Personnel note: Andres Malavé, the first Hispanic Comms Director in the Florida Speaker’s office, joins lobbying firm Jones Walker

Four months after reopening its Tallahassee office, Jones Walker is expanding.

The firm announced this week that House Speaker Paul Renner’s Communications Director, Andres Malavé, is joining its Government Relations team.

Malavé, the first Hispanic Communication Director in the Speaker’s Office, previously worked as Communications Director of the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee when the GOP took a supermajority in the House.

“Andres is a top-notch political professional. Not only did he craft a winning communications plan to deliver the largest Republican majority in state history, as Communications Director of the Florida House, he helped us to effectively deliver results on priority legislation and show the rest of the country, and the world, how to do things the Florida Way. Jones Walker is gaining a creative, well-connected, and principled leader on their team,” Renner said.

Before the House, Malavé worked at Americans for Prosperity and Stand Together in Florida and at their Virginia headquarters in various roles, including leading the Regional Communications team where he helped leaders across the country advocate for better health care, fiscal, and educational outcomes.

“Andres’ experience in the Speaker’s Office and working across the policy spectrum around the country will make him a valuable part of our team. His knowledge of the process and his relationships with legislative and industry leaders across the state will be key in his ability to advise our clients,” said Marc Dunbar, Partner at Jones Walker’s Tallahassee office.

Chris Moya, Director of Business Advisory and Management Consulting at Jones Walker, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Andres to our Government Relations team. This business is about relationships. The trust and relationships Andres has built with legislators and executive staff in the Governor’s office is second to none.”

Jones Walker reopened its Tallahassee office in January. In addition to Moya and Marc Dunbar, who leads the office, the firm includes Daniel Russell, Jennifer Ungru, William Hall III, Daniel McGinn, Peter Dunbar,Martha Edenfield and French Brown IV.