LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--McGuireWoods Consulting is pleased to announce that Breelyn Pete, deputy mayor for the City of Los Angeles and longtime advisor to Mayor Eric Garcetti, will join the firm as senior vice president and director of the California government relations and national municipal strategies on October 4, 2021.
Based in Los Angeles, Ms. Pete will advise clients on local, state, and federal issues related to their policy priorities and business objectives. Drawing on her deep knowledge and experience in the policy challenges facing mayors and local government leaders across the United States, she will greatly expand the firm’s capabilities to advise clients in that rapidly growing government relations space.
“McGuireWoods Consulting expanded its reach to the West Coast last year, and we are thrilled to welcome Breelyn to lead and grow the team,” said McGuireWoods Consulting’s President and former South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges. “Her proven leadership and breadth of experience in local, state, and federal government are invaluable and will enhance our footprint in California, with large cities around the country, and in Washington, D.C.”
As deputy mayor, Ms. Pete oversaw all aspects of the City of Los Angeles’ local, state, and federal affairs. Most notably, she secured billions of dollars in state and federal COVID-19 assistance for the city and led advocacy efforts to drastically expand California’s investments to address the housing and homelessness crises. Ms. Pete also served as Mayor Garcetti’s most senior staff representative in his engagement with the White House, Congress, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, and California’s Big City Mayors to advance priorities such as affordable housing, sustainability, infrastructure, racial equity, and COVID-19 response.
“Breelyn helped advance critical pieces of my agenda over the last few years, and her tireless work was essential to securing billions of dollars in life-saving state and federal COVID assistance for the people of our city,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Prior to her time in the mayor’s office, Ms. Pete was appointed by former President Barack Obama to serve as senior advisor in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, where she directed the agency’s engagement with local and state stakeholders and business leaders. A veteran of Capitol Hill, Ms. Pete also served as communications director to former U.S. Representative Janice Hahn of California. She began her political and communications career in Chicago, where she worked in the press office for former Mayor Richard M. Daley and was a vice president for external affairs at the Chicago Urban League.
“Our firm continues to attract top talent, and Breelyn is a terrific addition to our team,” said McGuireWoods Consulting Chairman Mark Bowles. “She is a well-respected problem solver and strategic partner with deep political roots in California, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. We are delighted to have her join our growing team of dynamic leaders.”
“McGuireWoods Consulting is a national leader in shaping meaningful, impactful conversations on issues that matter, and I'm excited to join this dynamic team,” said Ms. Pete. “I'll come to work every day honored to lead the California government relations and national municipal practice, ready to provide strategic counsel at the highest level, and determined to strengthen our clients’ positions with public policy solutions that deliver results.”
Founded in 1998, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC is a full-service public affairs firm offering government relations, strategic communications and grassroots, and infrastructure and economic development services. McGuireWoods Consulting is a subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP, a leading international law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers in 23 cities. McGuireWoods Consulting has offices in Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; McLean, Virginia; Atlanta; Chicago; Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Tallahassee, Florida; Springfield, Illinois; Austin, Texas; and Los Angeles. For more information, visit McGuireWoods Consulting’s website at www.mcguirewoodsconsulting.com.