southern strategy gp
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</div><div>=</div><div><div><span helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></span></div><div><span helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/03/30/tigerswan-lisa-smith-security-license-louisiana-bayou-bridge-pipeline">https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/03/30/tigerswan-lisa-smith-security-license-louisiana-bayou-bridge-pipeline</a></font></span></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><span helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><span class="print-link" open="open" sans="sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px"><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden" open="open" sans="sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" style="min-height: 280px;"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The private security firm <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2016/10/28/private-security-firm-dakota-access-iraq-afghanistan-blackwater" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">TigerSwan, known for its controversial military-style tactics against Dakota Access pipeline protesters</a>, is appealing the decision to deny its application for a license to operate in the state of Louisiana, where Energy Transfer Partners is building the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/conflict-cajun-country-bayou-bridge-pipeline-louisiana-standing-rock" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Bayou Bridge pipeline</a>. In November, several environmental groups opposed to the Bayou Bridge pipeline <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/11/13/bayou-bridge-pipeline-opponents-file-intervene-hearing-private-security-firm-louisiana" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">attempted to intervene in this case</a>, saying their members were particularly vulnerable to TigerSwan’s security and surveillance practices should it be allowed to operate in support of that oil pipeline, but today the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners <a href="https://ccrjustice.org/home/what-we-do/our-cases/no-bayou-bridge-pipeline-petition-intervene" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">denied this request</a>.</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">However, during this process, it came to light that the state board denied another security license application from a TigerSwan employee who failed to disclose her employment with the firm after TigerSwan’s application was rejected.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The board's deposition of this employee, obtained via a public records request, was included in the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/intervene-request_lisa-smith-deposition_tigerswan.pdf" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">request to intervene in TigerSwan’s case</a> by 350 New Orleans, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, Gulf Restoration Network, L’eau Est la Vie (“Water Is Life”) Camp, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and Louisiana Crawfish Producers Association-West.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span class="dquo" style="margin-left: 0px;">“</span>Given its track record, TigerSwan should not be allowed to come into Louisiana and use their military-style tactics to hinder the right of ordinary Louisianans to exercise their First Amendment rights,” Pamela Spees, attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, who is representing the groups, said in a statement. “The board did the right thing in denying them a license.”</p><h3 style="line-height: 1.28205em; margin-top: 1.28205em; margin-bottom: 1.28205em;">TigerSwan Employee Tries to Set up New Security Firm in Louisiana</h3>[pix convoy]
<p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Part of the reason the board cited for rejecting TigerSwan’s case on July 17, 2017 was “they were denied licensure twice in [North] Dakota and are pending litigation,” <a href="http://www.katc.com/story/35902508/private-security-firm-that-surveilled-dapl-protests-seeks-louisiana-license" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">according to the board’s executive director Fabian Blache <span class="caps">III</span></a>.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="https://theintercept.com/2017/06/28/tigerswan-faces-lawsuit-over-unlicensed-security-operations-in-north-dakota/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">TigerSwan is being sued</a> by the North Dakota Private Investigation and Security Board for allegedly performing security work in the state without a license during and after the Standing Rock protests against the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/energy-transfer-partners-bakken-oil-pipeline-through-iowa" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Dakota Access pipeline</a>.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">On September 19, 2017, the Louisiana board deposed TigerSwan employee Lisa Smith, who had applied for a license to operate her brand-new private security firm, <span class="caps">LTSA</span>, <span class="caps">LLC</span>, in Lafayette, Louisiana. While she originally said she opened the company office in August, later in the deposition Smith corrected this to say it was actually July — the same month that TigerSwan’s application was rejected. <a href="http://coraweb.sos.la.gov/commercialsearch/CommercialSearchDetails.aspx?CharterID=1260911_E0CF76B202" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Louisiana state records indicate</a> that <span class="caps">LTSA</span>, <span class="caps">LLC</span> was registered on August 3, 2017.