Sean M. Cutter is the Executive Director of MML&K Government Solutions. A Frankfort native and graduate of Centre College in Danville, Sean has been with MML&K Government Solutions since 1997, and has experience lobbying Kentucky officials on myriad issues ranging from agriculture to telecommunications. He is a former policy analyst and contributing writer and Coordinator of Midwestern Government Affairs for the Council of State Governments. Sean oversees the day to day operations of MML&K while representing clients in the areas of health care, insurance, banking, economic development, manufacturing, telecommunications and information technology, and he maintains an excellent working relationship with both the legislative and executive branches of government.
Sean coordinates many of MML&K’s client contracting and procurement matters at the local, state and federal level and directs lobbying activities. He manages MML&K’s internal resources and strategic partnerships to most effectively leverage their assistance with state and federal officials on budgetary and general legislative matters. Sean is a contributing writer to Kentucky business publications and a graduate of Leadership Kentucky. He serves on the boards of the National Association of State Lobbyists, Kentucky Association of Hospice and Palliative Care, and Corporate Council for Shriners.
Chris Nolan is a veteran lobbyist and communication specialist who joined MML&K in 1999. Chris provides lobbying, media advice and strategic planning for a wide range of clients. He specializes in state and local taxation, alcohol regulation, insurance, telecommunications, and state budget appropriations. Chris is a journalism and political science graduate from the University of Kentucky and began his career as a reporter at The Lexington Herald-Leader. After spending several years covering government and politics at a newspaper in West Virginia, he returned to Kentucky to cover Frankfort government and politics for Kentucky Roll Call and The Kentucky Gazette. As a reporter and later as editor, Chris covered the Kentucky federal delegation and General Assembly for nearly five years, following the state bureaucratic process and the elections. He was a regular on Kentucky Educational Television’s election and political coverage, serving as a commentator on Comment on Kentucky, Kentucky Tonight and the special election night coverage. Chris has also served as a panelist on a number of seminars, speaking on subjects ranging from grassroots and key contact programs to politics and elections. He is a distinguished Bingham Fellow, graduate of Leadership Kentucky, and a Certified Bourbon Steward.
Brandy Cantor, a Frankfort native, has nearly two decades of experience in government relations. In 2004, Cantor joined the team at MML&K Government Solutions. While she has expertise in a broad array of policy areas including insurance, technology, budget policy, public protection and more, her focus is on healthcare and children’s issues.
Prior to joining MML&K Government Solutions, Brandy worked for the Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services. During her tenure, she served as the Executive Assistant to Secretary of the Cabinet and also as a Resource Management Analyst for the Division of Policy and Financial Management. In those roles, she was involved in a wide range of issues touching almost every department within the Cabinet including Medicaid, pharmacy, contracting and budget.
In addition to lobbying, Cantor serves as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of Hospice and Palliative Care. Brandy graduated cum laude from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing. Today, she calls Frankfort her home with her husband and two sons.
Jason Bentley has worked as an attorney and registered lobbyist for MML&K Government Solutions since 2005, where he maintains an energy and regulatory practice. He previously served as majority counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy & Commerce, where he worked for three successive Chairmen. While on the Committee, Jason was responsible for developing significant provisions in the Barton-Domenici Energy Policy Act of 2005. Jason returned to his native Kentucky, first as General Counsel and Policy Advisor to the Kentucky Public Service Commission, and then as Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy. He has served as the Governor’s alternate on the Southern States Energy Board and chaired the annual SSEB meeting at the 2005 conference of the Southern Governors’ Association. Jason earned a bachelor’s degree from Centre College in 1994 and dual degrees in law and environmental law from Vermont Law School in 1999. In 1998, Jason was a visiting scholar with the Development Law Service of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy, and previously served as Kentucky’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to the U.S. Trade Representative.
James Higdon started at MML&K in 2005 and lobbies for clients in the policy areas of revenue and taxation, pharmaceuticals, travel & tourism, information technology, local government, and telecommunications. In addition to managing the government affairs agendas for such a large and diverse client roster, he assists many clients with business to business (B2B) and business to government (B2G) opportunities. He is a member of the firm’s communications team, which generates the original written content and analyses that keeps MML&K clients ahead of the news cycle and always in the know. James also coordinates the ample legislative and administrative regulation tracking carried out by the firm.
James, an Owensboro native, graduated with distinction from the University of Louisville’s Professional MBA program and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Louisville with a B.A. in Political Science. Preceding his tenure with MML&K, he spent two legislative sessions as an intern at the Frankfort Capitol – one in the state House of Representatives and the other in the Senate President Pro-Tem’s Office.
In 2021, James was elected as a statewide member-at-large to the Republican Party of Kentucky, where he will serve for four-years. Concurrently, he serves on the Executive Committee of the Jefferson County (Louisville) Republican Party, following a three-year term as JCRP Budget Chairman. James was selected as an Alternate Delegate to the 2020 Republican National Convention.
