Jamie Panarites and Mike Barbera of ACG Advocacy as Instructors for Hydrogen Aviation Policy & Power Cohort

HYSKY Society is proud to announce that Jamie Panarites, Director of Policy at ACG Advocacy, and Mike Barbera, Senior Partner at ACG Advocacy, will serve as instructors in the upcoming H2 Aviation Policy & Power cohort launching April 14, 2026.

HYSKY Society Teams Up with ACG Advocacy

Panarites and Barbera bring deep, real-world experience in federal policy, appropriations, and legislative strategy. Their instruction will focus on preparing participants for direct engagement with policymakers, including pitch development, Q&A strategy, and next steps following Congressional outreach.

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Jamie Panarites

Jamie Panarites is Director of Policy at ACG Advocacy, where she represents a diverse portfolio of clients across education, defense, appropriations, healthcare, agriculture, and technology. She co-leads the firm’s research team, oversees junior staff, and supports business development efforts. Panarites also serves as an Associate for the Committee for Education Funding (CEF), the nation’s oldest and largest coalition of education associations.

Her background spans the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. Prior to ACG Advocacy, she was a Senior Research Analyst at Spencer Stuart, where she conducted market analysis and supported executive recruitment in healthcare. She has also held roles with Montgomery County Government’s County Council, Fair Fight Action, and the ACLU of Georgia. Panarites holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, a minor in Spanish, and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Georgia.

Mike Barbera

Mike Barbera is a Senior Partner at ACG Advocacy and has been with the firm since 2005. He oversees the firm’s defense and homeland security practice groups and represents leading defense contractors, national trade associations, universities, and companies across energy, transportation, and resources sectors.

Barbera has secured numerous legislative wins for clients through both the authorization process—including the National Defense Authorization Act—and the annual appropriations process. Prior to joining ACG Advocacy, he served as Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Relations at MGB Ltd., where he directed Capitol Hill strategy and political activities.

Earlier in his career, Barbera served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Curt Weldon, where he oversaw legislative, political, and communications operations, including work on the House Armed Services Committee. He also served as Press Secretary and as a national political reporter. In addition to his policy work, Barbera has extensive experience in public relations, including award-winning communications campaigns.

He is also active in community leadership, serving as founder and chair of DC Grays Baseball, a nonprofit youth program supporting over 300 participants in Washington, D.C. Barbera holds a B.A. in history from Williams College.

“Policy is where decisions are made and Jamie and Mike operate at the center of that process,” said Danielle McLean, Founder & CEO of HYSKY Society. “Their experience in aviation strategy gives our cohort direct access to how Washington actually works.”

The H2 Aviation Policy & Power cohort is the first comprehensive course dedicated to federal policy strategy for hydrogen aviation. Participants gain hands-on experience in advocacy, culminating in a capstone Virtual Fly-In with real meetings with Congressional offices.

The program runs April 14–30, 2026, over six sessions.

For more information or to register, visit: https://connect.hysky.org/spaces/23127289/page

About HYSKY Society

HYSKY Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to decarbonizing aviation and aerospace through hydrogen. Through connection, advocacy, awareness, and education, HYSKY is building the ecosystem required for hydrogen-powered flight.