Senator Howard H. Baker Jr. (1925 – 2014)
Capping a distinguished public-service career as senator, presidential advisor and ambassador, Howard H. Baker Jr. returned in February 2005 to Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, the law firm his grandfather founded and where he formerly practiced with his father, the late U.S. Rep. Howard H. Baker. After more than 60 years as an attorney and public servant, Senator Baker is remembered as a leader and a bridge-builder. Known as “The Great Conciliator,” he left an indelible mark. He founded the Howard Baker Forum and it continues to this day in his legacy.
Senator Howard H. Baker Sr.
“The Senate commends its former colleague – for a lifetime of distinguished service to the country and confers upon him the thanks of a grateful Nation.”
– Senate Resolution, Feb. 17, 2005
After more than 60 years as an attorney and public servant, Howard H. Baker Jr. is remembered as a leader and a bridge-builder. Known as “The Great Conciliator,” he left an indelible mark during a distinguished career that included service as a senator, presidential advisor and ambassador.
He began his law practice in 1949, working at the law firm founded in Huntsville, Tennessee, in 1888 by his grandfather James Baker. He practiced law for 15 years before turning to politics.
His public service career began in 1966, when he became the first Republican popularly elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee. During his 18 years in the Senate, Senator Baker became known as “The Great Conciliator” for his ability to broker compromises across party lines. He gained national recognition in 1973 as vice chairman of the Senate Watergate Committee. Three years later, he was keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention, and was a 1980 candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. He concluded his Senate career in 1985 after two terms as majority leader (1981 to 1985) and two terms as minority leader (1977 to 1981).
A delegate to the United Nations in 1976, Senator Baker had extensive foreign policy experience. He served on the President’s Foreign Intelligence Board from 1985 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1990, and was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs. He served on the board of the Forum of International Policy and was an International Counselor for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Senator Baker was again called to public service in February 1987, when President Ronald Reagan named him his Chief of Staff. Senator Baker served as President Reagan’s advisor and Chief of Staff until July 1988.
The Clinton administration also sought his counsel, first in June 2000, when Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson appointed Senator Baker to serve as co-leader of an independent panel to study security problems at Los Alamos National Laboratory after the loss of computer hard drives containing nuclear secrets. Later that same year, Secretary Richardson also asked Senator Baker to co-chair a bipartisan task force to review and assess the Department of Energy’s nonproliferation programs in Russia and make recommendations for their improvement, resulting in what is commonly known as the Baker-Cutler Report.
Another milestone in his career came in 2001, when President George W. Bush appointed Senator Baker the 26th U.S. Ambassador to Japan, a role in which he served until 2005. In recognition of his service to Japan during his ambassadorship, in 2008 the Emperor of Japan bestowed upon the senior statesman the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, the country’s highest honor for civilians.
Upon completing his service as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, in February 2005 Senator Baker returned to Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, the law firm his grandfather founded and where he formerly practiced with his father, the late U.S. Rep. Howard H. Baker. Senator Baker served as senior counsel to the Firm, focusing his practice on public policy and international matters, until his passing on June 26, 2014.
Among the many awards earned by Senator Baker during his remarkable public service career were the 1984 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, and the Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service Performed by an Elected or Appointed Official, which he received in 1982. In 2008, he was recognized by American Lawyer magazine with a Lifetime Achievement Award and was named a recipient of the United States Capitol Historical Society Freedom Award.
Senator Baker served on numerous boards, including the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation and the Museum of Appalachia Foundation, and he twice served as chairman of the board of the Mayo Clinic Foundation. He was co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center, a non-profit organization and bipartisan forum focused on addressing tough political, social, economic and security challenges through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation and respectful dialogue.
An accomplished photographer, Senator Baker received the American Society of Photographers’ International Award in 1993 and was elected into the Photo Marketing Association’s Hall of Fame in 1994. In addition to his legal and public service career, Senator Baker was also the author of four books: No Margin for Error (1980); Howard Baker’s Washington (1982); Big South Fork Country (1993) and Scott’s Gulf (2000). He received honorary degrees from such institutions as Yale University, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, Bradley University, Pepperdine University and Centre College.
