1998 alumnus Ron Pierce, RSA Consulting Group

By Sage Moore

A younger Ron Pierce had a plan.

“When I was at Florida State, I thought for sure I was going to law school,” he says.

At least at first.

For Pierce, a recent Seminole 100 honoree, earning his bachelor’s degree in English was originally a stepping stone to an office in a law firm. Instead, the diploma he earned in 1998 became the foundation for much more: a thriving consulting firm with locations in Tampa, Miami, and Tallahassee; a business now representing nearly 100 organizations across Florida; and a career spanning 28 Florida Legislative sessions.

In mid-February 2026, Pierce joined three other English alumni on the Seminole 100 list, which recognizes the fastest-growing businesses owned or led by FSU graduates. His firm, RSA Consulting Group, has grown from a one-person operation to a multi-office team that serves clients statewide and was named Golden Rotunda Awards 2025 Boutique Lobbying Firm of the Year.

“But what’s ironic about it is I ended up not going to law school,” Pierce says, reflecting on his life. As an undergraduate, he majored in English with a minor in political science, choosing the degrees strategically.

“The number one accepted major into law school at that point was an English degree,” he says, referencing the mid-1990s, when he was a student. “Obviously, having the writing background, I thought would be a great background and experience to have.”

Instead of going to law school after graduation, though, he accepted an opportunity to work in Sarasota, Florida, with a political campaign. That opportunity led to others—first working for a state representative, then eventually becoming Chief Legislative Assistant for then–Florida Senate President Tom Lee.

“Once I got into the political and the public policy process, that was kind of it,” he says.

His immersion into politics at the time turned into his career. The 2026 state legislative session marked his 28th year of doing his job at the Florida Capitol.

He launched RSA Consulting, which is based in Tampa, 17 years ago, after nearly a decade working with elected officials and serving as Director of Government Relations and Community Affairs for the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2006 to 2009.

“We started with just me and three clients,” he says. “Now we have a team of 12 and nearly 100 clients.”

The firm represents almost 100 different groups and organizations and meets with Florida legislators, the governor’s office and executive branch, and local governments. Pierce explains that roughly 70% of RSA Consulting’s work happens at the state level, with the remainder focused on local school boards, city councils, and county commissions.

The lobbying profession, he says, is about more than advocacy.

“People hire lobbyists for a few reasons: relationships and knowledge of the process,” Pierce says. “We have to become their voice with legislators to explain that this is impacting our client and this is how.”

That ability to “become their voice” is where his English degree shines.

“All those writing skills have been very beneficial,” he says. “Not only from a writing communication standpoint but from a verbal communication standpoint as well.”

Much of Pierce’s day-to-day work involves translating complicated legislation wording into language that decision-makers can quickly understand.

“One of the things we have to do all the time is take something pretty complex and break it down into very simple talking points,” Pierce said. “When you’re talking to a legislator, sometimes you have a minute or two to explain your position. You have to be very succinct, very on point to share: this is the issue, this is our position, and here’s why.

“My degree trained me really well to be able to do that.”

Pierce’s academics at FSU were focused on creative writing, so he spent much of his time drafting stories and essays. That work, he says, translates now directly into writing policy briefs, developing strategic messaging, and assessing real-time political analysis.

Twelve years after he graduated from FSU, Pierce earned his master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Florida in Tampa. Now, in addition to running his consulting firm, Pierce teaches courses at USF Institute for Public Policy and Leadership, continuing the legacy of the late USF Professor of Public Administration Joan E. Pynes, who profoundly influenced Pierce when he was a student.

He also is the Public Policy Internship Program Coordinator for the university.

His describes his teaching approach as emphasizing real-world application, bringing legislation being debated that day at the Capitol or in front of local government officials into the classroom for discussion.

From a once-aspiring lawyer to public policy strategist and communicator, from attending creative writing workshops to showing up for legislative sessions, Pierce’s path to being a Seminole 100 honoree shows how he made the versatility of an English degree work for him.

Sage Moore graduated from Florida State University at the end of the Spring 2026 semester with her bachelor's degree in English-Editing, Writing, and Media, and a minor in women’s studies.

Follow the English department on Instagram; on Facebook; and on X.