Dentons announced that Shelley Rubino has joined the firm as a senior policy director in its Regulatory, Public Policy, and Government Affairs practice, based in Washington, DC.
Rubino brings extensive experience in directing policy initiatives, building bipartisan consensus, and advancing legislative priorities. Her work includes helping secure $12.5 billion in funding to modernize the United States air traffic control system through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. She also played a key role in supporting the aviation industry during the global pandemic by leading the CARES Act Payroll Support Program, which delivered $58 billion in federal relief to help preserve more than 700,000 jobs.
Before joining Dentons, Rubino spent more than 13 years at Airlines for America, where she served as vice president of global government affairs. In that role, she represented major North American airlines, advising Fortune 100 executives and board members while educating policymakers and regulators about industry priorities. She also helped organize and manage bipartisan political engagement around aviation policy.
Earlier in her career, Rubino served as chief of staff to Congressman John B. Larson of Connecticut from 2008 to 2012 while he was chair of the House Democratic Caucus. In that position, she served as the primary liaison among the congressman, House leadership, members of Congress, legislative staff, and the White House, while also coordinating strategy for major legislative initiatives. She previously served as director of government relations and strategies at Brown Rudnick in New England and as executive assistant to the speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives, Thomas Ritter.
Dentons said Rubino’s experience across government, industry, and advocacy positions strengthens the firm’s ability to help clients navigate complex regulatory and legislative issues. Her approach emphasizes collaboration and relationship building across political lines to drive policy outcomes and support strategic engagement with Congress, the Executive Branch, and key federal agencies.
The firm noted that demand for advocacy and advisory services at the intersection of business, law, and public policy continues to grow, particularly as organizations seek guidance on navigating legislative processes and regulatory environments in Washington.
Rubino said she is looking forward to contributing to the firm’s expanding public policy platform and working with colleagues to help clients pursue bipartisan solutions and advance their policy priorities.
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“Our team’s growth reflects the increasing demand from clients for sophisticated advocacy at the intersection of business, law, and public policy. Shelley brings a proven ability to translate complex policy challenges into real legislative outcomes. As our practice continues to expand, her leadership and experience will help us deliver even greater value to our current clients while strengthening Dentons’ platform for future clients seeking effective representation on Capitol Hill.”
Matthew Cutts, Head Of US Policy And Government Relations, Dentons US LLP
“Dentons has built an impressive and rapidly growing public policy platform, and I’m excited to join such a talented and collaborative team. I look forward to working with colleagues across the firm to help clients navigate complex policy issues, build bipartisan solutions, and advance their priorities in Washington.”
Shelley Rubino, Senior Policy Director, Dentons
