The Direct Selling Association (DSA) welcomed Lee Lonsberry as Senior Director, Government Relations. Lonsberry will now help lead the association’s engagement with Congress, federal agencies and state policymakers on issues affecting the direct selling channel.
“DSA’s advocacy is built on trusted relationships, credible engagement and a clear understanding of how public policy is made,” said Dave Grimaldi, DSA Chief Executive Officer. “Lee Lonsberry adds to that foundation with firsthand experience leading on Capitol Hill, navigating complex public policy issues, and helping elected officials and regulators understand the consequences of policies to direct sellers. His perspective and relationships will bring immediate value to our members and the millions of independent entrepreneurs they support.”
Before joining the DSA, Lonsberry served as chief of staff to US Representative Burgess Owens (UT-04), where he led the congressman’s office, helped secure passage of some of Owens’ first pieces of legislation and played a key role in positioning him for his appointment as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
“Direct selling is part of my family history,” Lonsberry said. “My grandmother sold Amway and Fuller Brush products, and an uncle was a direct seller too. Coming from Utah, the drive of the entrepreneur has always been clear and present. I want to draw on the storytelling skills I’ve developed and the relationships I’ve forged on the Hill to make sure that an individual’s right to build business on his or her own terms is protected, and I’m proud to do that work now as part of DSA.”
The next congressional cycle presents an important opportunity for continued engagement with lawmakers and regulators. As DSA prepares for the 2027 midterm elections and the policy priorities that will shape the next Congress, Lonsberry’s Capitol Hill leadership experience and established ties to channel organizations, including the Utah Direct Selling Coalition, will add valuable institutional knowledge and support sustained engagement with policymakers on DSA’s advocacy priorities.
With a career spanning more than two decades, Lonsberry held senior roles in both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, and spent years behind the microphone as a Utah talk radio host. Direct Selling Day on Capitol Hill, scheduled for September 23, will be among the first major advocacy initiatives of Lonsberry’s tenure at DSA, bringing executives and independent distributors from across the country to Washington to meet with lawmakers on issues affecting the channel.
That engagement continues throughout the year through DSA’s work with the bipartisan Congressional Direct Selling Caucus, collaboration with federal agencies, and advocacy in state capitals across the country. Together, these efforts ensure policymakers have a clear understanding of the direct selling business model, the industry’s commitment to strong consumer protections, and how it protects the right of millions of Americans to build business on their own terms.
