Providing Strategic and Legislative Advice in Government Relations

O’Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies, LLC is a Washington, D.C.–based strategic consulting and government affairs firm. We help clients navigate complex policy challenges, manage political risks, and achieve their public policy goals by delivering tailored strategies and effective solutions.

Our Firm

     Our firm was founded by James O’Keeffe and Heideh Shahmoradi, who bring a combined 60 years of expertise in federal transportation policy. Their experience spans two decades in the private sector and 40 years in federal service—divided between senior committee staff roles in the U.S. Senate and leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Transportation. They are joined by Mark Copeland, who contributes nearly 20 years of congressional and state government experience, having served Members in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.  Additionally, Naomi Walker, brings five years of congressional experience serving senior members of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

     Together, our team offers unmatched knowledge, insight, and relationships to help clients navigate the complex intersection of transportation policy, government, and industry.

James O'Keeffe

Partner

Professional man in a suit and tie smiling outdoors.

James O’Keeffe is a partner at O’Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies LLC, which provides strategic, government affairs counsel and transportation consulting services to corporations, trade associations, and public-sector organizations. Prior to co-founding this firm in 2018, James ran a successful government relations consulting firm, O’Keeffe Strategies, for five years.
O’Keeffe was senior staff on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works for 10 years, departing in 2013 as deputy staff director. During his time on the Committee, he was the primary negotiator for Senate Republicans on all highway-related provisions of two major surface transportation bills (SAFETEA-LU and MAP-21).

Prior to his time on the Environment and Public Works Committee, James was the Senior Analyst for Transportation on the Senate Budget Committee. In that role he was responsible for developing and enforcing the transportation components of the annual budget resolution. He also served as the Transportation Analyst at the Congressional Budget Office, where he estimated federal spending on transportation programs and the status of the Highway Trust Fund and the Airport and Airways Trust Fund. O’Keeffe has experience in working on municipal finance issues at the World Bank as well.
James holds a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University and B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

(202) 465-5986

james@osstrategiesllc.com

Click for Bio

Heideh Shahmoradi

Partner

Professional woman in business attire with a confident smile.

Heideh Shahmoradi is a partner at O’Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies. With 24 years of federal experience and seven years in the private sector, Heideh is an expert in transportation policy. Her broad policy and political background allow her to successfully advance legislation on Capitol Hill.

Prior to co-founding the firm in 2018, Heideh served for more than seven years as the Clerk and Staff Director on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies overseeing nearly $140 billion in budgetary resources. She was responsible for analyzing the annual budget, negotiating funding levels, and overseeing agencies at the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Transportation Safety Board, Amtrak and other independent federal agencies. Heideh has extensive knowledge of the legislative and appropriations process having worked on more than a dozen annual and supplemental appropriations acts.

Heideh has a proven record of success working on various issues for her clients in all modes of transportation, housing, telecommunications, energy, cybersecurity, homeland security, and defense, as evidenced by her selection as a Top Lobbyist by Bloomberg Government, the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics, and The Hill for the past several years.

Heideh also worked at the U.S. Department of Transportation for 17 years. She held senior positions at the Federal Highway Administration working largely on the regulations and financing of major projects, and four years leading the Government Affairs Office in the Office of the Secretary as the senior career official.

Heideh holds a Master’s degree in Administrative Management and Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance from Bowie State University.

(202) 495-9282

heideh@osstrategiesllc.com

Click for Bio

Mark Copeland

Vice President

Man in suit with glasses, office background.

Mark Copeland is an expert legislative and policy strategist who brings nearly two decades of congressional and state government experience to the OS Strategies government relations team. Having worked with senior members in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, Mark leverages his extensive knowledge of the federal legislative process, as well as his deep ties within the Executive Branch and across Capitol Hill.

Before joining OS Strategies, Mark served as Senior Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and focused on transportation, infrastructure, telecommunications and agriculture policy, including the Senator’s work on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Mark helped spearhead the Senator’s legislative victories in the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act of 2021, the 2020 and 2018 Water Resources Development Act bills, the PIPES Act of 2020, and the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act.

Mark also served 11 years in the U.S. House of Representatives as Legislative Director for both Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and former Congressman Tim Bishop (NY-01) where he led their policy teams and focused on transportation, infrastructure, appropriations, and environmental issues. Mark was also a Senior Advisor at the Illinois Department of Transportation in the Office of Planning and Programming.

Mark graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science.

(202) 365-0999

mark@osstrategiesllc.com

Click for Bio

Naomi Walker

Senior Director

Smiling woman standing on outdoor steps.

Naomi is Senior Director at OS Strategies. With five years of experience serving senior members of both the U.S. House and Senate, she brings comprehensive expertise in federal appropriations and legislative procedure across a broad range of policy areas.

Before joining OS Strategies, Naomi served as a Legislative Assistant to Representative Steve Womack, where she managed a comprehensive legislative portfolio during his Chairmanship of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. In addition to overseeing matters related to transportation and housing policy, Naomi was responsible for appropriations and policy matters pertaining to energy and water, interior and the environment, and agriculture.

In this capacity, she worked in close coordination with House Appropriations Committee staff to advance the Chairman’s legislative objective across multiple annual spending bills, and she secured numerous wins in key authorization pieces of legislation, including the FAA 2024 Reauthorization Act and the 2022 and 2024 Water Resources Development Acts.

Naomi also served two years as Legislative Correspondent for Senator Jim Inhofe, where she focused on matters related to transportation, commerce, science, and environment and public works.

Naomi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the University of Oklahoma.

(918) 493-7494
naomi@osstrategiesllc.com

Click for Bio

About Us

     The firm maintains strong relationships with Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, senior staff on key infrastructure committees, leadership at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and senior officials across the Administration.

     At OS Strategies, we collaborate with clients to refine policy positions and advance legislative priorities. With decades of experience and a deep understanding of the legislative and regulatory processes, our team helps clients navigate the political landscape and complex policymaking environment with confidence.

     Backed by trusted relationships, policy expertise, and hands-on experience, OS Strategies delivers the strategic counsel and execution clients need to achieve meaningful results in Washington.

 

Contact Information