A unique blend of experienced professionals

	Jim Harris , President
	With more than 30 years of experience working in all facets of governmental and public affairs, Jim possesses the ability to quickly assess an issue, determine the critical components and recommend the appropriate solution. Prior to establishing HDA, Jim served as a working member of the media, press secretary to a Louisiana governor and held key management positions in several state agencies, including those managing transportation, health, economic development and environmental quality. In addition, Jim specializes in political and media consultation and has served as a campaign coordinator in several statewide elections.
	Renwick P. DeVille , Vice President
	Renny's forte is the ability to assess concerns, anticipate their ramifications on a client's programs and develop the appropriate issues management strategies. Using public opinion assessment techniques, he has the expertise to measure the pulse of an area on specific issues and incorporate those opinions into proactive communications programs. Renny has developed successful communications strategies for managing many volatile issues, including litigation public relations, environmental justice and crisis communications. Renny holds a master's degree in natural science from Louisiana State University and has extensive experience in governmental and public affairs.
	Susan Aguilar
	Susan brings more than 18 years experience in administrative management to HDA and provides coordination and support of the firm's office and project activities. Susan specializes in special events planning. She also manages HDA's polling activities and data, coordinates communications training and organizes focus groups. She is also responsible for coordination of client contracts and proposals. Susan oversees administrative activities for both the Baton Rouge and Mobile offices. Susan has attended numerous administrative management workshops and advanced computer classes through LSU's continuing education program.
	Adam Haddox
	Adam has experience with legislative lobbying and various public affairs projects. He frequently attends and reports on legislative and governmental agency meetings and monitors public policy issues through a variety of daily publications. Adam worked for the state legislature and has been involved with grassroots political campaign efforts. He graduated from Louisiana State University with both a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and a Master of Public Administration.
	Brad A. Lambert
	Brad specializes in issues management and strategic communications planning. Further responsibilities include media and governmental relations, public opinion analysis and litigation public relations. He does considerable writing about and tracking of public policy issues -- with expertise in environmental justice -- and has had three articles published in an international business journal. Brad graduated cum laude from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and later with a Master of Public Administration. He has also served as an adjunct instructor at LSU's Manship School of Mass Communication. Before joining HDA, Brad was a sportswriter for the Baton Rouge Advocate.
	Blythe B. Lamonica
	Blythe specializes in public affairs, media relations, crisis communications, issues management and the development of strategic communications plans. With a background in crisis communications, she has worked on several high-profile crises, including aviation disasters and food recalls. Prior to joining HDA, Blythe worked for GCI Kamer Singer in San Francisco, California and Xenophon Strategies in Washington, DC. She earned a Bachelors of Art in History from Louisiana State University.
	Libby McKerley
	Working behind the scenes as HDA's staff accountant, Libby controls all financial operations for the firm, including project cost analysis and personnel accounting. She also acts as our computer network administrator, assessing and procuring all staff technical needs. Libby has almost 20 years of experience in the financial industry. After graduating from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Management Administration and a minor in finance, she worked for several organizations as a financial officer and has continued her education in accounting and computer software and system management.
	Shannon Mickey
	Shannon brings more than 10 years of administrative experience to HDA, having worked in sales and personnel administration, bookkeeping and inventory management. Shannon is responsible for maintaining HDA's client, legislative and administrative databases and is proficient in several word processing and office automation software applications. She is also involved in special event coordination and assists the associates with the implementation of communications projects and campaigns. Shannon supervises administrative support staff and maintains the firm's equipment and supply inventory.
	Elizabeth Perry
	Elizabeth serves as art director and production manager for HDA and has nearly 20 years of experience in graphic design, advertising and print production. Her responsibilities include designing and producing all print material and providing overall quality assurance. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design Technology from Louisiana State University and has been awarded professional recognition locally and regionally for her graphic design work and creativity. Her previous work experience has been with advertising agencies, printing companies and publishing firms. Elizabeth currently serves on the board of directors for the Advertising Federation of Greater Baton Rouge.
	Nicole Rios
	A native of South Louisiana, Nicole is a recent graduate of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. She has worked with Harris, DeVille and Associates for the past two years and has assisted the staff with a variety of governmental and public relations communications projects. Nicole will focus her expertise on developing and implementing public relations outreach programs, special events planning, media relations as well as multi-media material development.
	Clark Vega
	Clark is HDA's project and legislative researcher. He is responsible for collecting and maintaining various in-house databases, including media lists, public officials rosters and company site profiles, and coordinating project tasks for multi-member industry groups. He is also responsible for maintaining the legislative bill tracking system and coordinating the flow of information to and from clients during legislative sessions. In addition, Clark monitors the progress of client issues in the environmental, tax and business development arenas. He also has experience in conducting opinion research. Clark holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Louisiana State University.
