Jennifer Andrews

Jennifer Andrews
Jennifer Andrews

Jennifer Andrews

Joint Venture Partner

Jennifer Andrews is an award-winning communications professional with a proven track record in developing and executing innovative strategies across multiple industries. Renowned for her corporate issues, crisis management, and media relations expertise, Jennifer transforms complex issues into compelling narratives for diverse audiences.

Previously, Jennifer was Director of Communications for Waste Management, Inc. (now WM), responsible for the company’s comprehensive communications strategy and reputation management. She directed high-profile crisis communications efforts, including those involving litigation and regulatory challenges, ensuring the company maintained a positive public image and strong stakeholder relations.

She was also Director of Communications at Cox Communications, developing and implementing statewide internal and external communications strategies for California. Her leadership ensured cohesive and effective organizational communication, enhancing brand reputation and customer engagement.

Jennifer served as a key member of the corporate communications department at Sempra Energy, the parent company of SoCal Gas and San Diego Gas & Electric. She managed media relations and financial communications, both domestically and internationally, strengthening the company’s public and financial profiles.

Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from New York University. She has advanced her professional skills through prestigious programs such as the Public Relations Leadership Forum and the Arthur W. Page Society’s Future Leaders Experience.

An active member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Jennifer is dedicated to advancing best practices in communications. She regularly contributes her expertise to these organizations, helping shape the profession’s future.

With her extensive experience and recognized expertise, Jennifer Andrews is a leader in the communications field. Her strategic approach and ability to manage complex issues make her an invaluable asset to any organization.

Paul Haney

Paul Haney
Paul Haney

Paul Haney

Joint Venture Partner

213-741-1500, ext. 504

Paul is the go-to person for aviation, aerospace and public relations issues. He leads a specialized practice providing a wide range of client services to aerospace companies, airlines and other travel-related companies. Paul has extensive experience in strategic counseling, media relations, crisis communications, public affairs and community relations.

Paul came to EKA from Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), where he served as deputy executive director for the City of Los Angeles agency that owns and operates Los Angeles International Airport and three other airports. In eight years at LAWA, his responsibilities included oversight of operations, construction and maintenance, security, air service development and public and community relations.

Before joining LAWA, Paul spent twenty-two years at American Airlines and Lockheed Martin Corporation in corporate communications, business development, marketing and airline operations. He also had a key role in establishing Lockheed Martin´s award-winning Ethics & Corporate Compliance Program.

Paul has a journalism degree from the University of Kansas. He worked for Gannett Newspapers and United Press International as a reporter and bureau chief before joining American Airlines at its corporate headquarters.

Tina Choi

Tina Choi
Tina Choi

Tina Choi

Joint Venture Partner

213-741-1500, ext. 430

Tina specializes in government and entitlement advocacy and consulting, guiding and counseling clients through the convoluted development and entitlement approval processes. Tina acts as the interface with political entities, development and construction related agencies and community organizations. Current and prior clients include Westfield Shopping Center Development, Vulcan Paul Allen, McDonalds, CVS, Crescent Heights Development, Century Plaza Hotel Development, Gilmore Development, La Terra Development, TAO entertainment Group, Umami Burgers, Marriott Hotels, Capitol Records/EMI, SBE Hotel/Nightlife/Restaurant Group, Gerding Edlen/South Group Development, Equinox Fitness, NASCAR/Turner Sports Interactive, EA Electronic Arts, Mani Brothers, Famima Convenience Stores, Chick-Fil-A Restaurants, Maguire Properties, CIM Development Group, Sushi Roku/Innovative dining group, Lennar, Warmington Homes, Gerding/Edlen Development, SBE/Phillipe Starck Development, Shinyong, Conquest Student Housing Development and Accord Interests. Project profiles include high rise mixed-use residential, hotels and restaurants and industrial park developments.

Tina served as a senior economic development deputy and Director of International Trade where she succeeded in achieving important retention and attraction of significant businesses for the City of LA, including the retention of Toyota Motor Sales, Viking Office Products, Steelcase Office and Belken Computers in the City of Los Angeles.

