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.

Alpine Group Names Keenan Austin Reed New CEO

Reed Succeeds Les Spivey Who Takes New Role as Alpine’s President

Washington, D.C. – The Alpine Group, a premier bipartisan, bicameral government affairs firm, announced today that Keenan Austin Reed will be the firm’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Effective January 1, 2025, Reed will succeed Les Spivey, who has served as CEO and Managing Principal for over five years and will transition to a new role as President, focusing on business development and strengthening relationships with existing clients.

The transition aligns with the Alpine Group’s commitment to fostering leadership that reflects the dynamic and diverse nature of the policy landscape. With Reed at the forefront, the firm is poised to continue its legacy of excellence, innovation, and impact in government affairs. Reed brings a wealth of experience and a track record of transformational leadership. As a top congressional and campaign veteran, seasoned lobbyist, and civic leader, she has proven to be a tenacious advocate in service to the Alpine Group’s clients and has made her mark by rapidly expanding its roster since joining the Group in 2021. Her innovative approach and strategic mindset have earned her recognition as one of the most influential voices in Washington by multiple industry groups.

Spivey expressed his confidence in Reed’s leadership, stating:

“Keenan is a dynamic and visionary leader who understands the intricacies of policymaking and the importance of building relationships on both sides of the aisle. I am thrilled to see her take the helm and lead the Alpine Group toward new horizons.”

Stewart Hall, CEO of Alpine’s parent company, PPHC, added:

“Keenan’s appointment as CEO marks a pivotal moment for the Alpine Group and PPHC. She has deep expertise, unerring strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to client service. I am confident that under her leadership, the Alpine Group will continue to excel and deliver impactful results for its clients.”

Spivey joined the Alpine Group eighteen years ago after having served on staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee for three different Chairmen. Under Spivey’s stewardship, the Alpine Group has developed into one of the largest and most influential lobbying firms in Washington.


I am deeply honored to take on this new role and build upon the strong foundation that Les has established here at Alpine,” said Reed. “I look forward to leading Alpine into its next chapter, advancing our mission to provide unparalleled service and advocacy for our clients. We will meet these goals while also continuing to foster an inclusive environment that reflects the full diversity of the communities we serve.

PPHC Hosts Breakfast Celebrating Black History Month

WASHINGTON – Last Thursday, Public Policy Holding Company hosted a Black History Month breakfast reception at the Hart Senate Office Building. The reception featured Senators Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) who spoke to the crowd of nearly 200 about the importance of elevating black voices in Congress. Alpine Group Principal and PPHC Board Member, Keenan Austin-Reed (pictured above with the three guests of honor) kicked off the morning’s events.

Other notable attendees included Maya Wiley (President & CEO at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights), Dr. Kimberly McClain (Assistant Secretary for Congressional & Intergovernmental Relations, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development), and Shaniqua McClendon (Vice President of Political Strategy, Crooked Media).

Check out Playbook PM’s recap of the event here.

 

Alpine Group adds legislative and policy veteran Shayne Woods as Vice President

WASHINGTON- Alpine Group announces Shayne Woods as the newest addition to their team, joining the premier lobbying firm as vice president. Woods’ most recent role was as senior legislative advisor to Senator Tim Scott, focusing on issue areas including healthcare, budget, and commerce/science/transportation.

Before joining Senator Scott’s team in 2021, Woods spent six years working in the US House of Representatives. Prior to his work in both the House and Senate, Woods founded two healthcare startups: FwdHealth, Inc. and Scipio Strategies. Woods brings his background in tech and healthcare to the table at a time when innovators of emerging technologies like AI and gene therapies face a challenging regulatory landscape.

Les Spivey, CEO and Managing Principal of Alpine Group commented:

“We are excited to welcome Shayne, whose deep understanding of legislative processes, particularly in health care and tech, will be invaluable in our work.”

Read the full press release from Alpine Group.

2023 LDA Rankings Show PPHC in Top Spot Once Again

WASHINGTON- Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) revenue rankings for 2023 have been released. PPHC’s three federal lobbying firms were all individually ranked in the top 20 with PPHC’s total disclosed revenue overtaking the top spot for another year in a row. LDA revenues from Forbes Tate Partners, Crossroads Strategies, and Alpine Group reached a combined total of $68.3 million, showing PPHC growth with a 3.6% increase in disclosed federal lobbying revenue compared to 2022’s rankings.

