Cindy Gillespie Newest Addition to McKenna Long & Aldridge
September 11, 2007
September 11, 2007 ( Washington, DC) -- McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP announced today that Cynthia D. Gillespie, former senior aide to Governor Mitt Romney, has joined the firm as a Managing Director in the Washington, DC office. Gillespie served as Counselor to the Governor as well as Chief of Legislative and Intergovernmental Relations where she directed federal affairs, public policy, cabinet affairs, legislative affairs and state and national initiatives. Her expertise in the areas of homeland security and health care will complement and further deepen the already well-established practice.
“We are very excited to have Cindy join our growing team of public policy experts in Washington,” said Eric Tanenblatt, Senior Managing Director of McKenna Long & Aldridge. “She has the proven skill set to produce results in even the toughest of climates, which will complement and enhance our already thriving government affairs practice.” Gillespie will represent clients on federal, national and state public policy issues.
“I’m very pleased to be joining one of Washington’s premiere Government Affairs practices,” said Cindy Gillespie. “I believe my clients will be better served by the enormous resources available to them at the federal, state and national levels.”
During her time working with former Massachusetts Governor Romney, she played a leading role in developing and winning support for the Governor’s health insurance reform initiative. She also served as Vice President of Federal Relations for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Games of 2002. She designed and implemented a federal relations program that resulted in over $900 million in direct federal support for the Games. In addition, Cindy acted as Director of Federal Relations for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, where she developed a federal relations program that produced $250 million in direct federal support.
She began her career working closely with Congressman Richard Ray, joining his staff as campaign manager and later transitioning to his congressional office as Press Secretary and Legislative Assistant.
Gillespie joins recent additions to the firm’s Government Affairs practice that includes Mac Campbell, former senior tax counselor to Senator Blanche Lincoln; Ted Van Der Meid, former Staff Director and Chief Counsel to the House Ethics Committee and former Counsel and Minority Staff Director for the Committee on Armed Services, Jim Schweiter. MLA’s Government Affairs team also includes former U.S. Senator Zell Miller; former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Gordon Giffin; Keith Mason and Marcia Hale, who both served in the Clinton White House; Eric Tanenblatt, who served as Chief of Staff to Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and senior advisor to the late U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell; former Ways and Means Committee Chief Counsel Joe Dowley; former Congressman Buddy Darden and former Chief of Staff to Zell Miller, Alex Albert.