Good Thursday morning. Let’s start with two first-in-Sunburn personnel notes.
Metz Husband & Daughton has brought on Karl Rasmussen as a senior policy adviser, the firm announced Wednesday.
Rasmussen has been a part of The Process for over a decade, specializing in environment, insurance, gaming, health care, construction, technology and energy issues. He has lobbying experience in both the executive and legislative branches and has scored funding and rule-making wins for numerous clients.
Before entering the private sector, Rasmussen spent seven years working in state government, culminating in a three-year stint as deputy chief of staff in the administration of then-Gov. Rick Scott. The position saw him develop policy positions, legislative priorities and recommendations to the Governor, focusing on health care and environmental issues.
“We’re excited to have Karl join our team and are looking forward to working with him,” MHD President Jim Daughton said. “Karl’s experience working inside state government as well as in the private sector will no doubt lend itself well to our firm and our clients. He has a depth of knowledge about both policy issues and the political process, that combined with his strong work ethic, will be a true asset for MHD.”
Rasmussen added, “MHD has a great reputation, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the MHD team. So, when the opportunity presented itself to be a part of this incredibly hardworking and professional team, I knew it was the right step in my career to continue to grow and support such great clients with MHD.”
Rasmussen joins a team that includes named partners Stephen Metz, Warren Husband and Daughton as well as Douglas Bell, Patricia Greene, Aimee Diaz Lyon, Andy Palmer and Allison Liby-Schoonover.
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Dr. Lonna Rae Atkeson is now the director of The LeRoy Collins Institute.
Atkeson is a renowned expert on election science and administration, survey research, public policy, voting rights, state politics, public opinion and political behavior.
She comes to the Institute from the University of New Mexico, where she was a political-science professor and regents lecturer. She succeeds Dr. Carol S. Weissert, who retired at the end of July after serving as the Institute’s director for 14 years.
The LeRoy Collins Institute, located on Florida State University campus, studies and promotes policy solutions to issues facing Florida and the United States.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Dr. Atkeson as our new director,” said Lester Abberger, the LeRoy Collins Institute chair. “As a scholar and expert on public policy and elections, Dr. Atkeson is uniquely positioned to lead the Institute into the future.”
Atkeson earned plaudits for her public policy work in New Mexico and served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and various private companies.
Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the JEHT Foundation, the Golisano Foundation, the Thornburg Foundation, the New Mexico Department of Transportation, the New Mexico Secretary of State, and Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
“Dr. Atkeson’s experience throughout her career and her knowledge of policy and research make her an ideal fit for the Institute,” Weissert said. “We are honored to have her join us and look forward to her tenure leading the organization through an interesting period in our nation’s political life.”
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@SteveLemongello: (Ron) DeSantis now doing his 5th event in 2 days, handing out (federal) bonus checks to first responders & teachers. Praise from local officials, etc. If not for media Qs (one Jax reporter said he just came back from an overwhelmed hospital), you’d think everything was normal in FL
Tweet, tweet:
Is your health department tweeting memes instead of daily COVID-19 reports?
BRB: Bring Reports Back
STFU: Show the Frequent Updates
LOL: Let’s Obtain Literature
BTW: Bring Today’s Word
SMH: Supply Multiple Handouts
WTF: Where [are] The F’n [Daily Numbers?] https://t.co/71LdqnIlcR— Emily Bloch ? (@emdrums) August 11, 2021
—@Amy_Hollyfield: Day 2 of school and the first #COVID19 case is in for my kid’s high school #Florida
Tweet, tweet:
“So the Census redistricting data is coming out Thursday which is earlier than they said but months later than normal. But here’s the thing: they’re releasing the data in ‘legacy’ format so it’s going to take mapmakers a few days to make it usable before they can start drawing” https://t.co/4M6GscDlIx
— Kirk A. Bado (@kirk_bado) August 11, 2021
—@PatSajak: I want to welcome Mike Richards to @Jeopardy. He thinks I’m a really good host, so he is obviously a man of taste and good judgment. (A reminder to Mike that the Game Show Host Association meets on Wednesdays at the Oxnard iHop.)
Tweet, tweet:
ENJOY THE VIEW: This bear is soaking in the scenery while cooling off in a tub outside a home near Yosemite National Park. https://t.co/NZpq8V1odm pic.twitter.com/OMXO4JqHWG
— ABC News (@ABC) August 11, 2021
Republished with permission[/vc_message]
