NMMA Continues Enhancing Advocacy Efforts Amid Expansion of Government and Public Affairs Team

Oct 31, 2023

Photo L-R: Cameron Nelson, Molly Drenkard, Joshua Jamison

As the NMMA continues to advance the industry’s critical advocacy work, the association has announced the addition of three new roles in its Washington, D.C. headquarters. The roles span public affairs, federal government relations and policy engagement.

Molly Drenkard joins NMMA as vice president of public affairs, leading the association’s strategic communications related to policy and government engagement. Drenkard comes to NMMA from Anheuser-Busch, where she served as director of corporate communications, driving national and state public affairs campaigns and issue management. Prior to Anheuser-Busch, Drenkard was national press secretary within the U.S. House of Representatives, and media relations and public affairs director for the American Legislative Exchange Council. Drenkard reports to Ellen Bradley, chief brand officer and senior vice president of marketing and communications.

Joshua Jamison has been hired as federal government relations manager, responsible for strategic advocacy efforts on the national level. He comes to NMMA from the office of U.S. Representative John Duarte of California, where he was legislative director, overseeing the Congressman’s Natural Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure and Agriculture committee assignments. Jamison reports to Callie Hoyt, vice president of government affairs.

Cameron Nelson joins the association as policy and political engagement manager, assisting with outreach and management of the BoatPAC. He comes to NMMA from the Tennessee Pinnacle Group, where he was vice president of operations, and prior to that, research assistant for the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Nelson reports to Erica Crocker, director of political engagement and advocacy.

With the addition of Drenkard, Jamison and Nelson, NMMA has elevated key roles within the association to further enhance its advocacy work. Callie Hoyt, is promoted to vice president of government affairs, Ben Murray has been promoted to director of state government relations, and Lauren Hyland has been promoted to senior public affairs manager.

The new hires and elevated roles round out the robust government-focused team including: David Dickerson, vice president of state government relations and executive director of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association; Jeff Wasil, senior director of environment, health and safety compliance, who will succeed John McKnight, senior vice president of environment, health and safety compliance (who is set to retire in late 2024); Crocker, senior director of political advocacy and engagement; Clay Crabtree, director of federal government relations; Rachel Fischer, manager of Western policy and engagement; and Jesse McArdell, manager of Midwestern and Northeast policy and engagement.

“This strong team of government relations and public affairs professionals are helping NMMA ensure the growth and success of the recreational boating industry as they work on behalf of NMMA’s more than 1,300 member companies. Their work reinforces our industry’s commitment to being at the table to help shape and support policies that impact millions of boaters and more than 800,000 boating industry employees around the country,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, NMMA president.

In addition, a search is underway for a senior vice president of government affairs to lead NMMA’s government-focused efforts. With the association’s recent move of its headquarters to Washington, D.C., a search is also underway for a D.C.-based manager of business operations, reporting into Nick Ligammari, senior director of operations.