March 16, 2007

Dear Ms. Rock,

I am a recent graduate of Regent University, holding an M.A. in government with
certificates in law and public policy and homeland defense/terrorism. I have been
interested in Advantus Strategies, LLC for quite some time and was very intrigued when I
saw a posting for an opening as a government affairs associate on The Sorensen Institute
for Political Leadership website.
I have been interested in policy and government for many years, in particular government
and its relation to the business sector. I am a life long Richmond resident, and grew up in
a family owned, retail business. The many years I spent at this business allowed me to
acquire strong interpersonal skills and become accustomed to dealing with people in
stressful situations. It also provided me an interest in business, which I hope to translate
into the legislative realm.
My interest in public policy has led me to work in the legislative sphere. During the 2007
Virginia General Assembly, I was a legislative aide for the Family Foundation of
Virginia. While working there, I had the opportunity to work with numerous legislators
on a variety of bi-partisan legislation. I spent a large amount of my time tracking
legislation, writing testimony and action alerts, monitoring various committee meetings,
and coordinating and assembling summaries of legislation. This position also allowed
me to gain excellent oral and written communications skills. My time at Regent
University helped me to expand on my interest in public policy by providing me with
practical skills and knowledge in the field. In particular, I was chosen to participate in
Regents Oxford study abroad program last summer, where I learned a great deal about
national security affairs. Furthermore, while a graduate student I worked on my friend
Christopher Peaces campaign in the 2006 special election for Virginias 97th District.
I believe that my experience and education will allow me to contribute greatly to
Advantus Strategies, LLC. I have attached my resume to this email. I hope that we have
a chance to discuss this opportunity in the near future. Thank you very much for your
time and consideration in this matter.
Regards,
Kristie Helmick