Lobbying World: Nikki Haley heads to the Hudson Institute

Former South Carolina Gov. and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley will join the Hudson Institute as the conservative think tank’s next Walter P. Stern chair. The move comes just over a month after she dropped out of the Republican presidential primary race, officially clearing former President Trump’s path to the nomination.

“Nikki is a proven, effective leader on both foreign and domestic policy,” Hudson President and CEO John Walters said in a statement. “In an era of worldwide political upheaval, she has remained a steadfast defender of freedom and an effective advocate for American security and prosperity. We are honored to have her join the Hudson team.”

Janene Jackson is now executive partner of Holland & Knight’s Washington, D.C., office. Jackson, who also serves as president of the D.C. Bankers Association and is on the board of directors of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, will replace David Whitestone, who this month kicked off his term as managing partner on the firm’s executive leadership team.

Husch Blackwell Strategies has added Michael Slatin as a principal in the firm’s public affairs group. Slatin was most recently a senior vice president and senior partner at FleishmanHillard in St. Louis.

Kyle Shelly is joining General Motors as director of federal affairs. Shelly was most recently a public policy manager at GM Financial.

Amy Strope has joined Madison Services Group, Inc. as a director of government relations. Strope joins from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, where she helped launch the biopharmaceutical company’s government relations team, and was previously a senior business development manager at the legal giant Covington & Burling LLP.

Catherine Boland is now director of government affairs at LKQ Corporation. Boland previously served as vice president of legislative affairs in the advocacy office at MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association, and spent a decade in the Senate on the legislative staffs of the late Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) and former Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Shawn Rumery will join the Solar and Storage Industries Institute (SI2) as senior program director. Rumery joins SI2 after nearly 13 years at the Solar Energy Industries Association, where he was most recently senior director of research.

The National Retail Federation has promoted David French from senior vice president to executive vice president of government relations and executive director of the National Council of Chain Restaurants.