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Execution Discipline
We test strategy against operational reality and compliance constraints, ensuring recommendations can withstand oversight—not just sound compelling.
About The Woolf Group
Strategic Advisory for Complex Federal Environments
Who We Are
TWG is a boutique firm by design. We work selectively and engage deeply, serving as trusted advisors rather than transactional consultants. Our clients operate in environments where access alone is insufficient, advocacy without execution is risky, and misalignment with federal systems can have lasting consequences. TWG exists to help leaders navigate those environments with realism, discipline, and strategic intent.
Our Origins & Evolution
The Woolf Group’s roots are grounded in work at the forefront of national and international efforts to address human trafficking, exploitation, domestic violence, and the rights of crime victims.
Through senior federal leadership, policy development, and the design and implementation of large-scale initiatives, TWG’s principals have helped shape how governments and institutions approach VOCA funding, survivor services, and coordinated public safety systems.
This work demanded engagement in some of the most complex and scrutinized federal environments, where funding, compliance, interagency coordination, and public accountability intersect daily.
Over time, that experience revealed a broader truth:
The disciplines required to build effective victim systems under scrutiny are the same disciplines required to navigate any constrained federal system. TWG’s work has since evolved to apply that hard-earned expertise across sectors, including U.S. territories, public authorities, and regulated business environments, while continuing to engage issues of human trafficking and crime victim systems as an ongoing and influential part of our work. This is not a departure from our origins. It is an extension of them.
How We Work
Durable progress in complex federal environments requires more than good ideas. It requires discipline.
TWG’s advisory approach is grounded in three core principles:
TWG’s advisory approach is grounded in three core principles:
Federal Realism
We align priorities with how federal agencies, OMB, and congressional stakeholders actually evaluate feasibility, risk, and capacity.
Strategic Restraint
In high-visibility environments, restraint preserves credibility. We help leaders sequence decisions, manage expectations, and avoid overextension.
These principles guide our work across sectors, including our flagship focus on the U.S. Virgin Islands and other territories.
Experience That Informs our Work
TWG’s work in areas such as human trafficking, crime victim compensation and assistance, and federally funded public safety systems reflects our long-standing engagement in environments defined by oversight, compliance, and accountability.
Leadership
Oriel Ekşi
Managing Partner
Oriel Ekşi serves as Managing Partner of The Woolf Group, where she leads the firm’s work across government relations, policy strategy, and social impact initiatives.
With more than a decade of experience in advocacy, operations, and organizational development, Oriel brings a disciplined, execution-focused approach to helping organizations navigate complex federal, state, and local systems. Her leadership has been central to advancing policy initiatives, building national coalitions, and supporting clients in securing funding, developing sustainable programs, and scaling their impact.
At TWG, Oriel has played a key role in shaping the firm’s strategic approach; translating complex challenges into practical solutions and ensuring strong alignment between policy, operations, and outcomes. She is known for her ability to manage implementation, coordinate stakeholders across sectors, and drive measurable results in high-stakes environments.
Core Team
TWG’s past work is supported by a core team with expertise spanning policy analysis, program implementation, research, and stakeholder engagement.
Lara K.
Senior Policy Associate
Focused on policy research, stakeholder coordination, and program support across TWG’s federal and territorial engagements.
Johanna Ghelman
Chief Creative Officer
Supports strategic analysis, project management, and client engagement across complex advisory initiatives.
Emma Woolf
Policy Associate
Contributes research, communications, and program support, with experience in federally funded and mission-driven environments.
Founder
Bill Woolf
Founder and Previous Managing Partner
Bill Woolf founded The Woolf Group and helped establish the firm’s strategic approach to advising clients in complex federal environments.
Drawing on senior federal leadership experience, large-scale funding oversight, and work in high-scrutiny policy settings, Bill helped shape TWG’s foundation in disciplined strategy, public-sector navigation, and execution-focused advisory support.
In April 2026, Bill returned to public service in the Executive Office of the President. While he no longer serves in the firm’s day-to-day leadership, his role in building TWG’s early vision and institutional foundation remains an important part of the firm’s story.
Engage With The Woolf Group
We work selectively with organizations prepared to engage complexity and pursue durable solutions.
Initial conversations are confidential and focused on strategic fit.