Kathryn Fonda

Kat Fonda serves as the Vice President of Federal Government Affairs at the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), where she advocates for the hotel industry on federal legislative and regulatory issues. In her role, Kat engages with Congress, the White House, and federal agencies on a wide range of priorities - from labor and employment policy to immigration, travel, and tourism - helping to shape a policy environment that supports a dynamic and evolving hospitality sector.

With over a decade of experience in political strategy, issue advocacy, and coalition building at both the federal and state levels, she brings extensive expertise and strategic insight to AHLA. Before joining the organization, she was a senior strategist at one of Washington, D.C.’s largest political consulting firms, advising dozens of Members of Congress, including Committee Chairs and U.S. Senators. She also served in government affairs roles at Aflac, where she worked on financial services policy, and in Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s administration, focusing on economic development and transportation policy.

A native of St. Simons Island, Georgia, Kat holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Georgia College & State University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Clark.