NCA beefs up its advocacy & communications capability with new hires

Lauren O’Toole Boland joins the Public Affairs & Communications team at NCA as director of communications and will focus on strengthening the organizations’ media engagement, strategic communications and advocacy efforts.

Before joining NCA, she was a vice president at Marathon Strategies and served on the communications team at the Association of Global Automakers. Additionally, Boland served as communications director for two members of Congress and gained experience on multiple successful congressional campaigns throughout the state of Ohio.

Courtney Hogan joins NCA’s Policy & Regulatory Affairs team as manager of grassroots and public policy. A spokesperson said she will focus on increasing engagement and participation of elected officials in NCA public policy initiatives and member company events and creating opportunities for policymakers to tour confectionery manufacturing facilities and participate in other on-the-ground opportunities.

Prior to joining NCA, Hogan served as government affairs manager at the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and worked in the office of Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08).

John Downs, NCA president and CEO, said: “NCA has built a strong reputation as a thought leader in the public affairs and advocacy space in and outside of Washington, and the addition of Lauren and Courtney to the team will only strengthen our capability. We’re excited to add to our advocacy and communications capacity, which will help us tell our story to members of Congress and our stakeholder audiences and provide even more value to our member companies​.”

According to the NCA, its mission-driven public affairs and advocacy program supports and promotes American manufacturers of chocolate candy, gum and mints, which directly employ nearly 54,000 people across the United States, with more than 550,000 jobs supported in related industries.