Alpine Group Strengthens Defense and National Security Team with Abbey Overland

Top Washington Lobbying Firm Makes Strategic Hires, Bolsters its Teams Ahead of Crucial First Year of a New Administration and New Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – Alpine Group announced this week that Abbey Overland, an accomplished expert in defense and national security policy in the legislative and executive branches of government, has joined the company as a Vice President.

Most recently, Overland was an in-house lobbyist at Palantir Technologies and Ursa Major, leading their national security efforts on Capitol Hill. Prior to her work in the private sector, Overland served as the Military Legislative Assistant (MLA) to Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where she handled her defense, veterans’ affairs and foreign affairs portfolio. She then transitioned to the Pentagon where she served as the primary congressional advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the entity driving the Department’s science and technology strategy.

Alpine also announced the promotions of Hannah Schmidt from Director, Public Policy to Senior Director, Public Policy and Travis Fruhling from Staff Assistant to Director, Public Policy. It also announced its plans to hire Madison Gordon as a Staff Assistant from her previous role as an intern.

“Few in our industry have as much wide-ranging and relevant experience in defense and national security policy while also having the relationships to get things done as Abbey,” said Keenan Austin Reed, CEO and Managing Principal of The Alpine Group. “Her deep understanding of defense policy and inter-agency collaboration, coupled with her commitment to bipartisanship, will be instrumental in helping our clients navigate complex challenges and seize opportunities in the defense sector. We’re excited to have Abbey on board as we continue to strengthen our team and provide exceptional strategic guidance. We are also thrilled for Hannah, Travis and Madison who are playing critical roles on our team of experts.”

See the full press release from Alpine.

LPA’s Daisy Castellón elected to Sacramento Press Club’s Board of Directors

Congratulations to LPA’s Daisy Castellón, a newly elected member of the Sacramento Press Club’s board.

The Sacramento Press Club (SPC) is a nonprofit educational organization established in 1961 with the goal of uniting journalists, public relations professionals, press secretaries, political consultants, legislative staff, and members of the public interested in media and politics. Dedicated to investing in the next generation of journalists, SPC awards over $50,000 in scholarships each year.

See the full list of newly elected SPC board members and other California updates from Politico’s California Playbook.

Partner Kelly Devers-Franklin Joins Seven Letter Corporate Communications Practice, Expansion Result of Rapid Growth

Firm’s three additional hires increase the digital and strategic communications expertise

WASHINGTON, DC – Seven Letter today announced the addition of Kelly Devers-Franklin as a Partner to its growing team of communicators. The firm also announced three new hires in D.C. and Boston.

Devers-Franklin has served as a trusted advisor to public and private companies, top-tier academic institutions on corporate and crisis communications, media relations and executive positioning. She joins Seven Letter’s Boston office, located within the cradle of higher education, at a time when university leaders are under historic scrutiny from students, funders, and the public. She will play a significant role in the firm’s corporate communications practice.

“Seven Letter has seen exponential growth in our corporate communications practice, year over year. Adding Kelly to the team will allow us to continue to expand that offering,” said Founding Partner & CEO Erik Smith. “Kelly’s depth of experience in both corporate communications and higher education, paired with her roots in the public sector will make her a vital partner to all of our clients.”

Also joining the firm are Kayla Boswell as a Manager, and Danny Jackson and Jody Gallinger as Content Specialists.

Kayla Boswell is an accomplished marketing and communications professional with extensive experience in driving impactful results across the digital landscape.

Danny Jackson and Jody Gallinger both join the firm after having completed the Seven Letter Fellowship Program.

See the full press release from Seven Letter.

PRNews Names Forbes Tate Partners & Seven Letter to 2025 Agency Elite Top 120 List

PPHC firms Forbes Tate and Seven Letter have both been named to PRNews’ Agency Elite Top 120 List for 2025. Each year, PRNews creates it’s Agency Elite Top 120 List as a comprehensive guide to the most innovative PR & communications firms in the industry.

This is the third year in a row that the two PPHC firms have been awarded this distinguished honor.

See the full 2025 Agency Elite Top 120 list from PRNews.

Seven Letter named one of PRWeek’s “Best Places to Work 2024”

PRWeek has once again recognized PPHC firm Seven Letter for their professional-development offerings and collaborative atmosphere:

Collaboration, creativity and collegiality are at the core of Seven Letter. Employees describe the firm as “a diverse set of people from different industries with unique skill sets.” Those professionals work hard to ensure that junior staff receive the help they need to develop strong industry skills. 

See the full list of Best Places to Work 2024: Midsize Agencies from PRWeek.