Samuel Kessler

Samuel Kessler is the Director of Government Affairs – Agriculture, Water, Tax, & Trade with ACC Action. Prior to his role with ACC Action, Sam served as the inaugural Republican Congressional Fellow on the House Climate Solutions Caucus, focusing on market solutions to energy & environment challenges, and energy tax credits in reconciliation under Congressman Fitzpatrick of Ways & Means.

Previously, Sam worked as a senior policy analyst at Ireland’s premiere data science institute on EU/Horizon Europe initiatives for peatland restoration policy, with Peatland Finance Ireland on strategic planning to introduce regenerative wetland agriculture for alternative growing media production to transition remaining peat markets, and improving integrity of offset markets for blended finance.

Sam is a Mitchell Scholar, has previously worked for the USGS as contractor, Kentucky Resources Council managing legal & planning/development intake. He holds an wide research background in environmental science spanning a utility patent with USGS on cumulative water sampling, alternative aquaculture production, and satellite based crop water balances for adaptive irrigation management. Sam founded and directed the Commonwealth Policy Institute in Kentucky, a pilot think-tank acting as a “collaboratory” to connect state university research insights to coalitions crafting bills in the state assembly.

Sam is a proud Kentuckian, holding a Masters of Public Policy (MPP) from University College Dublin, a B.S. in Environmental Analysis, individualized B.A. in Industrial Ecology & Public Policy, and certificate of Applied Geospatial Technology from the University of Louisville.