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">In her license application, filed August 4, Smith, a resident of North Carolina, where TigerSwan is also based, submitted a resume which did not disclose her contemporaneous employment with TigerSwan.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">Instead, she listed her employer as “Metlife <span class="caps">MSOC</span>,” which is the security operations center where the firm had contracted her to work. In the September deposition, she confirmed that TigerSwan paid her salary but that she reported for work at Metlife.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">[doc]
In Lisa Smith's deposition on September 19, 2017, she denies her company <span class="caps">LTSA</span> was set up in relation to TigerSwan's denied license to operate in Louisiana.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">During the deposition, the board asked Smith whether or not she had ever listed TigerSwan as her employer on her LinkedIn profile. She answered that she did not remember.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">However, the board supplied an email with a screenshot of a Google search result showing a cache of her LinkedIn profile, which listed her as a “Watch Officer at TigerSwan/Metlife <span class="caps">SOC</span>.” <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-smith-73756544/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Her current LinkedIn profile</a> does not list her employment with TigerSwan, and while during the deposition Smith said her Metlife contract was already expired in September, her profile continues to list “Metlife-<span class="caps">MSOC</span>” as her present employer.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">When asked by the board about why she decided to open a security firm in Louisiana, Smith replied: “The opportunities were good.” However, she denied <span class="caps">LTSA</span> had any connection with TigerSwan and its failure to secure a license in the state, and further said that while she had heard of “Bayou Bridge,” she said she did not know what it was or whether she would consider applying for work related to it in the future.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">Smith also denied knowing someone named Brandon Nix. According to Blache, the state board's executive director, Nix was the agent who originally applied for TigerSwan’s license in Louisiana.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">“We later learned that he was the person liaising with Lisa Smith’s registers office site to secure the keys to the property leased by her company <span class="caps">LTSA</span>,” Blache told DeSmog via email.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">[doc]
In Lisa Smith's deposition, she denied her new security company, <span class="caps">LTSA</span>, had any connection to her employer TigerSwan. </p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">The <a href="http://lsbpse.com/disciplinary-actions/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">board turned down Smith’s request</a> for a license on October 4, 2017. “Denial was based on material misrepresentations in the application and during the State Board deposition,” said Blache.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">TigerSwan had two lawyers representing the firm present during Smith’s deposition. It is not currently employed by Energy Transfer Partners to do security work related to the Bayou Bridge pipeline, a 162-mile-long project which will carry to Gulf Coast refineries oil originally drilled in North Dakota. So far, that security work has been performed by the firm Hub Enterprises.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">Neither Lisa Smith not TigerSwan responded to multiple requests for comment.</p><h3 style="line-height: 1.28205em; margin-top: 1.28205em; margin-bottom: 1.28205em;">TigerSwan Connections in Louisiana</h3><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Even before the Louisiana board rejected TigerSwan’s application, the private security firm already appeared to be working its connections to the Bayou Bridge pipeline.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In February 2017, <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/02/15/what-outsider-hidden-conflicts-interest-can-learn-local-about-bayou-bridge-pipeline" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">retired Major General James “Spider” Marks testified in support</a> of this pipeline at a Louisiana Department of Natural Resources permit hearing and <a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/opinion/2017/02/08/bayou-bridge-pipeline-bringing-safety-and-security-louisiana/97571802/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">published an op-ed endorsing it in a local newspaper</a>. In neither of these instances, however, did Marks disclose that he was chair of TigerSwan’s advisory board, not unlike the way Smith also failed to share her ties to the firm. (Marks is no longer listed on TigerSwan’s website.)</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">[video]</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">
