Ilyse W. Schuman

Position: Managing director of the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance and vice president of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

Career highlights: Minority staff director and chief counsel, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; chief labor counsel, Senate subcommittee on employment, safety and training; senior counsel, Navistar International; associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom.

Age: 44

Education: B.A. and M.A., political science, Tufts University; J.D., Georgetown University Law Center.

Personal: Resides in the District. Born and raised in Tulsa.

How did you get where you are?

While at Navistar in Chicago, I started thinking about my experiences at law school, and my love for policy and politics. I had been on the corporate law track for roughly 11 years and I valued my current position as senior counsel. But I had to ask myself: What do I want to do with the rest of my life?

After much thought, I called a friend of mine who recommended I talk to a friend of hers, who put me in touch with Sen. Mike Enzi's office.

I considered the move from Illinois to the District part of the package. Over the course of my career, I've changed locations four times. I don't think a move should stop you if all the other things are right about the position. Most people don't work for the same company for the rest of their lives. They branch out, develop their skills, and gather valuable learning experience from other positions. And honestly, you can't have a profound impact on policy without being in Washington. It's the political hub.

Before I left Chicago, a dear friend and mentor gave me some advice. Actually, I was packing my things and he showed me a quote. It said, "Don't try to be important, do important things and let the chips fall where they may."

It's been seven years now that I've been in the District working for Enzi [R-Wyo.] -- first as chief labor counsel of the Senate subcommittee on employment, safety and training. I took the position because I thought it would be an opportunity to make a difference -- and it was. I was promoted to staff director. We were able to craft and guide legislation such as the College Cost Reduction and Access Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which recently passed. That was the first bill I worked on.

During my time on the Hill, I learned how important it was to work well with the many talented and motivated people that came to Washington for the same reason I did. You can't get anything done alone, so it's vital that you strengthen those relationships and be persistent.

My background in health-care policy has been instrumental to my new position as managing director of the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance, a trade association for medical imaging equipment. Health-care reform is by far the biggest issue we're facing.

I carry both a sense of history and possibility with me, along with a greater appreciation for policy, procedure and the dynamics of trying to get things done.

-- Charity Brown

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