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ESA ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTORS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Posted by: admin | on December 2, 2015
Association hires Nika Nour and Melissa Foxman, promotes manager Kevin O’Hanlon
December 2, 2015 – Washington, DC – The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today welcomed Nika Nour and Melissa Foxman as directors in ESA’s Federal Government Affairs department. The association also announced the internal promotion of Kevin O’Hanlon to Director of Federal Government Affairs.
“Each of these individuals has extensive and varied experience across the public and private sectors, and a proven track record of effectively engaging policymakers on issues critical to our industry,” said Erik Huey, senior vice president of government affairs for ESA, the trade association that represents U.S. computer and video game publishers. “Kevin’s wealth of political knowledge and professionalism has been an invaluable asset to ESA, and Nika and Melissa will be strong additions to our team as we strive to educate key stakeholders about the video game industry’s significant and positive impact on society.”
Nour, Foxman and O’Hanlon will augment ESA’s federal government relations department, which advocates on behalf of the entertainment software industry to federal officials and staff, and underscores the important role video games play in education, health, business and the economy.
Nour joins ESA from the Internet Association, where she most recently served as the Director of Communications and Creative Strategies. In this role, she managed the association’s state and federal issue-based campaigns and implemented communications strategies around policies including net neutrality, patents and trade. Previously, Nour was a new media specialist for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, working with Chairman Fred Upton to coordinate and execute the committee’s digital communications, and served as then-House Minority Whip Eric Cantor’s deputy director of outreach and coalitions. Nour earned her bachelor’s degree at California State University, Los Angeles and holds master’s degrees from The George Washington University and George Mason University.
A seasoned government relations professional, Foxman brings 20 years of varied policy and public affairs experience to the ESA team. She most recently served as the Executive Director of the Women’s High-Tech Coalition, a nonprofit organization that promotes the exchange of ideas between female leaders in the public and private sectors with a focus on technology policy. In this role, Foxman managed congressional relations, external affairs, board operations, member recruitment and communications. She previously served as a government relations consultant for a variety of companies and organizations, engaging policymakers on issues including telecommunications, financial services and economic development, and was an aide to former Sen. Connie Mack (R-Fla.). Foxman is a graduate of Wake Forest University.
O’Hanlon joined ESA in February, providing management support for the association’s federal government affairs efforts. He was previously the Managing Director of Polaris Consulting, LLC, representing a wide range of clients across a variety of policy issues, and served on the staffs of former Reps. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.). O’Hanlon earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Ashville.
About ESA
ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers, including conducting business and consumer research, providing legal and policy analysis and advocacy on First Amendment, intellectual property and technology/e-commerce issues, managing a global anti-piracy program, owning and operating E3, and representing video game industry interests in federal and state government relations. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com or follow us on Twitter: @ESAGovAffairs. |