LEADERSHIP
Keenan Hale
Senior Director
Federal & Congressional Affairs
A native of Georgia, Keenan has built a solid reputation both on Capitol Hill and within the public policy community to offer superb service to his clients. As Senior Director, he helps clients develop their federal legislative and regulatory agendas and use his long-standing relationships to achieve their policy goals. Prior to joining Ian Reid, Keenan worked for a Florida-based law firm in their Washington, DC office as a government affairs professional.
Keenan started his public policy career on Capitol Hill, serving on the legislative staff of U.S. Representative Al Green of Texas, a senior Member on the House Committee on Financial Services and Committee on Homeland Security. He is the former president of the Congressional Black Associates and an active member of the Young Black Lobbyists association and the Washington Government Relations Group.
Keenan is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he played wide receiver on the football team. While at Syracuse, he was an All-Academic Team honoree, two-time bowl winner, and Big East Conference Champion.
Joi Sheffield
Senior Advisor and Counsel
Joi provides strategic counsel and corporate strategy to CEOs and business leaders across all Highland Poe business verticals. She has specific expertise in matters related to banking, financial service, and fintech issues.
For more than 20 years, Joi has built a distinguished career in Washington as a legislative counsel to a U.S. Senator, a banking regulator, a trade association executive, and a policy consultant. Joi is also the founder of Sheffield Brothers, a woman-owned public policy advisory specializing in public affairs and corporate strategy.
Her public service experience includes serving as Democratic Staff Director and Counsel, Financial Institution Subcommittee to the former Chairman, U.S. Senator Tim Johnson. As a professional staff member, she played an integral role in the passage of FDIC Reform, co-authored the National Insurance Act of 2006, Pension Reform, and Data Security. She is also a former senior attorney at the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
Joi’s private sector and trade association background include public policy positions at the Community Financial Services Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, and Bank of America.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Joi holds degrees from Howard University Law School and James Madison University. She is a member of the State of Maryland Bar.
Jarvis Stewart
Founder and Managing Partner
As managing partner, Jarvis is the principal advisor and strategist to the firm’s clients. He also serves as managing partner and chief strategist at IR+Media LLC, a public affairs and strategic communications agency specializing in crisis and corporate communications. Jarvis has built a national and global reputation for his government affairs advocacy and impact investment consultancy. He has advised small, medium and multi-national enterprises on geopolitical issues related to their growth expansion and brand protection.
His attention to details and relationship building has attracted the attention of policymakers, corporate and global investors who often solicit his advice to help shape their organization’s future. Jarvis’s clients have included FedEx, Genesis Motor America, Hyundai, SCL Health Systems, Shell Oil Company, Toyota, Verizon, Walmart, 1784 Capital Holdings and the Williams Capital Group LP. He also advises RussellCar Inversora, a Latin American private equity firm and their micro and credit lending platform. Jarvis is also an active member of the American Business Chamber – Dubai.
Jarvis is the former Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Harold Ford, Jr. and served on the senior staff to Clinton Labor Secretary Alexis Herman. A native of Texas, he is a graduate of Prairie View A&M University and currently lives in the Washington, DC area.