Janice Mays is a Managing Director in PwC’s Tax Policy Services group, in Washington, DC. Janice’s long background in government and her deep understanding of the factors influencing both elected and professional participants in government make her uniquely qualified to provide insight and to assist the business community in assessing and pursuing critical policy issues more effectively.

Prior to joining PwC, Janice served as Chief Counsel and Chief Tax Counsel for the Committee on Ways and Means in the U.S. House of Representatives. When the Democrats did not have the Majority in the House, Janice served in those roles for the Democratic Minority.

Janice began her service with the Committee in 1975 as Tax Counsel. From the onset of her Capitol Hill career, she was the first woman to serve in each role she undertook. When she was named Chief Counsel in 1993, she was the first woman named to lead the staff of any major committee in the House.

Janice served five Democratic Chairmen/Ranking Members on the Committee in the House that is charged under the Constitution with originating all revenue legislation. During her tenure, she was closely involved with and responsible for much tax legislation, including the Tax Reform Act of 1986. In addition, during the second half of her career on the Hill, Janice worked extensively on health reform and international trade legislation.

In 2015, The Atlantic’s Politics and Policy Daily called Janice “one of Capitol Hill’s most powerful behind-the-scenes policymakers – and a pioneer among women staffers in the House.” The Washington Post described her as “the most powerful woman in Congress you’ve never heard of.” Janice was often named among the most influential staff in Congress by many publications including Roll Call, The National Journal, and Politico for her mastery of policy and procedure as well as her access to decision makers.

Upon her departure from Congress, Janice was awarded the prestigious John W. McCormack Award of Excellence by Speaker Paul Ryan and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in recognition of Janice’s 40 years of dedication and bipartisanship.

In 2014 the Tax Policy Council Institute honored Janice with the Pillar of Excellence Award for “extraordinary dedication and contribution to the field of tax law and policy.” In 2016, Janice received the Tax Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her long service in the tax field. Upon her retirement from Congress, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (a Member of the Committee on Ways and Means) summed it up by saying “Janice is a tax goddess.”