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Building Trust

Building Outcomes

ARK logo

Building Trust

Building Outcomes

Genesis

Ark is a boutique government affairs and public policy strategy firm headquartered in Washington, DC.

We were founded in 2024 to provide early and growth-stage technology companies and nonprofits with fractional US & global government affairs with the feel, expertise, and intimacy of an in-house function at a compelling price point. We specialize in helping organizations with a relationship to the government as its customer, regulator, or competitor. 

Ark possesses the in-house expertise to execute across North America, EMEA, and APAC verticals, and across foundational, critical, and emerging dual-use technology including SaaS, cybersecurity, digital identity, AI, semiconductors, robotics and autonomous systems, space, maritime, next-generation telecommunications, and advanced manufacturing.

Just as the Ark was built before the flood, our name reflects our founding conviction that the time to build a government affairs capability is before the need turns existential. 

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“There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune…
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our Ventures.”
― William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Michael Clauser headshot

mike@ark.ga

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Crew 

Mike Clauser, Founder & Managing Director

Mike Clauser is a seasoned government affairs professional with over 20 years of experience in Washington, DC, including a decade of successfully establishing and managing US and global government affairs operations for multinational technology companies. As the Founder & Managing Director of Ark, an independent government affairs and public policy strategy consultancy, Mike leverages his extensive expertise in the defense industry and government.

Prior to founding Ark, Mike served as the inaugural Head of US & Canada Federal Affairs for Okta and the inaugural Head of Global Government Affairs at Analog Devices (NASDAQ:ADI). In these roles, he navigated complex government affairs agendas across various levels of government. Mike’s early career included positions as a national security aide to a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he helped pass significant legislation such as the National Defense Authorization Act, Intelligence Authorization Act, and Smith-Mundt Modernization Act.

With a decade of service as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Navy’s Information Warfare Corps, Mike brings valuable military experience to his government affairs work. He has held leadership positions at several industry groups and has been actively involved in Presidential transition planning efforts.

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Rebecca Fleeson
Rebecca Fleeson

Director of Operations

Full Bio
Jessica Carroll
Jessica Carroll

Sr. Advisor for Intelligence and Special Operations

Full Bio
Dr. Keegan McBride
Dr. Keegan McBride

Sr. Technical Advisor on AI

Full Bio

Big doors swing on little hinges.

– W. Clement Stone

Big doors swing on little hinges.

– W. Clement Stone

Services

Expertise

  • Federal business development
  • Congressional advocacy 
  • Appropriations
  • Strategy development
  • Intelligence
  • Global market access
  • Public affairs & crisis comms
  • Champion development 
  • Stakeholder mapping
  • Policy design
  • Access to capital
  • Executive search

Enterprise Cloud Bundle

  • Cybersecurity
  • Data privacy & protection
  • Digital identity
  • Digital trade & data flow
  • AI
  • Quantum
  • Semiconductors
  • FedRAMP
  • IT modernization

Defense Bundle

  • Robotics & autonomy
  • ISR
  • Space
  • Defense
  • Maritime
  • Rapid acquisition
  • ICAM
  • Spectrum & electronic warfare

 

Services

  • Federal business development
  • Congressional advocacy
  • Appropriations
  • Strategy development
  • Intelligence
  • Global market access
  • Public affairs & crisis comms
  • Champion development
  • Stakeholder mapping
  • Policy design
  • Access to capital
  • Executive search

Expertise

Enterprise Cloud Bundle

  • Cybersecurity
  • Data privacy & protection
  • Digital identity
  • Digital trade & data flow
  • AI
  • Quantum
  • Semiconductors
  • FedRAMP
  • IT modernization

Defense Bundle

  • Robotics & autonomy
  • ISR
  • Space
  • Defense
  • Maritime
  • Rapid acquisition
  • ICAM
  • Spectrum & electronic warfare

 

Case Studies

Cyber Crisis Comms

Identified and briefed key stakeholders across Congress, White House, CISA, and cabinet agencies in the aftermath of a public cyber incident and data breach. Identified opportunities to restore and repair security reputation in the following days.

Defense Cloud Hyperscaler

Provided advanced early warning on a sole source, non-compete cybersecurity award to a major cloud hyperscaler at the Department of Defense. Maintained and grew digital identity market opportunity using legislative strategy during a period of vendor consolidation.

Government as Competitor

Identified problematic legislation creating a de jure monopoly for government-off-the-shelf (GOTS) software solutions. Developed and executed a highly-sensitive strategy to amend the underlying legislative authority and commercialize the GOTS solution.

Congressional Funding

Successfully advocated to include the proper name of a client into a high-profile federal appropriations bill providing domestic subsidies to the Open Radio Access (O-RAN) network sector.

Global Government Affairs-as-a-Service

Architect a global government affairs offering off-the-shelf for a major international organization with no prior history of government affairs through a network of in-country consultants specializing in global technology policy.

Advanced Manufacturing Site Visit

Originated and planned the first site visit of a major semiconductor fab by a Congressional and diplomatic delegation with the objective of executive education and relationship-building.

