CFIDS Advocate works with Bono to Fight Global Poverty

Kim McCleary and Tom Sheridan on Capitol Hill.

Tom Sheridan is founder & president of The Sheridan Group, one of Washington DC’s most sought after government relations firms. An expert on domestic policy issues, Tom led the lobbying efforts that successfully passed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and was the leading national HIV/AIDS lobbyist during the time when AIDS groups realized their greatest political and policy success. 

Tom has represented the CFIDS Association in its federal public policy activities since 1992.  With Tom’s guidance, the Association has achieved numerous victories for the CFIDS community, including Social Security Administration Ruling 99-2P which dramatically improved access to disability benefits for people with CFIDS and the National Institutes of Health’s recent $4 million request for applications for CFIDS research. He has empowered dozens of CFIDS advocates who came to Lobby Day unsure of themselves and their ability to represent themselves and fellow CFIDS patients. And Tom has mentored Association president & CEO Kim McCleary in the ways of Washington . Together they spent years meticulously tracking CDC spending on CFS research, in 1998 exposed funding improprieties and then worked with the agency to restore $13 million to CFS research, an infusion that has helped build one of the world’s premier CFS research programs.

Several years ago, Tom’s track record of success caught the eye of one of the planet’s most powerful and influential activists, U2 front man Bono.

In 2002, Bono, along with Bobby Shriver (son of Eunice and Sargent Shriver), founded Debt, AIDS, Trade and Africa (DATA), an organization which aims to raise awareness about, and spark response to, the crises threatening hope in Africa : unpayable debts, uncontrolled spread of AIDS, and unfair trade rules which keep Africans poor. After raising $1 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others, DATA grew their organization and hired Tom Sheridan to help guide its efforts to end global poverty. One reason Bono was drawn to Tom was that, during their first telephone conversation, Tom revealed he wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about popular music celebrities, but he was deeply engaged in the politics of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Tom’s MTV is CSPAN. He can spot a long-retired congressman and recite his voting record.  Tom admits candidly that he really didn’t care about whether it was Bono or Bon Jovi.  What mattered most to Tom was why Bono cared about AIDS and Africa .

DATA’s mission is as challenging as it is worthwhile. So is the Association’s mission to end CFIDS. Both of our organizations are fortunate to have Tom working to help us achieve our goals of hope and better health for millions of people around the world.

To learn more about Tom and his work on CFIDS-related issues, visit http://www.cfids.org/cfidslink/may-tsg.asp.  Learn more about the firm and its successes on behalf of underdogs and high profile clients alike at www.sheridangroupdc.com.

To learn more about DATA, visit http://www.data.org/.