	Randall Womack
	Randall has nearly 20 of years experience in governmental relations and political counseling. He has served as a special assistant to two Louisiana governors and also served as an appointed director of Boards and Commissions for the state of Louisiana. He has provided a wide range of services to political campaigns, including logistics coordination and campaign strategy. He has extensive experience in legislative lobbying and is a veteran in congressional, gubernatorial and legislative campaigns. Prior to entering the political arena, he worked in law enforcement.
	Stephen Zerangue
	Steve specializes in strategic communications planning and implementation and conducts media and communications training for HDA. He has developed strategies and plans for crisis communications and assisted clients in planning and implementing communications strategies for new manufacturing facilities and waste site cleanups. Steve is well-versed in regulatory procedures and helps clients understand the communications implications of those procedures. He earned a Master of Public Administration from Louisiana State University and has worked in governmental and public affairs for more than 20 years.
	Al Chamlee
	Al brings more than 30 years of experience to HDA in the field of public and governmental affairs. He has extensive experience helping clients identify and manage issues that impact a company's governmental and public relations with key audiences. Al has worked closely with the Alabama legislative process and is adept at meeting the challenges associated with the siting of new operations and expansions. Al holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. In addition to public affairs, his experience includes purchasing, marketing and sales.
	Steve Perry
	Steve focuses on community interaction and site-based communications strategies. He is well-versed in the interaction of on-site plant operations and applies that to communications planning. Steve is also experienced in the management of associations and helping groups develop a collective voice in their communities. He serves as the executive director of The Forum -- an industrial association in the greater Mobile area. He has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from Spring Hill College in Mobile. Prior to joining HDA, Steve worked for a major international chemical company as its plant manager, and he has been heavily involved in various trade associations throughout his career.
	Dale Irvin
	During Dale Irvin's 30 year marketing career he's worked as both an advertising agency creative director and in-house marketing director. His clients have included firms that span the gamut from broadcast media, to banking, to healthcare, to industrial. Dale's expertise ranges from strategic marketing planning, to creative concept, to media placement strategy in a wide variety of media.
	Skip Ragland
	Skip's national and international communications experience spans over 30 years working in industries such as utilities, television and radio, magazine, printing, book publishing, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. He has conducted hundreds of communications programs for companies such as Novartis, Ciba-Geigy, Syngenta, Aventis, Montel, and Meredith Corporations as well as the companies' customers, trade associations, warehouse and transport companies. He specializes in crisis communications management and media training and has extensive experience in merger and acquisitions communications management as well as in financial communications and investor relations. He is the recipient of two Silver Anvils from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Founders Award from the Ag Relations Council, Gold Medal from the New York Film and TV Festival, numerous Best of Category awards and Best of Show from the National Agricultural Marketing Association and meritorious awards from both the American Agricultural Editors Association and the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. One of his programs made communications history as being the first time four countries had been linked for a live, inter-active television broadcast. He has held local positions as president of both the International Association of Business Communicators and PRSA and was elected to the College of Fellows of PRSA in 1993. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University. He retired recently from Novartis Corporation where he was Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications.
	Renee Smith-Tadie , APR
	Renee recently retired as head of Public Affairs for Syngenta Crop Protection's (formerly Novartis and Ciba-Geigy) site in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. Throughout her 21 years at Syngenta, she was responsible for all public affairs programs supporting the company's largest US plant. Renee oversaw community, media, and government relations, crisis communications, issues management, and employee communications and was the plant spokesperson on all public issues. Renee is a past-president and current board member of LSU's Manship School of Mass Communications' Alumni Board and is a Fellow of the LSU Academy of Politics. Renee has served as president of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (Baton Rouge Chapter). In recent years, she has been very active in education reform efforts, especially in the area of School-To-Work. She was named an "Honorary Teacher" by the Louisiana Resource Center for Educators for her work in education, and has been recognized for her "exceptional service and assistance" to the Iberville Parish School System. She has served as a member of the Louisiana Chemical Association's Public Affairs and Government Affairs committees, the Iberville Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors, and the Iberville Chemical Council. She represented Ciba on President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development's Environmental Justice Task Force.
	Renée D. Verma , APR
	Renée specializes in strategic communications planning, the development and implementation of comprehensive public relations image campaigns, marketing and branding projects, as well as community and media relations. She is well-versed in video and print production, Web site development, copy writing, special events planning and public opinion research. During her 18-year career with HDA, Renée earned professional recognition for her extensive campaign work and earned her accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Louisiana State University and continued her education at Loyola University's School of Mass Communication in New Orleans.
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© 2009 Harris, DeVille & Associates, Inc.