Lobbying World

Scott Nelson is returning to the law and lobby firm K&L Gates after working for former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (D). He has been named of counsel at the firm — where he last served as an associate from 2005 to 2009 — and will concentrate on a variety of issues involving health care, tax, trade, environmental and political law.

BGR Government Affairs hired John Stone away from the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, where he served as senior counsel. Stone was named vice president of the firm’s health and life sciences practice. 

The Melanoma Research Foundation brought on Elly Brtva as its new CEO. Prior to that, she worked as the assistant dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland. She has also worked at the American Diabetes Association and the Alzheimer’s Association, among other places.

{mosads}The public affairs and lobbying firm Venn Strategies added three to its team: Tyler Roberts, a former adviser to Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), who previously worked for the National Republican Congressional Committee; Monica Farrow, a former aide to House Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.); and Peter Goelz, who previously served as the director of the Electronic Payments Coalition.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has formed a strategic policy team — within its risk and regulatory advisory group — that “provides clients with comprehensive strategies to define and execute their government and regulatory affairs strategies in this increasingly fragmented and volatile federal, state, local and global regulatory landscape.” It offers counsel to “understand and manage the potential impact of emerging policies on their business” and engage with the federal government before crisis arises. David Sapin, the leader of the risk and regulatory team, and Alison Kutler, who previously worked as a top lobbyist for Visa, will lead the effort.

Christine Pollack has joined Horizon Government Affairs as a president, coming over from the Retail Industry Leaders Association. At the retail trade group, she served as vice president of government relations.