Lobbying World: Auto industry group gears up for state advocacy

Judith Fenelus joined the Alliance for Automotive Innovation as director of state affairs, where she will oversee advocacy efforts in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. Before joining the auto industry group, Fenelus served as chief of staff to New Jersey Assemblymember Shavonda Sumter (D) and chief administrative officer for the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation.

The National Automatic Merchandising Association, the convenience services industry group, tapped Bill Meierling as senior vice president of external affairs. Meierling was most recently the vice president of strategic communications and marketing at the International Franchise Association, the world’s largest franchising membership organization.

Krysten Jenci joined Cisco as senior government affairs manager after more than 30 years with the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA). She most recently worked as the director of the Office of Digital Services Industries at ITA.

The Herald Group welcomed McLaurine Pinover as senior director. Pinover most recently worked as deputy communications director for the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Adrian Eng-Gastelum and Michael Kurtz joined Bryson Gillette as directors. Eng-Gastelum was most recently a senior media advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and his resume includes stints as a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson and on President Biden’s 2020 campaign. Kurtz was the Michigan state director for Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign.