• Bob Foosaner, the top lobbyist for Sprint Nextel, has retired. Vonya McCann, who is the company’s senior vice president for government affairs, will take his place on an interim basis. Foosaner represented Sprint Nextel before Congress, the executive branch, the Federal Communications Commission and state regulatory agencies. He performed the same role for Nextel Communications Inc.

• Public relations firm MWW Group has acquired the lobbying practice of Jorden Burt LLP. Marilyn Berry Thompson, the former director of government relations at Jorden Burt, will become executive vice president at MWW Group. A former adviser to President Jimmy Carter, Thompson also served as director of federal policy for the state of New Jersey under three governors.

• Allen Segal has joined the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) as director of federal affairs. Segal comes to CHPA from the American Cancer Society, where he served as associate director of federal relations.

• Harry A. Sporidis has joined Powell Goldstein LLP as senior policy adviser in the firm’s lobbying practice. Sporidis served previously as a senior aide to former Rep. Jim Greenwood (R-Pa.) when he was chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s oversight panel. He also served as an aide to former Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-Fla.).

• Paul Jones has joined the Retail Industry Leaders Association as vice president for asset protection. Jones served previously as senior vice president for loss prevention for Ohio-based Limited Brands.

• Alisa L. Chestler has joined Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz as of counsel in the firm’s Washington office. Chestler served previously as counsel to APS Healthcare Inc., where she was responsible for legal oversight of all federal and state regulatory compliance issues.

• Joan E. Meyer, senior counsel to the U.S. deputy attorney general, has joined Baker & McKenzie LLP as partner, working in the firm’s business crimes and investigations team. Meyer served previously as the chief of the criminal division of the U.S. attorney’s office.