Richard (Rick) L. Meyers

Partner, joined the firm in 1987 and has 20 years of legislative and regulatory experience. He has worked extensively on issues affecting cities and universities with the U.S. Congress, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture, Justice Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Energy, Department of Education, Federal Aviation Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency. He has also worked with the officials at the U.S. Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center on product promotion. His activities on behalf of clients include university research grants, appropriations, education issues, transportation reauthorization, infrastructure funding for cities, base closure issues, telecommunication issues, HUD grants, and product promotion. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University. 

Francis (Fran) James Boyd, Jr.

Sr. Vice President, joined the firm in 1990 after serving as Director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the Farm Credit Administration, an independent federal financial regulatory agency. Prior to that appointment, he was the Deputy Director of Congressional Affairs for six years during the Reagan Administration at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He brings to the firm over 20 years of Washington experience having worked extensively with Congress and at the highest levels of the executive branch of government. He holds both a graduate and undergraduate degrees from Arizona State University, and has completed the Senior Managers in Government Program from the Kennedy School for Government at Harvard University.

Irina Kolontay Emerson

Senior Associate, Irina joined the firm in 2002.  Irina’s responsibilities include working with congress and federal agencies on issues pertaining to defense energy, and homeland security research, emergency responder funding and training, surface transportation programs, higher education policy, and health care grants. Additionally, Irina serves as the firm’s in-house systems administrator. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from West Texas A&M University. While in college, Irina served as president of Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) chapter and received Student Organization President of the Year award during her senior year. She continues her involvement with the organization and serves on the SIFE Business Advisory Board. Irina was raised in the former Soviet republic of Belarus and is fluent in Russian and Belarussian.

Gary Bushell

Senior Advisor, has more than 30 years experience working with legislative bodies, including the United States Congress and Texas Legislature. Formerly Administrative Assistant and Legislative Director to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, Gary has been active for 13 years in regional economic development efforts for South Texas, including long term water supply planning and Base Closure and Realignment Commission proceedings. Gary is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Economics and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas Law School. After serving with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam, Gary was honorable discharged from the United States Marine Corps at the rank of captain.

Shelley Myers

Senior Associate, Shelley joined the firm in 1988 and has over eighteen years of legislative and federal agency experience. She has worked extensively with the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the newly created Department of Homeland Security. While working on behalf of the firm's major higher education clients, she has also worked very closely with several states' congressional delegations and numerous committees in Congress. Her activities on behalf of the firm's clients have involved issues dealing with engineering, energy, defense, oil and gas, first responder training, and all areas of university research. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Texas A&M University and served as a teacher at an international boarding school in Salzburg, Austria before coming to Washington, DC.

Jennifer G. Shepard

Associate. Prior to relocating to the Washington, D.C. area, Jennifer served as the program manager and executive for The Houston Partnership, the leading business advocacy organization in Houston, Texas. Jennifer was responsible for managing the multiple aspects of the organization's air quality program designed to bring the region into attainment with the federal ozone standard as required by the federal Clean Air Act. She worked extensively with local, state and federal elected officials as well as state and federal regulatory agencies. Jennifer was also instrumental in the creation and ongoing management of a statewide public/private sector coalition to advance the development of a major national infrastructure project. She helped lead the development of federal legislation to facilitate the project's development. As a result of addressing both environmental and transportation issues affecting the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country, she has developed a keen understanding of the relationship between environmental policies and transportation programs. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary and a Consulting Associate degree from Main Event Management, Inc.

Dustin Bryant

Associate. Mr. Bryant joined the firm in 2007.  His responsibilities include work on both agriculture and university issues. Dustin serves as liaison to the Agriculture Program of the Texas A&M University System. He has a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Development and earned a Certificate in International Agricultural Trade from Texas A&M University. Mr. Bryant worked with programs with emphasis on Food for Peace, Food for Progress and 416(b) with a focus on Tunisa. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Bryant served as Field Representative for U.S. Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15). In addition to his service with the Congressman, Mr. Bryant has had experience in Europe and Northern Africa..

Holly Isaman Meagher

Administrative assistant. Holly Isaman Meagher joined Meyers & Associates in July of 2006. She came to Washington in 2004 to work for the Senate Judiciary Committee under Senator Orrin Hatch. She was also staff for Judge Samuel Alito’s Supreme Court Justice hearing. In 2005 she was chosen as Miss Utah International. Holly graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Communication, emphasis in broadcasting. While attending the University she worked closely with the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Through the Institute she completed internships for the White House, Governor’s Office and State Legislature. Holly worked for ABC Channel 4 in Salt Lake City as a sports producer and as a sports reporter with Newsbreak for the University of Utah. After graduation she worked for Salt Lake Magazine as a feature columnist for the People and Social pages. She was appointed by then Governor Leavitt as a board member of the Utah Commission on Volunteers. She has worked closely with America’s Promise; The Alliance for Youth, and was Chairwoman for Salt Lake’s Promise.

Sally Wright

Administrative assistant. Sally Wright came to Washington in May of 2006 after graduating from Texas A&M University with a degree in English Literature.  Prior to graduating, she interned at Meyers and Associates; then, she returned in May as a full time employee.  Texas State Representative Lois Kolkhorst selected Sally to work as her assistant for the 2005 Legislative Session when Representative Kolkhorst served as the Appropriations Sub-Committee Chair on Education.  She has also worked in the Office of the Chancellor for the Texas A&M University System and the Office of the Vice President of Research at Texas A&M University, where her work included identifying potential grant opportunities for researchers.  She continues her pursuit of mastering the French language by taking courses at the Alliance Française.

Outside Associates

Also actively associated with Meyers & Associates are: