John Gleason started his career in state government with humble beginnings as an intern for Chairman John Forgety and the House Education Instruction & Programs Committee. Landing a job as a committee assistant for the Senate Judiciary Committee, John moved from the House to the Senate. Eventually becoming the committee’s research analyst, John served as Chief of Staff for the chairman’s office. John returned to the House in 2019 to help Chairman Michael G. Curcio run the newly reformed House Judiciary Committee.

During his time in the House, John served as a research analyst for the Civil Justice, Criminal Justice, Children and Family Affairs, and Constitutional Protections and Sentencing Subcommittees and the Insurance Committee. Three years later, Speaker Cameron Sexton appointed him as Director of the House Research Division, where John trained the next generation of research analysts. Once the division was in good hands, John decided to make the move to private practice.

After nearly a decade of state government service as a public policy professional, John Gleason founded Craftwork Government Affairs to put his experience to work for clients across the country - crafting each one a unique public policy portfolio to accomplish their goals in the State of Tennessee.