IEEE-USA Principal Staff Profiles

  

Chris J. Brantley is IEEE-USA's Managing Director, with responsibility for managing the IEEE-USA Washington office, supporting the IEEE-USA's Board of Directors, serving on the IEEE Management Council, and providing overall direction to IEEE-USA's government relations programs, member and professional activities and communications efforts.  Brantley was previously IEEE-USA's Director of Government Relations and Operations. Prior to joining the IEEE in 1989, he served as Assistant to the Executive Director of the American Association of Engineering Societies.  Brantley holds the Juris Doctorate and a Masters in Law and International Affairs from the American University's Washington College of Law and School of International Service, respectively. He received his B.A. in political science from Mercer University in Atlanta. Brantley is licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia, and is currently an adjunct Professor at the Washington College of Law, where he teaches a graduate seminar on International Courts.

Belinda Burden, Financial Services Administrator, is responsible for IEEE-USA financial transactions and record-keeping, and works with the Managing Director to support the IEEE-USA's volunteer Secretary-Treasurer.

Christopher Currie, Manager of Product and Development, is responsible for overseeing development of new products and services for IEEE-USA.  Previously, he handled public and media relations, and supervised our external advertising and marketing efforts. He has a philosophy degree from Georgetown University, and his past experience includes work in non-profit management, television production and political communications. He also spent a year as a Dominican religious novice. Before joining our staff as external communications coordinator in 1995, Chris worked as a public-relations consultant to IEEE-USA and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Scott Grayson serves as IEEE-USA's Associate Managing Director and is responsible for the programs relating to employment, career and professional issues (including: Employment Assistance, Consultants Networks, and Career Maintenance & Development). He joined IEEE-USA in 1990 and has held three different positions within IEEE-USA. In 1998, Scott took a one-year hiatus from IEEE-USA, to serve as Executive Director of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Minnesota--an organization that links the high tech business communities of the Upper Midwest and Israel. During Scott's tenure at the IEEE-USA he was also responsible for state and federal legislative programs in areas of career policy, high technology, internet policy, intellectual property and built a number of coalitions that focused on technology and the law. He also served as the official liaison to numerous scientific, engineering and legal organizations. Scott holds a Masters degree in International Affairs from New York University and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin.

Daryll Griffin, Administrator, Career and Innovation Programs, assists the Associate Managing Director in supporting IEEE-USA career & member services programs, with a particular emphasis on career and innovation-related products and services. Before starting at IEEE-USA, Daryll served as Executive Director for two small membership associations. At the District of Columbia Behavioral Health Association (DCBHA), a small DC based association, he lead the organization’s first Board of Directors in the strategic development of the organization and served as lead advocate and public policy negotiator. For the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association (NPELRA), he was responsible for financial management, maintaining a high level of member services and serving as lead advocate for the association. For the majority of his career Daryll worked simultaneously for the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) and NPELRA as a Staff Associate and Assistant to the Executive Director. His main responsibilities were analyzing federal legislation, writing and preparing a monthly newsletter, membership recruitment, meeting planning and conceptualizing and coordinating conference plenary sessions and workshops. Daryll started his career at the National Association of Counties (NACo) tracking workforce development issues. Daryll received both of his Bachelor’s of Art degree in History and Masters in City and Regional Planning from Morgan State University. He has most recently completed a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from John Hopkins University.

Linda S. Hall is our Manager, Office Administration and Meeting Planning.  Her primary responsibility is the annual IEEE-USA Professional Development Conference, including site selection, program planning, and on-sight management.  She also provides meeting support to the IEEE-USA Board and its Operating Committee. This involves making appropriate arrangements with hotels for meetings, working with the Meeting Planning Services staff in the IEEE Operations Center, and providing administrative support during the meetings. Prior to joining IEEE-USA in 1986, Linda worked at the University of South Carolina in the Continuing Engineering Education office for 10 years, planning and running 100 short courses, workshops, seminars and many conferences each year. She also coordinates a variety of special events and parties as needed for the IEEE-USA office.

Russell T. Harrison is IEEE-USA's Senior Legislative Representative for Grassroots Activities. In this position, he is responsible for helping members of IEEE-USA interact with, and ultimately influence, elected officials. Prior to IEEE-USA, Russell directed grassroots programs at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries and the American Iron and Steel Institute. In these positions he also raised over $300,000 in campaign contributions through the associations' political action committees. He has also represented the recycling and steel industries on Capitol Hill and in state capitols on a variety of issues as a professional lobbyist. Russell has a B.A. in Political Science, with minors in History and Communication, from Allegheny College, and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Maryland.

Greg Hill, Electronic Communications Manager, carries out a number of functions as a member of the IEEE-USA communications team. Greg is staff editor of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer Online, the Today's Engineer Email Update and the IEEE-USA home page. He also designs and contributes content for a variety of internal communications to U.S. IEEE members concerning IEEE-USA activities. Greg represents IEEE-USA on the IEEE Editors Forum and What's New @ IEEE corporate work groups. Greg has a B.A. in English from the Pennsylvania State University.

Sandra Kim is IEEE-USA's Program Manager, Member and Professional Activities.  Prior to joining IEEE-USA Sandra worked for the American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA) for three years as the Litigation Group Coordinator.  In this capacity she was responsible for the organization, coordination and supervision of meetings and conferences for over 60 litigations groups/sections. Prior to working for ATLA, Sandra was the lead Legal Assistant at Berliner, Corcoran & Rowe in Washington, D.C.  She has a B.A. in History from the University of Pennsylvania. Sandra staffs the Awards and Recognition, PACE (Regional & Divisional), SPAC (MPAC), and Precollege Committees.

