ANTHONY J. ZAGOTTA
CEO and Principal
Forza is a full-service advocacy and public affairs firm with a team that has a track record of winning public policy campaigns.
Anthony “Tony” Zagotta is a seasoned issue advocacy professional with over three decades of experience in campaign politics, grassroots, grasstops, and advocacy campaigns representing fortune 500 companies and multiple national trade and industry associations.
Tony serves as the CEO of Forza Strategic Partners, bringing together his decades of experience and his working relationships with a first-class bipartisan political professional network with a presence across all 50 states.
Most recently, Tony was at Integrated Legislative Strategies since 2003, where he created their best in class 50-state field network and served as President. While there, he developed and executed issue advocacy campaigns for Fortune 500 and mid-size companies and major national industry associations.
His previous experience includes working for the national public affairs firm DCI Group, where he managed multi-state regional field campaigns for AT&T. He also managed a Congressional campaign in North Carolina in 1994. Tony has also served as the Chairman of an International Youth organization, for which Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher served as Honorary Chairwoman. He also served as Honorary Youth Chairman for the President of the United States re-election campaign and served as the National Chairman for a 250,000 member youth political organization.
Tony attended Illinois State University and started in politics early, where he was active in statewide and local campaigns and graduated after he took a year off from college to manage the Iowa Caucuses in one of the state’s largest counties for a major Presidential contender.
I am passionate about all things Italian. Its culture, food, language, people, and, of course, Italy itself.
I once sat next to Margaret Thatcher for a three-hour dinner. She was exactly the same in person as in public.
MARY ANN CARTER
Associate
Mary Ann Carter has more than 20 years of experience managing people, communications, policy and public affairs. She is a skilled leader proficient in analytical and opinion writing, driving messaging while maintaining order and high morale.
Through her company, MAC Research, Carter has provided consulting services to more than 100 candidates for political office, as well as developed and implemented communication plans for numerous successful corporate and statewide issue campaigns. She personally has participated as staff in numerous campaigns, as well as having twice worked in the U.S. Senate. As Chief Policy Advisor to Florida Governor Rick Scott, she managed a 150+ staff overseeing the Office of Policy and Budget for the nation’s third largest state.
At the federal level, Carter was confirmed as the 12th chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts on August 1, 2019, receiving unanimous consent from the United States Senate.
SERVICES
Delivering Successful Campaigns through Influential Voices
Grasstops/Issue Advocacy
Forza has a 50-state network of state-based, best in class political professionals who have deep relationships with influential opinion leaders, the media, political activists, third parties, elected officials, and the business community. Our team identifies, recruits, and activates these bipartisan influential leaders to help you achieve your objectives.
Coalition Management
Effective coalition management is critical to ensuring success and lasting engagement. It’s critical that your coalition members and their unique missions, functions, personalities, and values is imperative. Whether it’s a long- or short-term coalition effort, effective and efficient management will not only help with success, but also keep the members committed to and engaged on your issue(s). Forza has a team who have managed a variety of coalition partners, from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses.
Third Party Engagement
Forza identifies, educates and activates like-minded groups to provide organic support and backing for your efforts. Third parties can represent demographics, constituencies, causes, topics, movements or be based on issue areas. Engaging third party validators is imperative whether you’re building a groundswell or microtargeting. Whether operating as independent voices or united together as a coalition, third parties and alliances are a core component of a winning campaign.
Grassroots Activation
Grassroots campaigns are a vital component of every movement and a core element of meaningful progress. They are most impactful when they use collective action to effect change. Grassroots campaigns can be generated by education, targeted outreach, and by working with members of like-minded organizations. These campaigns can be very effective at spreading a message.