The Comings and Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: comingsandgoings@washblade.com.
The Comings and Goings column also invites LGBTQ+ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, gotten an exciting internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success.
Congratulations to Daniel Penchina on opening his new company, Penchina Partners. Daniel said “I am delighted to announce the launch of Penchina Partners, a consultancy that aims to help organizations, individuals, and funders with solving complex challenges around strategy, advocacy, and nonprofit management.” He went on to say “I’ve always loved solving complex problems, and lord knows our country has many to address. I’m genuinely excited to apply all that I’ve learned and have accomplished fighting for the progressive movement to an even broader set of causes.”
Daniel has spent 18 years in Washington, first as a staff member on Capitol Hill, then as a public interest lobbyist and strategist, and finally as a non-profit leader. His most recent position was as President of Voices for Progress. Prior to that Daniel worked for nearly ten years with the Raben Group, Washington, DC. His work on the Hill included stints as Legislative Director for two members of Congress, Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Christopher Murphy (D-CT). He began his career on the Hill as a Legislative Assistant/Appropriations Associate with Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).
Daniel is an active volunteer in the DC LGBTQ+ community serving on numerous boards and committees including as a Board member of SMYAL; member of the Steering committee of the Healthy Democracy Coalition, and he served a stint on the steering committee of ‘Q’ Street. He was recognized in Washingtonian Magazine’s “Top 40 Lobbyists under 40” list.
Daniel received his BFA with honors in Cinema Studies from New York University, New York, New York.
Congratulations also to Larry Ray on the start-up of his new firm SENATUS. Larry describes SENATUS as a dispute resolution firm serving the needs of DMV businesses. The firm will offer two distinct wings of customizable services featuring traditional forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation and arbitration, in addition to innovative offerings such as the Business Pre-nup and HR + Office Admin Partnerships. When opening the firm Larry said “Being a lawyer specializing in dispute resolution including mediation makes me feel that I am actually assisting folks to bring peace to their situation.”
Larry has been in private practice as an attorney since 1998. Prior to that he served as Executive Director, National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM); Executive Director, American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section; and as a City Prosecutor in Columbus, Ohio. Larry has been an active volunteer in the community. He is a former Vice President of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club and former ANC commissioner. He has recently been named a senior expert on mediation, negotiation and arbitration by TASA Alum. The TASA Group is North America’s largest and most experienced Expert Referral ServiceTM, giving access to seasoned professionals in 10,000+ technical and medical specialties. They recently published his article Communication Causes Conflict (Sometimes).
Larry has his B.A. with honors from Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio and earned his J.D. from Capital University Law School, Columbus, Ohio.