Chris McManes was promoted to public relations manager in November of 2007 after seven years with IEEE-USA. He is the organization’s principal media contact and helps to formulate its government relations strategy. He often serves as IEEE-USA’s spokesman and has traveled across the country stressing the value of media relations and good writing skills to IEEE members.
McManes (pronounced Mick-MAYNZ) has helped IEEE-USA garner coverage in the Washington Post, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, San Jose Mercury News, Dallas Morning News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, EE Times, Computerworld and Electronic Design, among others. Broadcast credits include the CBS Evening News, MSNBC, NPR and CNN.

McManes came to IEEE-USA after working for two-and-a-half years as sports information director at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.  While working as a sports writer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal in the 1990s, McManes covered numerous high-profile events, including NASCAR Nextel Cup racing and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.  McManes graduated from the University of Maryland in 1982 with a degree in kinesiological sciences (the study of human movement). He also attended the University of North Texas and studied journalism at the University of North Carolina.

Vin O'Neill is IEEE-USA's Senior Legislative Representative for career policy activities. His duties include lobbying Congress and federal agencies on engineering workforce issues such as employee benefits, education, immigration, offshoring and engineering licensure. O'Neill provides staff support for IEEE-USA's Career & Workforce Policy and Licensure & Registration committees. He is a registered lobbyist and has more than 25 years experience as a manager of federal and state government relations programs for Washington-based trade associations and professional societies. O'Neill graduated from Dartmouth College and the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He joined IEEE-USA in 1985.

Deborah K. Rudolph has been Manager of the Technology Policy Council since 1989, handling telecommunication and medical technology issues. She has more than 20 years' experience in government relations in the public and private sectors. Previously she directed public affairs for an economic consulting firm and handled public relations for public-sector clients at a New York PR firm. In addition, she has handled intergovernmental relations for a White House advisory panel and congressional relations for the White House Office of Management and Budget, and she handled legislative analysis in the U.S. Senate for four years. Debbie serves on the board of the Carlyle House Museum in Alexandria, Va.

Georgia C. Stelluto is IEEE-USA Publications Manager, and Publishing Manager for IEEE-USA Today's Engineer Digest and IEEE-USA's Ebook series.  She joined the IEEE in 1989, and oversees IEEE-USA print and online periodical and non-periodical publishing efforts. Georgia also writes articles, and does interviews and profiles for IEEE-USA publications. In addition, she represents IEEE-USA's publication interests in IEEE quality, corporate identity, membership renewal and plagiarism workgroup corporate teams. 

Georgia has more than 20 years experience in communications, publishing and market research. She has a B.S. in Communications from James Madison University (JMU), with a concentration in Journalism and Theatre. Georgia began her career 24 years ago as a freelance sports writer for The Alexandria Gazette, covering local high school sports. She continued covering sports for JMU's The Breeze, and covered AP Wire news for The Harrisonburg Daily News Record.  Before coming to IEEE-USA, Georgia held communications, market research and training positions with such companies as Sato Travel, Computer Network Corporation, and Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey's. Georgia has also written, directed, and produced a full-length play, and is currently working on a five-act play for the stage and two screenplays.

Bill Williams is Senior Legislative Representative for Technology Policy Activities and works with IEEE-USA's Energy Policy, R&D Policy and Transportation & Aerospace Policy Committees. He joined IEEE-USA after four years of Hill experience as a legislative assistant where he specialized in energy and environmental issues. A Navy vet, Bill is a graduate of the Naval Nuclear Power School and served as a Nuclear Power Technician (1981-1987) in the surface fleet before accepting a position with GTB Electric in San Diego. He went back to school for a bachelors degree in political science from San Diego State so that he could pursue his interest in public policy.

Erica Wissolik serves as Program Manager for Government Activities and is responsible for managing IEEE-USA's Government Activities, including the IEEE-USA's Government Fellows and Washington Internships programs.  She is the editor of IEEE-USA's Eye on Washington newsletter, and supports advocacy efforts on IEEE-USA's career and technology policy priorities.  She also provides staff support to IEEE-USA's Intellectual Property Committee.  Erica joined IEEE-USA after six years of working as a policy analyst for the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission where she managed the statutory reviews of several state regulatory agencies, as well as worked on the reviews of the agencies responsible for parks and wildlife, and health and human services. Prior to working in Texas, Erica worked for the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress where she served as an Information Specialist and a Program Coordinator for the Special Congressional Task for the Development of Parliamentary Institutions in Eastern Europe. Erica holds a Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, and a B.A. in political science from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.

John F. Yaglenski III serves as Manager of Information Technology and oversees IEEE-USA's electronic communications programs, as well as supporting IEEE-USA's IT infrastructure and use of technology.   Before joining IEEE-USA, John was General Manager of Web Development for Erols Internet, now RCN Corporation, the nation's largest regional Internet Service Provider. John's technical specialties include interface design, graphic layout, multimedia production, NT server installation and maintenance and Active Server Pages.  He also excels in developing and formulating effective Internet marketing solutions that work in tandem with print and media advertising. John started  his career as a full time radio personality and program director working town to town, up and down the dial in such markets as Dayton, Ohio, Frederick, MD and Washington, DC. He is a graduate of the University of Dayton in Ohio with a BA in Communications, and currently resides in Maryland with his wife and two children.

Last Update: 21 April, 2009
Contact: IEEE-USA, ieeeusa@ieee.org