The House Natural Resources Committee hired Juan Carlos Mora as a professional staff member supporting ranking member Jared Huffman, D-Calif. Mora previously worked on the House Judiciary. Earlier in his career, he worked for California Democrat members Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Mike Thompson and former state Sen. Bill Dodd.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Daniel Villaseñor of Sacramento as deputy secretary for communications at the California Natural Resources Agency. He has been with Newsom’s office since 2022, recently as deputy director of communications. Earlier, he was a communications director in the California State Senate and held digital public affairs roles at Randle Communications.
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association named Nina Fisher vice president of communications. She was previously communications director for California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones. Earlier in her career, Fisher was a fellow at the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America.
Nina Fisher (LinkedIn photo)Adam Brezine of Fairfax, California, was appointed chief counsel at the California High-Speed Rail Authority. He previously worked at Adobe as legal director and at Twitter in numerous roles, including as legal director. He is an alumnus of Notre Dame Law School.
Jeffrey Worthe of Los Angeles was appointed to the California High Speed Rail Authority board of directors. He has been president of Worthe Real Estate Group since 1993. Worthe is a member of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles board of directors and the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission.
The U.S. Wheat Associates hired Ryan Olson as director of trade policy. He will be responsible for assisting with trade, transportation, production technologies, sustainability and food aid issues. Previously, Olson was an industry affairs manager at the U.S. Soybean Export Council and served as director of operations at the North American Export Grain Association. Earlier in his career, Olson was a research associate at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Trade and Economics.
Former Federal Railroad Administration Executive Director Michael Lestingi joined the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee as a professional staff member. He will support Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and the Democratic staff.
Kate Steel joined the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association International as senior vice president. She co-founded and served as CEO of a financial technology platform called Nithio to address the need for investment in Africa’s sustainable energy transition. Steel was previously energy director for Power Africa and was a member of the Energy Access and Investments team at Google. She also has experience managing the World Bank-IFC’s Lighting Africa Initiative. Steel’s first day at NRECA International will be Sept. 8.
Alyssa Pettus is now senior vice president of external affairs and communications at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She was previously communications director for the House Select Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party Committee.
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CropLife America hired Anoucheka Cherisca as an office services specialist. She previously was an administrative assistant at Baker Botts for 24 years.
The National Pork Board hired David Newman as its next chief executive officer. He has been with the organization since 2023, recently in the position of senior vice president of market growth. Newman previously served as a member of the board of directors and as the board president for two terms in 2020 and 2021. He was also previously a member of the U.S. Meat Export Federation executive committee. Earlier in his career, Newman was a faculty member at North Dakota State University and Arkansas State University, leading meat science programs and swine research. He owns and operates Newman Family Farms in Myrtle, Missouri, with his family.
David Newman (NPB photo)Newman succeeds Bill Even, who stepped down in February and later took a role as commissioner of the South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development.
Tiffany Dowell Lashmet is president-elect of the American Agricultural Law Association. She is a professor and extension specialist in agricultural law with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, where she focuses on the legal issues that impact Texas landowners and agricultural producers. She testified at the July House Ag Committee hearing into the implications of Proposition 12.
Former Agri-Pulse intern Allie Herring joined the House Agriculture Committee’s Republican staff as press secretary. A recent Texas Tech University graduate, Herring completed internships with the committee and Combest, Sell & Associates while in college. She served as editor of the university’s Agriculturist magazine during the spring 2025 semester. At Agri-Pulse, she wrote on issues ranging from New World screwworm to hemp regulation, cloud seeding and farm bankruptcies.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association hired Savanna Ronco as director of channel marketing, based in Denver. Ronco was previously marketing and sustainability manager at the Seattle Fish Co. and earlier was communications and events manager at ChoLon Restaurant Concepts.
U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action added two new members to the board of directors: Patrick Giberson of United Soybean Board and Greg Shoemaker of Cargill. Giberson is a fourth-generation farmer growing soybeans, corn and hay in southern New Jersey. Shoemaker serves as a commercial director at Cargill leading a commercial sales organization with more than 125 people.
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative named Jennifer Block director of value chain partnerships. In the newly created role, she will focus on merging relationships, fostering collaboration, and growing existing partnerships between allied industries, Edge and the other Voice of Milk organizations. Previously, Block was senior vice president of industry relations at the national dairy checkoff.
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