Our Team
Kristin Smith
Executive Director
Kristin runs the Blockchain Association, where she leads the crypto industry’s development of a strategic roadmap for public policy. She is an experienced policy professional, with senior-level experience in both House and Senate offices as well as private sector experience advocating for companies in the telecommunications, Internet, and other tech-focused industries. Kristin holds an MBA in Finance from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a graduate degree from Georgetown University.
Jacob Hample
Senior Manager, Public Policy
Jacob is the Blockchain Association’s primary face on Capitol Hill, where he educates Members of Congress and their staff on the regulatory challenges facing the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. Prior to joining the association, Jacob worked for a lobbying firm as well as progressive politicians in Georgia, Missouri, the United Kingdom, and Washington, DC. Jacob received his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, where he double-majored in Economics and Political Science and minored in History.
Miller Whitehouse-Levine
Manager, Industry Relations
Miller leads the association’s industry outreach efforts and coalition partnerships. Prior to joining the association, Miller was a public policy associate at Goldstein Policy Solutions and has worked at Holland & Knight, the Office of the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, the American Enterprise Institute, and McDonald’s. He earned a B.S. in international politics and a minor in Mandarin Chinese from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service.
Graham Newhall
Communications Advisor
Graham is the communication advisor to the Blockchain Association. He is responsible for designing and executing a national media and communication strategy to support the public policy goals of the Blockchain Association.
AnnMarie Brockhouse
Executive Assistant
AnnMarie Brockhouse is the executive assistant for the Blockchain Association. She brings over two decades of management and c-suite experience including extensive expertise in client services, operations, administration, human resources, and organizational development. AnnMarie’s goal is to be a strategic partner, trusted confidant, and professional problem solver for her team.
Our Board
Marvin Ammori
General Counsel, Protocol Labs
Katie Biber
General Counsel, Anchorage
Brian Brooks
Chief Legal Officer, Coinbase
Joe Eagan
President, Polychain Capital
Josh Hawkins
SVP, Global Corporate Communications, Circle
Graham Harper
Head of Public Policy and Market Structure, DRW
Josh Mendelsohn
Managing Partner, Hangar
Mark Murphy
VP, Head of Public Affairs, Digital Currency Group
Open Finance Working Group
The Open Finance Working Group facilitates discussion among industry participants, educating policymakers, and proposing public policy solutions on issues related to the decentralized finance (DeFi) community.
- Jason Somensatto, 0x
- Jake Chervinsky, Compound
Securities Law Working Group
The Securities Law Working Group coordinates the open blockchain industry’s efforts to seek regulatory clarity in the United States securities laws.
- Georgia Quinn, Coinlist
- Ian Darrow, Protocol Labs
- Craig Salm, Grayscale
- Ben Melnicki, Ripple
Diversity and Inclusion Working Group
The Diversity and Inclusion Working Group driving public policy discussions to promote financial inclusion using open blockchain technology and promoting diversity within the blockchain industry.
- Jasmine Shergill, eToro
- Ruby Sekhon, Polychain Capital
Stablecoin Working Group
The Stablecoin Working group leads the blockchain industry’s collaboration with U.S. regulators and legislators as they learn about the potential of stablecoins to positively affect the world economy and is developing policies to support, adopt and regulate them.
- Brian Brooks, Coinbase
- Gus Coldebella, Circle
- Tim Welsh, TrustToken
Litigation Working Group
The Litigation Working Group oversees the Blockchain Association’s efforts to ensure that courts are educated about how decisions related to enforcement actions could affect the broader crypto industry.
- Marvin Ammori, Protocol Labs
- Katie Biber, Anchorage
- Brian Brooks, Coinbase
Custody Working Group
The Custody Working Group coordinates industry efforts to engage with regulators as they develop guidance on the custody of digital assets.
- Katie Biber, Anchorage
- Matt Perona, Polychain
Staking Working Group
The Blockchain Association’s Staking Working Group works to educate the policymaking community about proof-of-stake (PoS) networks and the legal and regulatory issues with particular effect on PoS networks.
- Katie Biber, Anchorage
- Matt Perona, Polychain
Privacy and User Data Working Group
The Privacy and User Data Working Group seeks to educate the policy-making community about the privacy and security benefits blockchain applications could provide consumers.
- Jack Gavigan, Electric Coin Company
- Jesse Soslow, Blockstack
Market Integrity Working Group
The Association’s Market Integrity Working Group supports the development of public policy that ensures the transparency and fairness of cryptocurrency markets.
- Breanne Madigan, Ripple
- Rachel Nelson, Coinbase
Defend Crypto: We’ve taken over the Defend Crypto fund to advance favorable ecosystem-wide jurisprudence.
We’re pleased to announce that the Blockchain Association will take responsibility for managing more than $1 million of residual funds from Defend Crypto to help fight legal battles that could benefit the entire crypto industry. The fund is overseen by the Blockchain Association’s Litigation Working Group.