Jordi Ventura – SENIOR COUNSEL

jventura@hbwlawllp.com
(713) 337-8806

Jordi Ventura serves as Senior Counsel at HBW Law and advises clients on natural resources, mining, land use, environment, and energy issues. Jordi’s clients benefit from his native Spanish and English capabilities and his consummate multi-cultural work that he has performed domestically and in Latin America for decades.

Jordi specializes in matters involving corporate due diligence, social license to operate (SLO) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues related to mining domestically and in Latin America. His practice also includes dealings and interactions with Indigenous Peoples, including successful negotiations involving free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).

Prior to joining HBW, Jordi worked at a number of international law firms based in the United States and Canada. He also served as Country General Counsel for several international mining companies. Jordi obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Utah College Of Law and two Bachelors’ degrees from the University of Utah in both Spanish and French.

Meghan Thacker – VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL AND STATE AFFAIRS

mthacker@hbwresources.com
(504) 874-0005

At HBW, Meghan Thacker helps drive productive outcomes for clients on the federal, local, and state government levels. With over 12 years of natural resources policy experience on Capitol Hill working for members of the Louisiana delegation and Senator Steve Daines from Montana, Meghan has a unique ability and expertise to diversify and build coalitions across geographies to advance client goals. She holds key relationships with federal, state, and local officials and industry stakeholders across the country.

During her time on Capitol Hill, she worked on behalf of elected officials to organize and advance their policy and public affairs initiatives from the ground up, including restoration and economic recovery of the Gulf Coast following the Deepwater Horizon disaster, hardening public lands from catastrophic wildfires, restoring and rebuilding rural water infrastructure for rural and tribal areas, improving wildlife habitats, enabling conservation projects and enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities for local communities. Meghan also served as Executive Director of the Senate Western Caucus.

Meghan brings specific expertise that can advance client goals in public land, agriculture, and conservation policy.

On behalf of elected officials and clients, Meghan has led legislative and policy changes pertaining to the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Mineral Leasing Act, National Forest Management Act, Indian water rights settlements, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Great American Outdoors Act, hydropower permitting, and many other laws related to energy, public lands, minerals, and conservation.

After leaving the U.S. Senate, Meghan in 2020 served as President of Big Sky Bluewater Strategies, her own government relations consulting business, where she supported clients in Louisiana, advancing economic incentives for Gulf of Mexico energy producers, and outfitters and guides in Montana during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meghan lives in her hometown of New Orleans and serves clients throughout the Gulf and western regions on behalf of HBW Resources. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Ryan Scott – VICE PRESIDENT, RISK MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING

rscott@hbwresources.com
(713) 337-8804

Ryan Scott is Vice President for Risk Management and Sustainability Reporting for HBW Resources. Ryan specializes in working with clients to better understand and achieve their goals by identifying risks that exist outside of a company’s core operations. He has developed advocacy strategies and materials for his clients to engage with governments and conducts comprehensive assessments and analyses of non-technical, enterprise-wide risk factors, as well as for specific projects.  The focus of Ryan’s practice is to help clients understand and mitigate non-technical risks so they can focus on their core operations and competencies.

Ryan works with clients to develop an ESG reporting discipline that enables them to do more than simply check the box by focusing on risk identification/mitigation key operational metrics.

Prior to his time at HBW, Ryan worked at Deloitte and Touche’s Strategy and Operations Consulting practice. While there, he worked with clients such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, developing and delivering financial reporting and legal training to an executive team. Serving GMAC, he conducted a bank evaluation and application process to assist its conversion from a state bank into a bank holding company, allowing the client to access crucial TARP funds during the Financial Crisis of 2008.

Ryan received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Southern California, and a JD – MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio.

John Northington, Jr. – SENIOR DIRECTOR, FEDERAL AFFAIRS

jnorthington@hbwresources.com
(713) 337-8824

John Northington, Jr., has more than a decade of public and private sector energy policy and regulatory experience. John specializes in upstream, midstream, and renewable issues and is passionate about advancing the responsible development of energy as the world moves to a lower-carbon future.

John has been involved in Democratic politics for more than 15 years and is a veteran of local, state, and federal political campaigns, including President Barack Obama’s successful 2012 re-election bid. Following President Obama’s re-election, John was appointed Advisor to the Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the United States Department of the Interior (DOI).

At DOI, he focused on a wide range of matters pertaining to the safe operations of oil and gas activity on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, including working on the finalization of the Well Control Rule and other regulations. John assisted with permitting, monitoring and tribal engagement while working on the Arctic Rule and Shell’s Arctic Drilling Season, and he spearheaded the International Regulators’ Forum 2015 meeting. He was also regularly involved with the Office of Congressional and International Affairs and the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs to help them achieve various Administration objectives, including sharing U.S. safety and regulatory best practices with foreign nations.

Northington helped develop and implement a government relations program for a Forbes 120 midstream company while working on legislative and regulatory issues pertinent to its day-to-day operations. From Eminent Domain issues in Texas, to the China Section 301 Tariff process, Northington dealt with a wide range of policy matters and assisted and advised the leadership team on all policy and regulatory developments that could potentially impact business operations. His other work has included Endangered Species Act consulting and compliance.

A seventh-generation Texan, John is an avid sportsman and land conservationist who spends his free time at his family's ranch in Brazoria County.

Lee Forsgren – OF COUNSEL

lforsgren@hbwresources.com
(202) 916-5556

Lee Forsgren provides legal and policy guidance in the areas of the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Water Infrastructure, Endangered Species, natural resources, energy, environmental policy, transportation, oil pollution, space systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and federal appropriations. He assists corporations, industry associations and tribal organizations in their relations with Congress, the Executive Branch, and state governments.

Lee has returned to HBW Resources after almost four years as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Before originally coming to HBW Resources, he was a partner with Nossaman LLC/ O’Connor and Hannan LLP, Assistant Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, majority counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Water Resources Subcommittee, counsel to the Subcommittee on Lands and Forestry, and assistant to Congressman Don Young (R-AK) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). He also served the Bush-Cheney Transition Team on transportation and environmental issues. Lee holds a B.A. in Marine Transportation and Nautical Science from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.

Marc Brown – ExVICE PRESIDENT, STATE AFFAIRS

mbrown@hbwresources.com
(603) 777-7176

With over 20 years of business, advocacy, and government affairs experience, Marc Brown advises HBW clients on energy, telecom and water policies and regulations at the state level, with a particular focus on New England.

Prior to joining HBW, Marc was Executive Director of the New England Ratepayers Association, a non-profit social welfare organization that advocated for policies, regulations, and projects that lower the costs of regulated utilities – electricity, natural gas, telecoms and water – to consumers. Marc has testified on energy and telecom policies before local, state, and federal bodies; intervened in dockets before state utility commissions, and successfully filed petitions before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Marc has advised candidates for public office on energy, education, and small business regulations; and represented the pharmaceutical industry, manufacturers, technology companies, real estate developers, and trade associations at the state level. His past work also includes a stint at one of the most prominent non-profit public advocacy organizations in Washington, D.C., developing grassroots campaigns focused on tax, education and energy policy.

He holds a BA in Government and Politics from George Mason University and lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children.