We often encourage school leaders to connect with their lawmakers in the North Carolina General Assembly, and rightly so! Building relationships with legislators is critically important in helping them understand the good work that charter schools do.
But it’s also essential for charter leaders to know which lobbyists are advocating specifically for charter school interests at the General Assembly. With the short session now well underway, we’re sharing an introduction to the Coalition’s expert Government Relations Team.
As part of this introduction, we also asked each of our lobbyists to answer this question: “What spurs your advocacy on behalf of the Coalition and North Carolina’s charter school movement?”
Harry Kaplan, McGuireWoods Consulting
Harry Kaplan has served as a lobbyist at the North Carolina General Assembly for over 35 years. He is a senior advisor with McGuireWoods Consulting’s state government relations group and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP. Harry’s extensive work in the state government relations realm has routinely positioned him at the forefront of public policy developments impacting K-12 education and health care.
Harry first launched his government relations and legal career in 1988, and he has consistently maintained a reputation as one of the most influential lobbyists in Raleigh. In 2017, Harry was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest honor bestowed by the North Carolina Governor on individuals with a record of service to the state. He was also named to the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Before joining McGuireWoods, Harry ran his own legal and lobbying practice for over a decade.
Harry Kaplan: “School choice is a personal cause for me. My kids would have benefited from attending a public charter school, but we couldn’t get past the lotteries. Demand greatly exceeded supply. My kids, and many others, didn’t have a choice because North Carolina had an arbitrary cap of 100 charter schools statewide. After talking with many parents facing the same situation, I decided to advocate for removing the cap. Lobbying for parental choice in education became a top priority for me. It has been that way ever since.”
Amanda Falkenbury, McGuireWoods Consulting
A vice president on McGuireWoods Consulting’s North Carolina government relations team, Amanda Falkenbury has more than a decade of experience in lobbying and public affairs. She represents clients in the state legislature and the executive branch.
Amanda’s client roster spans industries ranging from K-12 education to real property, manufacturing, and more. She focuses on developing and executing government relations strategies that are carefully tailored to meet each client’s needs.
Amanda Falkenbury: “I’m proud to have spent more than a decade advocating for school choice because no child should be stuck in a school that’s not working for them. I grew up in an area with very few options, and while I was fortunate to have been assigned to some of the best schools in the state, I realize that my story could have been very different. Without public charter schools, many families would have no other option. I’m grateful to play a small part in the Coalition’s work to protect and expand the options available to those families.”
Dylan Reel, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
Dylan Reel assists clients with lobbying and advocacy before the General Assembly and state agencies, focusing on education, health care, financial services, and more. He has quickly earned recognition for efficacy and influence: In 2023, he was the youngest ranked “Top Lobbyist” in North Carolina by North State Journal. Dylan was also recognized by North State Journal as a “Top 25 Lobbyist” in 2024.
Prior to joining Kilpatrick, Dylan served as the vice president of government affairs for a national public affairs firm, representing clients at the state legislature and executive branch. Dylan also worked as general counsel to the Rules Chairman Destin Hall and the Redistricting Chairman in the North Carolina House of Representatives. In addition, Dylan worked as a research assistant and legislative staff assistant to the Rules Chairman David Lewis.
Dylan Reel: “Growing up in a rural, poor portion of Southern Illinois, I was the negative recipient of what happens when zip codes are outcome determinative for students. Left without any alternatives, my academics suffered. Thus, school choice became one of the main drivers for why I chose a career in politics. Over time, I have been lucky to have been mentored by the original North Carolina school choice lobbyist, Harry Kaplan. After years with working with Harry, and now Amanda and Story as well, my passion for school choice only continues to grow, especially with having three daughters who will begin their education journey soon!”
This spring, Harry, Amanda, and Dylan were named to NC Tribune and Business North Carolina’s inaugural list of the state’s “leading lobbyists.”
Story Oliver, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
Story Oliver represents various clients as a dedicated policy analyst and lobbyist working within the Coalition’s Government Relations Team. With a deep understanding of public policy and legislation, Story plays a key role in maintaining client relationships and navigating policy issues. With experience in government relations and public relations, her knowledge is instrumental in advocating for key initiatives and ensuring alignment with governmental priorities.
During her time as a UNC-Chapel Hill student, Story worked as a public relations intern, public relations apprentice, and account coordinator at one of the nation’s largest independently held public relations, advertising, and digital media agencies. She also previously worked at a bipartisan lobbying firm in Raleigh, seeking government solutions for clients and gathering research to support lobbying and marketing efforts.
Story Oliver: “It is an honor to represent the NC Coalition for Charter Schools and to advocate for charter schools in North Carolina. Through conversations with Coalition members and hearing their personal stories, I have heard the significant impact charter schools have on their students’ lives every day. This continues to inspire me to advocate for the school choice movement to ensure students and their families can participate in opportunities that shape their futures.”
Biographical information for our lobbyists has been adapted from their pages on McGuireWoods and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton websites. Headshots courtesy of McGuireWoods and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton.
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