Sonnie A. Elliott

Sonnie brings decades of experience working with clients, lawmakers, elected officials, key staff, and coalitions at the local, state, and federal level. As senior vice president of Taft’s Public Affairs Strategies Group, Sonnie develops creative government solutions for clients to meet their goals and ambitions.  She enjoys strong relationships with colleagues and engages a broad network of resources in her work with clients.

In addition, Sonnie helps advocate for clients in Minnesota with key state agency staff and elected officials to help procure government contracts. She also helps creates new contracting opportunities by passing new laws or modifying the law to fit clients’ needs to better secure contracts.

Sonnie is a board member and past president of the Minnesota Government Relations Council, a professional trade association of 500 lobbyists.

Prior to joining Taft, Sonnie was a principal at a national law and consulting firm. She previously served as deputy director for Cabinet Affairs in the office of Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson, where she advised the governor on legislative issues and lobbied legislators on behalf of the Carlson administration. Sonnie also worked at the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives.

She is a frequent speaker at businesses, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and trade associations on public policy and political issues. Sonnie is frequently invited to speak to the Policy Fellows at the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, where she shares her expertise as a veteran lobbyist and political analyst specializing in Minnesota politics.

Sonnie is not licensed to practice law in any state and does not provide legal services.

Speaker, “State Counsel Forecast,” Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) Inside the Dome IRL 2024, Nov. 12, 2024.