Hannah Rosie
Mike Avella Jr. remembers petitioning alongside his father – the state government veteran Michael Avella – when he was only 10 years old. The father and son duo still work together, now at Dickinson & Avella, a strategic governmental relations firm focusing on the state Capitol. As a government affairs associate, Avella Jr. represents the interests of a multitude of clients ranging from large corporations to advocacy coalitions.
“We represent so many different people,” the younger Avella says. “I don t think there s a sector that we don t touch. One minute I could be working on technology, the next one on voting rights, then criminal justice reform, and then helping out the Mets safely reopen.”
Mercury
Mercury’s lobbying and public affairs firm, which is headed by Michael McKeon, boasts more than 30 media relations professionals in its New York office. The growing media relations team is led by former Bloomberg spokesperson John Gallagher, managing director and former National Action Network communications lead Rachel Noerdlinger, former Fox News producer Dan Bank and former Associated Press chief White House correspondent Ben Feller. Mercury, which represents a wide variety of clients, has a national presence that is bolstered by former New York Post reporter Stefan Friedman, who leads the media relations practice on the West Coast.
Other key employees: Beth DeFalco, Karen Mustiga, Kim Winston, John Tomlin, Djenny Passé, Shannan Siemens, Eric Bloom