His volunteer work includes service on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Science Center in Louisville, KY. During that three-year term, he is serving as the Vice-Chair of the Development and Government Relations Committee. James lobbies pro bono for Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) and performed at the most recent ‘Suits that Rock’ concert benefiting the Legal Aid groups of Central Kentucky.
James lives in Louisville with his wife and two children.
Sara Osborne has been with MML&K Government Solutions since 2013. As the former Executive Director for the Office of Intergovernmental Services in the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Sara brings a strong insight into the state’s legislative process to the government relations team. Through her prior work experience, Sara has been directly involved with our state government’s various cabinets, agencies and Governor’s office. Prior to her position as Executive Director for the Office of Intergovernmental Services, Sara was the Director of Business Services and Legislative Liaison for the Office of Secretary of State. She also spent a year and half with the Department for Local Government. Sara has had the rare opportunity to work under two different gubernatorial administrations in separate states; she has played important roles for both former Governor Steve Beshear’s Office and the former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen’s administration. She graduated from Centre College with a B.A. in Government and a minor in Religion. Sara was selected and served as a delegate for Kentucky to the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Charles Lambert has more than 30 years of experience in state government and joined MML&K in 2003. “Chuck” is a graduate of Kentucky State University and a past Vice President for University Relations for Kentucky State University, serving in that capacity for almost a decade. He has coordinated government relations functions at all levels of government for KSU, and played a significant role in performing state legislative relations for the University of Louisville. More recently, Chuck served as the Legislative Liaison and Ombudsman for the Cabinet for Families and Children and the Cabinet for Health Services. He has served in many administrative roles in both the executive and legislative branches of government, including several years at the helm of the state Finance Cabinet. Chuck also served as the Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet for Human Resources, Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the Kentucky Public Service Commission, Executive Assistant to the Secretary of the Governor’s Cabinet, Senior Policy Analyst for the State Budget Office, and a Legislative Budget Analyst for the Legislative Research Commission.
Lora Sewell is MML&K’s Firm Administrator and is responsible for supporting the Government Relations team through the performance of administrative functions. Lora has been with the firm since 2001, and her primary responsibility is preparing and coordinating all of MML&K’s voluminous forms and filings with the executive and legislative branch ethics commissions, as well as federal ethics reporting. Lora also oversees client billing and information technology.
Edwin Shouse joined in 2017 and is MML&K’s Client Relations Manager. Edwin maximizes operational efficiency, serves as a liaison with the Legislative Research Commission, performs research for the firm, and provides an administrative backbone for client relations.
Edwin comes to the firm with nearly 15 years of experience in administrative support services, including 13 years with the Stewart Home School and two years at the Legislative Research Commission (LRC), where he worked with Sen. Ernie Harris, Sen. Mike Wilson, and Sen. Chris McDaniel. While at LRC, he was an active member of numerous staff-led committees involved in charitable fundraising, employee wellness, and legislative assistant practices/etiquette. Edwin served as a member of the Executive Leadership Team for the Central Kentucky Heart Walk and is a long-serving coach with Kentucky Special Olympics.
Catherine Mefford joined MML&K in 2023 as a Client Relations Associate. Catherine assists in maintaining operational efficiency, facilitates communication with the Legislative Research Commission (LRC), conducts research to improve client/firm relations and provides administrative assistance where needed to ensure client satisfaction.
Catherine, a Frankfort native, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Louisville. Before joining the firm, Catherine spent two legislative sessions with the Kentucky Senate Majority as an intern. She was then promoted to a full-time position as leadership staff for Senate President Robert Stivers and Senate President Pro-Tempore David Givens where she served for 2 years.
W. TERRY MCBRAYER
Founder
September 1, 1937 – October 11, 2020
W. Terry McBrayer was the senior partner for the McBrayer law firm and founder of MML&K Government Solutions. He was a native of Greenup, Kentucky, and a graduate of Morehead State University and the University of Louisville School of Law. He has held numerous leadership positions in state government: Terry was an elected member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, serving in the leadership roles of House Speaker Pro Tempore and Majority Floor Leader during his tenure; and he also served as chief executive officer for a former governor. He has served as Chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party, and remained heavily involved in the Party, having been elected to four consecutive four-year terms as the Democratic National Committeeman from Kentucky and a superdelegate at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Terry is past chairman of the State Capital Global Law Firm Group and was named the Outstanding Alumni of the University of Louisville School of Law.
Terry has served in numerous public service roles, including as a member of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, the Chandler Medical Center Board, eight years on the Kentucky Council on Higher Education, seven years as Chairman of Kentucky Education Television, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Commerce, Chairman of the Kentucky Board of Tax Appeals, and Chairman of the Greater Lexington Chamber of Commerce.