Principals
CEG is:
Sidney Allen, Jr.
Liam P. Donovan
Andew E. Forbes
John M. Hand
John T. Herzog
Keith S. Studdard
Originally from the Jackson, Mississippi area, Sidney moved to D.C. in 2004 after finishing his college career at Ole Miss. While in Oxford, he was an active member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and was elected a “Senior Class Favorite” by his peers. The summer before his senior year, he lived in Washington and served as a Congressional Intern for Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS).
Upon his return to Washington after college, Sidney served as an intern at the Republican National Committee during George W. Bush’s successful re-election campaign and as a Government Affairs Assistant at Jeffrey J. Kimbell and Associates. He was hired shortly thereafter as a State Caucus Manager for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, a non-profit group charged with educating members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus in D.C. and State Sportsmen’s Caucuses in legislatures across the country on issues affecting sportsmen and conservation. He is widely credited with working to establish the Mississippi Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus during his time at CSF, which remains a leader in the national network to this day.
In 2007, Sidney accepted a position with one of America’s leading telecommunications companies and returned home to Mississippi. After three and a half years, he was hired by the state’s largest law firm to assist them with the growth and direction of their Government Relations Group, where he remains today.
In his free time, Sidney is actively involved in the community, having served as Treasurer and President of the Phoenix Club of Jackson, benefitting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, and Friends of Children’s Hospital, benefitting the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson. He is married to Kristin, whom he met at the first ever CEG function in 2005, and they recently had their first child, Sidney “Perry” Allen, III.
A native Virginian, Liam attended Gonzaga College High School on Capitol Hill before continuing on to study political science at Georgetown University. After several cycles helping elect Republicans to federal office, he now works in government relations for a large industry trade association. Liam is a proud product of the K&A Chiefs softball program, where he was a 2-time winner of the Ross Grimsley Trophy for most valuable player (and best hair.) When he is not fighting to preserve free enterprise, Liam can typically be found in section 110 of Verizon Center cheering on the Hoyas.
Andrew E. Forbes is a principal and founding member of Capitol Entertainment Group, LLC. He has worked for The Rhoads Group, a Washington, DC lobbying firm, and currently works in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A native of Vienna, Virginia, Andrew has been a consistent force in the DC social scene for some time now. At Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, he received a degree in International Affairs with a minor in good times. He also graduated a 3-time MVP member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Andrew was a four-year varsity letter winner on the lacrosse team, and served as Captain his senior year.
Upon returning home to Virginia, he made the move downtown and currently resides in Glover Park where he and his roommates have made an everlasting impression on the neighborhood.
John started 3 games at Quarterback his senior year at Lake Forest High School
John Herzog is one of the original founders of the Capitol Entertainment Group. John is originally from Jackson, MS but has lived in Washington, DC since graduating from Ole Miss in 2004. John spent his first few years in Washington working in the United States Senate for Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. After his time on Capitol Hill, he went to work in the West Wing Office of Legislative Affairs for President George W. Bush. Following the Bush Administration, John began working for the world’s second largest pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline, as a federal lobbyist. He helped navigate the company through the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and health care reform. Currently, John is a principal at Jeffrey J. Kimbell & Associates, a boutique consulting and lobbying firm which represents about twenty life-science companies. John currently resides in Georgetown with his wife, Laura.
On November 22, 2007, CEG lost a founder and a dear friend. After a tragic car accident at the age 25, Trey passed away with family and friends surrounding him at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Trey was a proud, lifelong member of The Episcopal Church. He was employed as State Field Representative for the Lamar Alexander for U.S. Senate 2008 campaign, headquartered in Nashville. Prior to that he worked as an aide in U.S. Senator Alexander’s office in Washington, D.C. as well as in the office of Jeffrey J. Kimbell and Associates, and as a summer intern for U.S. Senator Bill Frist. While in Washington D.C. he served as a board member of the Capital Club of Washington, a mentor in the “Everybody Wins” reading program, a founding member of the Capitol Entertainment Group, and as a utility player for the Chiefs Softball Team.
Trey Lefler was larger than life and cannot be captured in words. He loved the Lord, he loved his family and friends, he loved his state and country, and he loved the Alabama Crimson Tide. He modeled his life after the second commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). As a natural extension of Trey’s loving and generous spirit, he chose to be an organ donor and through his death saved the lives of at least five others.
Trey was a proud graduate of the University of the South, Sewanee. At Sewanee, Trey was involved in many organizations and was a captain of the Sewanee Tigers basketball team. During his college years he participated in the St. James Pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain and an outreach trip to Kingston, Jamaica. The Trey Lefler Scholarship Fund has been initiated in loving memory in order to finance opportunities at University of the South for youth who otherwise would not have been able to do so.
Keith Studdard was born and raised in Jackson, MS where he graduated from Jackson Academy. He then pursued higher education at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa honor society. After graduating from Ole Miss in just 4 years, Keith embarked on the nation’s capital. He quickly began work as a with the prestigious Jeffrey J. Kimbell and Associates where he quickly climbed the corporate ladder to becoming Comptroller as well as Government Affairs Associate and acquiring the nickname “Slash” around the office. He now is in charge of all political operations for a physician membership association. While not working, Keith enjoys Ole Miss sports, Widespread Panic concerts, and cold Budweiser.