</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">This <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/07/05/dakota-access-tigerswan-james-spider-marks-los-angeles-riots" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">seems to be a trend for Marks</a>, who has a history of appearing on <span class="caps">TV</span> as a military pundit without disclosing his ties to military weapons companies.</p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">TigerSwan appears determined to succeed in gaining access to perform security work in Louisiana.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">As <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/11/13/bayou-bridge-pipeline-opponents-file-intervene-hearing-private-security-firm-louisiana" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Julie Dermansky has previously reported</a> for DeSmog: “A few days after TigerSwan’s permit was denied in Louisiana, the company filed an appeal and hired five lobbyists who work for the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">lobbying firm <a href="http://sostrategy.com/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Southern Strategy Group</a>.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">”</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">The firm is currently awaiting a hearing with the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners appealing its denied application.</p><h3 style="line-height: 1.28205em; margin-top: 1.28205em; margin-bottom: 1.28205em;">Louisiana Proposes Harsher Punishments for Pipeline Offenses </h3><div><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">With implications for future protests against the Bayou Bridge pipeline, this week the Louisiana State Legislature introduced <a href="https://legiscan.com/LA/bill/HB727/2018" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">House Bill 727</a>, which proposes as a criminal offense the “unauthorized entry of and criminal damage to a critical infrastructure.”</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The bill seeks to include oil and gas pipelines and their construction sites among the definition of “critical infrastructure.” For those convicted of damaging this infrastructure when a threat to human life is “foreseeable” or the action “disrupts” the infrastructure's operations, the bill stipulates a sentence of imprisonment and hard labor for between six and 20 years, up to $25,000 in fines, or both.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">It also includes separate “conspiracy” charges, with similar criminal penalties, except that the maximum possible fine is $250,000. The bill both amends the <a href="http://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=78576" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Louisiana criminal code</a>, which currently deals only with “unauthorized entry of a critical infrastructure” and creates the new crimes for damaging those facilities and conspiring to either illegally enter or damage them.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Several other states, <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/02/21/wyoming-alec-model-bill-pipeline-protests" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">including Wyoming, Iowa, and Ohio</a>, have introduced similar laws in recent months which would criminalize the type of activities of past oil and gas pipeline protesters. Oklahoma already passed into law parallel legislation which has served as a template for other state proposals.</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;">Some state lawmakers have specifically cited the Dakota Access pipeline protests as inspiration for these “critical infrastructure” bills and <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/01/31/iowa-bill-alec-criminalize-pipeline-protest" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">likened actions by pipeline protesters to “<b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">terrorist activities.”</b></a></p></div></div></div></div></span></span></div><div><span helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></span></div></div><div><span helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</div><div>Oscar Anderson</div><div>OSCAR ANDERSON</div><div>Oscar Anderson, a native of Central Florida, has extensive background in government. Prior to joining…</div><div>
</div><div>Stacy Arias</div><div>STACY ARIAS</div><div>Stacy Arias joins Southern Strategy Group with more than 23 years of experience working in…</div><div>
</div><div>Brian Bautista</div><div>BRIAN BAUTISTA</div><div>Brian Bautista advocates on behalf of his clients before the legislative and executive branches of…</div><div>
</div><div>Laura Boehmer</div><div>LAURA BOEHMER</div><div>Laura Boehmer brings a wide range of experience in local, state, and federal policy to…</div><div>
</div><div>Paul Bradshaw</div><div>PAUL BRADSHAW</div><div>After a lengthy career as a policymaker in government and an administrative lawyer who litigated…</div><div>
</div><div>Rodney C. Braxton</div><div>RODNEY C. BRAXTON</div><div>Serving as president of Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office, Rodney Braxton brings the highest levels…</div><div>