Professional Experience
- U.S. Ambassador to Japan, 2001 to 2005
- Chief of Staff, President Ronald Reagan, 1987 to 1988
- U.S. Senate (R-TN), 1967 to 1985
- U.S. Senate Majority Leader, 1981 to 1985
- U.S. Senate Minority Leader, 1977 to 1981
- U.S. Navy, 1943 to 1946
Education
- University of Tennessee Law College
- Tulane University
- University of the South
Professional Honors & Activities
- Recipient – Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1984
- Recipient – Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service Performed by an Elected or Appointed Official, 1982
- Recipient – Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, Japan’s Highest Honor for Civilians, 2008
- Recipient – American Lawyer Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award, 2008
- Recipient – United States Capitol Historical Society Freedom Award, 2008
- Delegate – United Nations, 1976
- Member – President’s Foreign Intelligence Board, 1985 to 1987, 1988 to 1990
- Member – Council on Foreign Relations
- Member – Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs
- Board Member – Forum of International Policy
- International Counselor – Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Board Member – Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
- Board Member – Museum of Appalachia Foundation
- Member – Citigroup International Advisory Board
- Member – Photo Marketing Association Hall of Fame, 1994
- Honorary Co-Chair – “Saving the Last Great Places of Tennessee” Conservation Campaign, Tennessee Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (2006)
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in Government Relations Law and International Trade and Finance Law since 2007
Scott L. Campbell
President of The Howard Baker Forum, Senior Strategic Advisor at Baker Donelson
Scott L. Campbell
Mr. Campbell is internationally recognized for his knowledge and experience in energy policy, and trade and investment issues, and leads or contributes to important programs on cyber security and privacy in Europe, nuclear energy cooperation with Japan, and direct foreign investment by Chinese companies in the U.S. tech and energy sectors. He served as a member of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board, appointed by the former U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Indo-Pacific Centre, located in Singapore.
For the past 20 years, he has served as a consultant and advisor to Japanese trading, technology and utility companies and to the Japanese government. In this capacity, he has counseled senior Japanese government officials and business executives; developed the Forum on Energy – a nuclear news and analysis website; co-produced a major conference on energy and environment in Japan; and served as an occasional commentator on NHK Television and NPR’s Marketplace.
In recent years he has worked closely with think tanks in Washington like the Atlantic Council and internationally with Chatham House and the Indo-Pacific center on cybersecurity, data privacy, and on emerging threats and trends in the technology space.
Mr. Campbell has been active in promoting the advancement of clean energy through the application of high performance computing. He organized the 2010 Clean Energy Summit in Washington, D.C., a national symposium co-sponsored with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for the 21st Century, the Science Foundation, the National Venture Capital Association and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. A series of follow-up conferences and regional meetings have followed.
On issues of national energy policy, Mr. Campbell directed the program on Presidential Policy Making: Formulating a Bipartisan Energy and Climate Policy for America. Its roundtable and workshop were hosted by the Woodrow Wilson and Howard Baker Centers in 2009 in Washington, D.C. He is currently serving on the National Task Force on American Nuclear Energy Leadership organized by the Global Energy Center at the Atlantic Council.
Before joining Baker Donelson and starting the Howard Baker Forum, Mr. Campbell was the co-founder and CEO of Washington Policy and Analysis, serving as an energy policy consultant and advisor to U.S. and foreign government agencies, national laboratories, and energy and technology companies. He was the originator and a principal organizer of the Santa Fe Energy Seminar, a series of U.S.-Japan workshops focusing on the nuclear energy future, advanced nuclear technologies, and non-proliferation issues.
In addition to his significant energy policy experience, he has been instrumental in the development of counter-terrorism systems with the Lloyd’s maritime companies and Project Seahawk, Port of Charleston, and terrorism study courses with the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, St. Andrews University and Lloyd’s of London’s publishing arm.
Mr. Campbell served as director of the Office of Policy, Planning and Analysis at the Department of Energy under President Ronald Reagan. Under President George H. W. Bush, he served on the National Petroleum Council, which advises the Secretary of Energy, and on the OCS Advisory Council, which reported to the Secretary of the Interior on issues and policies regarding mineral exploration. Prior to coming to Washington, he practiced law, served as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice, and served as an executive of an energy company in Texas.
Mr. Campbell graduated from Texas Christian University undergrad and Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D. He also received a Master’s Degree in Politics from George Washington University.
Professional Honors & Activities
Mr. Campbell serves or has served on numerous academic and professional boards and committees, including:
- Member – Secretary of Energy Advisory Board
- Member – National Task Force on American Nuclear Energy Leadership, The Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
- Member – Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee, Department of Commerce
- Member – Advisory Board of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence
- President and Director – American Council on Global Nuclear Competitiveness
- Member – National Petroleum Council, Department of Energy
- Member – OCS Advisory Council, Department of Interior
- Member – Advisory Committee on the Energy, Environment, Science and Technology Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
- Member, Board of Trustees – Landon School for Boys
- Member, Corporate Board – The Middle East Institute
- Member, Board of Governors – The Metropolitan Club of Washington, D.C.
Education
- Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., 1973
- George Washington University, M.A. in Politics, 1971
- Texas Christian University, B.A. in History, 1968
Publications
- Author – Special Reports on China’s Entry into the Global Nuclear Markets, The Howard Baker Forum (2017 – 2018)
- Contributor – Articles and Commentary on U.S. Nuclear Energy Policy, www.forumonenergy.com (2011 – 2015)
- Co-author – U.S. Natural Gas: An Investment Strategy for Energy and Environment (January 2011)
- Co-author – The Impact of U.S. Sanctions on Energy Prices (January 2011)
- Co-author – Natural Gas: a Strategic Resource for the Future (January 2011)
- Co-author – Fueling the Future: Natural Gas and New Technologies for the 21st Century (January 2011)
- Principal Editor – Energy Security: Report to the President (January 2011)
- An Assessment of the Natural Gas Resource Base of the United States (January 2011)
Speaking Engagements
- Principal Moderator and Speaker – U.S.-Japan Roundtable Annual Washington Conference on Nuclear Energy (2007 – 2018)
- Speaker – “How Trump Won,” Purdue University Discovery Park Advisory Board (2017)
- Contributor and Commentator – Asia Nuclear Energy Issues Seminars, The Mike Mansfield Foundation (2016)
- Speaker – SMU Law School Roundtable on Careers in Washington
- Originator and Organizer – Washington Conference on Maritime Counter-Terrorism; “Threat Definition, Strategy, Tactics and Technologies for Port Security” (January 2011)
- Originator and Organizer – “Santa Fe Energy Seminar,” a series of U.S.-Japan Workshops on Nuclear Energy (January 2011)
- Originator and Organizer – “Program on Presidential Policy Making: Formulating a Bipartisan Energy and Climate Policy for America,” sponsored by several national laboratories and leading universities (January 2011)
- Originator and Organizer – “Partnering for American Competitiveness,” jointly sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars and the Howard Baker Center for Public policy (January 2011)
Senator Thomas A. Daschle
Founder & CEO of The Daschle Group, a Public Policy Advisory of Baker Donelson
Senator Thomas A. Daschle
Senator Daschle has participated in the development and debate of almost every major public policy issue of the last three decades. In 1978, he was elected to the US House of Representatives, where he served for eight years. In 1986, he was elected to the US Senate and was chosen as Senate Democratic Leader in 1994. Senator Daschle is one of the longest serving Senate Democratic leaders in history and one of only two to serve twice as both Majority and Minority Leader. During his tenure, Senator Daschle navigated the Senate through some of its most historic economic and national security challenges.
In 2003, he chronicled some of these experiences in his book, Like No Other Time: The 107th Congress and the Two Years That Changed America Forever. In the 2013 release of The US Senate: Fundamentals of American Government, Senator Daschle explores the inner workings of this important part of the legislative branch. Since leaving the Senate, Senator Daschle has remained an active and learned voice among policy-makers. As a well-known expert on health policy reform, he has written two books: Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis and Getting It Done: How Obama and Congress Finally Broke the Stalemate to Make Way for Health Care Reform.
Senator Daschle has also emerged as a leading thinker on climate change, food security and renewable energy policy. He serves on both advisory and governing boards of a number of corporate and non-profit organizations and currently co-chairs The Cuba Consortium, an organization dedicated to an improved relationship with the people of Cuba. In 2007, Senator Daschle joined with former Majority Leaders George Mitchell, Bob Dole and Howard Baker to create the Bipartisan Policy Center, an organization dedicated to finding common ground on some of the pressing public policy challenges of our time. Senator Daschle is Chair of the Board of Directors at the Center for American Progress and Vice-Chair for the National Democratic Institute. He serves on the board of Edward M. Kennedy Institute and the LBJ Foundation. He also is a member of the Health Policy and Management Executive Council at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Council of Foreign Relations.
