Founded in 1913, ASLRRA proudly represents the entrepreneurial owners and operators of short line and regional railroads throughout North America. These approximately 600 small businesses play a vital role in the hub-and-spoke transportation network, often providing the first-mile/last-mile connection between farmers and manufacturers and the ultimate consumer.
ASLRRA’s knowledgeable Government Affairs Staff represents the short line industry on Capitol Hill in a wide ranging array of transportation, labor and tax issues. Led by Nicole Brewin, the team is available to answer questions about short line priorities, and to assist ASLRRA members in meeting with elected officials on Capitol Hill, or at their facility.
ASLRRA staff is available to assist in answering questions regarding short line advocacy priorities.
Nicole Brewin joined ASLRRA as Vice President, Congressional Affairs in August 2024 and has over 20 years of experience in government affairs in the rail and technology industries. Nicole has successfully developed and implemented government relations strategies throughout her career to advance association member policy objectives and executed legislative and regulatory tactics to meet critical goals.
Nicole manages all aspects of the ASLRRA congressional affairs program, including the development and execution of ASLRRA positions on relevant policy issues. She also manages the ASLRRA Legislative Policy Committee and the ASLRRA PAC.
Before joining ASLRRA, Nicole held the position of Vice President of Government Affairs at the Travel Technology Association. Nicole also served as the long-term Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at the Railway Supply Institute, where she represented the rail supply industry before Congress and the Administration. Additionally, Nicole worked as a Legislative Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998 to 2001. She has also served as a board member of Operation Lifesaver, the OneRail Coalition, and the Women’s Transportation Seminar. In 2018, Nicole was a Railway Age Women in Rail Award Winner.
Nicole has acquired certifications in Association Management through ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership and Transformational Leadership from Women in Government Relations. Nicole is a native of Vermont and is a graduate of Marymount University in Arlington, VA. She resides in Burke, VA, with her family.
Richard Sherman supports the association’s efforts in a broad range of policy areas, with a particular focus on capital projects, infrastructure funding programs and agency procedures. Prior to joining ASLRRA in February of 2023, he was a Senior Advisor with Blank Rome Government Relations, supporting a range of clients including freight and passenger railroads, transit agencies ports and municipalities. Richard is an experienced federal grant writer, helping clients secure more than $200 million in grant funding over 19 separate awards. His specialty is freight rail projects, but he has also supported successful grant applications in the maritime and highway sectors, working closely with applicants to develop transportation forecasts, to properly scope, de-risk and due diligence project concepts, and to prepare complex benefit-cost analyses.
He has supported numerous overseas railroad consultancy projects, including performing work for national governments and multilateral NGOs. He served with the U.S. Army in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He holds a BA in International Affairs from the George Washington University and an MA in Public Policy and a graduate certificate in Spanish Translation from American University.
Focus Areas: Federal Grant Funding, 45G
Crystal Gitchell supports the safety, regulatory and legal teams on a range of regulatory and legislative issues. Ms. Gitchell works closely with ASLRRA’s lobbying team at CCH, focused on issues such as truck size and weight, and crew size. She also serves as staff liaison to the Young Professionals Committee. Prior to joining ASLRRA, Gitchell served as government affairs manager for the Truckload Carriers Association in Alexandria, Va., where she was responsible for their inaugural Call on Washington advocacy program. Gitchell did her undergraduate work at Virginia Commonwealth University and earned a Master of Public Policy degree, with a focus on United States Government Institutions and Policy Management, from George Mason University.
Focus Areas: Modal Equity, Scheduling with Elected Officials, State-Level Transportation Issues
