Hagir H. Elawad brings wide-ranging government relations experience in the foreign policy, health care, education, financial services, and telecommunication sectors.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Known for relationships that reach from the United States Congress and Departments of Defense and State to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Hagir H. Elawad has been named Senior Vice President of Federal Affairs for Shumaker Advisors. She will serve as a key leader in advocacy efforts, managing government affairs teams and driving public policy solutions.
“Hagir’s analyses and insights are second-to-none. She knows the people who are making the decisions in a tremendous range of fields—everything from financial services to foreign policy—and she’s outstanding at helping our clients understand what’s happening now and what steps to take next,” said President of Shumaker Advisors Ohio Andrew Herf.
"Shumaker Advisors is experiencing exciting growth and having Hagir on board will undoubtedly accelerate our current momentum,” said Ron Christaldi, President of Shumaker Advisors Florida. “The addition of Hagir adds to an already solid federal team across our platform.”
As a government relations strategist in Washington for more than 15 years, including service as focused on legislative, political, and military affairs with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Washington, D.C., Hagir has handled a diverse portfolio of public affairs issues, including but not limited to export controls and sanctions, defense and security, aviation and space, nuclear and renewable energy, counterterrorism and counter extremism, labor and human rights, and women’s rights. While there, she led the UAE Embassy’s Congressional Affairs Section and Political-Military Affairs portfolio and engaged with the U.S. Congress and U.S. Executive Branch agencies on key areas of US-UAE bilateral cooperation. Hagir was instrumental in ensuring the passage of unprecedented partnerships and transactions, including civilian nuclear power agreements and vital missile defense systems.
“I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to use my years of experience to help clients achieve their goals and make a difference. Shumaker Advisors is one of the most prestigious firms, and I am excited to join this elite team,” Hagir said.
Prior to joining Shumaker Advisors, Hagir served as a Senior Policy Advisor at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. In this capacity, she designed and implemented government relations and advocacy strategies on behalf of some of the firm’s highest profile clients. Hagir speaks five languages: English, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Italian. Additionally, Hagir was a key member of the select team that supported efforts resulting in the highly publicized UAE-Israel Abraham Accords Peace Agreement.