About Us

Managing Principal

Bernard Reynolds brings over 23 years of policy, research, legislative and regulatory experience in both the public and private sectors to his clients. Most recently, Reynolds served as President of True North Strategies focusing on government affairs, grassroots, and association management. 

Reynolds’ prior experience includes Manager of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation and Assistant Commissioner for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. He also served as a Senior Analyst at Georgia Power Company in their governmental affairs division and as Policy Analyst for Federal Legislative Affairs for the Southern Company, where he managed the Political Action Committees for all of the subsidiaries of the Southern Company.

Reynolds holds a BA from the University of Georgia and a MBA from Brenau University.

Senior Principal

 Ellen is known for becoming a policy expert on the issues she undertakes, including taxation, healthcare, telemedicine, transportation, education, attorney practice issues, child protection and domestic violence.  She has been asked to serve on various committees by Georgia’s last three governors, including her current appointment to the Governor’s Education Reform Commission.   Ellen chaired both the Department of Community Health Advisory Committee on Women’s Health and the Office of the Child Advocate Advisory Committee. She was also appointed to the Governor’s Office of the Child Advocate Nominating Committee, the Governor’s Commission on Family Violence, and the House Budget Study Committee.  Ellen was proud to be selected by the President of the State Bar of Georgia to serve on the Children and the Courts Committee.
 

Ellen’s clients have included national interests such as The Home Depot, Molina Healthcare, the American Heart Association, March of Dimes, and the American Cancer Society while local interests including the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Real Estate Closing Attorneys, and the Georgia Child Care Association.  Ellen has secured over $60 million in funding for her clients over time.  In 2013, Ellen was tasked with conducting a national review of each state’s telemedicine laws for a Georgia start up, which gave her expertise in the complex field telemedicine.  

Ellen is a proud graduate of the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!!), and she received her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1996.  Prior to entering governmental affairs, Ellen practiced law with Drew, Eckl & Farnham, LLP, a civil defense litigation firm in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Principal

Mike Beatty most recently served as Director of the Office of Partnership and Public Engagement with the United States Department of Agriculture. Prior to his tenure at USDA, he served as the President and CEO of the Great Promise Partnership, a public-private partnership working to develop the workforce of the future. 

Previously Beatty led the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as commissioner for 10 years under Governors Perdue and Deal. At the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, he created a climate of success for Georgia through programs such as Opportunity Zones, Enterprise Zones, job tax credits, and the Georgia Dream Homeownership program. Mike served the state and his district in both the state House of Representatives and the State Senate. 

Known for his leadership skills in education, business, and government, Commissioner Beatty will use his background to provide him a unique perspective of the challenges facing our state's local communitie