About Us
The Giles Group is a full-service government relations, communications, and public policy firm based in Boise, Idaho. The firm is managed by Lance Giles.
Mr. Giles has over 25 years of government relations, communications, and public policy experience in the federal, state, non-profit, and private sector arenas. Most recently, Mr. Giles worked for the URS Corporation (one of the world’s largest engineering and construction firms) as a Government Relations Manager and Senior Marketing and Planning Manager in Boise, Idaho and Houston, Texas. While working for URS, he worked on or was engaged with multiple major infrastructure projects involving highways, bridges, interchanges, oil and gas facilities, refineries, chemical manufacturing plants, major brewery expansions, and more.
Prior to joining URS, Mr. Giles worked as a Senior Policy Advisor for Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne. While working for Governor Kempthorne, he led the successful effort to develop and enact the “Connecting Idaho” initiative, which to date has invested nearly $1 billion in highway improvements throughout the state of Idaho. He also led the successful effort to develop and enact the “Experience Idaho” initiative which invested millions of dollars in much needed improvements to Idaho’s state park system. In addition, Mr. Giles advised the Governor in the policy areas of transportation, natural resources and Indian affairs. And finally, he advised the Governor on the State Board of Land Commissioners and the Western Governors’ Association.
Before working for Governor Kempthorne, Mr. Giles worked for the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG) as the Senior Transportation Analyst in Washington, D.C. While at CONEG, Mr. Giles helped advocate for and against funding and policy initiatives that had the potential to positively or negatively impact transportation in the northeast. Key issues included the re-authorization and funding of federal highway, bridge, public transit, and rail programs, including Amtrak.
Prior to coming on board with CONEG, Mr. Giles worked for New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman and New Jersey Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco in their Washington, D.C. office as an Assistant Director and Deputy Director respectively. While there, Mr. Giles led the successful effort to secure a $500 million full-funding grant agreement from Congress for the Hudson Bergen Light Rail public transit project in New Jersey. He also advocated for policy and funding priorities before Congress, the Administration, and the National Governors’ Association in the issue areas of transportation, appropriations, public works, budget, tax, defense, and trade.
Before hiring on with the New Jersey Washington D.C. Office, Mr. Giles worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Congressman Mike Crapo, both in the U. S. Senate and in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a Legislative Assistant, Mr. Giles helped advise Senator Crapo in the issue areas of transportation, public works, budget, taxes, social security, and the judiciary. While working for Representative Crapo in the U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Giles helped advise Representative Crapo in the issue areas of transportation, budget, taxes, energy, and healthcare.
After graduating law school, Mr. Giles went to work on Capitol Hill for U.S. Senator Dirk Kempthorne as a Legislative Correspondent where he researched multiple issues and corresponded on behalf of the Senator with Idaho constituents.
Mr. Giles has a Juris Doctorate from Howard University (1993) and a Bachelors of Business Administration from Boise State University (1987). He is a member of the Idaho State Bar (inactive) and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.