</div><div>erving as president of Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office, Rodney Braxton brings the highest levels of public service to the firm. As Assistant Chief of Staff to former Governor Murphy J. “Mike” Foster, Rodney supervised transportation, insurance, and labor issues. Rodney also served as Associate Commissioner of Governmental Relations for the Louisiana Board of Regents, the state’s top higher education board.</div><div>
</div><div>Rodney served as the first Executive Director of the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights and, in 1994, was named one of thirty Leaders of the Future by Ebony Magazine. An active member of many community and civic organizations, Rodney is involved with Of Moving Colors Productions, Serve! Baton Rouge, and Young Leaders Academy.</div><div>
</div><div>A native of Louisiana and practicing attorney since 1992, Rodney holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of New Orleans and his J.D. from Tulane University Law School where he received a Merit Scholarship and was a quarterfinalist in the 1992 Frederick Douglas Moot Court Competition.</div><div>
</div><div>Matt Brockelman</div><div>MATT BROCKELMAN</div><div>Matt Brockelman joins Southern Strategy Group after most recently serving as a state lobbyist for…</div><div>
</div><div>Carol Brown</div><div>CAROL BROWN</div><div>A founding partner of Southern Strategy Group’s Alabama office, Carol Brown has spent more than…</div><div>
</div><div>David Browning</div><div>DAVID BROWNING</div><div>David Browning is one of Florida’s top political campaign operatives. David has worked with Florida’s…</div><div>
</div><div>Kevin Marino Cabrera</div><div>KEVIN MARINO CABRERA</div><div>Kevin Marino Cabrera joins Southern Strategy Group after managing campaigns on both the State and…</div><div>
</div><div>Edgar Castro</div><div>EDGAR CASTRO</div><div>Edgar Castro’s core business is government affairs, community relations, and lobbying in Miami-Dade County and…</div><div>
</div><div>Kelly Cohen</div><div>KELLY COHEN</div><div>Kelly Cohen is a lobbyist, political strategist, and fundraiser whose work building partnerships between government…</div><div>
</div><div>Rachel Cone</div><div>RACHEL CONE</div><div>Rachel Cone joins Southern Strategy Group after more than a decade of service in the…</div><div>
</div><div>Kevin Cunningham</div><div>KEVIN CUNNINGHAM</div><div>In addition to practicing law, Kevin Cunningham brings over 25 years experience in elections, legislative,…</div><div>
</div><div>addition to practicing law, Kevin Cunningham brings over 25 years experience in elections, legislative, and regulatory work to Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office. Born in Germany, Kevin’s career started in 1982 when he worked as a grassroots organizer for local elections and, from there, conducted targeted outreach in gubernatorial elections. Coupled with extensive legislative work, Kevin’s electoral experience gives him a distinct advantage when negotiating with legislators. Having served as both a senatorial aide and committee clerk for the House Appropriations Committee, Kevin possesses a valuable, applied understanding of the legislative process.</div><div>
</div><div>In 1993, Kevin served as attorney for the newly created Senate Insurance Committee. In that position he drafted and prepared amendments on insurance legislation, advised the committee on proper procedure and prepared bill summaries for use by the committee members and chairperson. In 1996, Governor-elect M.J. “Mike” Foster appointed Kevin as Assistant Chief of Staff. In addition to insurance matters, Kevin served as the Governor’s liaison to the departments of Transportation and Economic Development.</div><div>
</div><div>After leaving the Governor’s Office, Kevin split his time between running a small oilfield services company in Lafayette and being of-counsel to a law firm specializing in governmental relations. After two years Kevin made partner and, subsequently, became a member of the firm’s management committee. Kevin was selected to serve on the Judicial Excellence Committee and currently serves as Chairman of the Civil Justice Reform Council for the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI).</div><div>
</div><div>Brandon Dermody</div><div>BRANDON DERMODY</div><div>Brandon Dermody has served in government and lobbied government for most of his professional career.…</div><div>
</div><div>Nelson D. Diaz</div><div>NELSON D. DIAZ</div><div>Nelson D. Diaz concentrates his practice on government and community relations. Nelson has successfully represented…</div><div>
</div><div>Chris Dudley</div><div>CHRIS DUDLEY</div><div>Chris is the managing partner of Southern Strategy Group, having joined the firm in November…</div><div>
</div><div>Mercer Fearington, Jr.</div><div>MERCER FEARINGTON, JR.</div><div>A leader within Florida’s government relations arena, Mercer Fearington, Jr. has been representing clients before…</div><div>
</div><div>Logan Gray</div><div>LOGAN GRAY</div><div>Logan Gray has a unique background for a lobbyist/governmental consultant. For over 35 years, Logan…</div><div>
</div><div>Jeff Griffith</div><div>JEFF GRIFFITH</div><div>Jeff Griffith joined Southern Strategy Group’s South Carolina office in 2011 after practicing law focusing…</div><div>
