Lobbying world

Longtime Walmart lobbyist Ivan Zapien has joined the law and lobbying firm Hogan Levells as a partner in the firm’s government relations and policy advocacy practice. He spent almost 10 years working for Walmart in both Washington and, most recently, Mexico City. In the public sector, Zapien worked as chief of staff to Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) while the senator served as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and co-chairman of the Senate Hispanic Task Force. Also on his résumé: national outreach director for the House Democratic Caucus and executive director of the Hispanic Leadership Council of the Democratic National Committee.

Kathy Jeavons has joined Direct Impact — the grass-roots communications arm of Burson Marsteller — as an executive vice president. She comes from public relations firm Story Partners and has also worked at Ketchum, in the George W. Bush White House and in the Energy Department.

Richard Attias & Associates has added Panos Tzivanidis as its CEO. He previously served as the director of events for the International Olympic Committee. Maureen Mitchell, who most recently served in the Office of Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), has been named chief of staff at the firm.

{mosads}Mark Jacobson is now a senior policy adviser in the government affairs and strategic counsel group at Kasowitz Benson Torres. Before that, he worked at the Defense Department, including as senior adviser to the secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The consulting firm Berkeley Research Group hired Kristen Schwendinger for its health analytics practice. She comes from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, where she served as senior counsel.

Victoria Esser has rejoined Glover Park Group after leaving the Treasury Department, where she held various positions — most recently the principal communications adviser to the Treasury secretary. She previously worked at the Glover Park Group from 2004 to 2011 and co-led its international affairs practice. 

Crowell & Moring has named Nicole Owren-Wiest a partner in its government contracts group in Washington. She comes from law and lobbying firm Wiley Rein and previously worked as corporate counsel at Boeing.