Squire Patton Boggs has strengthened its global Public Policy Practice with the addition of a diverse team of experienced bipartisan professionals. The hires include:
- Caren B. Street, Chief of Staff to Rep. Karen Bass (D-37th-CA) who will join the firm as Principal in May;
- Rodney P. Emery, who joins the firm as Principal from Mercury where he was senior vice president, and;
- Thomas S. (“Tommy”) Andrews, former White House Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs and aide to two former U.S. House speakers, who joins the firm as Principal.
Commenting on the hires, former House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) who serves as senior members of the firm’s Policy team said, “These new additions to our bipartisan public policy team come from very different backgrounds and experiences, but all share a common trait in that they have demonstrated the ability to bring people together, build trust and get things done in a Washington where bipartisanship is increasingly rare.”
“We’re growing a next generation policy practice to enhance our ability to deliver the high value guidance our clients have come to expect,” said Robert Kapla, who leads the firm’s Public Policy practice. “Caren, Rodney and Tommy embody that effort and we’re thrilled to have them join our team.”
About the Team:
Caren Street is a seasoned Capitol Hill counsel with more than 13 years of bipartisan, bicameral, and leadership experience. She currently serves as Chief of Staff to Rep. Karen Bass (D-37th-CA) where she is chief strategist for legislative priorities, including re-introducing bills on police reform and re-entry services, local hiring initiatives and State Department diversification.
She also served as Executive Director for the Congressional Black Caucus for the 116th Congress, during an historic international civil rights movement where she played a key role in the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
Mrs. Street previously spent nearly nine years advising Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on legislative and policy matters, including business, economic development, and labor issues, such as Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act implementation, small business Affordable Care Act compliance, negotiating multiple extensions of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program, and the passage of hundreds of bills by unanimous consent.
Rodney Emery has advised members of Congress, a Cabinet secretary, agency administrators, an under secretary for international trade and executives from Fortune 500 companies in a government affairs career spanning 25 years.
Prior to returning to the private sector, he served as Chief of Staff for Congressman Steven Horsford (D-4th-NV) and as a presidential appointee in the Obama administration.
As part of the Obama administration, Mr. Emery served as the Director of Congressional Affairs for the International Trade Administration (ITA) at the United States Department of Commerce. In this role, he coordinated the bureau’s engagement with Congress on issues ranging from market access to anti-dumping cases. During his tenure, Mr. Emery was granted the opportunity to staff Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Under Secretary of International Trade Francisco Sanchez during their bilateral negotiations in Chile. He also spearheaded the agency’s successful efforts to secure appropriations funding in support of President Obama’s National Export Initiative.
Mr. Emery received a second appointment where he served as the Associate Administrator of the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States General Services Administration (GSA). As the lead legislative advisor for the GSA Administrator, his portfolio consisted of a variety of issues ranging from federal procurement, government-wide policy and federal real estate leasing.
Thomas (“Tommy”) Andrews most recently served as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs where his role was to advance the President’s Legislative agenda on Capitol Hill and serve as a liaison between the White House and Congress, specifically on issues covering the House leadership, Ways & Means Committee, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and Homeland Security Committee. His accomplishments include leading the White House effort to secure House passage of the United States Canada Mexico Agreement (USMCA) with a bipartisan vote of 385-41.
Mr. Andrews was previously Director of Member Services for former US Speaker of the House Paul Ryan where he served as a link between the Speaker and the Members of Congress, Staff Directors and Chiefs of Staff on all matters with a specific focus on the Membership of the Republican Conference. He also served as Special Assistant to former US Speaker of the House John Boehner.