Charles Makings has joined Guidehouse as an Associate Director. He announced the news on LinkedIn last week. His appointment marks a return to the firm, where he previously served as a senior consultant from 2018 to 2021, and comes after nearly two decades of public and private sector experience focused on federal transportation, legislative affairs, and intergovernmental relations.
Makings brings a strong track record of leadership in both executive and legislative roles, most recently serving in senior positions at the Maritime Administration (MARAD). As Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator, he advised the Secretary of Transportation on strategic sealift, commercial maritime issues, and international maritime engagement. He also oversaw executive leadership at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and served as a key liaison with industry stakeholders.
Prior to MARAD, Makings served for over three years as Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), where he was the agency’s principal liaison to Congress. There, he led legislative strategy, managed congressional engagement, and oversaw the coordination of official communications between TSA leadership and lawmakers.
His earlier government service includes time at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Legislative Analyst, where he managed national outreach to mayors and city officials. He also spent over eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Senior Legislative Assistant, where his policy portfolio covered a wide range of homeland security, transportation, energy, and appropriations issues.
Makings’ advisory experience extends into the private sector as well, with previous roles at PwC’s Public Sector Practice and at Guidehouse itself, where he focused on strategic transformation, policy implementation, and organizational change for federal clients.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)
