Lobbying World: Signal Group splits off from Wiley

The lobbying and public affairs firm Signal Group, which had been a wholly owned subsidiary of Wiley Rein LLP since 2014, is now wholly owned by Signal Management Committee member Blake Androff. The deal was completed with Wiley’s “strong and enthusiastic support,” according to a statement from the firm.

Androff, who will serve as chief executive officer, has served in the Office of the Speaker as the executive director of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, led communications for two Interior Department secretaries and was a staffer on the House Transportation and Natural Resource committees. He has tapped public relations veteran Chelsea Koski and longtime digital executive Robert Bole to serve as Signal Group’s president and head of innovation and strategy, respectively.

Gary Heimberg is joining the National Brain Tumor Society as vice president and counsel for government relations. Heimberg comes from legal giant Covington & Burling LLP, where he was counsel in the firm’s public policy and government affairs group, and he is a Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee alum.

League of Conservation Voters has added Kelci Hobson as director of media relations and Elena Gaona as communications director for its Chispa program. Hobson was deputy communications director for Cheri Beasley’s 2022 Senate campaign, and Gaona was communications director for Catholic Climate Covenant.

The National Association of Broadcasters has hired Gabriela Sibori as senior director of communications. Sibori was most recently an adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Jennifer Friedman has joined Federal Health Policy Strategies. She was most recently vice president of government affairs at Outset Medical, and she was counselor to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and the Democrats’ deputy staff director on the House Ways and Means health subcommittee.

Updated at 1:55 p.m.