Halie Craig Joins Origin Advocacy
Press Release / January 16, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Origin Advocacy, a leading consulting and government affairs firm, today announced the addition of Halie Craig as Principal. Craig brings extensive expertise in technology, international trade, and financial services to the firm, strengthening its capabilities in these crucial policy areas that are at the center of national debate.
Craig joins Origin Advocacy after a distinguished career in public service and the private sector. Most recently, she served as the Tech Policy Director on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX). In this role, Craig led the development of successful bipartisan legislation, including the TAKE IT DOWN Act and the SHARE-IT Act. She also championed policies to preserve America's competitive edge in artificial intelligence and led investigations into social media content moderation issues.
Previously, Craig worked for former Ranking Member Pat Toomey (R-PA) on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and also led Senator Toomey’s trade portfolio on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee where she played a key role in trade policy during the negotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). She also steered Senator Toomey’s trade portfolio during the imposition of Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods and authored leading bipartisan legislation to reform Section 232 tariffs. Her experience further includes working in Silicon Valley at Facebook, where she served on the company's global content policy team.
Sean McLean, founder of Origin Advocacy, expressed his enthusiasm for Craig's addition to the firm: "Halie’s joining Origin Advocacy marks a significant milestone in our firm’s growth. Her unique perspective, honed at the crossroads of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill, and ability to build consensus across party lines, will be a game changer in providing our clients with unparalleled insights and strategies to succeed in today’s complex political environment."
“Halie’s commitment to public service has been unyielding” said U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. "She has gained a reputation for working respectfully with colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Her unique understanding of tech policy and her strong experience in other policy portfolios has helped advance our priorities on the Commerce Committee, and she has played a critical role in much of my preparation for the last two years. Without Halie, I don’t know that the TAKE IT DOWN Act would have gotten off the ground. She has been a tireless advocate for victims of sexual exploitation and violence."
“Halie was an indispensable part of my team for nearly four years, including as a legislative staffer in my personal office and as a senior advisor on the Senate Banking Committee,” said former Senator Pat Toomey. “Halie has a stellar reputation on Capitol Hill as a trusted policy expert, tenacious advocate, and bipartisan problem solver. During her time on my team, she demonstrated a knack for understanding new and complex issues with ease, developing creative policy solutions, and persuasively communicating her approach. I have no doubt that these qualities, combined with her deep knowledge of how Congress operates, will serve her well in this new role.”
Halie Craig shared her thoughts on joining the firm: "I am thrilled to be joining Origin Advocacy at a pivotal growth point for the company and during a time of intense policy and political change in Washington. The United States remains the top producer of innovation in the world, and it is more important now than ever that companies are strategically engaged with federal policymakers as early as possible in order to preserve their competitive edge. I am excited to leverage my policy expertise and Hill experience to help companies, industries, and others thrive regardless of the political environment.”
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About Origin Advocacy:
Origin Advocacy is a Washington, D.C. based consulting and government affairs firm that works with Fortune 500 companies, influential trade associations, technology startups, and prominent leaders. The firm's team has decades of experience in the federal government and a proven track record of effecting change through strategic campaigns that have shaped national policy. Founded by Sean McLean, an alum of former U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) (current U.S. Senator), served as Legislative Director for Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), and worked in the Department of Commerce and in the White House for President Donald J. Trump, Origin Advocacy specializes in providing clients with strategic counsel, effective risk management, and advocacy before the U.S. federal government.