“SML Consulting is our key to making successful visits with Congress. They know the business and the people in Washington D.C. SML Consulting also teaches our members making the visits how to be effective in front of delegation members and their staff.”
Will Lutgen, Jr.Executive Director
Northwest Public Power Association
Damian Kunko - Senior Advisor (VP at SMI/Helios)
Damian Kunko is a senior advisor to SML Consulting and has been working in government relations for over eleven years, primarily in the fields of technology, renewable energy, telecommunications, and healthcare. He has extensive experience in working with companies seeking Federal funding for R&D and with organizations seeking to achieve their Federal marketing goals. Additionally, he helped co-found the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition (OREC) and heads Helios Strategies, a division of SMI, Inc., while leading SMI's business development efforts. Helios Strategies is dedicated to advancing its client interests in renewable energy and climate change policy.
Prior to joining SMI, he served as the co-founder and CEO of the Rural Broadband Coalition (RBC), a national advocacy organization that lobbied for federal policies and funding for expanded broadband Internet access in rural communities. Damian formed RBC after serving as Director of Consulting Services for a healthcare and technology government relations firm. In this position he was primarily responsible for the oversight and development of client activities related to federal marketing and lobbying. Previously, he had served on the staff of a Member of Congress from Washington State. Damian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Washington State University and served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He resides in Arlington, Va.