Lisa Whisler
Partner /
Lisa Whisler is a Partner at Capitol Counsel LLC. She leads the defense practice assisting clients in the areas of national security and international affairs. Whisler began her career as the Director of the U.S. Department of State Irish Peace Process Training Program in Northern Ireland following the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and continued over the next twenty years in advisory roles from Europe to Asia. In the U.S. Senate, she was Senior Policy Advisor to former U.S. Ambassador to China and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and supported the Department of Defense as a legislative liaison for the United States Air Force. Whisler provides guidance to Capitol Counsel clients on legislative and regulatory matters pertaining to the National Defense Authorization Act and federal appropriations. She relies on her experience working in small and large defense companies to steer clients toward successful outcomes.
Education
- University of Ulster, Northern Ireland – M.A.
- Villanova University – B.A.
Positions Held
- TeledyneFLIR, Washington, DC – Vice President, Government Affairs and Chair, FLIRPAC
- Lockheed Martin, Washington, DC – Director, Government Affairs
- Lockheed Martin International, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, China – Director, Business Development
- Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Washington, DC – Senior Policy Advisor
- United States Air Force, Washington, DC – Legislative Liaison, Senate and Pentagon
- U.S. Department of State, Northern Ireland – Director, Irish Peace Process Training Program
Memberships / Recognition
- Naval War College Foundation Regional Directors, Chair
- Salve Regina University Graduate and Professional Studies, Advisory Board
Successes
On Capitol Hill, Whisler created a successful multi-state bipartisan plan to stop proposed cuts to the Army National Guard and Minuteman III ICBM mission; drove the Montana Congressional Delegation’s 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) strategy which ceased closure of the Air National Guard Base and brought a new F-15 mission to the state; and passed legislation enabling the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to open their first fixed wing and unmanned aircraft Northern border airbases.
In the private sector, Whisler led a multi-year legislative strategy supporting a $1B U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force missile program in collaboration with the
services’ legislative teams and industry partners; secured Congressional funding for multiple shipbuilding programs; and developed $200M in new cyber collaborations in Asia with U.S. allies.