News

Three senior policy advisors to Speakers McCarthy and Johnson are joining Michael Best Strategies this week.

Brittan Specht, Jason Yaworske, and Preston Hill served as senior advisors to the Speaker of the House across multiple key verticals including financial services, appropriations, procurement, tax policy, defense, artificial intelligence and tech.

Michael Best Strategies Board of Advisors Chairman Reince Priebus said of the new hires "Brittan, Jason, and Preston are among the most tested and skilled policy minds in Washington. Our clients should know that the addition of all three to our Strategies teams sets them up for the future on Capitol Hill. Few are more well versed in the intricacies of crafting and passing meaningful policy, and we are thrilled to welcome them to our bipartisan team."

Multiple leaders shared statements marking Brittan, Jason and Preston's transition to the Michael Best Team:

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA):
"I am grateful for the sacrificial service of Brittan, Jason, and Preston to my team, and to all House Republicans over many years.these friends committed to assist us for the first six months of the transition, and through some of the most difficult policy challenges in decades. We are truly happy for them as they now pursue their new opportunities in the private sector, and we know they will be a great success."

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
"Brittan, Jason, and Preston are the strongest brain trust in the Capitol. They have been involved in every major negotiation over the last 7 years. Whether it's tax, appropriations, financial services, or defense, AI and the debt limit, they've been in the room and at the table with the highest stakes."

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO):
"This team understands the economic issues confronting Congress as well as anyone. Their unique experience of being consistently involved in crafting and negotiating tax, trade, and other important policies at the highest levels from TCJA in 2017 through today means few will be more capable of navigating the complex economic policy challenges in the coming years."

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-NC):
"Brittan, Preston, and Jason have the deep experience and keen policy minds needed to get results. Over the past several years, they have been at the center of some of the biggest legislative developments in Congress. While they will be missed on Capitol Hill, Members across the Republican Conference recognize their steadfast service to the country, the Congress, and free markets."

About Brittan Specht:
Brittan Specht serves as a Senior Director at Michael Best Strategies, supporting the firm's national governmental and business profile in Washington D.C. Before joining Michael Best Strategies, Brittan served in a series of roles in House Republican leadership, including Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy in the Office of the Speaker under Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and as Counselor to the Speaker under Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). In these roles, Brittan was a principal policy advisor to both Speakers. He served as a lead negotiator with the Senate and White House for major legislative initiatives including the debt-limit negotiations resulting in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the 2024 National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, FISA 702 reauthorization, FY2023 and FY2024 annual appropriations bills, and the FY2023 and FY2024 National Defense Authorization Acts.

About Jason Yaworske:
Jason Yaworske currently serves as a Senior Director at Michael Best Strategies, where he brings a wealth of experience from his extensive background in legislative and policy advisory roles. Prior to joining Strategies, Jason was a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. In this capacity, he maintained a policy portfolio that included all matters before the committees on Appropriations and Budget, as well as nearly all issues before the Ways and Means Committee. Notably, Jason was a primary participant in the negotiations with the White House that resulted in the "Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023" debt limit agreement. He also oversaw the FY24 and FY25 House Budget Resolutions, House passage of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, the development and completion of the FY24 appropriations process, and the passage of the National Security Supplemental Act of 2024.

Prior to joining the Speaker's Office, Jason was Clerk for the Senate Appropriations Homeland Subcommittee, where he oversaw the FY22 and FY23 Homeland appropriations bills. Before that, Jason was the head of Legislative Affairs for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he played a key role in the FY20 and FY21 budget cycles, negotiating the 2019 debt limit agreement, and COVID response legislation.

About Preston Hill:
Preston Hill is a Senior Director at Michael Best Strategies, where he supports the firm's efforts to enhance its national governmental and business presence in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining Strategies, Preston served as Senior Policy Advisor to both Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). In these roles, he was the lead policy advisor for critical areas such as financial services, artificial intelligence, education, labor, housing, science, space, and small business. Preston was instrumental in drafting and passing significant legislation, including the Sanctions and foreign policy component to the Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific Supplemental Appropriations package and H.R. 5, The Parents Bill of Rights. He spearheaded the formation of the Bipartisan House Artificial Intelligence Working Group to pursue bipartisan policy solutions in a measured and innovation focused approach and led the congressional response to the banking crisis following the closure of Silicon Valley Bank, coordinating with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, and stakeholders.