Lobbying World

• Venn Strategies has promoted Jessica Layson Davis to vice president and Michael Lanza to associate vice president. Layson Davis, who specializes in healthcare issues, joined the firm last year. She previously lobbied for the American Academy of Physician Assistants and worked as legislative director for Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.). Lanza specializes in financial services policy and formerly worked for House Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.). 

• Sean Riley has joined Cozen O’Connor’s state attorney general practice in Washington. Prior to that, he served as chief deputy attorney general in the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. He also has campaign experience, having worked as the finance director for the Senate campaign of Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway. 

{mosads}• Hogan Lovells has brought on Jared Wessel as counsel in the international trade and investment practice and Alexi Maltas as a partner in its communications practice group. Wessel formerly served as associate general counsel in the Office of the United States Trade Representative and represented the U.S. in litigation before the World Trade Organization among other international courts. Maltas most recently served as the vice president of legal and regulatory affairs from Cablevision.

• The Ingram Group, which has offices in Washington and Nashville, Tenn., is rebranding itself in D.C., “to emphasize the seamless service Group members in both offices offer clients.” The firm has been doing business in Washington as The First Group since it opened its doors five years ago but will now assume The Ingram Group name. It brought on Jennifer Johnson to serve as managing director of the D.C. office. She most recently founded her own public affairs firm, Bighorn Public Affairs, and has experience on K Street, Capitol Hill and campaigns. Greg Hinote, who has spent the last eight years as Nashville’s deputy mayor, has been named managing director of the firm’s office in Music City. 

• Kevin O’Neill, Kristine Blackwood and Eugenia Pierson are leaving Squire Patton Boggs this week to join Arnold & Porter.O’Neill has been with Squire Patton Boggs for more than 15 years, and Pierson, who specializes in healthcare policy, since 2005. Blackwood had joined earlier this year after serving as the deputy director of congressional oversight and investigations at the
Department of Health and Human Services.