In addition to her professional career, Tina served as either board member or advisor to a diverse group of nonprofit, community and trade associations. Current and past affiliations include the Ketchum Downtown YMCA, Jr Achievements, USC IBEAR, Korean American Coalition, Trade Advisory Committee to the City of Los Angeles, World Trade Center Association, Foreign Trade Association and the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Equality CA and has served as an Area Planning Commissioner in an appointed capacity for Mayor James Hahn. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Sister City of Los Angeles, the largest Sister City diplomatic organization in the Country.

Tina is a decorated search and rescue Ski Patroller as part of National Ski Patrol, received her degree in political economics from the University of California at Berkeley. She’s an immigrant from South Korea and a long-time resident of Los Angeles.

Don Knabe

Don Knabe
Don Knabe

Don Knabe

Joint Venture Partner

Supervisor Don Knabe was first elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in November of 1996 and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. Supervisor Knabe retired in December 2016 after attending 5,985 chicken dinners at public events.

Supervisor Knabe represented the Fourth District, which is a uniquely diverse area that is home to over two million residents and includes two of the nation’s largest economic hubs; the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and Los Angeles International Airport. The Fourth District is also geographically diverse, stretching from Marina del Rey to the Palos Verdes Peninsula to Long Beach all the way east to Diamond Bar and dozens of cities in between. The Fourth District also includes Catalina Island and San Clemente Island.

Supervisor Knabe has spent much of his political career working to protect the innocent and vulnerable children in Los Angeles County. He established the Safe Surrender program in Los Angeles County which allows someone to surrender an infant within 72 hours of birth, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse. Since 2001, over 160 babies have been safely surrendered in Los Angeles County. In 2015, Supervisor Knabe launched a scholarship program to benefit children who have been safely surrendered.

Supervisor Knabe is also known as a national leader on the issue of child sex trafficking. In 2012, he launched a county-wide awareness campaign to spread the word that young girls are being sexually exploited for money right here in southern California. In 2013, he testified on the issue of child sex trafficking at a hearing before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in Washington, D.C., and, in 2014, he advocated for stiffer penalties for the buyers and sellers of young girls at the National Press Club with Congressman Ted Poe of Texas.

Supervisor Knabe is a leader in regional transportation currently serving as a Director for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Supervisor Knabe is a member of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink), where he serves on the Executive Management and Audit Committee.

Supervisor Knabe has a true passion for the arts and attributes much of his own personal success to an early involvement with music. His enthusiasm for the arts has resulted in the creation of several innovative youth programs, such as the Pediatric Arts Program at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, and the Arts Education Partnership Program, which provides grants to schools and community-based organizations to fund visual art, dance, music, and theatre programs for students.

In 2014, Supervisor Knabe announced the start of “Operation Libraries,” a plan to invest $45 million to upgrade county libraries in communities throughout the Fourth District.

Supervisor Knabe is an advocate for environmental initiatives throughout Los Angeles County. In 2012, Supervisor Knabe called upon federal and state legislators to amend decades-old laws and regulations to encourage the development of innovative conversion technologies in Los Angeles County, as an alternative to landfills. Through conversion technologies, trash that would get dumped in a landfill would be converted into fuels and energy sources. In addition, Supervisor Knabe has led the County’s efforts to improve overall water quality, including 19 projects within the Fourth District that will lower pollution and divert storm water from the ocean, including the Dominguez Gap Wetlands Project, which was completed in 2008, improved water quality, created recreation opportunities for residents and visitors an enhanced the environment by creating an open space habitat for the community.

Supervisor Knabe is respected for the strength of his grassroots support and considerable experience in local government, which have made him a highly regarded voice, not only at home in the Fourth District, but in Sacramento and Washington D.C. He was elected to the Cerritos City Council in 1980 and served as a Councilman for eight years, including two terms as Mayor. Supervisor Knabe was Mayor during the Cerritos Air Crash in 1986.

Supervisor Knabe is an avid golfer, and hosts the Knabe Cup, a CIF sanctioned golf tournament for high school boys and girls teams in the Fourth District. He also supports junior golf clinics for kids to develop a love for the game of golf at a young age.

