In each issue, FlexPack VOICE® interviews an industry leader and others who support the efforts of the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA). In this edition, we talk to Liz Roberts, principal and cofounder of Capitoline Consulting, LLC.
Roberts and her business partner, Judith Zink, have been FPA’s lobbyists in Washington, D.C., since the first Trump administration. Their federal government relations lobbying firm helps FPA and other organizations develop and execute strategic advocacy plans.
Roberts’ career on Capitol Hill began the week after she graduated in 1991 from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She went to work for her hometown representative in Congress, Paul Kanjorski, from the Poconos region of Pennsylvania.
“I intended to stay in Washington for only a short period of time and had planned to go to law school,” says Roberts, who has a master’s degree in political science and government from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “Instead, I suppose I was bitten by the ‘political’ bug, and here I am decades later.”
FlexPack VOICE®: How did you connect with FPA, and how has your work with FPA evolved over the years?
Liz Roberts: We were hired by FPA’s previous president and CEO, Alison Keane, when FPA was facing a crisis due to the first Trump administration’s tariffs on aluminum. We had worked with Alison at her previous position, so she knew us well and our approach to advocacy efforts. Our initial work for FPA included tracking tariff actions, developing a strategy to address those threats, and educating members of Congress and their staff on the significant burden that those tariffs meant for converters who use thin gauge aluminum foil.
Our work has evolved to include advocacy to raise FPA’s profile on the Hill and to engage directly with members of the U.S. House and Senate who represent FPA member companies or who sit on committees of jurisdiction. Committees of jurisdiction are organized by subject matter and are responsible for overseeing, reviewing, and acting on legislation, policies, or issues related to a specific subject area or agency within its designated authority. For example, the House Committee on Ways and Means has jurisdiction over tax-related legislation, while the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) oversees environmental policy. Much of our time is spent engaging with key staff who work for members of the Senate EPW Committee or the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as many of FPA’s issues fall within the jurisdiction of these committees.
FPV: What are some of the ways you interact with policymakers on behalf of FPA?
LR: There are many issues of interest or concern to FPA—everything from extended producer responsibility (EPR), recycling, labeling, to the new Trump tariffs. Engagement on any of these issues can include emails, phone calls—yes, we are old school and still pick up the phone—correspondence, or meetings. We routinely track and report on congressional activities around all of these issues, as well as some of the big issues that Congress tackles, like the annual budget or this year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” We also arrange and attend meetings for FPA on a regular basis—sometimes to discuss a particular issue or other times to share all of FPA’s federal priorities. When Dan Felton took over as FPA president and CEO in 2024, we developed an action plan to reintroduce him to congressional offices. Many people on the Hill already knew Dan from his previous role at AMERIPEN—the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment. Congressional staff tend to move around a lot, especially after an election year. This means our work to maintain and strengthen those relationships with key offices is never ending.
We see ourselves as an extension of FPA’s Government Affairs team. As such, we routinely participate in other industry or coalition efforts such as the Tariff Reform Coalition, and we have also managed FPA’s fly-in for members of FPA’s Emerging Leadership Council (ELC). This summer, we have been gearing up for FPA’s first associationwide Washington fly-in. I could probably write an entire article on all of the work that goes into pulling off a successful fly-in.
FPV: What is it like in D.C. these days with the second Trump administration? What is changing, and how has that become easier or more difficult with advocacy?
LR: The second Trump administration is really keeping people engaged in government affairs
activities on their toes. As we have discussed in previous advocacy articles, this administration has been one of the most active in recent memory, issuing hundreds of executive actions and orders in its first 100 days alone. And what happens one day can be completely different the next day. What that means is there is a lot of activity coming out of this White House, so it takes longer to sort through issues that might impact FPA members.
Additionally, Capitol Hill is also trying to keep track of the administration’s actions, which limit the bandwidth for many staff members. So, getting the attention of congressional members and staff is more challenging than it has been in the past. That’s why it’s so important to have relationships and to continue to grow relationships with the individuals who are making the policies that affect FPA members.
FPV: Who were your mentors, and how did they help you? And do you mentor others?
LR: I’ve had many mentors over the years— probably too many to list. I love the opportunity to mentor others. These days, more than anything, I find myself meeting with young college graduates looking to work in Washington who are the children of my high school or college friends.
FPV: What advice would you give to someone who was interested in doing your type of work but hadn’t yet started a career?
LR: Research, research, research. Know your subject matter and be prepared. You only have one opportunity to make a first impression, and in our business, your reputation is critical.
FPV: Anything you would like to say about your family?
LR: I am married to a retired Army officer, and we live on Capitol Hill with our almost 16-year-old daughter. Yes, I have a teenage daughter, so that should say it all. On a serious note, I feel fortunate to have an amazing family and to live in a historic, newly renovated old house in our nation’s capital.
FPV: What do you like to do in your spare time?
LR: Most of my spare time these days is spent watching my daughter play field hockey. She plays for her high school team, as well as a travel team, so she keeps us busy. I also enjoy taking walks on Capitol Hill with my dog. We are members of Congressional Cemetery’s K-9 Corps, which is essentially one of the few dog parks on Capitol Hill where dogs can be off-leash. It is a fun place to walk with friends among the graves of many noteworthy citizens who left their mark on the nation.