Al Quinlan is a Partner at GQR, delivering invaluable consulting and issue management to political campaigns, issue groups, and companies. He has extensive experience conducting strategic research focusing on many issues, including health care, education, energy and media consumption for both public and private sector organizations.
He provides research and advice to eight current Senators, including Senator Tina Smith, who won a special election in 2018. He currently works with Senators Maggie Hassan (NH), Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Gary Peters (MI), who won heavily targeted races in 2016 and 2014. He also works with Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Richard Blumenthal (CT) and Tom Udall (NM). His former Senate clients include Tim Johnson (SD), Chris Dodd (CT), Jeff Bingaman (NM), Mary Landrieu (LA) and Joe Lieberman (CT).
This past cycle Quinlan provided the research and advice to four new members of Congress who won targeted races; Anthony Brindisi (NY-22), Elissa Slotkin (MI-8), Andy Kim (NJ-3) and Chris Pappas (NH-1). He also provides research for Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (MA-8) and Don Norcross (NJ-1).
Quinlan also advises and conducts research for party organizations and issue groups and worked as part of the research team to provide battleground polling and focus groups during the past cycle. He also works with End Citizens United, the DSCC and Senate Majority Pac.
He also has experience developing and executing campaign strategies for successful Governors and Mayors. He helped Governor Maggie Hassan (NH) win a tough primary and general election in 2012 and then win reelection in a very tough 2014 environment before moving onto the Senate. Quinlan advised Governors John Lynch (NH), Ed Rendell (PA) and Bill Richardson (NM) during their campaigns and time in office. He provides polling for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and for former Mayors Anthony Williams (DC), Jim Hahn (LA), Richard Daley (Chicago) and RT Rybak (Minneapolis).
His nonprofit clients include many respected foundations such as the Joyce Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, the League of Conservation Voters, Third Way, Trust for America’s Health and Humanity United.
Quinlan oversees issue research and strategy development for several large health care providers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Cooper University Health Care. He has conducted consumer research for the Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com, Univision, ESPN, General Motors, among others.
He is the author of several commentaries, including “Prevention Now For a Healthier Future,” and “Authenticity Matters Most.” Quinlan has also authored the following reports: “New Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust For America’s Health Poll on Childhood Obesity” and “American Public Supports Investment in Prevention As Part of Health Care Reform.”
Quinlan received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at the Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Massachusetts. In 2004, he was awarded Penn State Behrend’s most prestigious award, the Alumni Fellow Award.