LUCAS PUBLIC AFFAIRS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- President / Professional Highlights
For 35 years, Cassandra Walker Pye has enjoyed a successful career in communications, government, politics and advocacy for corporate interests in global, national, state and local arenas. She joined Lucas Public Affairs in October 2019.
Cassandra provides strategic counsel to the firm's clients from all sectors and industries and guides a team of accomplished public affairs professionals in leading strategic communications and public affairs campaigns on clients' behalf.
Cassandra has served in leadership roles in the public and private sectors in Sacramento and in Washington, DC. In 2014, she launched 3.14 Communications, LLC, a full-service communication consultancy with clients in a range of sectors. She began her career at the Food Marketing Institute and directed government relations operations for the California Grocers Association and the California Retailers Association. As senior vice president for APCO Worldwide, Cassandra co-led the agency's global food and consumer products practice group. In 2003, Cassandra was appointed deputy chief of staff to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and served as a member of his post-election transition team. She is former political director and corporate affairs vice president for the California Chamber of Commerce, where she launched the JobsPAC, ChamberPAC and the Coalition for California Jobs.
Cassandra brings crisis management, corporate communication, message development and issue/political campaign experience to the firm. Since 2016, she's been a lead facilitator, throughout the country, for the American Leadership Forum's (ALF) Leading Consciously trainings, providing insights into unconscious (implicit) bias and its impact on societal structures and institutions.
Cassandra is a graduate of George Washington University. She is a passionate professional soccer fan and was among the original group of supporters for Sacramento Republic Football Club. Cassandra and husband Kelvin have four adult sons. They reside in Sacramento.
Job Titles:
- Account Executive / Professional Highlights
Job Titles:
- Senior Account Executive / Professional Highlights
Job Titles:
- Senior Strategist / Professional Highlights / Senior Strategist Specializing in Strategy and Message Development, Media Relations and Crisis / Litigation Communications
Nancy Heffernan brings to clients her broad range of experience managing complex issues campaigns and developing and executing strategic communications and public affairs programs.
With a background in journalism, political campaign consulting and two decades of working with an international PR firm, Nancy's big-picture ability and media relations credentials make her an ideal senior strategist at Lucas Public Affairs.
Nancy specializes in message and strategy development, media relations, writing, crisis and litigation communications, stakeholder outreach, and meeting facilitation and training. As the firm's lead media trainer, she conducts hands-on training for clients in all sectors who need assistance in presenting and maneuvering through the news media jungle to get their messages across effectively.
Prior to joining LPA, Nancy had her own consultancy focused primarily on litigation communications, community relations and media relations and training. Before that, Nancy served as co-managing director and senior counselor to the Sacramento office of APCO Worldwide working on projects at the regional, national and global levels. She also was a partner and director of public relations for a Sacramento-based political consulting and public affairs firm serving as spokesperson on statewide initiative and candidate campaigns. She also served as media relations consultant to the California Democratic Party chair and deputy to the press secretary at the state party convention.
During her years as a journalist, Nancy was a senior editor of the California Journal, covering California government and politics, and worked in the Capitol bureaus of the Los Angeles Times, Riverside Press-Enterprise and Gannet News Service/USA Today covering State Legislature beats. Her ability to "think like a reporter," coupled with her solid relationships with members of the media and decades leading media relations for clients, make her an asset on highly strategic projects.
Job Titles:
- Senior Account Executive / Professional Highlights
Nathan Yañez supports the development and execution of strategic communications and public affairs campaigns to LPA's clients across a broad range of issues including public health, finance, biotechnology, higher education and natural resources.
Since joining LPA in 2020, Nathan has worked on media relations, earned media and spokesperson management helping to drive high profile statewide communications campaigns in public health and water conservation issues.
Before joining LPA, Nathan interned for U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman where he managed the DC Congressional tour program and provided research and media support. He previously worked as an admissions advisor for the UC Davis Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Earlier, he served as an intern for then-Senator Kamala Harris and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry.
A graduate of the University of California, Davis, Nathan majored in political science and minored in Economics. He also has a certificate from the London School of Economics for Global and International Studies. Outside the office, he enjoys being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Creative Consultant / Professional Highlights
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President / Professional Highlights
Travis Taylor partners with clients to navigate some of California's toughest and most important challenges. An expert communicator, Travis brings to bear an accomplished career in public affairs, public relations, government and crisis communications for LPA's nonprofit, government and corporate clients.
Travis helps clients solve complex issues while building trust, influence and reputation. He has led high-profile accounts spanning an array of public policy arenas, including energy, education, health, transportation and infrastructure at the local, state and national levels. He also leads media and crisis communications training sessions and is part of LPA's executive leadership team. Travis has been with the firm since 2018.
Before joining LPA, Travis served as executive vice president of Fineman PR, a strategic communications and crisis communications agency in San Francisco. Previously, he served as vice president of CommPac, a strategic communications agency in Honolulu, following three years as senior advisor to Hawaii's lieutenant governor. Earlier in his career, Travis held a senior role at Wilson-Miller Communications, now Miller Public Affairs Group, in Sacramento.