ABOUT
Warner Seale Public Affairs
Warner Seale Public Affairs is a consulting group specializing in legislative strategy and advocacy. Our main offices are in Austin, Texas, and we have satellite offices in Houston, Dallas, and Washington, D.C.
With a proven record of success in subject matters ranging from utilities, environmental regulation, public safety, economic development, public and higher education, and health and human services, we have the experience and the relationships to be influential advocates for our clients.
While other firms may boast about their high profile efforts to influence legislation, we prefer to stay quietly and efficiently behind the scenes. We spend time getting to know the decision makers, and those relationships give us an insight into legislative strategy that is unique. And our expertise in parliamentary procedure gives us an advantage when navigating the sometimes mysterious legislative process.
Our bipartisan background allows us to reach across the aisle to build coalitions on issues not normally assembled in our sometimes contentious political world. And our experience in political campaigns and grassroots messaging assists our clients in tailoring the right message to deliver not only to legislators, but also to their constituents and supporters back home.
Our principals have been involved in the legislative process as senior level staff to influential members, and have crafted important and complex legislative solutions to some of the state’s most challenging problems. In the private sector, we have successfully guided clients through the bureaucracies of state and Federal government to solve problems and speed progress on projects, procurements, and regulatory actions.
Our Team
Mike Warner, Principal
Mike Warner has a 20-year history working with policymakers, industry experts, professional associations and local, state and federal leaders in the pursuit of positive legislative change for his clients. His years of experience in government at all levels plus his experience working as a staff of member in both political parties make him uniquely qualified to assist clients in a wide variety of needs.
Michael combines his extensive knowledge of the political process with his deep-rooted, widespread relationships to assist a diversity of clients to achieve their goals — such as advocating protection policies for natural resources, the establishment of a database to combat insurance fraud and easing restrictions for building workforce housing.
Prior to to his lobby career, Mike was Chief of Staff for State Representative Joe Pickett, currently the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation. Also, he worked for former State Representative Sylvester Turner (now Houston’s mayor) and former Texas Governor George W. Bush. He has been involved in numerous state and federal political campaigns.
Aside from his legislative accomplishments, he has travelled extensively, speaking on U.S. politics in the European Union and the People’s Republic of China. He has also worked as a columnist for the EU Reporter, a European newspaper located in Brussels, Belgium, writing about US politics.
A big believer in giving back, he has served on the Boards of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Texas and Recording for the Blind and Dyslexia. Michael is the past chair of the Water and Wastewater Commission for the City of Austin and formerly a commissioner on the Electric Utility Commission for the City of Austin.
Michael holds B.A. in Government from the University of Texas and and a law degree from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Mike is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Texas Southern University
Mark Seale, Advisor
Mark Seale has been involved in politics and government since 1989. He has proven expertise in campaigns, the Texas Legislature, and in government relations in various states and at the Federal level.
A seventh generation Texan originally from Plano, Mark has served in many roles in the public and private sector, including senior staff positions in both the Texas House and Texas Senate, leadership on statewide campaigns, corporate and contract lobbying, and senior positions in state agencies.
Mark started a contract lobbying group in 2001. His specialties are research and procedural matters, and he has contacts across state government at the staff, appointed, and elected class level. He routinely conducts procedure classes for members and staff, and frequently travels to members districts to teach their local stakeholders how to effectively lobby the legislature.
He has expertise in a variety of subject matters including utility regulation, public safety, insurance, education, and human services. He also has expertise in procurement and appropriations matters, and in legislative redistricting. Mark serves in a consulting role with Warner Seale.
Mark is a proud member of the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band, and an avid hunter and fisherman. He and his family attend Hill Country Bible Church in Austin.