10 Union Pacific government affairs leaders
Vice President - Public Affairs, Senior Director, Public Affairs and Sr. Director Public Affairs are among the titles held today by these Union Pacific government affairs leaders. A reader can learn how government affairs leaders work at Union Pacific from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Ben Jones
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Public Affairs- KS, MO, OK · Union Pacific Railroad
Ben Jones has been Senior Director of Public Affairs- KS, MO, OK at Union Pacific Railroad since December 2007, based in Kansas City, Missouri. The profile describes Ben Jones as the Sr. Director of Public Affairs for the states of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma for Union Pacific, responsible for legislative strategy and community relations.
Clint Schelbitzki
LinkedInExperience: Asst. Vice President · Union Pacific Railroad
Clint Schelbitzki has been Asst. Vice President at Union Pacific Railroad since October 2020 and was Assistant Vice President Public Affairs there from 2018 to 2020. Clint Schelbitzki was General Director Network Development at Union Pacific Railroad from 2015 to 2018 and Director Public Affairs - Texas & Oklahoma there from 2008 to 2015, and the profile describes the current role as Assistant Vice President, Public Affairs, leading a team that represents the railroad.
David Edmund Black
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director - Public Affairs · Union Pacific Railroad
David Edmund Black was Senior Director - Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad from November 2023 to May 2026 and Director - Corporate Relations there from 2022 to 2023, and has been Vice President Government Relations at HDR since May 2026. David Edmund Black was Director - Energy Marketing & Sales at Union Pacific Railroad from 2019 to 2021 and Director - Carrier Relations at Loup Logistics from 2021 to 2022.
Drew Tessier
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director Public Affairs · Union Pacific Railroad
Drew Tessier has been Sr. Director Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad since October 2005, based in the Baton Rouge area. Drew Tessier was Executive Assistant to the Mayor at the East Baton Rouge Office of the Mayor President from 2004 to 2005 and Louisiana Legislative Assistant with the Louisiana Republican Delegation from 1998 to 2004, and the profile describes work in governmental and public affairs in the railroad industry.
Liisa Stark
LinkedInExperience: Vice President - Public Affairs · Union Pacific Railroad
Liisa Stark has been Vice President - Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad since July 2022, based in Omaha, Nebraska. Liisa Stark was Assistant Vice President - Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad from 2015 to 2023 and held the role of Director, Public Affairs there from 2010 to 2023.
Lupe Valdez
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director Public Affairs · Union Pacific Railroad
Lupe Valdez has been Senior Director Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad since July 2005 and also lists the role of Director Public Affairs at Union Pacific since 2005. Lupe Valdez has been Immediate Past Chair of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership Foundation since 2024 and a Board Member of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership since 2007, and was a Commissioner on the Montebello Traffic & Safety Commission from 2010 to 2013.
Peggy Ygbuhay
LinkedInExperience: Sr Director Public Affairs · Union Pacific Railroad
Peggy Ygbuhay has been Sr Director Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad since March 2023, a role the profile places in Sacramento, California. Peggy Ygbuhay also lists a Sr. Director Public Affairs role at Union Pacific Railroad dated from October 1994 with no end date.
Raquel Espinoza
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director, Public Affairs · Union Pacific Railroad
Raquel Espinoza has been Senior Director, Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad since January 2021 and was Senior Director, Corporate Communications and Media there from 2017 to 2021. Raquel Espinoza was Director, Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad from 2014 to 2015 and Regional Media Director there from 2008 to 2014, and the profile describes a background in government affairs, corporate communications and community relations.
Richard A. Zientek
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director Public Affairs Northern and Eastern Texas · Union Pacific Railroad
Richard A. Zientek has been Senior Director Public Affairs Northern and Eastern Texas at Union Pacific Railroad since August 2019, also lists Senior Director - Houston and Texas Gulf Coast there from February 2016 with no end date, and lists Director of Public Affairs - Houston and Gulf Coast Region there from February 2016 with no end date. Richard A. Zientek was Director of Transportation Issues at Harris County from 2009 to 2016 and Public and Government Affairs Coordinator there from 2008 to 2009.
Tom Evenson
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director, Public Affairs · Union Pacific Railroad
Tom Evenson has been Senior Director, Public Affairs at Union Pacific Railroad since July 2023 and describes developing and implementing the company's strategy for state and local government affairs and community relations. Tom Evenson was Director, Global Corporate Communications at SC Johnson from 2019 to 2022 and Director, Communications at the Office of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker from 2009 to 2019.
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Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What took up most of your week in your public affairs role, and how did that change over the year?
- 02How did you work with operations, legal and communications colleagues when an issue came up in your own work?
- 03What experience from your own career turned out to matter most in public affairs, and what did you have to learn on the job?
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About this directory
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