Each year, Growth Energy recognizes the leading congressional staffers who have gone above and beyond to assist and actively engage with the Growth Energy team and our members on a variety of issues that impact the biofuels industry. Growth Energy proudly announced this year’s winners of the Outstanding Congressional Staff awards at the 2026 Growth Energy Biofuels Summit (GEBS) this September.
“It is hard to overstate the value of working and partnering with competent, thoughtful, assertive, responsive congressional staff,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “They are the best of the best congressional staffers on Capitol Hill when it comes to biofuels, and today we are proud to recognize all their hard work over the past year.”
Learn more about this year’s winners below.
Winner – Lacy Pitts, Agriculture Policy Advisor to Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
Lacy Pitts is the Agriculture Policy Advisor to Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology. She is proud to work on one of the most exciting policy areas in town and deliver agriculture market value back to Kansas farmers and rural communities alongside the Senator. Lacy grew up on a farm in south central Kansas and received her degree in Agriculture Economics from Kansas State University.
Winner – Heath Brandt, Senior Legislative Assistant to Representative Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa)
Heath Brandt serves as Senior Legislative Assistant for Congressman Randy Feenstra from Iowa’s 4th District, covering the representative’s work on the House Agriculture Committee and House Ways and Means Committee. His previous experience includes Torrey Advisory Group, a multi-client lobbying firm specializing in food and agriculture. A Missouri native with deep roots in agriculture, Heath grew up managing his family’s equine boarding and training facility and working for a purebred angus seedstock operation. Heath is a graduate of the University of Missouri where he studied Agricultural Communications and Agricultural Economics.
Winner – Mikayla Bodey, Policy Director to Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
Mikayla Bodey serves as the Policy Director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry under Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Prior to serving under the senator, Mikayla led the committee’s work on energy and rural economic development issues for former Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and has also worked for the offices of Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02) and former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). Mikayla is from Champaign County, Ohio where she grew up on her family farm, and is a graduate of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University, where she holds a degree in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy.
Winner – Eric Dunay, Legislative Director for Representative Sharice Davids (D-Kan.)
Eric Dunay is a Legislative Director for Rep. Sharice Davids from Kansas’ 3rd District, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. For the past five years, he has advised Rep. Davids on a variety of policies including biofuels and energy and assisted with her introduction of the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. Eric is a graduate of Syracuse University and before joining Rep. Davids’ team, worked on various political campaigns and with two other Democratic offices.
Congratulations to all of our Outstanding Congressional Staff award winners! Thank you for all your hard work, leadership, and partnership over the years.