The prominent US online gaming and betting entity, FanDuel Group, has officially appointed Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Nabavi to spearhead its public and federal affairs division. This strategic decision reflects FanDuel’s ongoing commitment to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape in North America.

Murray takes on the role of Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, while Nabavi will be the Vice President of Federal Affairs. Both leaders possess extensive backgrounds in government and regulatory communications.

“As we look ahead, we recognize the crucial role FanDuel must undertake in critical policy dialogues aimed at shaping the future of the online gaming sector,” stated Christian Genetski, President at FanDuel. “Shailagh and Jon bring with them decades of expertise in addressing complex policy matters in a constructive and collaborative fashion. We are confident they will be instrumental in partnering with essential stakeholders to foster responsible and sustainable growth for our industry.”

Most recently, Murray held the position of Executive Vice President of Public Affairs at Columbia University. From 2015 to 2017, she served as a Senior Advisor to President Obama and has previously occupied roles such as Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director under Vice President Joe Biden.

Prior to her current role, Murray was a journalist at The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, covering significant events such as the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, the EU’s expansion, U.S. elections, and critical legislative discussions including the Iraq War and the Affordable Care Act.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities from the University of Missouri-Columbia and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

Meanwhile, Nabavi transitions to FanDuel from the National Football League (NFL), where he managed the league’s public policy initiatives and legislative strategies. He actively represented the NFL in U.S. Congress, the White House, governmental entities, foreign nations, and international organizations, advising on sports betting approaches and policy strategies for the industry.

Prior to his tenure at the NFL, Nabavi was the Majority Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, offering key advice to then-Chairman Chuck Grassley.

Additionally, he has served as Counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and as a senior advisor to various members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Nabavi completed his undergraduate studies at Pennsylvania State University, where he was recognized as part of the Academic All-Big Ten football team and a member of the Schreyer Honors College. He earned his Juris Doctor from George Washington University Law School.

FanDuel Group manages a diverse array of mobile gaming brands, including FanDuel Sportsbook, FanDuel Casino, FanDuel Racing, and a daily fantasy sports service. The company also runs FanDuel TV and the direct-to-consumer OTT platform FanDuel TV+. With its headquarters in New York, FanDuel operates additional offices in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Jersey City, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, and Australia.