Lobbying World

• Susie Ahn has been hired by Foley Hoag as a health policy specialist. Ahn previously was director of federal government relations for the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Before working for the trade organization, Ahn was a senior legislative assistant for Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) as well as Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.).

{mosads}• Rodney Capel has been hired by Mercury Public Affairs as a senior vice president. Capel is the former executive director of the New York State Democratic Party and was deputy chief of staff to New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Capel also was a deputy state director for Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a legislative aide to Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.).

• Don Lyster has been hired by Capitol Solutions as vice president and counsel. Lyster was chief of staff to Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) before joining the firm. He also served the congresswoman as legislative counsel. Lyster began his career on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide to former Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.).

• Karen Hanretty has joined Qorvis Communications as a managing director. Hanretty most recently was communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee. She also was the deputy communications director for former Sen. Fred Thompson’s (R-Tenn.) presidential bid and was a spokeswoman for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). Hanretty has also written for The Hill’s Pundits Blog.

• Paul A. Seltman has been hired by Becton, Dickinson and Company as director of public policy and government relations. Seltman served in the Department of Health and Human Services in the Clinton administration and also was counsel to the House and Senate Budget committees. After leaving the public sector, Seltman joined the Advanced Medical Technology Association and also worked in the law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath.

• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has promoted 15 of the firm’s lawyers to partner for the next year, including Scott L. Alberino and Nathan J. Oleson in the Washington office. Alberino is a member of the firm’s financial restructuring practice and works on creditors’ committees and bondholder committees. Oleson works in the firm’s labor and employment practice, which focuses on class-action labor and employment litigation.