FIPRA USA’s Keenan Austin Reed testifies before Congress

FIPRA USA / Alpine Group Vice President Keenan Austin Reed served as a witness before the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress this week. Ms. Austin Reed’s testimony before the full committee focused on the subject of recruiting, maintaining, and empowering a diverse congressional staff.

As co-founder of the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance (BWCA), a membership organization of more than 300 bipartisan and bicameral Black women Hill staffers, Ms. Austin Reed is uniquely positioned to speak as an authority on efforts to elevate hiring diversity in the United States House and Senate.

In her capacity as a Vice President of the Alpine Group, she has continued her work with BWCA to elevate the profiles of black women in the broader Capitol Hill community through professional development briefings, events, and webinars.

Prior to joining the Alpine Group, Ms. Austin Reed most recently served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Donald McEachin (D-VA) and led his work as the Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus.

She was joined as a witness in the hearing by Kemba Hendrix, Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion; Gregg Orton, National Director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans; and Maria Meier, former Director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Senate Democratic Diversity Initiative.

Watch the virtual hearing here.