Lobbying World: Ferguson follows familiar path from Congress to K Street

Former Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), who did not seek reelection in 2024, has joined Alston & Bird’s legislative and public policy group as a senior policy adviser. During his time in the House, Ferguson served on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, chairing the Subcommittee on Social Security and sitting on the Subcommittee on Tax. Ferguson was also chief deputy whip for House Republicans from 2019-23.

The transition from Capitol Hill to K Street is a familiar one: Nearly 500 former members have gone on to join lobbying shops, according to the nonpartisan nonprofit OpenSecrets, which researches money and influence in American politics. Outgoing representatives are subject to a one-year ban on federal lobbying, but Ferguson can still advise on some of the biggest legislative battles brewing on Capitol Hill, including the extension of President-elect Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.

Alex Graf is also joining Alston & Bird’s health care legislative and public policy group as a special policy adviser. Graf joins from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he served as deputy assistant secretary for legislation, and he spent more than a decade in the Senate, most recently as the Democratic staff director of the Finance Subcommittee on Health Care.

Former senator and congressman Dean Heller (R-Nev.) is joining Venable LLP as a senior policy adviser in the firm’s D.C. office. Heller, who left Capitol Hill in 2019, served as a member of the Finance, Banking, Veterans’ Affairs and Commerce committees during his time in the Senate, and on the Ways and Means Committee during his time in the House — valuable committee experience as both chambers gear up to pass a new tax bill.

Cornerstone Government Affairs is adding Dianne Nellor as an agriculture policy specialist, and Ashley Palmer as a health policy expert with the firm’s federal government relations team. Nellor was most recently the clerk and staff director on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, and Palmer was most recently a professional staff member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

Boundary Stone Partners is adding two Department of Transportation (DOT) alums, Andrew Rogers and Andrew Wishnia, as senior vice presidents with the firm's transportation and infrastructure practice. Wishnia previously was DOT's first-ever deputy assistant secretary for climate policy and a senior policy adviser to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where Rogers also previously served as chief counsel.

Vincent DeVito is joining Eckert Seamans as special counsel in the firm’s energy, utilities and telecom practice group. DeVito was counselor to the secretary for Energy Policy at the Department of Interior during the first Trump administration.

FleishmanHillard has hired Mary Kosinski as the global managing director of health and life sciences. She was most recently head of global corporate affairs with Pi Health and is a Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and Department of Health and Human Services alum.

Tom Wotka is joining Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as a senior policy adviser in the firm’s government relations department. Wotka previously spent nearly two decades with the State Department, including as a foreign service officer in Afghanistan, Austria, Cambodia and Mexico.

Brownstein also announced it is opening a new office in Tampa, Fla., the firm’s 13th location in the U.S. Melissa Kuipers Blake will be the managing partner of the new office.

Husch Blackwell Strategies is adding its 11th state capital office as the women-owned state lobbying firm Harris Frazier Government Relations in Nashville becomes HBS Tennessee.

Smith Dawson & Andrews is changing its name to Smith Garson and appointing Brett Garson as the new president and CEO, the firm’s first executive level change in more than 40 years. Garson has been with the first for 18 years and has been CEO for the past two years.

ICBA Payments, the payments-services subsidiary of the Independent Community Bankers of America, has appointed Rebecca Kruse as president. Juan Costantini also joins as executive vice president and general counsel.

Nneka Chiazor has started her role as the newest president of the Public Affairs Council. She previously was Cox’s vice president of government and public affairs and spent 14 years at Verizon.

The Public Affairs Council has also promoted Laura Brigandi to senior manager of  advocacy and digital practice, Yeraldin Borray Castillo to manager of programs, Rayla Everhart to senior manager of database and office operations, and Madalyn “Maddy” Flood to communications and marketing senior associate.

K&L Gates has elevated Scott Aliferis and Laurie Purpuro to government affairs counselors and Lauren Flynn to government affairs adviser in the firm’s D.C. office. Another 30 individuals in offices around the world were elevated to partner, of counsel or other policy positions across the firm.

Holland & Knight announced 42 new partners, including June Marshall and Anna Hayes in the firm’s D.C. office.