Sally Schaeffer

About

Sally Schaeffer, Principal Consultant, Uncorked Advocates

Sally Schaeffer has over 25 years of experience as a bipartisan federal government relations representative, specializing in appropriations, nonprofit tax, and policies supporting vulnerable populations—especially children, youth, and families affected by violence and abuse. She has been recognized by The Hill as a Top Lobbyist every year since 2021 and honored by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) as one of the nation’s Top 100 Lobbyists—a peer-reviewed distinction awarded to just 100 professionals out of nearly 50,000 registered lobbyists nationwide for excellence, impact, and integrity in advocacy.

Prior to founding Uncorked Advocates after the 2016 presidential election, Sally represented more than 500 nonprofits, foundations, and charitable giving programs as Government Relations Director at Independent Sector. She has also served as the Washington advocate for Girl Scouts of the USA and Futures Without Violence and supported Prevent Child Abuse America and YWCA USA as clients. In these roles, she advanced national policies to prevent child abuse, promote gender equity, and strengthen family-serving systems.

Sally currently represents some of the largest nonprofits and nonprofit associations in the country including Association of Fundraising Professionals, The Nonprofit Alliance, United Philanthropy Forum, American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association, and Covenant House International. She serves on the steering committee of the Charitable Giving Coalition, the only coalition focused on preserving the charitable deduction that was successful in restoring and expanding above-the-line charitable deduction for non-itemizers as part of H.R. 1, OBBBA.

Sally began her career on Capitol Hill working for Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, as her Legislative Director and Chief of Staff. She holds a B.A. from Hood College and an M.P.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.