John Barsa is the founder and principal of Barsa Strategies, a firm providing a full spectrum of consulting and lobbying services within the homeland and national security environments.  Mr. Barsa has extensive political and legislative experience spanning the past fifteen years where he both served in, and worked along with, the U.S. Congress and Executive Branch on national and homeland security issues.

Mr. Barsa served within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as its original Director of the Office of Public Liaison, managing DHS interaction with the public as well as private and public organizations.  As Director, Mr. Barsa worked with both Secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff as DHS developed and grew during its formative years.  He was a senior-level participant in several national exercises such as Top Off and Pinnacle and he led a team in JFO New Orleans in the immediate aftermath of hurricane Katrina.  Mr. Barsa created the DHS Speakers Bureau, which matches senior DHS officials with strategic conferences and meetings, in order to promote the Department’s overall goals.  He has a national array of contacts in the homeland security environment and an intimate knowledge of the current DHS decision-making processes and organization.  Further, Mr. Barsa is sought by current and former government officials for his advice on the complex interactions between the public/private sector, state and local governments, the U.S. Congress and the Executive branch.  He is proud to serve as a Senior Fellow at the George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute.

Prior to working at DHS, Mr. Barsa served at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for Administrator Sean O’Keefe, re-establishing a permanent, formal industry-liaison function.  When Mr. Barsa was recruited to NASA’s Legislative Affairs team, he was able to leverage his strong bi-partisan relationships in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate not only to help ensure the passage of crucial appropriations and authorizing legislation, but also to improve Congressional communications and institutional relationships in general.

Mr. Barsa arrived at NASA from the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) where he served as a senior lobbyist and Manager for International Relations.  AIA represents the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military, and business aerospace products.  As a lobbyist for AIA, Mr. Barsa’s skill in working with various member-companies to coordinate coherent and unified legislative strategies was crucial to AIA’s many successes within the U.S. Congress.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Barsa worked for an influential Member of Congress who served as Assistant Majority Whip, as well as on the powerful House Rules Committee and Homeland Security Committee.  Mr. Barsa’s strength in coalition-building and coordinating both legislative and political strategies were integral to many of the Congressman’s international and national security-related victories, including the successful campaign to re-locate the U.S. Southern Command to Miami, Florida.  Mr. Barsa’s ability to work across the aisle has earned him the respect and long-lasting friendship of many Congressional Republicans and Democrats alike.

Mr. Barsa served his country for a decade as a Member of the U.S. Army Reserves.  He spent seven of those years with the 11^th Special Forces Group where he was a communications specialist.  After his time with the Special Forces, Mr. Barsa served as a member of the 450^th Civil Affairs Battalion, a Special Forces unit attached to the 82^nd Airborne Division.  The ability to develop and execute successful relationship-building strategies has led to his achievements both within these elite units as well as the civilian world.