KP Public Affairs has announced three new positions in its public relations and lobbying operations. Elisa Smith has been hired as a consultant for the public affairs side. She was previously director of news and communications for Sacramento State, and before that, she worked for UC Berkeley on strategic communications and media relations. Her first day was yesterday. Tom van der List was hired to “provide outreach, media and public affairs services,” with a focus on “transportation and project siting.” Van der List, who started June 26, worked with Arellano Associates in Southern California on public outreach strategies for the High-Speed Rail Authority, Caltrans and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Agency. The firm also named Alex Torres as a lobbyist. He started his new role on June 1 after joining KP Public Affairs last year as a consultant. Prior to working at the firm, Torres managed outreach campaigns for the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Assembly, and also worked as a communication consultant with his father Arnoldo Torres’ organization, Torres2 Policy Consultants. Contact: Alison MacLeod 916 225 6317.