Lobbying world

Eric Lausten is a principal at Husch Blackwell Strategies. He previously was legislative director for Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) for two years and then his chief of staff for eight.

The Carlyle Group named Leigh Farris global head of corporate communications. She most recently was managing director of CEO communications at Goldman Sachs and before that worked at General Electric and CBS News.

A new think tank, the Washington Institute for Business, Government and Society, launched recently. Its founder and CEO is James Moore Jr., former assistant secretary of Commerce for trade development under President Reagan. He is also a professor at the Georgetown University business school.

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Paul M. Kangas is vice president at the federal relations department of the American Council of Life Insurers. He previously worked at Assurant Inc. and has also worked at the Property Casualty Insurers Association and for the House Financial Services Committee.

The National Club Association named Joe Trauger vice president of government relations. He previously was principal and founder of Northfield Strategies, an advocacy consulting firm. Before that, he worked at the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute and the National Association of Manufacturers.

Andrew Wright is a partner in the public policy and law practice at K&L Gates. He was White House counsel to former President Obama and former Vice President Al Gore. Most recently, he was a senior fellow at New York University School of Law.