WHO WE ARE

Merribel S. Ayres – President

Merribel S. Ayres, President, of Lighthouse Consulting Group, LLC, has been a leader in the Washington business and political communities for more than two decades. Ms. Ayres founded Lighthouse in 1996 with the objective of providing knowledge-based government and public affairs services to clients focused on energy and environmental policy issues. The firm’s international client base has grown to also include agriculture, insurance and financial interests.

Prior to establishing Lighthouse, Ms. Ayres was CEO of the National Independent Energy Producers where she played a leading role in framing the national debate over increased competition in the electric power industry. Previously, she had been the Director of Government Affairs for Champion International, a major forest products company.

She also served as a press and public affairs officer for the National Commission on Air Quality and as a staff member to the late Congressman William R. Cotter, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and its Trade Subcommittee. Ms. Ayres began her career in journalism as a staff reporter at The Hartford Courant (CT). In addition, she served as a contributing reporter to the New York Times, Connecticut Section.

A prominent expert on energy issues, Ms. Ayres has testified before Congress and appeared before numerous industry and public policy forums. She has been quoted and profiled by national newspapers and leading industry publications, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, National Journal, The Energy Daily, Independent Energy Magazine, Public Utilities Fortnightly and Association Management Magazine.

Ms. Ayres serves on the Board of Directors of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), a Michigan-based electric and gas utility. She is also a Director of Alliance Resource Management GP, LLC, which is the managing general partner of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. ("ARLP"). ARLP is the nation's only publicly traded master limited partnership involved in the production and marketing of steam coal to major US utilities and industrial users. Additionally, Ms. Ayres is a Board Member of the United States Energy Association (USEA).

Ms. Ayres’ professional affiliations include: The Aspen Institute’s Energy Forum, the Edison Electric Institute and Eurelectric (the European Union of the Electricity Industry). She is currently a member of the National Press Club, the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, and the Dean’s Alumni Leadership Council of the Harvard Kennedy School. She was previously a member of the Advisory Council of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2001-2006).

Ms. Ayres is an honors graduate of Bryn Mawr College, holds a post-graduate degree from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and received advanced leadership training at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Tobyn J. Anderson - Senior Vice President

Tobyn J. Anderson Senior Vice President of Lighthouse Consulting Group, LLC, is a lawyer and senior political strategist with over two decades of experience on Capitol Hill, in state government and with the business community. His extensive legislative and regulatory background includes issues related to electric power, coal, natural gas, energy tax policy, and energy and environmental technologies, as well as global climate change and the Clean Air Act. 

Before joining Lighthouse, Mr. Anderson served as Director of Legislative Affairs for the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA), where he guided government relations strategies for the competitive power supply industry. Prior to that, he directed government relations and served as Deputy Director for the National Independent Energy Producers (NIEP), one of two national trade groups that merged to form EPSA in 1996.  While at NIEP, Mr. Anderson was a recognized leader in coalition efforts that led to enactment of the landmark Electricity Title of the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

Prior to joining NIEP, Mr. Anderson served as counsel and Legislative Director for United States Senator Kent Conrad (ND) while the Senator was a member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.  He was also a political volunteer and advisor in Conrad’s 1986 campaign that led to his election to the Senate, an upset race in which Conrad defeated a long-term incumbent.

Before coming to Washington, Mr. Anderson served as Assistant Attorney General for the North Dakota Tax Department, where he specialized in oil and gas tax litigation.  During that time, Mr. Anderson argued and won a $6 million assessment case before the Supreme Court of North Dakota.  He began his career as a law clerk for the Supreme Court of North Dakota.

Mr. Anderson, a recognized authority on the politics of energy and the environment, is a frequent speaker at related seminars and conferences. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the National Energy Resources Organization (NERO) in Washington. An accomplished writer, Mr. Anderson for many years authored the Lighthouse Washington Outlook, a weekly summary and analysis of energy and environmental issues, which Lighthouse produced for clients and subscribers.

Mr. Anderson holds an honors degree in Political Science and a J.D. from the University of North Dakota. 

Thomas R. Dower, Vice President

Thomas R. Dower, Vice President of Lighthouse Consulting Group, LLC, has over twelve years of experience on Capitol Hill.

Before joining Lighthouse, Mr. Dower served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), where he handled energy and environmental issues. He is co-author of the Bingaman-Specter “Low Carbon Economy Act” (S.1766), and is a frequent public speaker on Climate Change.

One of his key legislative accomplishments includes passage of the abandoned mine reclamation reauthorization bill, providing over $1.3 billion for Pennsylvania to clean up the state’s primary cause of water pollution – acid mine drainage. He has been involved in consideration of a diverse set of legislative items including the 2002 Farm Bill, the 2005 Energy Policy Act, and the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, as well as Annual Budget and Appropriations Bills.

Born and raised in Northeastern, Pennsylvania, Mr. Dower graduated valedictorian from Keystone Jr. College, La Plume, PA, with an A.A. in liberal arts and the American University, Washington, DC, with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. At Keystone College, he was President of the student body, and at American University, he was Director of the non- partisan Kennedy Political Union speakers’ bureau (runner-up for best programming series in the nation).

He enjoys singing and is the tenor section leader for the Master Chorale of Washington, which performs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Martha L. Friedrichs - Government Affairs Manager

Martha L. Friedrichs has served as Lighthouse’s Government Affairs Manager since 1999. She is responsible for assisting in all aspects of government and political affairs activities.

Prior to joining Lighthouse, Ms. Friedrichs spent 10 years in the Washington office of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as the Information and Legislative Affairs Assistant. She tracked legislation relevant to UNDP and the UN system, assisted in informal lobbying activities for US contributions, and monitored overseas activities of the US State Department, USAID and the World Bank.

Prior to joining UNDP, she served as Assistant to the Director for the US Peace Corps.

Ms. Friedrichs holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations, with a French Minor, from St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA.

lorna b. susi - executive assistant and office manager

Lorna B. Susi serves as the Executive Assistant and Office Manager for Lighthouse Consulting Group, LLC.

Before joining Lighthouse, Ms. Susi served as Protocol Officer and Social Secretary to the last five Ambassadors of Italy to the United States. As the Protocol Officer, she was responsible for maintaining a very complex social and political agenda for the Ambassador of Italy in Washington,. She assisted with the organization of a number of high level visits of Italian Presidents, Prime Ministers and politicians to the United States.

Ms. Susi holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, with a Minor in History from the University of Tampa, Florida, and has a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations from Catholic University, Washington, D.C.. Ms. Susi is fluent in Italian.