OUR TEAM

With decades of combined experience in public affairs, communications, and navigating the Virginia General Assembly, we bring unmatched expertise and strategic leadership to every project. Our diverse skill sets and unwavering dedication maximize the opportunity for success in achieving our clients' goals at the local, regional, and state levels in Virginia.

Mike Carlin

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Mike is a highly experienced public affairs professional with extensive relationships and knowledge of government, business and community environments.

He began his career working as legislative staff to Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives where he worked on banking, budget, tax, and transportation issues. He left Capitol Hill to direct the legislative affairs of the largest local chamber of commerce in Virginia, where he led advocacy efforts to improve public policy and investment on matters of interest to northern Virginia businesses. He left the chamber to enter the energy industry as a lobbyist and then head of public affairs for Washington Gas, a public utility and energy services retailer serving Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. After 13 years at Washington Gas, he co-founded Access Point Public Affairs.

Over the past 20 years at Access Point, Mike has worked with clients in the communications, energy, healthcare, human services, land use, manufacturing, public safety, technology and transportation industries. He supports clients by listening to their challenges and opportunities and collaboratively developing compelling messages and strategies to help achieve their goals. He has worked extensively in state and local government decision making processes in Virginia.

Mike has built coalitions of like-minded public opinion leaders and organizations to raise awareness of issues and influence the direction of public policy decisions to achieve shared goals. He worked to develop and led the REGION coalition, which focused on public infrastructure investments, and the Utility Industry Coalition of Virginia, which focused on key utility issues. He also helped form the Virginia Association of Community-Based Providers (VACBP), an association of private sector providers of community-based behavioral health and substance abuse services.

Over the years, he has provided leadership and support to many business and community organizations, including serving as Chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Commonwealth Transportation Alliance, and serving on the Boards of Directors of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Northern Virginia Family Service, the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation and the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance. He is a recipient of the Northern Virginia Leadership Award as Community Trustee from Leadership Fairfax for his significant community efforts.

Mindy Carlin

Co-Founder and President

Mindy has been providing expert public affairs and communications services in support of a wide range of businesses and organizations in Virginia for more than 30 years. In 2003, she co-founded Access Point Public Affairs, which offers results-focused public affairs support to clients with interests throughout Virginia. Her unique ability to understand client challenges quickly and create innovative strategic approaches to address them makes her a valuable resource to Access Point’s clients.

Mindy has extensive public affairs experience at the state and local levels in Virginia on a wide variety of issues, including energy, workforce development, education, healthcare, transportation, development and land use, general business issues, environmental issues and redistricting reform.

Access Point also provides full-service association management support. Within this service area, Mindy serves as the staff lead for the Virginia Business Council, an association of the senior executives of Virginia’s largest employers. She has also served as Executive Director of the Virginia Association of Community-Based Providers (VACBP), an association of private-sector providers of behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services, founded in 2013.

Mindy also serves as an active leader in the community, which has enabled her to develop strong relationships and visibility as an engaged thought leader and consensus builder. This also has positioned her well to leverage her relationships and credibility to support Access Point clients.

At the state level, she served as a member of the Virginia Leadership Council for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and is an active member of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

She is particularly well known, however, for her leadership at the regional and local levels in Hampton Roads and northern Virginia. She is a member of the Hampton Roads Chamber, serving as a member of the Chamber’s Regional Board, a trustee on HRBizPAC and a member of the Executive Committee for the Chamber’s Virginia Beach Division Board. She is a past Chairman of the Board of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, where she also led the Chamber's Public Policy Committee for more than 15 years and launched the Chamber’s Health and Wellness Initiative.

Cassidy Taylor

Public Affairs Director

Cassidy is a dedicated communications and public affairs professional with a proven record of supporting clients through strategic advocacy and government relations. A Virginia Business Top Forty Under 40 honoree, she brings a thoughtful, solutions‑oriented approach to advancing impactful public policy across the Commonwealth. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with minors in Political Science and Business Administration from Christopher Newport University.

Cassidy first entered the world of public affairs as a Field Assistant for a Member of Congress, gaining firsthand experience in constituent services and the legislative process. Her internship with Access Point Public Affairs deepened her understanding of policy development and stakeholder engagement, leading to a full‑time position following graduation. Since joining the team full‑time in 2022, she has become a key member of the firm.

At Access Point, Cassidy provides legislative and regulatory support, conducts stakeholder outreach, and crafts targeted messaging for clients across sectors including education, workforce development, and healthcare. Her knowledge of the Virginia General Assembly and her collaborative approach help clients navigate complex public policy challenges with clarity and confidence.

Outside of her professional role, Cassidy is actively involved in civic and business communities. She serves on the CNU Peninsula Alumni Chapter Board and engages in public policy discussions through her involvement with the Government Affairs Committee for the Hampton Roads Chamber, the Public Policy Committee for the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, and the Legislative Affairs Committee for the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce.

A recent graduate of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber’s LEAD Peninsula program, Cassidy continues to advocate for policies and initiatives that foster stronger communities across Virginia.