was considered one of the most effective legislators during his tenure, willing to work across the aisle to advance common-sense policy solutions.
Prior to being elected to the U.S. House in 2012, Davis served as projects director for Congressman John Shimkus for 16 years, helping Illinois residents and communities cut through government red tape and support local economic development. He joined the Chamber in August 2024.
Jim Lee
Susquehanna Polling and Research (SP&R) is a nationally recognized, survey research and polling firm headquartered in Pennsylvania, and specializes in a full range of research services for businesses and state agencies, national and state trade associations, hospitals and health systems, candidates for public office and media outlets. The firm conducts polling in more than thirty states. Founded in 2000, SP&R includes a team of research associates with more than 50 years of combined experience, including telephone agents, focus group recruiters and other consultants.
Susquehanna Polling and Research acquired The Bartlett Research Group in 2016, a Harrisburg-area focus group company that has been conducting qualitative research and focus group services for a wide range of national and state clients since 1986. SP&R’s publicly released polling has been quoted in numerous national platforms including FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, the Rush Limbaugh radio program, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and USA Today. SP&R was profiled by CBS’s Inside Edition on two separate episodes for its unmatched accuracy in the 2020 battleground polling, and the nationally acclaimed, polling aggregator Real Clear Politics (www.realclearpolitics.com) rated SP&R the #1 most accurate polling firm in the nation for its accuracy in the 2020 presidential election in multiple states.
Jim earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College, and has 12 credits earned towards an M.P.A. program at Shippensburg University. Jim resides in Thompsontown, Juniata County, with his wife Dr. Megan Kurlychek, and has two daughters, Ava and Alexis, ages 19 and 15.
Ashlee Rich Stephenson is a nationally respected and highly experienced strategist, pollster, and public speaker with nearly 20 years of experience working on high-level campaigns, independent expenditures, and on behalf of public affairs and corporate interests across the United States.
As senior political strategist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business organization, Stephenson has deep experience leading advocacy campaigns to support free enterprise public policy. As head of the Political Affairs and Issue Advocacy division, Stephenson led the Chamber’s Political Advocacy Committee, a member-driven board composed of government affairs heads of offices and CEOs from state and metro chambers. In addition, Stephenson directed the Chamber’s voter education and advocacy campaigns, endorsements, and the U.S. Chamber PAC.
She has worked on several U.S. presidential campaigns, including serving as the polling director for then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 campaign and as an adviser for then-Governor Scott Walker’s 2016 effort.
Stephenson was president of Just Win Strategies, a national political strategy firm, and principal and chief strategy officer at the polling and analytics company WPA Intelligence. She started her career in the Strategy Department at the Republican National Committee.
Named a Rising Star in 2014 by Campaigns & Elections magazine and inducted into the inaugural American Association of Political Consultants 40 under 40 class of 2015, Stephenson is a regularly requested panelist and commentator to discuss evolving trends in politics and public policy.
She currently serves on the boards of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions and The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management.
A graduate of Allegheny College and native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Stephenson resides in Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband and their two children.