Apple is rapidly finding itself more and more involved in Washington D.C. goings on, and the Cupertino-based iPhone maker has hired Washington insider Cynthia Hogan to head their presence in the nation’s capital.
Hogan will become the iPhone maker’s vice president for public policy and government affairs for the Americas, a role that oversees not only the company’s D.C. operations but also Canada and Latin America. She’ll report to Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, who previously led the Environmental Protection Agency.
”Cynthia’s intellect and judgment have consistently distinguished her as a uniquely talented professional and we’re lucky to have her join the team at Apple,” Jackson said in a statement.
Hogan has plenty of experience dealing with controversy, which will come in handy, due to Apple’s somewhat contentious relationship with government officials, due to very public battles over everything from iPhone encryption to Apple’s federal tax bill.
Hogan served as the National Football League’s executive vice president for government affairs for two years, guiding the league downfield through a number of controversies, ranging from mounting concerns involving player head injuries, as well as high-profile scandals involving players off the field.
Hogan also likely has an in with the current administration residing in the White House, as she served as general counsel to Vice President Joe Biden before joining the NFL. During Biden’s days in the Senate, she served as his chief counsel and staff director on the Senate Judiciary Committee. She also worked for him after he became vice president, and was involved in the campaign to confirm Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.
Apple continues to expand its presence in Washington, after years of little to no lobbying by the company. Under current CEO Tim Cook, the Cupertino firm has spent a record $4.4 million last year to lobby on privacy, cybersecurity, patent reform and other issues.
