CEO Departures

Pollack to retire from hospital group

Rick Pollack announced plans to retire as president and CEO of the $145M-revenue American Hospital Association by the end of 2026. He has served as the organization’s chief executive since 2015 and has spent 43 years at the association.

“Rick Pollack’s tenure has been defined by his unwavering commitment to hospitals, caregivers and the communities we serve. His leadership guided hospitals through unprecedented challenges and transformations, while also advancing access, quality and safety,” said AHA Board of Trustees Chair Tina Freese Decker.

Pollack joined the AHA in 1982 and spent more than 20 years as executive vice president for advocacy and public policy before becoming president and CEO. Earlier in his career, he worked as a legislative assistant to Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin.

WittKieffer will assist in the search for his successor. 

CEO Arrivals

MacDonald to lead hospital federation

Charlene MacDonald has been named president and CEO of the $18M-revenue Federation of American Hospitals, effective Jan. 1, 2026. She succeeds Charles (Chip) N. Kahn III, who announced earlier this year that he will retire after more than 24 years at the helm.

“Charlene brings the right combination of experience, expertise, vision and commitment to our mission of improving patients’ access to quality health care,” said Marc D. Miller, FAH board chair.

MacDonald has been with FAH since 2023, most recently serving as executive vice president of public affairs, where she led the organization’s advocacy, government affairs and communications work and oversaw finance and operations. Previously, she was chief government affairs officer at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and held senior leadership roles at FTI Consulting. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly a decade in senior policy roles in the U.S. House and Senate.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College and a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Korn Ferry assisted in the search.

Maloney named leader of sports betting group

Joe Maloney has been named president and CEO of the $13M-revenue Sports Betting Alliance. He succeeds Jeremy Kudon, who will become chairman after serving as the organization’s president for eight years.

“(Maloney’s) deep understanding of gaming policy, proven leadership in public affairs, and established relationships make him an ideal leader during this crucial time for our industry,” Kudon said.

Maloney joins the Sports Betting Alliance from the American Gaming Association, where he served for two years as senior vice president of strategic communications. Earlier, he was vice president of public affairs and strategic communications at the Washington Commanders and a partner at Locust Street Group, a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm. He began his career on Capitol Hill.

Staff Departures

General Aviation Manufacturers Association — Walter Desrosier will leave $9.7M-revenue GAMA to join Boeing next month as vice president of aerospace safety and regulatory affairs. He spent 21 years at GAMA and most recently served as vice president of engineering and maintenance.

Staff Arrivals

American Petroleum Institute — Kristin Westmoreland has been promoted to senior vice president and chief of staff of $268M-revenue API, effective Jan. 1, 2026. She currently serves as vice president and chief of staff. Westmoreland joined API in 2019 after serving as executive director within the corporate responsibility function at JPMorgan Chase. Earlier, she spent more than a decade at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, holding roles within the executive office, political affairs and the Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness.

Blockchain Association — Lindsay Fraser has joined the $7.3M-revenue Blockchain Association as chief policy officer. She was most recently senior U.S. policy lead at Uniswap Labs, a cryptocurrency and blockchain technology company. Earlier, she held public policy roles at Carta, a financial technology company focused on equity management and private capital markets.

International Swaps and Derivatives Association — Nita Somasundaram has joined $73M-revenue ISDA as director of U.S. public policy. She was most recently a senior adviser to former CFTC Commissioner Kristin Johnson and is a former staffer to Sens. Laphonza Butler and Dianne Feinstein.

National Multifamily Housing Council — Patrick Byrne has joined $28M-revenue NMHC as vice president of legislative advocacy. He most recently served as deputy assistant secretary for intergovernmental relations at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Biden administration.

Additionally, Zack Rubin-McCarry has joined the organization as vice president of political affairs. He previously spent nearly nine years at the National Association of Realtors, where he most recently served as PAC director.