Policy & government relations
Experience across Congress and industry, with a focus on technology, energy and economic development.
Preston Grisham
I lead policy and external affairs where technology, infrastructure and government meet.
Explore my backgroundVP, Policy & External Affairs, Cologix
Columbia, South Carolina
About
I lead policy and external affairs at Cologix, working on the government relationships, stakeholder engagement and policy issues that shape digital infrastructure growth. Before that, I led U.S. public affairs and policy communications at Amazon and AWS on issues including data centers, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and energy.
My career has taken me from Capitol Hill to technology industry leadership and digital infrastructure. Along the way, I founded Stonewall Strategies and ran TechSC, South Carolina’s first statewide technology industry association. Building software gives me a direct understanding of the technology behind the policy.
More about my backgroundAreas of work
Engagement & communications
Stakeholder engagement and policy communications that connect complex technology issues with the people deciding them.
Digital infrastructure
Data centers, power, permitting and the local politics of building the physical internet.
Experience
2026 – presentCologixVice President, Policy & External Affairs
2022 – 2026Amazon / AWSLead, U.S. Public Affairs & Policy Communications
2020 – 2022APCO WorldwideVice President, Technology Policy
2017 – 2020TechSCExecutive Director
Full career history
Software
I design and build iOS apps in Swift. Working directly with code, data and user experience keeps my perspective on technology grounded in practice.
College Football 2026
Live scores and schedules without the clutter, built by a fan who got tired of the alternatives.
On the App Store
Details
Capital DC Metro
Live train arrivals and line status for commuters who care more about reliability than flair.
On the App Store
Details
PLNS
Say you’re free, see who else is, and make a plan without starting a group chat.
In development
plns.app
Why I built it
Shot List
A daily photo scavenger hunt: four everyday objects and 24 hours to find and shoot them.
In beta
dailyshotlist.com
RiverFlow
Live USGS river flow, gage height and temperature, with historical trends, for people who live on the water.
Coming soon
Details
Outside work
Saturdays in the fall belong to South Carolina football. The rest of the year I’m usually on a Midlands river with a kayak, in the kitchen attempting something I have no business attempting, or out with a camera and more lenses than I need. I’m a sucker for well-designed travel gear. My wife and daughter are the reason for most of it.
Contact
I welcome thoughtful conversations about technology, policy and the work of connecting them. Email is the surest way to reach me.