Hon. Mark D. Sickles

Mark D. Sickles is an experienced government relations professional having worked in the federal government arena for over 35 years.

After working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mr. Sickles directed a government relations and infrastructure-focused trade association. His primary duty was to advocate for more efficient delivery of federal water infrastructure projects. In that role, he worked closely with Members of Congress and staff of the relevant subcommittees of the House and Senate appropriations committees, along with the House Transportation and Infrastructure, and Senate Environment and Public Works committees.

Starting with his election to the Virginia House of Delegates, he worked in government affairs for a large heavy-civil marine construction company with a nationwide footprint for over 18 years. As a maritime company representative, he knows U.S. domestic maritime law, politics, and theplayers in the various disputes that arise in that community.

In the Virginia House, Mr. Sickles is Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, is chair of the Health and Human Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, and chairs the standing health authorizing committee. He has carried several complicated bills to improve delivery of healthcare services to consumers. He passed legislation that lowered Virginia’s uninsured rate, lowered premiums in the individual market, eliminated surprise billing when treated by an out-of-network provider, moved the Commonwealth from Healthcare.gov to a more flexible state healthcare exchange, opened up the pharmacy profession to allow for more direct care when safe and feasible, and passed a pharmacy transparency bill that is intended to detect anomalies in the prescription drug supply chain.

Mr. Sickles has experience in transportation policy and funding, sports betting, elections law and human rights initiatives. He is currently serving on the Metropolitan D.C. Council of Governments Task Force on the region’s transit system currently facing the pending loss of pandemic related funding.