Cicely Simpson is a Public Affairs Executive. Leveraging more than 17 years of leadership experience in public policy, communications, and legal affairs, she recently served as the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs at the National Restaurant Association leading the restaurant industry’s public affairs strategy at all levels of government: federal, state, and local.

In 2017, Cicely was named to the Nation’s Restaurant News Top 10 Power List. She has also been recognized as one of The Hill’s Top Lobbyists for the past three years in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Also, in 2016, Cicely was one of three lobbyists who received the Association Trends 2016: Leading Association Lobbyists award.

Prior to joining the Association, Ms. Simpson served as Vice President of Government Affairs at Dunkin’ Brands, Inc., the franchisor and corporate parent of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins restaurants. During her tenure at Dunkin’ Brands, she led the company’s legislative, regulatory, and political strategy with federal, state, local, and international governments. Prior to her service at Dunkin’ Brands, she served as the Legislative Director for the Honorable Jim Cooper, U.S. House of Representatives. In this capacity, she managed the daily operations of the Washington office and established the Congressman’s legislative agenda. During her tenure in Representative Cooper’s office, Ms. Simpson also served as the Blue Dog Coalition Policy Director, a group of fiscally conservative, moderate Members of Congress.

She began her career at the law firm of Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop in Nashville before moving on to begin her career on Capitol Hill as Legislative Director for the Honorable Lincoln Davis, U.S. House of Representatives. Ms. Simpson later served as a Federal Affairs Manager in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Washington office before returning to Capitol Hill to work for Representative Cooper.

Ms. Simpson received a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University’s School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Lipscomb University in Nashville.