Born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, Senator Daschle attended South Dakota State University, graduating in 1969. He then served for three years as an intelligence officer in the US Air Force Strategic Command. Following his military service, he spent five years as an aide to South Dakota Senator James Abourezk. After leaving the Senate in 2005, Senator Daschle joined Alston & Bird LLP as a special policy advisor and then went on to work in the same role at DLA Piper before establishing The Daschle Group in 2014. He is married to Linda Hall Daschle and has three children and five grandchildren. Education South Dakota State University, B.A. Political Science, 1969
Publications
- “Vin Gupta and Sen. Tom Daschle: What the History of Health Care Reform in America Suggests About the Future of Obamacare,” NBCNews.com (May 2019)
- “McCain was a Model to be Emulated, Not Criticized,” The Hill (March 2019)
- “John McCain: Man of Honor, Man of Service,” The Hill (August 2018)
- “Bob Dole and Tom Daschle: Trump’s Budget Takes U.S. Leadership Backwards,” Time magazine (May 2017)
Speaking Engagements
Press Releases
- Former U.S. Senator Thomas A. Daschle Honored with Rosalie Wynn Hearst Distinguished Public Service Award (March 4, 2019)
- The Daschle Group’s Tom and Nathan Daschle among The Hill’s “Top Lobbyists 2017” (November 6, 2017)
- Cuban Embassy Hosts Cuba Consortium Reception (February 10, 2016)
- The Cuba Consortium Marks the 12/17 Anniversary (December 17, 2015)
- The Cuba Consortium Advisory Board Adds New Members, Will Hold First Meeting (October 8, 2015)
- The Howard Baker Forum to Launch The Cuba Consortium (July 13, 2015)
- Nathan Daschle Joins The Daschle Group as President and COO (December 2, 2014)
Sheila P. Burke
Strategic Advisor and Chair, Government Affairs & Public Policy at Baker Donelson
Sheila P. Burke
In addition to her role at the Firm, Ms. Burke continues as a faculty member at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where she teaches a number of health policy courses. From 1996 to 2000, she was executive dean and a lecturer in public policy at the Kennedy School. Ms. Burke also serves as a senior advisor to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Ms. Burke served for 19 years on Capitol Hill. Early in her career, she was a member of the staff of the Senate Finance Committee responsible for legislation relating to Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs. She ultimately became Deputy Staff Director of the Finance Committee. She went on to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and later as his Chief of Staff. In these roles, she was involved with numerous legislative issues including those related to Medicare, Medicaid and the Maternal and Child Health programs, welfare reform, budget reconciliation and the previous legislative efforts to reform health care. In 1995, she was elected as Secretary of the Senate, the chief administrative officer of the United States Senate. Ms. Burke served from 2000 – 2007 as a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).
In addition to her government and academic experience, Ms. Burke served as the deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum and research complex. As the chief operating officer, she had responsibility for the overall operations of the 19 individual museums and galleries, the National Zoo and nine research facilities located in Washington, D.C., five states and 150 foreign countries with revenues of approximately $1 billion and an endowment of $1 billion. During her seven-year tenure at the Smithsonian, she oversaw the completion of the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center, the National Museum of the American Indian and the renovation of the Smithsonian’s Reynolds Center for Art and Portraiture. She was also involved in the initial planning for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. She began her Smithsonian tenure in 2000 as the undersecretary for American Museums and National Programs, becoming deputy secretary and chief operating officer in 2004.
Professional Honors & Activities
- Member – National Academy of Medicine, National Council (2012 – 2018); Chair, Nominating Committee (2013 – present)
- Member – Board of Regents, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (2011 – present)
- Member – Board of Directors, The Chubb Corporation, Zurich, Switzerland (1997 – present)
- Member – Board of Directors, Ascension, St. Louis, Missouri (2014 – present)
- Member – Board of Directors, Accolade, Inc. (2015 – 2018)
- Member – Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, Washington, D.C. (1997 – 2016)
- Member – Board of Visitors, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University (2003 – present)
- Member – Board of Directors, Bipartisan Policy Center, Washington, DC (2008 – 2016)
- Distinguished Visitor – O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown Law Center, Georgetown University (2007 – present)
- Recipient – JD Supra Readers’ Choice Award – Top Author in Health Care (2018)
- Recipient – Helen Manzer Award, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing (2016)
- Recipient – Second Century Award for Excellence in Health Care, Columbia University School of Nursing (2016)
- Named as one of Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2015 “Women Worth Watching”
- Fellow – American Academy of Nursing
- Fellow – National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences
- Fellow – National Academy of Public Administration
