Lobbying World

• Grayson Fowler has been hired by the National Patient Advocate Foundation as its new vice president of federal legislative affairs. Fowler most recently spent nine years as director of federal relations for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Prior to that job, Fowler was a senior vice president at the Sheridan Group.

{mosads}• Marlowe & Company announced a staff expansion with six new hires: Dennis Kern, Brad Pickel, Daniel J. Sheehan, Ian Pfeiffer, Patrick Kerchowski and Mark T. Antoniewicz. The new employees will handle the expanded opportunities in representing local governments and nonprofits with the firm’s specialty in infrastructure projects and the appropriations process.

• Olive, Edwards & Cooper has changed its name to Catalyst Partners. Known for its expertise in homeland security, the firm has added several new members this year, such as Randy Beardsworth, a former assistant secretary for strategic planning at the Department of Homeland Security, and Vance Taylor, a critical infrastructure specialist.

• Douglas P. Larsen has joined WilmerHale. Larsen will be counsel in the defense, national security and government contracts practice in the Washington office. Larsen joins the firm from the Department of Defense, where he was the deputy general counsel for acquisition and logistics.

• Eric L. Stone has joined K&L Gates as a partner in its Washington office. Stone comes to the firm with more than 30 years of experience at the Consumer Safety Product Commission (CSPC). Stone has been heading the legal division at the CSPC’s Office of Compliance and Field Operations since 1993.

• Gary Litman has been named vice president of Europe policy and initiatives by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In that role, Litman will work to positively influence the business climate in Europe for the Chamber’s member companies. Originally from Moscow, Litman is a U.S.-trained lawyer who joined the business group in 1995.

• Visa Inc. promoted Dan McDermott to head of U.S. government relations. McDermott, a Democrat, was previously vice president of government relations. Lisa Nelson, a Republican, was promoted to head of global government relations.