Augustus (Gus) Maples 

Director at Tai Ginsberg & Associates 

Hometown: Lucedale, MS
BA in public policy leadership (2014)
Minor in Spanish
LinkedIn Profile 

After his internship in Washington DC, Gus Maples knew he wanted to build a career in the nation’s capital.  After serving as Outreach Liaison with Student Veterans of America, he became a part of the Congressional staff with the US Senate Committee on Appropriations. In that role he worked with the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. He was the primary staffer for transportation accounts including Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, and assisted with other transportation and housing issues in the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction. 

Since 2019 he has been a Director at Tai Ginsberg & Associations, a government relations firm with an expertise on transportation. Gus took his previous transportation policy expertise and now develops and executes government relations strategies primarily focused on engineering, transportation and water infrastructure issues.

“Public policy and politics have always interested me, and when I attended the Lott Leadership Institute’s summer program for high school students I saw a path to further that interest. I believe civic engagement is a vital component of our republic and important for a healthy society. 

When I look back on my undergraduate studies, I cannot imagine a truly fulfilling education had I not been involved in the Lott Leadership Institute. Studying public policy leadership opened doors for me to study abroad in Ecuador and South Africa. Class sizes are small enough to afford engaging discussions about policy ideas and the writings of political theorists. This helped prepare me for an internship on Capitol Hill with Senator Thad Cochran. Now working full time in Washington, my professional network includes many former classmates. 

During my internship I caught Potomac Fever, and moved to Washington after graduation to work at Student Veterans of America. There I helped veterans who served our country navigate the transition back to civilian life as college students using their GI Bill benefits. When Senator Cochran became Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, he hired me to work on the Transportation & Housing Appropriations Subcommittee where I advised Subcommittee Chairman Susan Collins on funding programs for highways and bridges, vehicle safety, and numerous housing programs.”