Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Shari McHugh

62. Shari McHugh

You might have heard that California has an insurance problem. It feels like it has been in the news a bit. So we should not be surprised to see someone known as “Ms. Insurance” on this list. Shari and her husband Gavin run McHugh Koepke Padron Government Relations, a boutique lobbying firm that punches way above its weight. The firm employs just four lobbyists, but manages to represent more than 40 clients, and not just insurance companies either. Their client list includes the likes of the American Beverage Association, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, the Pechanga Band of Indians, Shell Oil, Warner Music and the Western States Petroleum Association. Before joining McHugh Koepke Padron, Shari was Senior Vice President for the Coalition of Insurance Professionals and before that worked for the Professional Insurance Agents, two roles from which she derives her deep expertise in insurance.

Updated Aug. 26, 2025