Draft:Mark Isakowitz
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Mark W. Isakowitz is an American political strategist, author and corporate executive currently serving as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA).[1][2] He previously served as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the U.S. and Canada at Google and as Chief of Staff to Senator Rob Portman (R-OH).[3] His career spans over three decades at the highest levels of the U.S. Senate and the global technology sector.[4]
Early Life and Education
[edit]Isakowitz was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Holocaust survivors.[5][6] His father, an Auschwitz survivor who emigrated from Czechoslovakia, and his mother, a hidden child during the war, settled in Cleveland where Isakowitz attended the Green Road Synagogue.[5][6] He graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in History.[3]
Career
[edit]Early Political Career
[edit]Isakowitz began his career in Washington, D.C., as a press secretary for Representative Paul Gillmor (R-OH) and later served as a lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).[3][7][8] At the NFIB, he was instrumental in the passage of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.[3] He also served as a communications and advance aide for Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign and on the transition advisory team aide for the Bush-Cheney 2000 transition.[7][8]
Private Sector and Lobbying
[edit]In 1998, Isakowitz co-founded the lobbying firm Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock (later Fierce Government Relations), which became one of the most influential firms in Washington.[3][9] As president and managing partner, he represented a wide array of clients, including major technology, healthcare and energy companies.[3]
Senate Chief of Staff (Portman)
[edit]In 2014, Isakowitz left his lobbying practice to return to public service as Chief of Staff for Senator Rob Portman.[4][3] He was a key architect of Portman's 2016 re-election victory and helped him secure the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and significant bipartisan legislation, such as the the First Step Act and the STOP Act.[1][3]
Google Executive
[edit]From October 2019 to December 2024, Isakowitz served as Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Google.[3][2] In this role, he led the company's engagement with federal and state governments across North America.[3] He was a prominent voice in the tech industry regarding AI regulation, frequently participating in public forums where he advocated for "bold and responsible" AI development.[10]
Return to the Senate (McCormick)
[edit]In January 2025, Isakowitz was appointed Chief of Staff to newly elected Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania.[1][2] His appointment was widely viewed as a move to bring deep institutional knowledge and Senate expertise to McCormick's freshman term.[1] Mark Isakowitz has been cited by the Washingtonian as one of the "500 Most Influential People in Washington".[11][12]
Published works
[edit]Wisdom in the Housing of Morning: Kaddish, My Father and Me (2027)
[edit]In 2026, Isakowitz announced the publication of his debut book Wisdom in the House of Mourning: Kaddish, My Father, and Me.[6] It will be published by Wicked Son, an imprint of Post-Hill Press.[13]
The book documents a years of personal transformation following the death of his father. The narrative focuses on the author's commitment to the traditional eleven-month daily recitation of the Mourner's Kaddish, a ritual that serves as the framework for an investigation into his family's history and Jewish inheritance.[6] Throughout the memoir, Isakowitz interweaves his own story with his father's 1944 deportation from the Austro-Hungarian borderlands and subsequent resettlement in Cleveland, Ohio. By decoding previously unknown details of his father's Holocaust journey, Isakowitz explores themes of historical tragedy, intergenerational resilience, and the restorative role of religious tradition.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Scoop: McCormick picks Senate veteran Mark Isakowitz as his chief of staff". Axios. December 11, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Google's Top Lobbyist Departs Amid Continued Regulatory Scrutiny". Bloomberg Law. December 11, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Mark Isakowitz". American Jewish Committee. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ a b "McCormick continues to add to new office, including one of the busiest men in Washington". Tri-State Alert. December 11, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ a b "Implementing vision". Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "Sen. McCormick Chief of Staff Mark Isakowitz to publish book on Jewish mourning". Jewish Insider. June 2026. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ a b "Mark Isakowitz". LittleSis. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ a b "Republican Congress Lures Lobbyists Back to Capitol Hill". The McCormick Group. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ "Fierce Government Relations (formerly Fierce, Isakowitz and Blalock)". LegiStorm. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ Isakowitz, Mark. "On Google's bold and responsible approach to AI". LinkedIn. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ "Washington DC's 500 Most Influential People". Washingtonian. May 3, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ "Washington DC's 500 Most Influential People of 2023". Washingtonian. April 27, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ^ "Mark W. Isakowitz". Simon & Schuster. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
Category:Living people
Category:1966 births
Category:People from Cleveland
Category:Ohio State University alumni
Category:American lobbyists
Category:Google people