Gonring | Lin | Spahn is a strategic consulting firm specializing in public affairs, government relations, philanthropy, and issue advocacy. With offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., we serve a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic foundations, and high-net-worth individuals.
What We Do
Government Relations & Communications
Access and Know-How
Our firm leverages deep-rooted relationships to help clients navigate the complex federal, state and local policy landscapes. Our grass-tops approach has a proven track record of achieving measurable results across a wide range of policy areas, including media, telecom, health, green energy, tech, education and agriculture. With decades of experience, we understand how to strategically position our clients at the highest levels of policy and influence.
Strategic Philanthropy
Giving and Impact
We specialize in philanthropic advising for individuals, family foundations, and corporations who want to make a difference locally and globally. We help identify priorities, develop long and short-term giving strategies, and manage resources. Clients seeking to maximize charitable investments benefit from our deep experience navigating community relations, key partnerships, and clear communications.
Issue Advocacy & Fundraising
Awareness and Lasting Change
We help shape and raise visibility for issue campaigns. We cultivate potential donors, build and revitalize boards and identify champions to support our clients’ efforts. Our team combines policy expertise, trusted communication strategies, and nuanced political understanding to help organizations, donors and causes build and amplify their most critical messages.
Who We Are
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President
Andy oversees all business development and strategic direction, managing day to day client relations alongside his partners, Jennifer Gonring and Jennifer Lin. With more than 30 years in the entertainment, political, and non-profit arenas, his counsel is sought by Fortune 100 executives, elected officials, and philanthropic organizations.
Before co-founding Gonring | Lin | Spahn, Andy served as the head of corporate affairs and communications for DreamWorks SKG, where he was direct liaison to Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen in all work related to government and community relations, media, new business development, internal affairs, real estate, and all charitable and political matters.
Prior to DreamWorks, Andy was an executive vice president with the David Geffen Company and president of the David Geffen Foundation. Previous positions in national politics and the non-profit world include national finance director for the presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Gary Hart of Colorado, chief of staff to California State Controller Gray Davis, and special assistant to the Chairs of the Democratic Senatorial and Congressional Campaign Committees. He co-founded and served as president and CEO of the Environmental Media Association, an entertainment-industry non-profit created to raise public awareness around environmental issues.
In 2009, Andy was appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama to his Committee on the Arts and Humanities. He has served on the National Finance Committee of the Democratic National Committee, and as a member of the Speaker’s Cabinet for the DCCC. He currently sits on the boards of the Geffen Playhouse and March For Our Lives.
Andy is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. His wife, Jennifer Perry, is the Executive Director of the Children’s Action Network.
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Consultant
Jennifer is a Co-Founder of the boutique public affairs firm Gonring | Lin | Spahn and consults with their Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. based team, leading strategy on positioning key philanthropic, policy, and political objectives. In partnership with major institutions, foundations, corporations, individuals, and political organizations, she delivers a steady campaign mentality to her work, refining clients’ key messages and significantly increasing their visibility and funding overall.
Before co-founding Gonring | Lin | Spahn, Jennifer worked at DreamWorks SKG, where she oversaw the studio’s corporate affairs, directed special projects, and managed public relations, the Spielberg Family Living Trust, the Katzenberg Family Trust, the David Geffen Foundation, and DreamWorks’ CSR programs.
Jennifer is a member of the governor appointed California Film Commission and currently serves on the boards of City Year Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Urban League, and the Charles Edison Fund in Newark, New Jersey. She is also a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Jennifer holds a joint bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Wisconsin. She is a featured speaker and panelist at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California.
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Managing Partner
Jennifer is the Managing Partner at Gonring Lin Spahn. She specializes in public affairs, with extensive experience in federal, state, and local government relations, community outreach and fundraising. She provides counsel to Fortune 100 corporations, private companies, prominent individuals, philanthropic foundations, and non-profit organizations seeking to build coalitions and achieve their policy goals. Jennifer also leads political fundraising for the firm, amassing tens of millions of dollars for Democratic candidates each cycle.
Jennifer previously worked at DreamWorks SKG where she directed the company’s government, political and community affairs. She was also responsible for special fundraising events and political giving on behalf of the studio and its principals.
Jennifer, appointed by President Biden, served on the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. She also serves as the Chair of the Exposition Park and California Science Center Board, on the board of Emily’s List, and on the Board of Trustees of St. James Episcopal School.
Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and English. Her husband, Allan Edmiston, is a partner at the law firm Loeb & Loeb LLP. They reside in Los Angeles with their children.
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Partner
Kevin manages Gonring | Lin | Spahn’s office in Washington, DC. He helps clients navigate complicated legislative, policy and communication challenges on a wide range of issues, including green energy, healthcare, telecommunications and education technology.
Prior to joining the firm in 2006, Kevin worked at the Rogers Group, a public-relations firm in Los Angeles, where he developed statewide communications strategies, coordinated press events, and wrote speeches and talking points for the firm’s largest public-sector account. He previously worked as a deputy press secretary for California Governor Gray Davis, a personal aide and research assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York, and a campaign manager and chief of staff to U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner. He was also a consultant on the 2003 NBC political drama Mr. Sterling.
Kevin holds a juris doctor and master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University, as well as a master’s degree in politics from the Catholic University of America. His bachelor’s degree in government is from St. Lawrence University in New York. His wife, Julie, is a co-founder of AltaClaro. They have two children.
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Senior Director
As the Senior Director in the Washington, DC office, Rachel works on various client issues in the healthcare, telecom, education, gaming, and entertainment industries. She joins Gonring Lin Spahn after several years as Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-NH) Finance Director. Rachel raised nearly $20 million for the Senator’s third successful re-election campaign in 2020 and helped usher in a democratic senate majority. Prior to joining Shaheen’s team, Rachel was a political fundraising consultant at Berger Hirschberg Strategies working with senators, governors, and national non-profits. Rachel’s work requires understanding the complexities of both DC and national politics by maintaining close relationships with prominent national high level donors, corporate executives, and government affairs staff and lobbyists. She began her fundraising career after spending time on Capitol Hill working for Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH).
Originally from Mansfield, Ohio, Rachel received her Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College in 2011 with a major in Political Science, a concentration in Public Policy and a minor in Italian. She currently is the youngest member to serve on the college’s Board of Trustees.
Rachel lives in Washington, DC where she enjoys exploring the food scene.