ESA policy staff offer training workshops designed to help ecological scientists engage more effectively with policy makers. Featuring hands-on exercises, the workshops include overviews of the workings of Congress, tips on timing and developing a coherent message, and mock congressional meetings. Most recently, ESA organized a workshop focused on engaging at sub-federal levels. Held during the Society's Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, the workshop included speakers who described their experiences engaging in local, state, or regional policy and included interactive exercises like the one above, giving participants a taste for collaborations with stakeholders with multiple perspectives on an environmental issue.