WASHINGTON (January 13, 2021) – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced several additions to its staff as part of the association’s efforts to deepen its expertise in state and local government affairs and communications and meet our members’ needs today and in the future.

Jason Riederer has been named Senior Director of State & Local Government Affairs. In this new role, Riederer will focus on state and local advocacy and partner state association engagement for the western U.S. He will be based in Reno, Nev.

“AHLA has long recognized the importance of state and local governments in policy issues affecting hoteliers –and we expect that to only increase going forward,” said Troy Flanagan, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Industry Relations. “Jason’s extensive background in Western politics will serve AHLA and hoteliers well at such a critical time for our industry. We look forward to working closely with state and local officials to begin rebuilding our industry and our economy, and getting people back to work.” 

Riederer comes to AHLA after directing state and local government affairs for biometric security company CLEAR. An Alaska native, he has extensive experience in Western politics and advocacy through his work with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, a Nevada tech startup, and as Legislative Director for Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei (R-Nev.). 

Additional new hire include:

•    Ashley Hunter joined AHLA as Social Media Senior Manager, where her duties will include developing and managing AHLA’s social media strategy. Hunter previously worked at kglobal, where she worked with clients such as Amazon, Ford and One Energy.

•  Joseph Lampone has been named Communications & AHLA Foundation Coordinator. Lampone will support both the Communications & Foundation team with managing databases, social media platforms and other core team functions. He previously worked as a Marketing Consultant in the restaurant and financial industries. 

•  Blake Waravdekar has been named Member & Operations Coordinator. She will support AHLA's membership engagement efforts, particularly with our corporate members, while also assisting the Operations team with administrative initiatives. Waravdekar joins AHLA from SPARGO, where she managed relationships for various government and healthcare clients. 

•  Lorraine Canty has been named Executive Assistant to President and CEO. Canty will work closely with the full executive team and help to manage the Board of the Directors and Executive Committee. She joins AHLA with extensive experience most recently at the National Children’s Alliance.  

About the AHLA Foundation
The AHLA Foundation, the charitable giving arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, is dedicated to helping people build careers, improve their lives, and strengthen the lodging industry. From lifting individuals out of poverty and connecting them with a life-long career in the industry to providing certifications to promote current hotel employees into leadership positions, the Foundation's programs are changing the industry by changing lives. We are committed to elevating, educating, and empowering individuals and the public on the industry’s story of opportunity and advancement. Since its founding in 1953, the Foundation has distributed over $27 million in support of the industry and is committed to ensuring a strong and viable workforce for the entire lodging industry. The Foundation is funded solely by contributions from generous individuals and companies who want to give back to the hotel industry and ensure a successful future. Learn more at www.ahlafoundation.org. 

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