- Member – The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Advisory Council
- Honorary Doctorate in Military Medicine, University of the Uniformed Services (1999)
- Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Marymount University (2005)
- David Rall Medal, Institute of Medicine (2008)
- Robert Mills Award, Smithsonian American Art Museum (2007)
- Smithsonian Institution Exceptional Service Award (2005)
Publications
- “Surprise Medical Billing Gains Momentum in Washington” (May 2019)
- “President Trump’s Budget: Key Takeaways for Health Care” (March 2019)
- “2019: What to Expect in Health Care Policy” (February 2019)
- “After the Midterm Elections: Next Steps in Congress in 2019” (December 2018)
- “Spending Negotiations Remain In-Flux Ahead of Government Funding Deadline ” (December 2018)
- “Lawmakers Considering Several Key Bills during the Lame-Duck Session” (December 2018)
- “New Federal Court Ruling Creates Further Uncertainty for the Affordable Care Act” (December 2018)
- “Leadership Changes in Congress for the 116th Session U.S. House of Representatives” (December 2018)
- “Revised NAFTA Awaits Congressional Approval” (December 2018)
- “President Trump and President Xi Agree on Temporary Trade War Truce” (December 2018)
- “Latest 2018 Midterm Election Results” (December 2018)
- “Congress Funds Significant Share of FY19 Appropriations Ahead of Schedule ” (October 2018)
- “Proposed Rule on Drug Price Disclosure in TV Advertisements” (October 2018)
- “Five-Year Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization, Including Disaster Relief Funding and Recovery Reform” (October 2018)
- “Comprehensive Bipartisan Opioids Response Package” (October 2018)
Speaking Engagements
- “Federal Policy Landscape as it Relates to Biotech and Medtech,” Georgia Bio Innovation Summit (October 2019)
- “The Future of Military Medicine,” Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (September 2019)
- “Does Prevention Save Money?,” AcademyHealth Spending Salon (January 2019)
- Moderator – “Integrating Clinical and Mental Health in the U.S.,” Bipartisan Policy Center public event (January 2019)
- “Nashville Health Care Council: Election 2018 and the Future of Health Care” (October 2018)
- “Wiser About Funding Threats: Why the Safeguarding of the Medicaid Program is Crucial,” Grantmakers in Aging Annual Conference (October 2018)
- “Navigating Uncertainty in the U.S. Health Care System,” 25th Annual Princeton Conference (May 2018)
- “The Future of the Affordable Care Act: What Happens Next?,” 31st Annual Mississippi State University Insurance Day (April 2018)
- “Political Policy Recap and Look Ahead,” American Association of Diabetes Educators webinar (December 2017)
- Panelist – “The Future of The Affordable Care Act: What Happens Next?,” The Forum, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Reuters (September 2017)
- Panelist – “Priorities from a National Academy of Medicine Initiative,” Vital Directions for Health and Health Care (March 2017)
- “Strategic Outlook for Healthcare,” Harvard Business School (February 2017)
- Moderator – “Future of Health Care,” Federal Budget and State Choices at Bipartisan Policy Center (February 2017)
- Panelist – “Health Care and the Trump Administration: The First 100 Days,” webinar, Nashville Health Care Council (December 2016)
- Panelist – “Post-Election Health Care Outlook,” Harvard Healthcare Alumni Association (November 2016)
- “God Bless the USA: Post-Election View – What the Election Means for Long Term Care Providers,” Baker Donelson Long Term Care Symposium (November 2016)
- “Post-Election Health Care Outlook,” DentaQuest Retreat (November 2016)
- “Pro Health Care Briefing: Aftermath of SCOTUS Decision in King V. Burwell” (July 2015)
Matthew G. Duff
Vice President of The Howard Baker Forum and Strategic Advisor at Baker Donelson
Matthew G. Duff
Matt Duff is the Vice President of The Howard Baker Forum and a strategic advisor at Baker Donelson. In his role as Vice President, Mr. Duff manages the Howard Baker Forum and it’s programs, in recent years focusing primarily on nuclear energy, cyber security, data privacy, supply chain resilience, autonomous vehicles, and other emerging technologies. Mr. Duff works closely with think tanks, academia, and the private sector to develop and host events for clients across the world. He has worked closely with Japanese companies and government entities on nuclear energy, clean energy policy, supply chain resilience, and data governance and serves as a valuable resource for clients on policy and the inner workings of Washington.
As an advisor for Baker Donelson, he works on regulatory and legislative matters and has has advised clients on appropriations, direct foreign investment in the U.S., energy policy, autonomous vehicle, electric vehicles, immigration issues, and general political analysis, among other areas.
Mr. Duff has over 15 years of experience working in Washington. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, he worked at several federal agencies as a Management Consultant for Acuity, Inc. Mr. Duff has a degree in finance from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and a law degree from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.
Alison Ashburn Bleier
Assistant Director, U.S.-Japan Roundtable, The Howard Baker Forum
Alison Ashburn Bleier
Publications
- “Revised NAFTA Awaits Congressional Action” (September 2019)
- “Tariff Dispute Escalates Between the United States and China” (September 2019)