Former Chairman Joins Lobbying Firm
The recently retired chairman of the House education committee has joined a Washington lobbying firm, Sagamore Associates, as a senior adviser.
Former Rep. Bill Goodling, R-Pa., who retired in January after serving 26 years in Congress, will work on issues of education policy, workforce training, and health-care reform for the firm. Sagamore Associates is a subsidiary of the law firm Baker & Daniels.
“This is a real leg up for the firm,” said Kevin Talley, an executive vice president of Sagamore Associates, who noted Mr. Goodling’s experience in crafting strategy to pass legislation. Mr. Talley worked as the former chairman’s chief of staff on the House Education and the Workforce Committee for four years before joining Sagamore Associates himself earlier this year.
Mr. Goodling cannot directly lobby his former colleagues on specific legislation right away.
“There isa year’s cooling off period” under ethics rules for the House of Representatives, Mr. Talley said. “He’ll be giving advice to our clients on how best to accomplish their goals on Capitol Hill.”
He added that Mr. Goodling would also help recruit new clients. Sagamore Associates’ current education clientele includes more than a dozen colleges and universities.
—Erik W. Robelen
Kozberg Named Public-Affairs Director
Lindsey Kozberg has been named the director of the Department of Education’s office of public affairs, Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced last week.
Ms. Kozberg, 30, has been serving as Mr. Paige’s press secretary and the main spokeswoman for the administration’s education agenda since President Bush’s inauguration, a role she will continue until the new structure of the public affairs office is determined. Ms. Kozberg worked as the California press secretary for the Bush-Cheney campaign.
Before then, she was an associate with the Los Angeles law firm of Latham & Watkins, and also held various government and public relation jobs. Ms. Kozberg is a graduate of Princeton University and the Stanford University law school.
—Joetta L. Sack
