With over 15 years of experience in government relations – specifically within the areas of international relations and diplomacy, federal appropriations and Republican political strategy– Shellie Purvis brings a wide range of skills and far-reaching government and international contacts to Cogent clients.

Shellie spent more than five years with the Department of State’s United States Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland acting as a member of the ambassador’s executive team. During her tenure, Shellie promoted multilateral international engagement and supported US public policy negotiations on issues such as human rights, refugees and migration, intellectual property, global health and other political and economic affairs. Shellie also served as the ambassador’s liaison to American businesses with European headquarters in Geneva and was appointed control officer for congressional delegations attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. She recently became a member of Meridian International Center’s Rising Leaders Council whose mission is to foster a substantive exchange of ideas on foreign affairs, global policy and other issues relevant to Washington’s international community.

In addition to her international portfolio, Shellie is an expert in the congressional appropriations process. She keenly navigates domestic federal funding legislation for local governments, trade associations and private sector clients with policy interests in education, transportation, infrastructure, national security and international affairs. Shellie has an astute ability to dig deep into appropriations policy and pinpoint creative opportunities for clients while working hand-in-hand with close contacts on Capitol Hill and administration officials.

A seasoned political operative, Shellie worked on several high-profile Republican political campaigns including the re-election of President George W. Bush, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s bid for president and two gubernatorial campaigns for former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

When Shellie is not engrossed in US policy and politics, she is on an international flight to further enrich her love of travel writing and photography. Her sense of adventure was instilled at a young age as Shellie aspired to be an archeologist and dreamed of dangerous pursuits around the world to find ancient relics.