President Obama to nominate Apple Government Affairs VP for Administration job

The White House has announced four new nominations for jobs in The Obama Administration, including Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs Catherine Novelli. Novelli will be nominated by President Obama to join the State Department as Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment.

Catherine Ann Novelli, Nominee for Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Department of State

Catherine Ann Novelli is Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple, Inc., a position she has held since 2007.  Previously, Ms. Novelli was a partner at Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP from 2005 to 2007.  From 1991 to 2005, she served at the Office of the United States Trade Representative and from 1997 to 2005, she was the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Mediterranean.  From 1985 to 1991, Ms. Novelli served in the Office of the General Counsel at the Department of Commerce.  From 1982 to 1985, she practiced law in the Washington D.C. office of Debovoise and Librman.  Ms. Novelli received a B.A. from Tufts University, a J.D. from the University of Michigan, and a LL.M. from the University of London.

The move will likely further improve Apple’s relations with the United States Government. As an Apple Vice President, Novelli is Apple’s lead lobbyist, and according to her LinkedIn profile, works out of Washington D.C…

According to a profile, Novelli “heads a team responsible for Apple’s federal, international, and state and local government relations.” Prior to working at Apple, Novelli worked in various government-related roles across the world.

In recent years, Apple’s connection to the U.S. government seems to have substantially improved. Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer spoke with the United States Senate over Tax laws earlier this year. Also earlier this year, Apple hired Lisa Jackson from the EPA to run all of Apple’s environmental efforts. Most recently, amidst controversies over government surveillance, Cook met with Obama in a closed-door meeting regarding security practices.

Press Release via Adam Satariano, Image via C-Span