Public Sector Team Education

Designed a training program for a public sector sales team (account executives, XDRs) explaining the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), its genesis, remaining balance, calls for reform, and best practices for cultivating agency champions to access the TMF through the program management office.

 

Executive Fly-In

Designed multiple Executive Fly-Ins ranging from VC-backed startup CEOs participating in an “Innovation Day;” to the CEO of a publicly-traded cybersecurity company meeting with Senators and Members of Congress; to the Executive Chairman of an inbound multinational headquartered in an allied nation with the FCC Chairman and House Minority Leader; to an early-stage space CEO meeting with both senior Pentagon officials and his Congressional Delegation.

Testimonials

Marnie Seif
Marnie Seif, former SVP, Chief People Officer, Chief Legal Officer, & Secretary, Analog Devices, Inc.

“Mike led two big firsts for us: a cross-functional effort to file the company’s first public regulatory filing on emerging technology export controls that resulted in earned media interest. He also planned and flawlessly executed a visit to our semiconductor fab by US House & Senate staff and the diplomatic community to showcase our highly-skilled workforce and advanced manufacturing.”

Dean Scontras
Dean Scontras, Head of Public Sector, Wiz

“Mike intuitively translates upstream regulatory and public policy developments into downstream sales and revenue actions for public sector sales teams. He knows which levers in government to pull to drive favorable outcomes.”

Junichi Arahori
Junichi Arahori, Head of AI Ethics & Governance Office, & former General Manager, Washington, DC Office, Fujitsu Limited

“Mike was very early in helping Fujitsu synthesize AI regulatory proposals across Japan, US, & EU into a highly-visible internal White Paper shaping Fujitsu’s own approach to responsible AI development. Mike was also instrumental in securing high-level principal meetings with Congressional and regulatory leadership during a senior executive fly-in to Washington, DC from our Tokyo headquarters.”

Jim Green
Jim Green, former VP, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, Okta

“Mike was a star performer at Okta. He has a unique combination of skills where he is able to both conceive of big ideas/develop a strategy, while also being able to execute against the strategy. Simply put, he brings a strategic mindset mixed with tactical ability. Mike asks good questions and is keen to understand business needs. Mike is a tremendous asset that would benefit any client.“

Clients

Sailpoint
BMNT logo
BMNT logo
Fulcrum Autonomy logo
SysGit logo
Forescout logo
DarkTrace logo
1Kosmos logo

Clients

Sailpoint
Fulcrum Autonomy logo
Forescout logo
SysGit logo
Forescout logo
Forescout logo
1Kosmos logo
Canopy

Ark Global

Ark leads a global expert network specializing in technology innovation that ranges from enterprise cloud and AI for public sector to defense innovation, space, and autonomy.

Ark Global

Ark leads a global expert network specializing in technology innovation that ranges from enterprise cloud and AI for public sector to defense innovation, space, and autonomy.

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“A good plan violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”

― General George S. Patton

Start Building Today

 

info@ark.ga

Q

Mike Clauser, Founder & Managing Director

Mke ClauserMike Clauser has 20 years of Washington, DC experience, including a decade-long winning track record of standing-up and running US and global government affairs operations for multinational technology brands. Mike is the Founder & Managing Director of Ark Strategy, an independent government affairs and public policy strategy consultancy based in Washington, DC. 

Prior to founding ARK, Mike was the inaugural Head of US & Canada Federal Affairs for Okta, a leading digital identity SaaS solution. Mike led Okta’s relationships with federal government stakeholders across the White House, Congress, and executive agencies on digital identity, cybersecurity, AI, data privacy, federal acquisition and public sector. Mike was also the inaugural Head of Global Government Affairs at Analog Devices (NASDAQ:ADI), a leading US digital signal processing semiconductor company, where he identified and executed on ADI’s government affairs agenda across Federal, state & local, and international governments at a major moment of inflection for US semiconductor companies globally. Mike began his technology policy career as the senior American in the global government affairs function at Fujitsu Limited (NIKKEI:FJTSY), the Japanese IT services giant.

Mike has held board-level and other leadership roles at industry groups such as the IT-Sector Coordinating Council, Alliance for Digital Innovation, BSA | The Software Alliance, Enterprise Cloud Coalition, Information Technology Industry Council, and the U.S. Information Technology Office.

Earlier in his career, Mike served as a national security aide to a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence staffing the Congressman on the National Defense Authorization Act, Intelligence Authorization Act, and annual fiscal year appropriations. He co-managed the bipartisan Strategic Communications and Public Diplomacy Caucus, which resulted in the passage of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act, a bill endorsed publicly by both the Heritage Foundation and the ACLU. He began his US government career as a two-time Presidential Appointee in the Pentagon serving in both the Office of the Secretary of Defense & the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. Mike has and continues to be active in several Presidential transition planning efforts.

A veteran of Operation Inherent Resolve, Mike spent a decade as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Navy’s Information Warfare Corps where he led sailors and civilians at an US Africa Command J2 counterterrorism unit, a high optempo strike warfare unit, and underway as a deployed Targeteer with Carrier Air Wing SEVEN aboard the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN.

