APA’s Chief Advocacy Officer
Katherine B. McGuire is a seasoned strategist with over 30 years of experience in advocacy, lobbying, policy development, and strategic communications across government and private industry. As chief advocacy officer, she leads a team of policy and government relations experts at the American Psychological Association (APA) and APA Services, focusing on federal and state public policy and regulatory engagement. McGuire has been recognized as a top 100 lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics in 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025, and was honored by the Hill in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 as a top association lobbyist advancing the profession and practice of psychology. She is widely recognized for fostering bipartisan collaboration, cultivating a robust network of strategic relationships, and applying exceptional problem-solving skills.
Previously, she served as assistant secretary for congressional and intergovernmental affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor. In the U.S. Senate, McGuire held senior leadership roles, including staff director of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, staff director of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities and Investment, and a floor assistant to the Republican Whip. McGuire was also chief of staff in the House of Representatives, advising on health policy and promoting federal research funding. She also served as vice president for government affairs at the Business Software Alliance, representing major software companies, including Apple and Microsoft in the U.S. and abroad.