US federally regulated exchange Kalshi has expanded its government relations efforts to promote responsible innovation in financial markets. John Bivona, with nearly two decades of experience as a political strategist and advisor, joins Kalshi after serving in the Biden Administration as the first White House Liaison at the Department of Homeland Security and as the first Chief of Staff for then Congressman Antonio Delgado (D-NY). Bivona also previously served as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Deputy National Political Director in 2018. Most recently, he founded Intersection Government Relations and Intersection Advocacy, where he advised various campaigns and companies.
Regarding his move to Kalshi, Bivona stated, “Kalshi spent four years getting regulatory approval before it even launched a product. It’s built the leading, most trusted prediction market platform, pioneering the category. At a time when people feel like our financial system is rigged against the everyday person, Kalshi levels the playing field and brings more public participation to the issues that people care about most.” He highlighted the platform’s potential to help institutions and policymakers rebuild trust with the American public, aligning with the company’s regulatory-first ethos.
The expansion to Washington D.
C. includes plans to hire additional talent from both political parties. Complementing federal outreach, Kalshi has also hired Blake Bee to lead its state policy efforts. Bee joins Kalshi from Amazon, where he served as a Senior Manager of State and Local Public Policy and managed engagement with state attorneys general.
Prior to his role at Amazon, Bee spent seven years at the National Association of Attorneys General, including as director of its Center for Leadership Development. Earlier in his career, he served more than eight years as executive counsel and Assistant Attorney General in the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, overseeing legislative and public policy matters.
Kalshi, founded in 2018, is the first CFTC-regulated exchange dedicated to trading on the outcome of future events. The platform facilitates trading on a range of topics, including news, politics, entertainment, and sports, and is used by a diverse audience from reporters to financial professionals. Kalshi currently processes $100 billion in annualized trading volume and serves millions of traders daily.
