Cassidy and Associates News

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Cassidy & Associates, a leading bipartisan, bicameral government relations firm, announced the hiring of Paul Sass as a Senior Vice President. Paul comes to Cassidy after two decades on the Hill, where he most recently served as the Republican Staff Director of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) for Sam Graves (R-MO).

“For the last 3 ½ years, since I took over as this Committee’s Republican leader, Paul has skillfully led our staff in many successful efforts to improve the quality and safety of our Nation’s infrastructure.  No one has worked with more commitment and dedication to public service than Paul.  I want to thank him for his service, his guidance, his loyalty, and his friendship over these last two decades.  I wish him and his family the very best as he moves on to the next phase of his already accomplished career,” said Ranking Member Graves.

In addition to his time on T& I, Paul’s accomplished 20-year career on Capitol Hill included service as Legislative Director and Chief of Staff for Congressman Graves. These experiences served him well as he led strategic efforts and negotiations that contributed to the passage of substantial legislation. During his tenure as Republican Staff Director, the T&I Committee passed landmark bills including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Water Resources Development Act of 2020 and 2022, Aircraft Certification Reform Act, and Coast Guard Reauthorization, among others. Looking ahead, Paul brings deep policy and political understanding to the complex issues before the Committee, such as the upcoming FAA Reauthorization bill.

Paul is a blue-chip addition to our team. His expertise with the legislative process and issue knowledge will be of great value to our clients. By adding Paul, we further strengthen our infrastructure practice and our ability to address the exciting policy challenges ahead,” said Cassidy CEO Kai Anderson.

Cassidy’s emerging Infrastructure Practice includes former Hill senior staffers from the House T&I and Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committees.

Jen Adler

Jen served as one of T&I Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio’s top advisors for twelve years—including as Communications Director for the Democrats on the Committee from 2015 to 2019. Jen gained significant experience in all issue areas under the jurisdiction of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, including surface transportation, aviation, water infrastructure and maritime transportation, rail and pipelines, and public buildings. Prior to that, she served on the Committee on Natural Resources and worked extensively on issues related to conservation, public lands, and resource development.

Charles Brittingham

Charles served as Majority Senior Water Resources Policy Advisor for the EPW Committee—where he led negotiations over the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA), the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) in 2016, as well as the highway reauthorization bills FAST Act and Map-21. He leads Cassidy’s work for a number of the nation’s leading ports.

Zak Baig

Zak served as the Staff Director of Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee from 2013-2015, overseeing and leading Republicans on all issue areas under EPW’s jurisdiction, including highways, environmental policy, water infrastructure, and others.  During that time, Zak helped pass, with bipartisan support, the Water Resources Act of 2014 (WRRDA), highways reauthorization called the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) and the reauthorization of the Toxic Substances Control Act. From 2015-2016, he was Staff Director of the Senate Small Business Committee.

Andrew Forbes

Andrew served as Legislative Director for Sen. James M. Inhofe.  In that capacity, he was directly engaged in Sen. Inhofe’s work on the Environment and Public Works Committee, where he helped draft and secure numerous water resources and infrastructure priorities. Andrew also served as a senior legislative aide in the House where he managed multiple issue portfolios including appropriations, transportation, defense, energy and judiciary.  He began his Capitol Hill career working for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where had the opportunity to work on the 2005 highway bill (SAFETEA-LU) as well as on aviation policy directly under former Aviation Subcommittee Chairman, John Mica (R-FL).

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WASHINGTON, D.C.– Angela Ebiner, a former staffer for senior member of the House Science and House Judiciary committees and Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), has joined Cassidy & Associates as a Vice President. Most recently, she worked with a broad range of energy, health care, transportation, and technology clients, and actively lobbied Congress on legislation related to public transit, shared mobility, cosmetics reform, and drug pricing for the Arent Fox Government Relations practice group.

“Angela has had an impressive portfolio, handling some of the most complicated issues facing the Federal government. She brings tremendous experience to our excellent bipartisan healthcare, technology, and energy teams at Cassidy & Associates,” said Cassidy CEO Kai Anderson. “Angela is hard-working, politically astute, and knows how to deliver results.”

While she was a Senior Legislative Assistant for Rep. Lofgren, Angela worked successfully with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee towards the inclusion of bipartisan legislation related to electric vehicle charging infrastructure at federal agencies in the multi-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that was signed into law. Angela also worked closely with local water providers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on water supply and flood risk management projects, as well as habitat conservation plan implementation.

Most recently, Angela managed drug pricing and surprise billing legislation, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement policy, and proposals impacting the Affordable Care Act, for hospitals, physicians, and other stakeholders, including life sciences companies in the private sector. She also worked closely with hospital clients to reauthorize and expand autism programs at NIH and CDC. She also advocated for transit funding and transit program priorities for next year’s surface transportation reauthorization bill.

“Cassidy’s reputation as a premier bipartisan firm precedes itself. I am eager to join this team of policy and political professionals and deliver major wins for clients with the growing technology and telecomm practice and a formidable energy and environment group,” said Angela.

A native of California, Angela is a UC Santa Barbara Gaucho, with a master’s degree in Environmental Policy from the London School of Economics.

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Julie Eddy Rokala, chief of staff to Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-6), joins Cassidy & Associates today as Senior Vice President. Julie has led Congresswoman Matsui’s office in Washington and district office in Sacramento, CA since 2007 and has more than 20 years of experience in government, politics and the private sector.

“Julie is one of the hardest working, well-liked and most effective people on Capitol Hill,” Cassidy CEO Kai Anderson said. “Through her work in the California Congressional Delegation for the past decade, she has distinguished herself as a leading presence on a diverse suite of issues from energy to tech to healthcare. She is a top-notch addition to our team.”

Julie is widely respected by her colleagues and members of the California Congressional Delegation for getting things done at all levels of government. She has been responsible for a substantial portfolio of work for Congresswoman Matsui, who serves as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Matsui serves on the Health, Communications & Technology, Environment, and Digital Commerce & Consumer Protection subcommittees.

Julie has also gained key insight on how government can encourage clean energy and 21^stCentury manufacturing through Congresswoman Matsui’s work as co-chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC).

Kai noted that Julie has demonstrated a first-hand understanding and impressive legislative skill in the priority issues of the California delegation that include renewable energy, smart grid, cyber security and autonomous vehicles.

She began her career in the Clinton Administration, working for Secretary Dan Glickman at the Department of Agriculture and then as special assistant to President Clinton at The White House. Following the Administration, she helped Terry McAuliffe navigate his successful run for Democratic National Committee Chairman and later served as his chief of staff.  Prior to becoming Congresswoman Matsui’s chief of staff, Julie was senior director for government affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Julie said she’s excited to join Cassidy, “With a stellar team, impressive work and uniquely positioned for growth, this is the time to be at Cassidy.”

Kai added, “Cassidy is investing in the best political and policy advocates In Washington, DC with a focus on professionals who have substantive expertise, leadership ability, geographic and political reach, and deep experience.  Julie is a best in draft selection who will benefit existing and future clients.”

Cassidy completed a management buyout from The Interpublic Group (IPG) in 2017.