VP, Policy & External Affairs — Cologix

Preston
Grisham

Most people in tech policy don't build software. Most developers haven't worked in public policy. I've spent more than twenty years doing both.

"Have fun. Be successful."

Preston Grisham
Columbia, South Carolina · 34.00° N 81.03° W
01 — About

Policy Executive. Technologist. Builder.

I'm a public policy, communications, and external affairs executive with more than two decades of experience operating at the intersection of technology, digital infrastructure, energy, and government. I currently serve as Vice President of Policy and External Affairs at Cologix, one of North America's leading data center and interconnection providers, where I lead government relations, stakeholder engagement, and external affairs strategy across key markets and growth regions.

Prior to Cologix, I led U.S. Policy Communications at Amazon, shaping national and hyperlocal communications strategies on data center infrastructure, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy policy, and economic development across federal, state, and local levels.

Earlier in my career I founded Stonewall Strategies and served as Executive Director of TechSC, South Carolina's first statewide technology industry association. Before that came more than a decade on Capitol Hill, as Communications Director to Rep. Mike Turner and senior advisor to Rep. Joe Wilson.

Technology has always been home base. I started writing programs in the third grade, hold CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, and today build iOS apps in Swift alongside my policy work. Two of them are live on the App Store: DC Metro and College Football 2026, with more in the pipeline.

01

Technology & AI Policy

02

Government Relations

03

Strategic Communications

04

iOS Development

05

Stakeholder Engagement

02 — Career

Where I've Been

Capitol Hill to K Street to Big Tech to data centers. Twenty-some years spent where policy and technology run into each other.

2026 –
Vice President, Policy and External Affairs Cologix
2022 – 2026
Lead, US Public Affairs / Policy Communications Amazon | Amazon Web Services (AWS)
2020 – 2022
Vice President, Technology Policy APCO Worldwide
2017 – 2020
Executive Director TechSC — The Technology Association of South Carolina
2018 – 2019
Vice President, Government Affairs Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS
2014 – 2018
Senior Manager, Public Policy Communications CompTIA — The Computing Technology Industry Association
2013 – 2014
Communications Director U.S. House of Representatives — Rep. Mike Turner (OH-10)
2010 – 2014
Principal & Owner Stonewall Strategies
2002 – 2010
Policy Advisor & Communications Director U.S. House of Representatives — Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02)
03 — Apps

Things I've Shipped

Outside of policy work, I build software. iOS apps mostly, plus the occasional web tool. It started as a way to keep my hands on the technology I spend all day arguing about, and turned into something I do for the fun of it.

PLNS app icon
In Development

PLNS

A social planning app built in Swift for the awkward space between the group chat and the calendar. Making plans should be quicker than it is, so I'm building that.

Swift SwiftUI CloudKit iOS
Visit plns.app →
College Football app icon
Published

College Football 2026

A real-time companion app for college football fans. Scores and schedules, none of the clutter. Built by a fan who got tired of the alternatives.

Swift UIKit REST API iOS
Learn more →
DC Metro app icon
Published

DC Metro App

A real-time DC Metro app with live train arrivals and line status. Built for commuters who care more about reliability than flair.

Swift WMATA API CoreLocation iOS
Learn more →
Shot List app icon
In Beta

Shot List

A daily photo scavenger hunt: four everyday objects, 24 hours to find and shoot them. The puzzle you have to go outside to solve.

Swift SwiftUI CloudKit iOS
Visit dailyshotlist.com →
04 — Personal

Off the Clock

Family

My wife and daughter are the center of everything. Time with them is the best part of any day.

College Football

I bleed garnet and black. If it's a Saturday in the fall, you know where to find me.

The Outdoors

Kayaking, hiking, or just sitting by the river. It's where I reset. Based in the South Carolina Midlands, I'm never far from water or a trail.

Cooking

Always experimenting in the kitchen. Good food comes down to caring about the small stuff and sharing the result with people you like.

Travel Gear

I'm a sucker for well-designed travel kit. The kind that works as hard as you do and disappears when you don't need it.

Photography

Avid photographer and unabashed gear obsessive. Always chasing the right light and the right lens to catch it.

05 — Contact

Say Hello

Technology policy, public affairs, iOS development, or just good conversation. I'm easy to reach.

Send a Message