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American
Iron and Steel
Institute
AISI Senior Management
LISA HARRISON is the Senior Vice President of Communications for AISI, where she is responsible for development, planning and execution of both internal and external communications tied to the Institute’s strategic plan and mission. She also serves as a key company spokesperson and is a member of the CEO’s senior management team.
For five years, Harrison served as vice president of communications at the ACC, where she ran the communications and public affairs department and was responsible for a $25 million advertising and advocacy campaign to educate target audiences and stakeholders about the chemical industry and its products. She also served as a presidential appointee at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where she was the Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, and at the National Park Service where she was the Director of Communications/Special Assistant to the Director for the national park system.
For 19 years, Harrison served as Director of Communications and Deputy Chief of Staff for former Senator (previously Congressman) Bob Smith (R-NH), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Harrison served as chief spokesperson, communications advisor and media strategist.
Before coming to AISI, Harrison was a strategic communications consultant at Hillmer, Inc., where she was responsible for development and implementation of stakeholder outreach programs, online media, policy and program launches, spokesperson training, messaging, media relations, branding, public relations and strategic communications planning for a diverse range of government and commercial clients.
JEREMY HEKHUIS is the Senior Vice President for Public Policy and General Counsel, where he manages AISI public policy development and advocacy. He also serves as the chief legal officer of the Institute.
For over two decades, Hekhuis served on Capitol Hill in a number of roles include as a professional staff member on both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Committee on Banking House and Urban Affairs. For over 13 years, he worked for former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in a variety of policy and strategic roles including as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel. Most recently, he served as a Chief of Staff for a member of the House of Representatives.
Hekhuis has a law degree from the University of Michigan School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Calvin University.
PAUL BALSERAK serves as the Vice President for Environment at AISI, where he directs the Association’s engagement on environmental regulatory development and compliance issues. For four years, he was the deputy director of the regulatory policy division in the Administrator’s Office at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In this role, he provided regulatory status briefings for the Administrator on rules under-development, and assisted senior leadership in strategic thinking on Administrator priorities. He also served as a liaison for EPA with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in their regulatory review role, and assisted in managing division staff in their review of key agency regulatory actions. Prior to that, he served in details at the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and as the Chief of Staff for the Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy at EPA. He worked in many other capacities over his twenty six years at EPA, mainly focusing on climate change, air and water regulations. Prior to working at the EPA, he was an engineer with V. J. Ciccone and Associates, Inc. Balserak has a Master of Science degree in Biology, focused on environmental science and public policy, from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
DAN SNYDER is responsible for overseeing the Construction Market programs in commercial buildings, codes and standards, and transportation/infrastructure. He became vice president, construction program in May 2023. Prior, he was senior director of business development for AISI.
Dan has been employed by AISI for 25 years and has been involved in strategic and business planning for all of AISI’s construction market programs. He helped to establish the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance in 2007 and serves as director, growing membership to over 100 organizations and increasing market share for steel bridges under 140 feet. He led the marketing initiative BuildSteel, which successfully raised industry awareness of the benefits of cold-formed steel framing. Dan also led AISI’s strategic planning and program implementation directives for metal roofing, metal wall panels and steel utility poles.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University.
AISI Staff Leadership
Brett S. Smith is Senior Director of Government Relations at AISI. In this role, Brett serves as the liaison between AISI member companies from the domestic steel industry and the U.S. Congress and federal agencies. Of particular focus for Brett are policy issues regarding energy/climate change, transportation/infrastructure and workplace health and safety.
Before working at AISI, Brett was Director of Government Affairs at the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), representing the U.S. forest products industry before Congress and the federal government on various key policy issues. Brett also served as a staff member for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Brett has a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame.
Sarah Bryant Burns is the director of communications and digital media for AISI, where she is responsible for managing AISI’s digital presence and construction market communications outreach.
Throughout her career, Sarah has managed websites and social media for public policy think tanks, hospitality organizations and CEO’s.
Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts from Goucher College. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Junior League of Washington and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Tyler Hengen is the Director, Sustainability and Environment for AISI. He joined AISI in January 2023 after serving approximately 10 years in various research and consulting roles. He is responsible for supporting AISI’s Sustainability program in all the group’s activities, including participation in the Steel Construction Products PCR Committee and AISI’s Sustainability Committee, tracking and engagement with government agencies regarding green procurement programs, and communicating sustainability activities and initiatives to member companies and external groups.
In addition to his role in AISI’s Sustainability program, he assists AISI’s Environment program in communicating and responding to environmental issues affecting the domestic steel industry, actively participates in AISI’s Environment Committee, and serves as the Staff Director for AISI’s Associate Member Committee.
Tyler holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering, both from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania.
Satura Bridgewater is the assistant to the AISI president and CEO. She is responsible for supporting the AISI Board of Directors, AISI Board Committees and standing committee activities. She has also served as an executive assistant to several AISI senior and market development program executives.
Before serving as an executive assistant, Satura served for over five years as a project administrator and meeting planner for the AISI Committee on Specifications.
She attended Mary Washington University. In her spare time, she travels as a part-time missionary to the jungles of Peru and volunteers at the Capital Area Food Bank.
Haley VanderMeer is the Director of Meetings and Administration at the American Iron and Steel Institute. She manages AISI’s annual General Meeting, Board meetings, and other key events, and oversees the Institute’s administrative operations, including IT, facilities and office administration.
Prior to working at AISI, Haley spent six years at the National Restaurant Association, where she focused on board event management and strengthening engagement among nonprofit board members. She organized and executed major board meetings and events, creating meaningful opportunities for participation and collaboration.
In her spare time, she volunteers with the Nature Camp Foundation, supporting its mission to provide environmental education and outdoor experiences for youth. She holds a Master of Science in Public Policy from Drexel University and a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech.