NEW YORK—Makovsky has opened a Washington, DC, office and hired Andy Beck to manage the office and lead its energy and sustainability practice.

For more than 15 years, Beck has worked on issues related to energy, environmental sustainability and transportation. He was the director of public affairs for the US Department of Energy, the US government’s top energy spokesperson and communications strategist. He also served as the senior communications and outreach advisor to the head of the US Environmental Protection Agency and as a senior communications official at the US Department of Transportation.

Most recently, Beck was the chief communications officer at Lighting Science Group, a manufacturer of energy efficient LED lighting bulbs and fixtures. Prior to his tenure there, he was senior vice president and head of MWW Group’s energy and environmental practice in Washington, DC. He also worked for two trade associations: the National Automobile Dealers Association and the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, and for biofuels company PetroAlgae.