Lamell McMorris is the founder and CEO of the Washington, DC-based company Phase 2 Consulting. For Mr. McMorris, in life, the first phase is the pursuit of success; in the second phase, it's the pursuit of significance. Phase 2 Consulting is the evolution of Perennial Strategy Group, a prominent strategic advisory firm Mr. McMorris founded in 2002. In Phase 2, with the mission to help successful clients navigate their enterprises for the greater good, Mr. McMorris offers strategic insight and external affairs services to some of the nation's leading decision-makers in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Additionally, he manages an in-house team of experienced government and public relations professionals and lawyers, offering a multitude of services to clients in a wide range of disciplines and specialty areas.

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Mr. McMorris's unparalleled expertise in government and community affairs, strategic consulting, political campaigns, policy-making, grassroots advocacy, and broad-based coalition building earned him acclaim inside the Beltway and around the nation. Under his stewardship, Phase 2 Consulting developed deep and sustained relationships with influential leaders across a wide range of constituencies. Mr. McMorris utilizes his experience in government relations, public affairs, crisis management, and corporate social responsibility to design strategic events, engagement strategies, advocacy campaigns, and results-driven initiatives for Phase 2's clients.

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In November 2021, Mr. McMorris was appointed Principal, Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs for Edward Jones, where he was responsible for leading, expanding, and strengthening the firm's enterprise-level policy capability.

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He is also the founding principal of Greenlining Realty USA, a development corporation headquartered in his childhood neighborhood of West Woodlawn on the South Side of Chicago, dedicated to reversing the historical effect of redlining in low-income communities through developing quality housing and vibrant commercial corridors. Greenlining's inaugural acquisition was his childhood home, which was restored and renovated to a 2-unit rental property.

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In recent years, through Perennial Sports, Mr. McMorris led a premier, full-service sports agency representing NFL and NBA players and personalities.  Collectively, its agents signed multiple first-round picks and negotiated several multi-million-dollar contracts.  And, at the helm of its sister company, Perennial Law Group, Mr. McMorris served as the lead negotiator for the Major League Baseball Umpires Union and the National Basketball Association's Referees Union, where he played a key role in shaping collective bargaining agreements between the officials and their respective leagues.

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Mr. McMorris is an active and effective fundraiser. Drawing on his extensive network of prominent athletes, entertainers, and activists, he has driven companies to raise significant financial contributions for charitable causes across the nation. Feature pieces about Mr. McMorris have appeared in The New York Times, ESPN, and Referee: The Magazine for Sports Officials.

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As a lifelong advocate of civil, economic, and human rights, Mr. McMorris serves as a member of numerous nonprofit and college boards. He volunteers his time with several youth-focused and mentoring organizations.  He is frequently recognized for his entrepreneurial leadership and pragmatic, high-impact approach to effective advocacy, and he is often invited to speak at a wide range of conferences and events.  Mr. McMorris holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Society from Morehouse College, a Master of Divinity in Social Ethics and Public Policy from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an Honorary Doctorate from Saint Augustine’s University. Currently, he is a doctoral student of law and policy at Northeastern University.