R I S I N G S TA R S
SADIE HAIRE
“Hearing from my clients has been the most beneficial thing. It’s a matter of finding out what they need and how I can help as long as I show up and deliver for them.” — SADIE HAIRE
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adie Haire is an expert at the art of listening. As a government relations consultant specializing in rural communities, including tribal issues, she aims to learn the needs of people and then determine what solutions might be available to meet those needs. Haire joined Becker and Poliakoff, a Washington, D.C.-based legislative lobbying firm with offices in Florida, in June 2022. Becker runs deep on policy and environmental issues, and uses that expertise to benefit companies and organizations by targeting the Florida Legislature. In a relatively short time since she joined, Haire has managed to secure millions of dollars in earmark requests for substantial needs. These include a requested $3.7 million for nearly 22 miles of critical road reconstruction in Okeechobee County; and another $3.4 million in airport runway rehabilitation. Haire gained letters of support for initiatives such as these from then-Sen. Marco Rubio, and in line with the Florida Rural Economic Development Association priorities for improving rural life through increasing capacity. Other requests would underwrite a 300,000-gallon water tower for fire miti100
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INFLUENCE Spring 2025
gation and increased supply; use acoustics and other technology to help law enforcement locate the source of gunshots; and immersive virtual reality hardware and software for law enforcement. “Hearing from my clients has been the most beneficial thing,” Haire said. It’s a matter of finding out “what they need and how I can help as long as I show up and deliver for them.” Work with Native American communities has been rewarding. Haire grew up in Madison County, and her own native ancestry is a mixture of Cherokee and other tribes going back many generations. She graduated from Florida State University with a degree in political science and government. As a regional director for the Republican Party of Florida, she oversaw six counties in northeast Florida and led grassroots campaigning for Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2018, former state Attorney General Ashley Moody, U.S. Rep. John Rutherford; and former U.S. Rep. and current National Security Advisor Michael Waltz. She subsequently worked as a district aide to Rep. Jason Fischer in the Jacksonville area, and for Rep. Jason Shoaf in
the Big Bend. A key point along the way, though, was her decision to take a course in contract law at Yale Law School. Haire said she found the course fascinating, and completing it granted a paralegal’s certification to consult on some legal matters, including tribal tax credits. Asked how the current penchant for slashing federal budgets and programs could affect her clients, Haire said she understands “this would be happening to a degree. A new administration brings new priorities. My role is reassuring my clients that we are working on it and we will fully keep them updated.” If she wanted proof that happy endings are possible, she need look no further than her own story. “I never thought that coming from Madison County I would be where I am now,” she said. “It shows that no matter what your background is, you stay positive, even if you don’t feel it yourself. We don’t take failure as bad news. We are looking out for the next thing.”