State Affairs Convenes Inaugural Customer Advisory Board of Government Affairs Leaders From Walmart, Carvana, and Other Major Enterprises

Eleven senior government affairs and policy leaders met in Washington, D.C. on September 16 to inform the roadmap for State Affairs' AI platform for policy and regulatory intelligence. The board formalizes the customer feedback loop that has shaped the platform from day one.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- State Affairs, the technology company combining daily exclusive reporting, original data gathering and AI, hosted its inaugural Customer Advisory Board (CAB) on September 16 in Washington, D.C. The board brings together 11 government affairs and public policy leaders from Carvana, Churchill Downs, Fiserv, Home Builders Institute, Mastercard, Siemens, UKG, Walmart, and others.

State Affairs' CAB convenes the people on the front line of the problem State Affairs was built to solve. In 2025, state legislatures introduced more than 135,000 bills, up 76% from 2024, and held over 33,000 hearings, an 81% increase. The CAB members are responsible for understanding and acting on that volume for some of the largest enterprises in the country.

For members, CAB is a direct line to the leadership, newsroom, and product teams building the platform. Each member gets early visibility into what State Affairs builds next, a formal role in shaping it, and a peer group of leaders across government affairs, policy, and public affairs. The board keeps the customers who use the platform every day at the center of the State Affairs roadmap.

"Policy and regulatory markets shape business more than financial markets do, and the people on this board manage that exposure for some of the biggest brands in the world," said Evan Burns, co-founder and CEO of State Affairs. "They have shaped this platform since the beginning. The advisory board gives them a formal seat. What we heard on September 16 is already influencing what we'll build in 2027."

"We designed the day so our members did most of the talking," said David Adelman, GM of Enterprise Growth at State Affairs. "The group told us where State Affairs shines and what they need next to excel in their roles. That input goes straight into our roadmap, and we look forward to engaging with them in the months and years to come."

"Government affairs is about staying ahead of what's coming. State Affairs lets us not only see legislation that could impact Carvana as it moves, but also spot trends and anticipate what's coming year to year," said Sarah Shambrook, Manager of Government Affairs at Carvana. "The advisory board gives us a chance to bring that perspective directly to the team and help shape where the platform goes next."

2026 Customer Advisory Board Members (partial list)

• Sarah Shambrook, Manager, Government Affairs, Carvana
• Shannon McCracken, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Churchill Downs Incorporated
• John Morken, Manager, Government Relations, Fiserv
• Emily Price, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Development, Home Builders Institute
• Megan Boland, Director, U.S. Government Affairs and Policy, Mastercard
• Patrick McGarry Jr., Manager, State and Local Government Affairs, Siemens
• Sean O'Donnell, Public Sector Business Consultant, UKG
• Matt Fitz-Gerald, Director, Public Affairs, Walmart

About State Affairs

State Affairs is the AI-powered intelligence platform built for the institutions navigating the modern policy economy. Operating at the intersection of technology, nonpartisan journalism, and government, State Affairs deploys one of the nation's largest networks of embedded statehouse reporters to build a proprietary, human-driven data moat. This exclusive daily reporting feeds an advanced AI knowledge graph that tracks every bill, regulation, and hearing across all 50 states and the federal government. With $70 million in funding, State Affairs provides the personalized, real-time intelligence that elected officials and major global enterprises rely on to seamlessly track relevant legislation, collaborate, and act on policy.

SOURCE State Affairs