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The National Special Districts Coalition (NSDC) has announced its selection to oversee Coalition advancement, grassroots engagement, and federal advocacy actions in a full-time capacity.

Cole Arreola-Karr, NSDC’s current parttime Federal Advocacy Coordinator, will fill the newly established Federal Advocacy Director role on October 1, 2022, to administer Coalition activities and ensure NSDC’s federal priorities are executed. He has coordinated the Coalition’s federal advocacy program since its formal establishment in January 2021 and will now play an even greater role in providing services and oversight of the advocacy program on a 27-month contract doing business as Karr Advocacy Strategies.

“The Coalition is pleased to announce our next step to amplify special districts’ voice in our nation’s capital, with heightened focus and formal direction of Coalition efforts,” said NSDC Chairman Neil McCormick. “Cole will lead the Coalition on its next stage of growth and engagement using his years of experience with special districts and prior work within Congress. We look forward to continued growth of our efforts to ensure advancement of special districts’ federal standing.” 

Arreola-Karr began coordination of the Coalition’s early federal legislative activity during the COVID-19 pandemic when, as a regional public affairs coordinator for the California Special Districts Association, he successfully collaborated with national and state stakeholders to secure special districts’ access to federal coronavirus relief and recovery funds. Since, Arreola-Karr has coordinated federal lobbying activities, Coalition presentations, and led development of NSDC’s first policy platform.

“With a heart for special districts, I am excited to have greater focus on efforts to organize and advocate on behalf of an emerging organization representing the most local of local governments,” said Cole Arreola-Karr, Principal and Owner of Karr Advocacy Strategies. “With this partnership, we will continue our efforts to federally define special districts, elevate awareness of district services among federal officials, and ensure districts are united as a force in the local government policy sphere.”