WHO WE ARE
Richard Saunders was a pseudonym used by Benjamin Franklin - America’s very first diplomat. Known for using various pseudonyms throughout his career, Franklin understood the value of using his skills to get his point across and achieve results; caring far more about the outcome, rather than about any credit he might receive. In an ode to our namesake, Saunders Global Diplomacy operates with an eye to discretion but a bias toward action.
We come from real experience on the ground, delicately navigating the complexities of the ever changing geo-political landscape, uniting global stakeholders for common causes, and cutting through bureaucratic red-tape to yield real results. Our experience has allowed us to craft the best in private sector advocacy, global relationship management, and tailored public-private solutions.
JESSICA LYCOS
FOUNDER
Jessica Lycos is a founder at Saunders Global Diplomacy and represents SGD's clients at the Federal level in Washington D.C. where her background includes having worked for the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee at the U.S. House of Representatives. From 2015 -2017, Jessica lived part-time in South Africa where she assisted with business development for American-based companies with a presence in Africa. Following her time in South Africa, Jessica served as Vice President of Business Development for Sonoran Policy Group, an international government affairs firm, focused on the Middle East and Africa. Her deep understanding of different cultures, political systems, and global issues has afforded her long-standing relationships with numerous government officials and policymakers both in the U.S. and abroad, as well as with other stakeholders and non-governmental organizations and international bodies like the United Nations.
LAURA MAGNUS
FOUNDER
Laura Magnusis a founder at Saunders Global Diplomacy as well as Magnus Public Policy, an award-winning public affairs and government relations professional. She is a pre-eminent political strategist and lobbyist on the state, local, national and international stage and achieves results by carefully guiding her clients through treacherous political terrain. Laura’s noteworthy relationships from working in the world of politics has gained her a seat at the table with some of the most accomplished individuals in the world. She represents a variety of clients that have global footprints, from fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations and effectively addresses their government affairs needs at every level of
government.
MATT MAGNUS
OPERATING OFFICER
Matthew Magnus entered the United States Marine Corps in 2010. He attended law school and graduated from the Phoenix School of Law in 2013. Upon successful completion of the Arizona Bar Exam, Matt returned to active duty and served as a Judge Advocate from 2014-2018. During this time he formed attorney-client relationships with over a thousand individuals, successfully represented Marines and Sailors at courts-martial and administrative boards, gave legal briefs to thousands of individuals over a variety of subjects, and ran the Camp Pendleton Tax Center.
Upon leaving active duty, Matt accepted a position as a Deputy County Attorney for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. During this time he was responsible for the prosecution of misdemeanor cases in a variety of justice courts as well as felony cases in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Matt works as Operating Officer for Saunders Global Diplomacy. He excels at analyzing policy, drafting legal/legislative briefs and his trial experience is an asset while developing talking points and oral arguments.