Tracy Tress
Founder and Senior ADvisor
Tracy Tress is an Albany-based lobbyist with 27 years of experience representing clients on health care, human services, cultural, labor, education, criminal justice and professional issues.
After a career as a registered nurse, she attended the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, then entered the lobbying field with a top-ten New York State firm. In that role, she managed the company’s health and human services portfolio.
Tracy launched Tress Capitol Advisors LLC in 2013 with the goal of providing clients with superior strategic guidance on political, policy and fiscal issues with first-rate client communication and incisive judgment. Clients also have access to the depth and quality of legislative, executive and agency relationships that she has built over two decades.
Tracy is a graduate of St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Amsterdam, New York; Siena College; and the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.
Kristen Murphy
CEO
Kristen has 15 years of legislative experience. She began her career with Assembly Insurance Chair Kevin Cahill, where she served as Chief of Staff. She developed communications skills while working for Gramercy Communications in Troy, NY. There, she led integrated communications, grassroots and state-wide issue advocacy campaigns. Kristen joined TCA in 2016 and is a state-level expert in public health, behavioral health, rare disease drug coverage and policy, health research, legal and non-profit advocacy and the state budget. Kristen is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz.
Dan Leinung
Counsel and Senior Lobbyist
Dan Leinung brings over a decade of experience in state government to the team at Tress Capitol Advisors. He previously served as Senior Counsel with the New York State Senate Majority. In this position, Dan served as the principal budget and policy negotiator for health, mental health, substance abuse and insurance issues. Prior to the Senate, Dan worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Environmental Protection Bureau where he represented the Department of Environmental Conservation in litigation.
Dan received a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and his J.D. from Albany Law School.
Michelle Walsh
Associate Lobbyist
Michelle brings significant government relations experience as well as association management skills to the team.
As former Assistant Director of the National Federation of Independent Business, Michelle lobbied and provided strategic guidance on a broad range of small business issues to over 40,000 members statewide. Her work resulted in more accessible health care for New York’s small business employees. Prior to that, Michelle was a graduate fellow with the New York State Senate, gaining first hand knowledge of the legislative process and experience in policy research. She is currently a trustee on the Bethlehem Public Library Board where she helps manage programs and services within a $4 million budget.
Michelle received her Master’s degree in International Relations from City College of New York and her Bachelor’s degree in the same field from American University in Washington, D.C.
