L. Vance Taylor, 34, is a principal with the Washington, D.C. government affairs and business development firm Catalyst Partners LLC.

Taylor is one of the few people in the country with a master's degree in homeland security, and has used his expertise in that area to advance the mission of homeland security both on Capitol Hill and in the private sector.

Prior to joining Catalyst Partners, he handled security-related policy issues dealing with drinking water and wastewater for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies in Washington.

Before his work in the water sector, Taylor served as an aide for two members of the House of Representatives: Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). In Washington, he provided them and other legislators with advice and recommendations on issues such as homeland security, immigration and grants.

Taylor’s large network of professional and personal acquaintances with members and staff of both houses of Congress allows him in his current position to link industry clients with the nation’s most highly placed homeland security decision-makers.

An accomplished public speaker and a longtime volunteer for both MDA and the Boy Scouts of America, Taylor co-hosts the regional broadcast of the MDA Labor Day weekend show. In 2007, he received the MDA National Capital Region’s Robert Ross Personal Achievement Award for outstanding leadership and achievement. He lives in Oxon Hill with his wife, Casey, and their two daughters.

Taylor is affected by limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, a progressive disease that causes muscle weakness and atrophy, starting in the muscles of the shoulder and pelvic area. He uses a power wheelchair for mobility.