(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the appointments of LaDavia Drane, as Director of the Office of Federal and Regional Affairs, Maia Estes, as Director of the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Ronald Ross, as Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel, and Jenny Reed, as Deputy Budget Director.
“I am excited to have these experienced professionals join my administration,” said Mayor Bowser. “They are passionate about public service, and I look forward to having them on our team. We are moving forward with our goal to provide a more accountable and trustworthy government for all 8 wards.”
LaDavia Drane recently served as the Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus. LaDavia’s tenure on Capitol Hill began in 2009 when she joined the office of her hometown Member of Congress, Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge. LaDavia first served Congresswoman Fudge and the people of Ohio’s Eleventh Congressional District as Legislative Counsel and was later promoted to Legislative Director.
LaDavia earned her B.S. from Miami University’s Richard T. Farmer Business School and her J.D. from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Following law school, LaDavia practiced law at Ulmer & Berne LLP in Cleveland where her areas of practice were business litigation, employment law, real estate, ERISA, and regulatory compliance.
LaDavia has served as Director of Legislation and Regulatory Affairs for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, where she worked to expand access to basic banking services and advocated for affordable housing and job development for low- and moderate-income communities. She also served as Senior Director of Government Affairs at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), a member organization representing the world’s largest food manufacturers, grocers, and restaurants. LaDavia advocated for GMA’s members before Congress, the White House, and federal agencies on policy issues related to health and nutrition, product labeling, and hunger policy.
Maia Hunt Estes recently served as Chief of Staff of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland since January 2012. Ms. Estes’s tenure as Chief of Staff was distinguished by innovative legislative achievements as well as the Office’s expanding role in economic development. In 2013, the Lt. Governor was honored as one of Governing Magazine’s Elected Officials of the Year, in part as recognition of the Office’s successful effort to pass legislation establishing Health Enterprise Zones, which are targeted at eliminating health disparities across the state. Additionally, under her leadership, the administration passed public-private partnership (“P3”) legislation which paved the way for Maryland to secure federal funding and build the Purple Line as a P3 project.
Prior to her involvement with Maryland politics and government, Ms. Estes worked at Purrington Moody Weil LLP in North Carolina as an Associate focused on corporate transactional law. Ms. Estes earned a BA degree in English from Spelman College, graduating cum laude. She earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center and completed a year as a visiting student at New York University Law School.
Ronald R. Ross is an attorney who has served as legal counsel with expertise in project development and finance, mergers, acquisitions and business ventures, renewable energy and general corporate counsel. A graduate of Harvard Law School and Yale College, Ronald Ross practiced law in Washington, DC as a partner at Troutman Sanders LLP from 1998 until 2012. He previously served as legal counsel at Edison Mission Energy and his prior experience includes counseling clients in connection with enforcement matters before the SEC and New York Stock Exchange. Ron is a member of the DC Bar and recently worked as a corporate legal consultant in connection with partnerships and the formation of development companies.
Jenny Reed recently served as the Deputy Director, DC Fiscal Policy Institute since 2008. Reed is widely recognized as an expert on the DC budget, affordable housing, poverty and income trends, and tax policy. Her research has contributed to a number of important budget and policy outcomes, including increased funding to address the city’s affordable housing shortfall, improved public access to key DC budget information, and improvements to policies governing the city’s financial reserves. Jenny serves as a member of the Board of Commissioners for the DC Housing Authority. She was appointed to the Board in April 2012 by the DC Consortium of Legal Service Providers to serve in the Housing Advocate position. During tax season, she volunteers her time to help low income families prepare and file their taxes for free. Jenny holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Rhode Island and a Masters in Public Policy from George Washington University.