Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Paula Treat

Top 100 Hall of Fame

And though she be but little, she is fierce.

Artistic sorts among you might recognize this line spoken by the character Helena in Shakespeare’s classic play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Helena is referring to her friend Hermia, but she just as well could be describing Paula Treat. Because whatever she lacks in size, Treat more than makes up for in guts, guile and most of all, smarts. And brother, you don’t survive as a solo operator in the lobbying world for more than half a century without plenty of all three. Although her career has also taken her to Washington D.C. and Carson City, it has been in the Capitol where Treat has carved out her reputation as a tireless coalition builder and champion for her clients. She has represented a wide array of groups – perhaps none more effectively than her work for California’s tribal governments – but her impact has been so much more than that. She has also been an incredible trailblazer. Hers was one of the first woman-run lobbying shops around, making her an inspiration and often a mentor for the growing number of women-owned firms that now dot the Capitol landscape. That is a big deal because for most of her career the third house was not a welcoming environment for women. Treat’s longevity – and to be clear, she’s not done yet, not by a long shot – is a testament not only to her skill as a lobbyist but her strength and courage in lighting the way for others to follow.

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