Serving as Chief Operations Officer of The Dionne Company, Colleen Purcell has spent her career ensuring organizations run at peak performance. Responsible for implementing the vision and executing strategies at The Dionne Company, she is detail-driven with a focus on results. She has a systematic and organized approach applied to numerous diverse operations, including organizing complex congressional fly-ins, always focusing on maximizing effectiveness with minimal wasted travel and downtime.

Colleen has broad expertise working for organizations of multiple sizes and industry focus, including technology, customer service, and legislative affairs. Her adaptable abilities are key to managing the details of The Dionne Company’s individualized client needs while working with firm partners to execute key project priorities.

As a graduate of Bowling Green State University, Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and minor in Political Science and French. Affiliations: Osearch, National Brain Tumor Society

John Bryan has brought over 30 years of acquisition, program management, Congressional, and leadership, and business experience to the firm. From starting as an entry-level Infantry Soldier to a combat-proven leader, Project Manager, and trusted advisor to the most strategic positions within the Department of Defense, John has proven to be a thoughtful and results-oriented leader through his multiple success stories in the defense industry.

John has extensive industry experience in government relations, business development, and profit and loss and has personally led two companies’ successful expansion into the ground combat vehicle and soldier-borne equipment markets.

Among other assignments, he was the first command-selected project manager for the Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program and the XM30 infantry fighting vehicle, the long-anticipated replacement for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. John has also served in numerous acquisitions and strategic staff positions including as the Executive Officer to the Army’s senior acquisition official and was hand-selected and served as the Army’s acquisition legislative liaison, a critical interface role between Army senior leadership and Members of Congress and their Committees and Staff.

John is a graduate of the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School with a Master of Science in National Security and Resource Strategy. Additionally, he holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology and Leadership from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from St. Martin’s College.

Heba Abdelaal comes to The Dionne Company as a Director after nearly a decade on Capitol Hill. Her extensive background in influencing, and securing, legislative priorities demonstrates a track record of collaborative problem-solving and identification of strategic engagement opportunities for stakeholders and communities alike. Prior to Dionne, Heba most recently served as Military Legislative Assistant for former U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO). As the Senator’s senior defense policy advisor, Heba played a defining role by helping secure authorization and federal appropriations for several key national security priorities and infrastructure projects across Colorado, specifically in the areas of national security space and cyber. Heba also worked closely with state and local leaders to expand professional licensure opportunities for military spouses on military orders.

Before joining Senator Gardner’s staff, Heba worked for Senator John Boozman (R-AR) as a member of his personal office’s legislative staff team. Heba helped advance specific constituent interests in national defense, homeland security, immigration, and veterans’ affairs through legislation, appropriations, and advocacy.

Sarah joins the team at The Dionne Company as a Director with a wide array of public policy experience. Most recently, Sarah served as the Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Jake LaTurner (KS-02), where she was the lead policy advisor on critical issues including Defense, Financial Services, and Agriculture. She was instrumental in supporting the Congressman’s work on the House Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Before this role, Sarah was the Senior Manager of Public Policy at Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. At Syracuse University, she built strong relationships with federal and state officials, identified strategic policy engagement opportunities, and authored briefs and testimonies that shaped policy discussions.

Sarah began her career as a legislative staffer in Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) personal office, contributing to the Senator’s work on the Armed Services Committee, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, and the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.

As a Director at The Dionne Company, David Heitlinger is a seasoned government affairs professional with over a decade of experience on Capitol Hill. A formidable advocate for clients navigating the complexities of federal government relations, David leverages his extensive legislative and political experience for clients across multiple sectors.

Before joining Dionne, David served in the office of U.S. Representative Dutch Ruppersberger, where he played a pivotal role in drafting and passing appropriations legislation that secured significant federal funding for Maryland’s Second Congressional District. On the authorizing side, David co-founded the Municipal Finance Caucus in 2016, serving as the Democratic staff lead until 2023. In this role, he was integral in maintaining the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds during 2017 tax reform discussions and drafting.

Beyond his legislative achievements, David managed four successful congressional campaigns in a competitive district, overseeing fundraising efforts that amassed over $8 million in contributions. Prior to his work with Representative Ruppersberger, David gained valuable experience at the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Resource Center, further enriching his expertise in business and community engagement.

David is a graduate of Towson University, where he was actively involved as the Philanthropy Chair of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity while he received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science.

Affiliations: Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Doctors Without Borders, The Nature Conservancy

As the Research Assistant at The Dionne Company, Kathryn has experience in federal government, grassroots organizations, policy research, and strategic communication, with a commitment to advancing meaningful policy change. She has conducted research in diverse policy areas, including defense, environmental issues, agriculture, and infrastructure. Kathryn has interned with Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and Senator Van Hollen (D-MD), where she gained valuable experience in legislative processes, and has organized with youth-led grassroots organizations focused on environmental advocacy, gun violence prevention, and gender equity. Currently, Kathryn is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, with coursework in communications, legal institutions, economics, and government at American University.

Affiliations: Sigma Delta Tau Sorority, Women’s Rugby Club Team, American University.