</div><div>Ben Harbin</div><div>BEN HARBIN</div><div>Ben Harbin joins Southern Strategy Group after completing a distinguished 20-year term as state representative…</div><div>
</div><div>Allyce Heflin</div><div>ALLYCE HEFLIN</div><div>Allyce Heflin joins Southern Strategy Group after most recently serving eight years as the Budget…</div><div>
</div><div>Deno Hicks</div><div>DENO HICKS</div><div>A Jacksonville native, Deno Hicks has spent his professional career in the private sector working…</div><div>
</div><div>Randal Johnson</div><div>RANDAL JOHNSON</div><div>Randal Johnson joined Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office after serving as Deputy Commissioner of the…</div><div>
</div><div>andal Johnson joined Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office after serving as Deputy Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF) for 14 years and brings applied experience in the legislative process to the SSG team. While at LDAF, Randal initiated and handled the department’s legislative package for more than 20 sessions. Prior to joining the LDAF, Randal supervised multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement units and served as Chief of the Special Investigative Divisions, for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Department. There, Randal drafted and presented legislation on behalf of law enforcement and parochial governments.</div><div>
</div><div>Adept at issues and crisis management, Randal supervised the Department of Agriculture’s emergency preparation activities related to animal and plant health and weather-borne disasters. In the aftermath of the devastating 2005 hurricanes, Randal personally supervised the successful acquisition and delivery of fuel for the evacuation, rescue, and recovery efforts across the state.</div><div>
</div><div>With political activities ranging across both party and geographical lines, Randal, who holds a B.S. in Business Administration, has consulted and worked in various local, state, and federal campaigns in his native state of Louisiana. Randal has coordinated successful statewide get-out-the-vote efforts for elected offices ranging from Police Juror to President of the United States. In addition, Randal graduated from regional and national law enforcement academies administered by the Department of Justice.</div><div>
</div><div>Liz Mangham</div><div>LIZ MANGHAM</div><div>A founding member of Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office, Liz Mangham serves as its Managing…</div><div>
</div><div>Jerry McDaniel</div><div>JERRY MCDANIEL</div><div>Jerry McDaniel has had the honor and privilege of serving three Governors and three Attorneys…</div><div>
</div><div>James H. McFaddin</div><div>JAMES H. MCFADDIN</div><div>James H. McFaddin comes to Southern Strategy Group from Health Management Associates (now Community Health…</div><div>
</div><div>Seth McKeel</div><div>SETH MCKEEL</div><div>Seth McKeel recently concluded a long and distinguished career in public service that began in…</div><div>
</div><div>Callie Michael</div><div>CALLIE MICHAEL</div><div>Callie Michael joined Southern Strategy Group in 2010 with over eight years of valuable experience in…</div><div>
</div><div>Paul Mitchell</div><div>PAUL MITCHELL</div><div>Paul Mitchell joins Southern Strategy Group after having served at the top in some of…</div><div>
</div><div>Brad Mittendorf</div><div>BRAD MITTENDORF</div><div>A native of Louisiana, Brad Mittendorf is also a founding member of Southern Strategy Group’s…</div><div>
</div><div></div><div>AllAtlanta, GABaton Rouge, LAColumbia, SCJacksonville, FLMiami, FLMontgomery, ALOrlando, FLShreveport, LATallahassee, FLTampa Bay, FL</div><div>Oscar Anderson</div><div>OSCAR ANDERSON</div><div>Oscar Anderson, a native of Central Florida, has extensive background in government. Prior to joining…</div><div>
</div><div>Stacy Arias</div><div>STACY ARIAS</div><div>Stacy Arias joins Southern Strategy Group with more than 23 years of experience working in…</div><div>
</div><div>Brian Bautista</div><div>BRIAN BAUTISTA</div><div>Brian Bautista advocates on behalf of his clients before the legislative and executive branches of…</div><div>
</div><div>Laura Boehmer</div><div>LAURA BOEHMER</div><div>Laura Boehmer brings a wide range of experience in local, state, and federal policy to…</div><div>
</div><div>Paul Bradshaw</div><div>PAUL BRADSHAW</div><div>After a lengthy career as a policymaker in government and an administrative lawyer who litigated…</div><div>
</div><div>Rodney C. Braxton</div><div>RODNEY C. BRAXTON</div><div>Serving as president of Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office, Rodney Braxton brings the highest levels…</div><div>
</div><div>Matt Brockelman</div><div>MATT BROCKELMAN</div><div>Matt Brockelman joins Southern Strategy Group after most recently serving as a state lobbyist for…</div><div>
</div><div>Carol Brown</div><div>CAROL BROWN</div><div>A founding partner of Southern Strategy Group’s Alabama office, Carol Brown has spent more than…</div><div>
</div><div>David Browning</div><div>DAVID BROWNING</div><div>David Browning is one of Florida’s top political campaign operatives. David has worked with Florida’s…</div><div>
</div><div>Kevin Marino Cabrera</div><div>KEVIN MARINO CABRERA</div><div>Kevin Marino Cabrera joins Southern Strategy Group after managing campaigns on both the State and…</div><div>
