Robert L. Bradley, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer
Robert L. Bradley, Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the Institute for Energy Research (IER). Bradley is one of the nation’s leading experts on the history and regulation of energy markets. Bradley has presented professional testimony on a host of energy issues before the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. As an issue expert and scholar, he is routinely quoted on energy and economic issues within national news reporting, as well as authoring numerous opinion-editorials which have been published in the New York Times and other leading publications.
In addition to his role at IER Bradley also holds positions as a visiting fellow for the Institute of Economic Affairs in London, and as an expert for several preeminent organizations, including the Cato Institute (adjunct scholar), Competitive Enterprise Institute (adjunct scholar); the University of Texas at Austin (honorary senior fellow) and the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University (academic review committee member).
Bradley has also been a Schultz Fellow for Economic Research (New York City) and Liberty Fund Fellow for Economic Research (Menlo Park, California) and is a member of the International Association for Energy Economics, the American Economic Association and the American Historical Association.
Bradley received a B.A. in economics (with honors) from Rollins College, where he received the S. Truman Olin Award in economics; a masters in economics from the University of Houston, a Ph.D. in political economy (with distinction) from International College.
Thomas J. Pyle
President
Thomas J. Pyle is the president of the Institute for Energy Research (IER). In this capacity, Pyle brings a unique backdrop of public and private sector experience to help manage IER’s Washington, DC-based staff and operations. He also helps to develop the organization’s free market policy positions and implement education efforts with respect to key energy stakeholders, including policymakers, federal agency representatives, industry leaders, consumer entities and the media.
Previously, Pyle was the founder of his own consulting firm, Pyle Consulting, Inc., an active public affairs consulting firm with a wide range of private and not-for-profit customers. Prior to starting his own firm, Pyle served as vice president of the Rhoads Group in Washington, DC where he represented and advised a variety of association and corporate clients in meeting their strategic public policy goals and priorities. Additionally, he also served as director of federal affairs for a major integrated manufacturing and services company focusing on energy, environment, regulatory and transportation issues.
Before coming to the private sector, Pyle held numerous positions on Capitol Hill including serving a policy analyst for the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives and as staff director for the Congressional Western Caucus, as well as other legislative staff positions.
Pyle holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Southern California.
Daniel Kish
Senior Vice President, Policy
Dan Kish is a senior vice president for policy at the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
Kish has more than 25 years of experience on congressional committees focused principally upon of natural resource and energy policies. His service includes the principal resource committees in the House and Senate, including six years as chief of staff for the Republicans on the House Resources Committee and four years on the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee staff.
His primary focus has been access to resources on government lands and in the waters of the Outer Continental Shelf, and specifically, upon the enormous conventional and unconventional energy there that waits to be allowed to add value to our nation’s well-being.
Kish is a graduate of Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Lisa Wallace
Senior Vice President, Operations and Development
Lisa Wallace is senior vice president for development and operations at the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
Previously, Wallace spent twelve years working on Capitol Hill for Congressman George Radanovich and the House Committee on Resources. Initially, she worked as administrative assistant to Congressman Radanovich, where she served as senior advisor to the congressman on all matters of policy, personnel, political strategy and district operations and managed multi-million dollar budget, legislative, communications and support staff.
As Chief Financial Officer for the House Committee on Resources, Ms. Wallace managed and administered a $15 million bi-annual committee budget, oversaw all business operations of the full committee, its five subcommittees, and the Office of the Chief Clerk, and managed a 50-member professional staff.
Wallace is a graduate of California State University at Fullerton.
Daniel R. Simmons
Director, State Affairs
Before joining IER, Simmons served as the Director of the Natural Resources Task Force at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). In this capacity, he was responsible for the day-to-day management of a 200-member task force made up state legislators and private sector members. ALEC’s Natural Resources Task Force promotes policy innovations through markets, property rights, and the rule of law in energy, environment, natural resources, and agricultural policy areas. He also drafted, researched, and promoted ALEC’s model legislation.
Prior to working for ALEC, Simmons was a Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He analyzed proposed federal regulations and wrote comments to federal agencies during the rulemaking process. He also drafted law review articles based on a current regulatory and legal issues.
Previous to working at the Mercatus Center, Simmons served as Legislative Staff for the Committee on Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives where he handled endangered species and forestry issues.
Simmons holds a B.A. in Economics from Utah State University and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar.
Laura Henderson
Director, Communications
As IER’s Communications Director, Laura Henderson oversees media relations and outreach, serves as spokesperson, helps shape IER’s message, and is the organization’s principal writer.
Prior to joining IER, Laura was Press Secretary to Senator Richard Shelby (AL), and served in the offices of Senator Elizabeth Dole (NC) and Congressman Patrick Tiberi (OH).
Laura has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Mary Washington College and is pursuing a Masters in Communication at The Johns Hopkins University.
Kevin Kennedy
Director, Federal Affairs
In his role as Director of Federal Affairs, Kevin Kennedy analyzes federal energy and environmental policy and is IER’s chief liaison to Capitol Hill and the Administration. Before coming to IER, Kennedy was a member of the Professional Staff on the House Resources Committee. Prior to joining the Committee, Kennedy was a legislative assistant in the office of Congressman Don Young (AK), where he advised the Congressman on energy and natural resource policies.
Before coming to Capitol Hill, Kennedy was Professional Staff and Coordinator of External Affairs for Arctic Power, a non-profit citizens’ organization committed to securing congressional and presidential approval of legislation opening the Coastal Plain of ANWR.
Kennedy holds a B.A. in Political Science from Union College.
Patrick J. Creighton
Spokesman
Patrick Creighton brings a wealth of experience to IER and a long track-record of effective, aggressive communications on issues ranging from offshore energy to cap-and-trade.
Creighton began his stint on Capitol Hill as a scheduler and legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.), a tireless advocate of responsible offshore development. A year later, Creighton was tasked with heading up the congressman’s communications efforts, serving on the frontlines as Peterson pushed to retire the 28-year-old ban on energy exploration along the OCS.
During the 2008 election cycle, Creighton managed the communications campaign for Peterson’s successor to Congress, helping deliver Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson a win in a heavily contested, nine-way primary, in which the candidate was outspent $3.4 million-to-$30,000.00. He then came on to serve as Mr. Thompson’s communications director, responsible for developing and advancing the Congressman’s communications plan, speech writing, and message development strategies.
A native of Philadelphia, Creighton graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Political Science and Business.