Mike studied philosophy, classics, and religious studies at the Pennsylvania State University and holds masters degrees from the US Naval War College, Poznan University of Economics in Poland, and the University of Exeter in England, in addition to several international data protection certifications (FIP, CIPT, CIPP/E, CIPM). He was a Stephen M. Kellen term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and alumni of emerging leaders programs at Atlantik-Brüke, German Marshall Fund, Heritage Foundation, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Mike earned the Eagle Scout rank in his youth and continues to volunteer locally.

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Q

Mike Clauser, Founder & Managing Director

Mke ClauserMike Clauser has 20 years of Washington, DC experience, including a decade-long winning track record of standing-up and running US and global government affairs operations for multinational technology brands. Mike is the Founder & Managing Director of Ark Strategy, an independent government affairs and public policy strategy consultancy based in Washington, DC. 

Prior to founding ARK, Mike was the inaugural Head of US & Canada Federal Affairs for Okta, a leading digital identity SaaS solution. Mike led Okta’s relationships with federal government stakeholders across the White House, Congress, and executive agencies on digital identity, cybersecurity, AI, data privacy, federal acquisition and public sector. Mike was also the inaugural Head of Global Government Affairs at Analog Devices (NASDAQ:ADI), a leading US digital signal processing semiconductor company, where he identified and executed on ADI’s government affairs agenda across Federal, state & local, and international governments at a major moment of inflection for US semiconductor companies globally. Mike began his technology policy career as the senior American in the global government affairs function at Fujitsu Limited (NIKKEI:FJTSY), the Japanese IT services giant.

Mike has held board-level and other leadership roles at industry groups such as the IT-Sector Coordinating Council, Alliance for Digital Innovation, BSA | The Software Alliance, Enterprise Cloud Coalition, Information Technology Industry Council, and the U.S. Information Technology Office.

Earlier in his career, Mike served as a national security aide to a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence staffing the Congressman on the National Defense Authorization Act, Intelligence Authorization Act, and annual fiscal year appropriations. He co-managed the bipartisan Strategic Communications and Public Diplomacy Caucus, which resulted in the passage of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act, a bill endorsed publicly by both the Heritage Foundation and the ACLU. He began his US government career as a two-time Presidential Appointee in the Pentagon serving in both the Office of the Secretary of Defense & the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. Mike has and continues to be active in several Presidential transition planning efforts.

A veteran of Operation Inherent Resolve, Mike spent a decade as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Navy’s Information Warfare Corps where he led sailors and civilians at an US Africa Command J2 counterterrorism unit, a high optempo strike warfare unit, and underway as a deployed Targeteer with Carrier Air Wing SEVEN aboard the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN.

Mike studied philosophy, classics, and religious studies at the Pennsylvania State University and holds masters degrees from the US Naval War College, Poznan University of Economics in Poland, and the University of Exeter in England, in addition to several international data protection certifications (FIP, CIPT, CIPP/E, CIPM). He was a Stephen M. Kellen term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and alumni of emerging leaders programs at Atlantik-Brüke, German Marshall Fund, Heritage Foundation, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Mike earned the Eagle Scout rank in his youth and continues to volunteer locally.

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Rebecca Fleeson

Rebecca Fleeson is Director of Operations at Ark where she brings many years of Capitol HIll scheduling and administrative experience to bear delivering efficient and effective support to Ark clients. Rebecca spent more than 10 years working in the United States Senate, including as the Scheduler and most recently the Director of Administration to Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in the Office of the Senate Majority Leader. Earlier in her career she similarly supported Republican Leader Bill Frist, MD (R-TN). A native of the Midwest, Rebecca received an Honors B.A. in Political Science & French from Lipscomb University in Nashville and earned her M.A. in Government & Public Policy from American University in Washington DC where she was selected as a Bryce Harlow Fellow.

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Jessica Carroll

Jessica Carroll serves as a Sr. Advisor for Intelligence and Special Operations to Ark. Jessica maintains deep ties across the national security space, enabling insights and opportunities for defense technology companies seeking to partner with the Department of Defense. With nearly twenty years in the Intelligence Community, Jessica worked with multiple combat support agencies and combatant commands. Before transitioning from her career in federal service, Jessica served as professional staff on the House Armed Services Committee where she conducted oversight of more than $25 billion dollars of intelligence activities and the policies, programs, and budget of US Special Operations Command and special operations forces.

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Dr. Keegan McBride

Dr. Keegan McBride serves as a Sr. Technical Advisor on AI to Ark providing deep expertise and reachback support to Ark clients. Dr. McBride is a Lecturer in AI, government, and policy at the Oxford Internet Institute, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, and an Adjunct Senior Fellow in National Security and Technology at the Center for a New American Security. His research explores how new and emerging disruptive technologies are transforming our understanding of the state, government, and power. A native of Seattle, Dr. McBride holds an MSc and a PhD from Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia.
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