News at the Top

keeping you informed of our latest placements

John Frank 

Chief Public Affairs Officer

Illumina

John Frank has been appointed Chief Public Affairs Officer at Illumina. John spent 27 years with Microsoft, most recently as Vice President of United Nations Affairs and International Organizations reporting to Microsoft President, Brad Smith. Prior to that, John led Microsoft's European Union Government Affairs team and held numerous leadership positions focused on digital trust and security, digital crime, competition law and compliance issues. John began his career at Microsoft as a Senior Attorney in 1994, then led Microsoft's legal and corporate affairs group for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

David Merritt

Senior Vice President, Policy & Advocacy

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

David Merritt has been named Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). David joined BCBSA with nearly 20 years of high-profile health care leadership experience. He most recently led public affairs and strategic initiatives at America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). He also served as President of the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future and on the Board of Directors for the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing. David’s prior experience includes leading political and messaging research for Luntz Global; serving former HHS Secretary and Utah Governor Mike Leavitt, leading Leavitt Partners’ Washington office; and working closely with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on health care issues.

Christine Simmon

President & Chief Executive Officer

Food and Drug Law Institute

Christine Simmon has been named President and Chief Executive Officer at Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI). Prior to joining FDLI, Christine served as Executive Vice President of Policy and Strategic Alliances for the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM). Her leadership contributed to AAM’s successful advocacy for pharmaceutical competition and improved market access. Concurrently, Christine served as Executive Director of the Biosimilars Council, the AAM subsidiary that advocates for greater access for patients to biosimilar medicines.

Rebecca Tallent

Vice President, Head of Government Affairs

Anywhere Real Estate Inc.

Rebecca “Becky” Tallent has been appointed Vice President, Head of Government Affairs at Anywhere Real Estate Inc. Becky brings more than 20 years of senior level government affairs experience, having advised members of Congress, corporations, and nonprofits on critical policy initiatives most recently as Senior Director of U.S. Government Affairs at Dropbox and prior to that as Director of Immigration Policy with the Bipartisan Policy Center. She has served in several capacities on Capitol Hill, including as Assistant to the Speaker for Policy for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Legislative Assistant to U.S. Representative Jim Kolbe

(R-AZ), and she has held positions of increasing responsibility to U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) culminating as his Chief of Staff.

Watson McLeish

Senior Vice President Tax Policy

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Watson McLeish has been appointed to The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber) as Senior Vice President of Tax Policy. Watson previously served as Tax Counsel at Tax Executives Institute, Inc. (TEI) leading advocacy initiatives for TEI’s Tax Reform Task Force, Federal Tax Committee, and Canadian Income Tax Committee. Before joining TEI, Watson was a Manager at Ernest & Young, LLP where he advised on complex U.S. federal income tax issues affecting domestic and foreign clients. Currently, Watson is an Adjunct Law Professor at Georgetown University Law Center where he teaches a graduate-level seminar on Tax Research and Writing.