Stewart Hall, CEO of PPHC, commented:

“Last year was not straightforward in terms of the provision of lobbying services, so to have maintained the top spot in the whole year while each of our three contributing agencies delivered solid federal lobbying growth is no mean feat. It is a testament to the quality of our operating agencies and their excellent people.”

Visit POLITICO for more details on 2023 LDA revenue rankings.

PPHC Remains On Top of Q2 Lobbyist Rankings

WASHINGTON – PPHC maintains its position atop the second quarter LDA Rankings as all three wholly-owned firms rank in the Top 20. Crossroads Strategies, Forbes Tate Partners and Alpine Group Partners each earned spots on the list, with their combined quarterly federal lobbying disclosure revenues reaching $17.1 million.

See the full list as published in Politico’s Influence

Alpine Group’s Keenan Austin Reed Awarded Lobbyist of the Year at WGRG’s Tin Cup Awards

WASHINGTON, DC – Washington Government Relations Group (WGRG) held the twelfth Annual Tin Cup Awards on Wednesday evening where the group presented Keenan Austin Reed, Executive Vice President at Alpine Group, with the prestigious Reginald “Reg” Gilliam Lobbyist of the Year Award. The Reginald “Reg” Gilliam Lobbyist of the Year Award is granted annually to an outstanding African-American lobbyist selected by WGRG, a non-partisan, independent, volunteer association whose goal is to enhance the leadership prowess and careers of African-American government relations professionals.

“I am both honored and humbled to receive this award from a group of my peers. I feel fortunate to do such rewarding work alongside so many talented professionals. Lobbying is a team sport, and this recognition underscores our collective effort to serve as a critical tool of our democracy, amplify the concerns of the unheard and champion causes that desperately need attention. I remain committed to using my platform to drive positive change.”

Keenan Austin Reed, Executive Vice President, Alpine Group

In addition to her work at Alpine, Reed is the Chair and Co-Founder of the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance (BWCA), Advisory Council Chair at GlobalWIN, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Corporate Advisory Council, and Vice Chair of SOME’s (So Others May Eat) Corporate Advisory Board. In May of 2021, Reed testified before the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. The focus of her testimony was recruiting, maintaining, and empowering diverse congressional staff.

Read Alpine Group’s full press release here.

PPHC Remains the Leader in Bloomberg Government 2022 Report

WASHINGTON – PPHC maintains its position as leader of the top-performing lobbying firms in Bloomberg Government’s 2022 report. Forbes Tate Partners, Crossroads Strategies, and Alpine Group Partners each earned a spot on the list, with their combined 2022 federal lobbying disclosure revenues reaching $66.5 million.

Forbes Tate Partners once again earned a spot amongst the top 10 lobbying firms with the highest revenue, while Crossroads Strategies was named as a ‘Standout’ firm. The standout distinction was given to firms that retained 80% or more of their clients from 2021, retained 60% or more of their clients over three years, and earned $550,000 or more in revenue per lobbyist.

 

Read the full RNS announcement from PPHC here.

Download the full Bloomberg Government 2022 report here.

Three Firms Show Strength in Q3; PPHC Remains the Leader

WASHINGTON – U.S. federal lobbying disclosures for the third quarter of 2022 have been released, showing that PPHC firms continue to thrive. Forbes Tate Partners, Crossroads Strategies, and Alpine Group Partners have once again all cracked the top 20 rankings. The three firms’ revenue combined has PPHC leading the pack in the number one spot.

Read the full revenue rankings list from POLITICO here.

From Politico: Lobbying Revenues Remain Strong

Lobbying Disclosure Act revenue rankings for 3Q of 2020 finds all three PPHC companies in Top 20.

#9 Forbes Tate Partners: $5.1 million (versus $5 million in Q2 2020 and $3.8 million in Q3 2019)

#15 Crossroads Strategies: $4.3 million (versus $3.9 million in Q2 2020 and $3.4 million in Q3 2019)?

#20 Alpine Group: $3.7 million* (versus $3.6 million* in Q2 2020 and $3.4 million in Q3 2019)

See the full list from Politico here.