Lobbying World

• Michael Torra has joined The Raben Group. Torra is the former chief of staff to Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.). He also served on the staff of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and was a senior policy adviser to Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas) and legislative director for Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas).

• Michael McAdams has joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as a policy director focusing on energy initiatives. McAdams spent 14 years with BP as a lobbyist. He also worked at the Fertilizer Institute.

{mosads}• Ellen Howe is joining the Adfero Group as a vice president and will be working in the firm’s homeland security practice. Howe served as the assistant administrator for strategic communications and public affairs for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

• Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz has hired Judith Meritz and Jennifer Summa as part of the firm’s healthcare policy group. Before coming to the firm, Meritz was a partner at Blank Rome and also was an assistant general counsel for the American Red Cross. Summa, a former senior career employee at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, worked at Epstein, Becker & Green before joining the firm.

• Harold Feld has been hired by Public Knowledge as its new legal director. Feld joined the Media Access Project in 1999 and also practiced communications law at Covington & Burling.

• Susan Haralson has joined Hyde Park Communications as an account supervisor. Haralson was most recently with Dezenhall Resources and has held positions at the DCI Group and the Republican National Committee.

• Clothilde Hewlett has joined Nossaman as a partner in the firm’s San Francisco office. Hewlett most recently was a partner at K&L Gates and also held several positions in California state government.