Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, Assistant Director of Government Relations, joined MML&K with a background as chief legislative aide for the Senate Majority Floor Leader and later as a lobbyist and public relations director of the state Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB), Kentucky's state teacher preparation and certification agency. In her 14 years of experience, Mary Ellen has built strong relationships with legislators and executive branch officials and lobbies in Frankfort on behalf of numerous clients - concentrating on education (P-12 and postsecondary), health care, regulatory affairs and budgeting. Mary Ellen is one of only a handful of legislative agents in the Commonwealth with expertise in the education policy arena.
Mary Ellen brings another unique focus to MML&K through her work with the merged Louisville Metro Government and its 26 member Metro Council where she lobbies on budget, land use and general public policy issues on behalf of numerous clients. Mary Ellen is a graduate of the University of Louisville and resides in Louisville where she began her political involvement in local party activities. She remains active with the University and many local political and community groups, including the Louisville Orchestra Board of Directors and serving as a Past President of the Junior League of Louisville. Mary Ellen was honored in 2010 as one of Louisville's "Forty Under 40" top young professionals. She served on Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's Transition Team and was recently nominated as one of Louisville's Most Admired Women in Politics.
Community Involvement
- Junior League of Louisville, Past President
- 2011 Bingham Fellow
- Chi Omega (Beta Gamma Chapter, University of Louisville) House Corporation Board, President
- Louisville Orchestra Board of Directors
- Emerge Kentucky Board of Directors
- Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Board Member
- Leadership Louisville Center, Board Member 2009-2010
- Leadership Louisville Graduate
- Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) Volunteer Advocate
- Kentucky Women in Government Affairs, Member
- World Equestrian Games, Protocol Volunteer Team Leader
- Churchill Downs Derby Host, 2004-present
- "Celebrity" participant in the Louisville Orchestra's 2009 "Dancing with the Stars" fundraiser
- Louisville Chi Omega Alumnae Association
- The Louisville Chorus, 1996 - 2003
- Frequent speaker at Advocacy Training Events for Non-Profit Organizations and Associations, including Leadership Louisville, Family Scholar House, Leadership Eastern Kentucky, Regional Neighborhood Network Conference, Kentucky Youth Assembly Lobbyist Program, University of Louisville Frankfort Intern Program, Kentucky Children's Advocacy Day at the Capital
