Amy Whited Named DISCUS Vice President of State Public Policy
WASHINGTON — The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) announced today the appointment of Amy Whited as the association’s vice president of state public policy.
“Amy is a first-rate government relations professional with a long record of success in the policy arena,” said DISCUS President and CEO Chris Swonger. “Amy has a depth of experience in navigating and guiding state public policy issues through the legislative process, and she is going to be a tremendous addition to the DISCUS government relations team.”
Amy will be based in Austin and oversee government relations activities in Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida. She will be responsible for advocating for policies that create a more level playing field for distilled spirits, and increase convenience and choice for adult spirits consumers.
Whited most recently served as the director for planning and operations at UCB, a leading global biopharmaceutical manufacturer, where she was a member of the U.S. Corporate Affairs Leadership Team responsible for organizational strategy and operations.
During her seven years at UCB, Amy also held the role of regional director for U.S. government relations and public affairs, where she led a team responsible for UCB’s lobbying and public affairs activities across a 16-state region in the southern and central United States.
“DISCUS is the leading voice for both large and small distilled spirit producers and business owners,” said Whited. “I am thrilled to join its best-in-class advocacy team and continue to drive innovation and opportunity within the beverage alcohol industry.”
Earlier in her career, Amy served as a lobbyist and director of health policy for the North Carolina Medical Society. She also founded and directed the North Carolina Coalition to Protect Patients, as statewide coalition of physician specialists. Prior to working in government relations, she held positions as the chief of staff for Houston City Council Member Pam Holm and as regional director for Alabama Governor Bob Riley’s re-election campaign.
Amy is an active member of her Austin community, where she serves as the executive director of the Pink Granite Foundation, a not-for-profit professional development organization she founded to mentor women working in Texas politics and policy. She also sits on the Advisory Board and Admissions Committee of the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs, Women’s Campaign School, and is treasurer of the Women’s Public Leadership Network.
Amy received a master’s degree in public administration from Auburn University Montgomery and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Jacksonville State University. She is currently pursuing her MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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