Our Team
Peter Baroni is a practicing lawyer and principal at the government relations firm Leinenweber Baroni Consulting, representing a diverse range of clients across multiple industries. He is an adjunct law school professor, legal author, former DuPage County assistant state’s attorney, and former legal counsel to the Illinois Senate President and Judiciary Committee.
Patrick Barry is a principal at Fulcrum Government Strategies, bringing over 25 years of experience in Illinois public policy and politics, including as a Deputy Director of Committee Staff and Caucus Manager/Floor Director. As a Deputy Political Director, he managed multimillion dollar digital, mail, broadcast, cable, and grassroots advertising campaigns.
Jake Butcher is a principal at Fulcrum Government Strategies and an attorney in private practice. He previously served as chief of staff to the Illinois Senate President and Democratic Caucus. His clients include those in the agriculture, energy, emerging technologies, gaming, health care, and higher education sectors. He also helps to manage multi-state legislative campaigns.
Brianna Lantz leads Calculated Consulting, a public affairs firm at which she utilizes nearly two decades of public and private sector experience to help clients navigate the legislature and administration. She previously held government affairs and communications roles with the Illinois House Speaker’s Office, Department of Insurance, Centene and the Illinois Energy Association.
Brandon Phelps served in the Illinois House of Representatives for eight terms, chairing key committees, including Agriculture & Conservation, Financial Institutions, and Public Utilities. He was the chief sponsor of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing road and transit funding, and a telecommunications modernization law. He is a principal at Fulcrum Government Strategies.
Michael S. Thomson was a member of the Illinois House Speaker’s Staff for 13 years, the last six as a senior adviser to the Speaker and director of more than 50 legislative staff. From 2009-2011 he was the principal of Thomson Consulting, now ThomsonWeir, which provides government relations, public relations management, and media consulting services to private and public sector clients.
Michael Weir directed communications and media relations for the Illinois House Speaker’s Staff for eight years and helped to manage multimillion dollar political advertising budgets. He worked in state government for eleven years prior to joining Thomson Consulting as a partner in 2011, when the firm was renamed ThomsonWeir.