Announcements November 4, 2009

Liberty Square Group announces partnership with government strategies firm: The Liberty Square Group announced a partnership with Muroff Government Strategies. Dan Muroff, principal of Muroff, will provide Liberty’s clients with government and business solutions.

Prior to his work with Liberty Square, Muroff served in a variety of senior legislative positions in Pennsylvania and D.C. He continues to advise and closely aid many Pennsylvania candidates for federal, state and local government.

{mosads}Kerry hires new senior adviser: Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) welcomed Daniel Sepulveda to his D.C. office as a senior adviser and member of the senior management team. He will also handle Kerry’s extensive commerce, trade and business portfolio. This will include Kerry’s work as chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet.

Previously, Sepulveda worked as a legislative assistant on commerce, trade, immigration and labor issues for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). Sepulveda received his undergraduate degree at Emory University and a master of public affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He also served as the special assistant at the Department of Labor during the Clinton administration and assistant U.S. trade representative in the Office of Congressional Affairs for the Obama administration.

Schock makes D.C. office promotions: Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) made some promotions in his D.C. office, including promoting Mark Roman, who was legislative assistant, to legislative director. Roman previously worked as a legislative assistant for former Reps. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) and Nancy Johnson (R-Ill.).

Josh Baggett has been promoted from legislative correspondent to legislative assistant. He was legislative correspondent for then-Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.).

Mike Pasko was promoted from staff assistant to legislative correspondent. He was previously executive assistant to the chairman at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Kimberly Hughey was promoted from intern to staff assistant.

Livingston Group gets former undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture: The Livingston Group announced Mark E. Rey, former undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has joined the firm. For the last eight years, Rey led the USDA on issues related to natural resources and the environment. As undersecretary, Rey oversaw programs for the U.S. Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Engagements

{mosads}Pet puppy witnesses Republican staffer engagement: Shea Loper, energy policy adviser for Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and Courtney Kolb, media coordinator for House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.), were engaged two weeks ago on Capitol Hill.

Loper and Kolb met in 2007 while working together at the House Republican Conference under its previous chairman, Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.). Their new puppy, a Yorkshire terrier named Jeffrey, witnessed the engagement. Loper had planned to propose at their favorite spot near the Library of Congress where they walk Jeffrey, but rain forced them indoors to their apartment.

No location or date has been set yet for the wedding, but the two are considering a winery in Charlottesville, Va., that they visited after the engagement.