Trade association
LifeScience Alley
is looking to boost its legislative activity, with the creation of a
new role: vice president of government and affiliate relations.
The
group has hired Shaye Mandle, an expert on policy and
coalition-building to take the post. Mandle most recently served as the
executive director of the FedEx Institute of Technology at the
University of Memphis, where he helmed economic development and industry
engagement.
In the private sector, Mandle managed government
affairs, university relations, and business strategy for the Science
Applications International Corporation, a firm with extensive R&D
operations in Arlington, Virginia.
At LifeScience Alley, Mandle
will work to develop a public-policy strategy, and be responsible for
working with key state and national groups, including federal agencies,
other industry associations, and legislators.
The group is
hoping to improve the regulatory and economic climate for life-science
innovation, and more involvement in legislation and policy is an
important next step in that effort.
"The mission of the
organization isn't changing," says Mandle. "Part of our core competency
is to be a voice for the industry. So, we'll be lobbying on a day-to-day
basis around existing legislation, and also looking for other ways to
play in the policy arena."
Mandle's first steps will be
connecting with the association's membership, to determine levels of
need, and what they'd like to see happening in terms of policy action.
"If
you look at the evolution of our government relations, you'll see that
it's been mainly reactive," says Ryan Baird, director of marketing and
communications at the organization. "We've finally gotten to the point
where we can take a more proactive approach, and Shaye is a big part of
that."
Source: Shaye Mandle and Ryan Baird, LifeScience Alley
Writer: Elizabeth Millard