Stick A Fork In It

Feeding Tampa Bay

Stick a Fork in It is meant to inspire action and connection. Through conversations with diverse guests, we explore the connections that nourish us because none of us get where we are alone.

  1. Sep 9

    He Walked Into Tallahassee and Rewrote the Rules for Tampa Bay: Ron Pierce

    Ron Pierce didn't set out to become a lobbyist. But 17 years later, his firm RSA Consulting has secured $1.8 million in state funding for Feeding Tampa Bay's food processing center, changed Medicaid billing law to help thousands of Florida patients get the care they need, and quietly shaped the policies that determine who eats — and who doesn't. In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, host Shannon sits down with Ron to pull back the curtain on how lobbying really works in Florida, why it matters for the fight against food insecurity, and what you can do right now to make your voice heard by the people who make the rules. What we cover: → The $1.8 million secured for a new food processing center on Feeding Tampa Bay's campus → The Medicaid billing law RSA changed — community health centers can now bill for up to 3 services per visit instead of just one → Why food insecurity is only part of the problem (and what's actually driving hunger in Tampa Bay) → How lobbying in America really works — and why it's not what you see on TV → The two reasons people hire lobbyists: knowledge and relationships → Exactly how to contact and engage your elected officials — and why they actually want to hear from you → The family story behind the name RSA Consulting About Ron Pierce: Ron Pierce is the CEO and founder of RSA Consulting, a lobbying firm with offices in Tampa, Tallahassee, and Miami. He represents over 100 clients including Feeding Tampa Bay, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Moffitt Cancer Center, and AdventHealth.

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Stick a Fork in It is meant to inspire action and connection. Through conversations with diverse guests, we explore the connections that nourish us because none of us get where we are alone.