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Vanderbilt adds congressional staffer to organized lobby shop

Posted by Jenna Ebersole on Oct. 6, 2014

Vanderbilt University has taken another step toward sharpening its lobbying push on Capitol Hill by hiring a House committee policy staffer.

The university's lobbying expenditures have shot up from five years ago, with $230,000 spent in the first two quarters of 2014 compared to $150,000 for the full 2009 year. Vanderbilt's three registered lobbyists in the last few years have advocated for research dollars and federal student aid as well as on immigration reform to help international students.

Vanderbilt's latest hire, Gabriella Ra'anan, was a policy staffer for the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Space Subcommittee since April 2013, after shifting from a policy staff role on the committee's oversight subcommittee earlier that year. She was also a junior professional staff member and policy analyst on the House Foreign Affairs Committee between 2011 and 2013.

Ra'anan's new job as assistant director of federal relations for Vanderbilt is also her second time in an advocacy office for a university. She interned in 2010 and 2011 at Brown University, where she received her bachelor's degree, in the Office of Government Relations and Community Affairs.

Vanderbilt has a well-honed lobbying pitch. The university dedicates a section of its website to its lobbying efforts for federal grants and contracts and on issues impacting higher education. The site breaks down Vanderbilt's impact in Tennessee by congressional district and displays other "fast facts" for lawmakers.

Some people and organizations who "caught our eye" last week:

Trending Staffers› learn more

Chris Brose, National Security Adviser for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) (current staffer) – Bravo!
Making accommodations with Hanoi, not at the Hilton
Halie S. Soifer, Foreign Policy Adviser for Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) (current staffer) – Don't Know
Lale Mamaux Morrison, Chief of Staff for Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) (current staffer) – Bravo!
Chief of Strength
Tim Rieser, Democratic Clerk for the Senate Appropriations Committee, State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee (current staffer) – Bravo!
Sick of the color orange
Josh Teitelbaum, Subcommittee Staff Director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Children and Families Subcommittee (current staffer) – Bravo!
The devil wears Teitelbaum

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Hill Hires

Brandt Anderson, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Health Subcommittee Rep. Dan Benishek (R-MI), Research Assistant
Jill Schroeder Vieth, Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), Chief of Staff
Kira M. Ayish, Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), Communications Director

Hill Departures

Charles Benjamin Conner (Ben), now Assistant Director of Policy for U.S. Wheat Associates, formerly Legislative Assistant to Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE)
Nichole Francis Reynolds, now Director of U.S. Federal Affairs for MasterCard Worldwide Inc., formerly Chief of Staff to Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL)
Jason E. Bruder, now Chief of Staff, Office of the Senior Adviser for U.S. Department of State, formerly Senior Professional Staff Member to Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Hill Moves and Promotions

Joshua R. Klein (Josh), now Senior Policy Adviser for Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD)
(formerly Legislative Assistant)
Leah Campos Schandlbauer, now Republican Staff Director for House Foreign Affairs Committee, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ)
(formerly Professional Staff Member)
Phillip Adam Harbison (Adam), now Legislative Director for Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
(formerly Senior Policy Adviser)

Revolvers

Andrew Jones,
Lobbies for: Williams and Jensen PLLC
Most recent congressional employment: Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX)
Olga Medina,
Lobbied for: National Council of La Raza
Current employment: Senate Judiciary Committee
Christopher L. Philbrook,
Lobbies for: Kemp Goldberg Partners LLC
Most recent congressional employment: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

LegiBells

Andrew Siman Brady with House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Highways and Transit Subcommittee (April 2013-), Professional Staff Member, married Benjamin Leo Fishel (Ben) with Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) (March 2014-), Deputy Chief of Staff, Sept. 27, 2014

StormFeed press release of the week

Batman highlights National Stamp Collecting Month

Eight Limited Edition Forever Stamps Serve as Great Way to Start Collecting

Top hashtags of the week

#obamacare – (188 mentions)
#ebola – (139 mentions)
#secretservice – (107 mentions)
#natitude – (105 mentions)
#bringbackourmarine – (99 mentions)