Lobbying world

Alex McDonough, co-chair of Clean Energy for Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign, joined Pioneer Public Affairs as a partner. McDonough previously advised former Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) on energy and environmental issues and most recently was vice president for public policy at Sunrun Inc.

Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas hired Alex Perkins and Victoria Flood as principals. Flood previously served as senior policy adviser to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). Perkins previously worked in government affairs for Stellantis NV, and before that was a trade counsel for Democrats on the House Ways and Means committee and counsel to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Katey McCutcheon joined Firehouse Strategies as a vice president. McCutcheon did communications work for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) from 2015 to 2020 and most recently was a senior account executive at Sunshine Sachs.

Visa Inc. promoted Bobby Thomson to global head of government engagement. He previously led the company’s U.S. government relations team since 2013.

Strategic communications firm Seven Letter brought on Nu Wexler, who has handled communications for Twitter, Facebook and Google. Wexler previously worked in communications for Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Democrats on the House Budget Committee and Democrats on the House Education and Labor Committee.

Signal Group hired Chris Ortman, former communications adviser for Biden’s transition team and former spokesperson for the Motion Picture Association. The firm also hired Jess McCarron, former press secretary to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and deputy press secretary to former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during the Obama administration.

The Nickles Group hired Brett Baker for its health care practice. Baker was a health policy staffer for Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee from 2015 to 2021 and a professional staff member for Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee’s health subcommittee from 2011 to 2015.

Invariant LLC announced Rebecca Christopher will lead the firm’s digital media practice. Christopher previously for the Biden campaign and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign. She was also a strategist at the Democratic National Committee.

Holland & Knight LLP announced Reese Goldsmith will join the firm’s energy policy team. Goldsmith previously worked for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP following stints at the Small Business Administration and the Department of Energy.

The Asian American Hotel Owners Association announced industry veteran Ken Greene will serve as interim president and CEO. Greene succeeds Cecil P. Staton in both roles. The group also announced Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rachel Humphrey is exiting the association.