</div><div>Edgar Castro</div><div>EDGAR CASTRO</div><div>Edgar Castro’s core business is government affairs, community relations, and lobbying in Miami-Dade County and…</div><div>
</div><div>Kelly Cohen</div><div>KELLY COHEN</div><div>Kelly Cohen is a lobbyist, political strategist, and fundraiser whose work building partnerships between government…</div><div>
</div><div>Rachel Cone</div><div>RACHEL CONE</div><div>Rachel Cone joins Southern Strategy Group after more than a decade of service in the…</div><div>
</div><div>Kevin Cunningham</div><div>KEVIN CUNNINGHAM</div><div>In addition to practicing law, Kevin Cunningham brings over 25 years experience in elections, legislative,…</div><div>
</div><div>Brandon Dermody</div><div>BRANDON DERMODY</div><div>Brandon Dermody has served in government and lobbied government for most of his professional career.…</div><div>
</div><div>Nelson D. Diaz</div><div>NELSON D. DIAZ</div><div>Nelson D. Diaz concentrates his practice on government and community relations. Nelson has successfully represented…</div><div>
</div><div>Chris Dudley</div><div>CHRIS DUDLEY</div><div>Chris is the managing partner of Southern Strategy Group, having joined the firm in November…</div><div>
</div><div>Mercer Fearington, Jr.</div><div>MERCER FEARINGTON, JR.</div><div>A leader within Florida’s government relations arena, Mercer Fearington, Jr. has been representing clients before…</div><div>
</div><div>Logan Gray</div><div>LOGAN GRAY</div><div>Logan Gray has a unique background for a lobbyist/governmental consultant. For over 35 years, Logan…</div><div>
</div><div>Jeff Griffith</div><div>JEFF GRIFFITH</div><div>Jeff Griffith joined Southern Strategy Group’s South Carolina office in 2011 after practicing law focusing…</div><div>
</div><div>Ben Harbin</div><div>BEN HARBIN</div><div>Ben Harbin joins Southern Strategy Group after completing a distinguished 20-year term as state representative…</div><div>
</div><div>Allyce Heflin</div><div>ALLYCE HEFLIN</div><div>Allyce Heflin joins Southern Strategy Group after most recently serving eight years as the Budget…</div><div>
</div><div>Deno Hicks</div><div>DENO HICKS</div><div>A Jacksonville native, Deno Hicks has spent his professional career in the private sector working…</div><div>
</div><div>Randal Johnson</div><div>RANDAL JOHNSON</div><div>Randal Johnson joined Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office after serving as Deputy Commissioner of the…</div><div>
</div><div>Liz Mangham</div><div>LIZ MANGHAM</div><div>A founding member of Southern Strategy Group’s Louisiana office, Liz Mangham serves as its Managing…</div><div>
</div><div>Jerry McDaniel</div><div>JERRY MCDANIEL</div><div>Jerry McDaniel has had the honor and privilege of serving three Governors and three Attorneys…</div><div>
</div><div>James H. McFaddin</div><div>JAMES H. MCFADDIN</div><div>James H. McFaddin comes to Southern Strategy Group from Health Management Associates (now Community Health…</div><div>
</div><div>Seth McKeel</div><div>SETH MCKEEL</div><div>Seth McKeel recently concluded a long and distinguished career in public service that began in…</div><div>
</div><div>Callie Michael</div><div>CALLIE MICHAEL</div><div>Callie Michael joined Southern Strategy Group in 2010 with over eight years of valuable experience in…</div><div>
</div><div>Paul Mitchell</div><div>PAUL MITCHELL</div><div>Paul Mitchell joins Southern Strategy Group after having served at the top in some of…</div><div>
</div><div>Brad Mittendorf</div><div>BRAD MITTENDORF</div><div>A native of Louisiana, Brad Mittendorf is also a founding member of Southern Strategy Group’s…</div><div>
</div><div>Andy Patrick</div><div>ANDY PATRICK</div><div>Andy Patrick joins Southern Strategy Group’s South Carolina after a career holding various public service…</div><div>
</div><div>Markey Pierre’, PhD</div><div>MARKEY PIERRE’, PHD</div><div>Serving a unique and valuable capacity for Southern Strategy Group, Markey Pierre' successfully bridges the…</div><div>
</div><div>David Pratt</div><div>DAVID PRATT</div><div>David Pratt began his career in politics in 1998 as Legislative Aide to Representative Ben…</div><div>
</div><div>Sydney Ridley</div><div>SYDNEY RIDLEY</div><div>Sydney Ridley brings years of legislative and political experience to Southern Strategy Group’s Tampa Bay…</div><div>
</div><div>David Shepp</div><div>DAVID SHEPP</div><div>David Shepp joins Southern Strategy Group after leading Florida Strategic Group, a full-service government affairs…</div><div>
</div><div>Clark Smith</div><div>CLARK SMITH</div><div>A Tallahassee, Florida native, Clark Smith has more than 26 years’ experience in Florida politics.…</div><div>
</div><div>Heather Smith</div><div>HEATHER SMITH</div><div>Heather F. Smith, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, is a partner with Southern Strategy…</div><div>
</div><div>Jim Smith</div><div>JIM SMITH</div><div>Jim Smith, a Florida political veteran of unmatched governmental experience, joins Southern Strategy Group after…</div><div>
</div><div>Monte Stevens</div><div>MONTE STEVENS</div><div>Monte Stevens joins Southern Strategy Group after serving more than a decade in Florida government.…</div><div>
</div><div>DeWitt Zemp</div><div>DEWITT ZEMP</div><div>Prior to joining Southern Strategy Group’s South Carolina office, DeWitt Zemp served as the Senior Director for…</div><div>
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