As Chief of Staff to the late Fourth District Supervisor Deane Dana, Supervisor Knabe gained invaluable insight into crucial Federal, State and Local issues and the needs of the Fourth District’s two million constituents.

Supervisor Knabe is a veteran having served in the United States Navy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.

Supervisor Knabe and his wife, Julie, have been married for 50 years. They have two married sons, and four incredible grandchildren.

 
 

Pat West

Pat West
Pat West

Pat West

Joint Venture Partner

Pat West is a veteran city manager and transformative public sector leader with nearly four decades of experience in California municipal government. As Joint Venture Partner at EKA, Pat brings unmatched expertise in redevelopment, entitlement processes, and the inner workings of city government, particularly during times of crisis and economic uncertainty.

Throughout his 39-year public service career in the Gateway Cities region of Southeast Los Angeles County, Pat has served in both small contract cities and large charter cities, holding a wide range of department head positions and serving 23 years as a City Manager. He earned national recognition for his innovative and community-focused leadership.

As City Manager of Paramount, Pat helped reverse the city’s status as one of the most distressed in the nation, leading an award-winning transformation through creative zoning and redevelopment strategies. In 2005, he was appointed Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency and Director of Community Development for the City of Long Beach—California’s sixth-largest city—at a time when Long Beach was facing its most significant economic crisis in a generation. The collapse of the aerospace industry, once the region’s dominant economic engine, left vast tracts of land vacant and thousands unemployed. Simultaneously, the closure of the Long Beach Naval Base by the federal government further devastated the city’s economy, creating widespread blight, soaring unemployment, and a significant shortfall in city revenues.

Amid these challenges, Pat led efforts to stabilize and revitalize the city, eventually serving as Long Beach City Manager. Under his leadership, the city achieved its lowest-ever crime and unemployment rates and successfully completed a $520 million Civic Center development through a groundbreaking public-private partnership.

Widely respected for his vision, calm under pressure, and ability to unite stakeholders, Pat now applies his knowledge to help clients navigate complex challenges at the intersection of policy, politics, and economic development.

Kathryn Randazzo

Kathryn Randazzo
Kathryn Randazzo

Kathryn Randazzo

Director

Kathryn is a dedicated professional with a distinct expertise in the intricate domains of land use, urban planning, and permitting. Kathryn diligently delves into the dynamic landscape of city codes, meticulously analyzes evolving planning trends, diligently monitors the ever-shifting terrain of state legislation, and actively participates in local meetings to remain informed about planning and land use issues.

Collaborating closely with clients, Kathryn navigates the complex maze of bureaucracy within both Los Angeles City and County, deftly facilitating applications encompassing special event permits, urban lot splits, conditional use permits, and an assortment of other essential permissions.

Beyond her formidable command of procedural intricacies, Kathryn helps clients navigate the environmental intricacies intertwined with planning and land use. Kathryn is also knowledgeable in the environmental side of planning and land use, including CEQA, environmental impact reports, hazard mitigation and coastal policy.

Kathryn brings a wealth of experience to her role, having previously held a pivotal position under Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. During her tenure, she played a crucial role in establishing the Governor’s Committee on Climate Change and was instrumental in staffing numerous committees. Kathryn has also contributed her expertise to local campaigns in Southern California. Kathryn previously worked in Human Relations at her undergraduate university.

Kathryn earned her Master of Urban Planning from the University of Southern California. She earned her bachelor’s in political science and environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 
 

Lia Baghoumian

Lia Baghoumian
Lia Baghoumian

Lia Baghoumian

Senior Executive Assistant

213-741-1500, ext. 538

Lia serves EKA as a Senior Executive Assistant bringing her experience that culminates over thirteen years. Lia began her professional growth by studying English literature at California State University, Northridge. She began her administrative career working with National TeleConsultants for over a decade. Now as a part of the team working with EKA, Lia has brought her versatile skill set to apply in her executive role.

Lia is a Los Angeles native and currently resides in Glendale.

Candace Barger

Candace Barger
Candace Barger

Candace Barger

Senior Executive Assistant / Office Manager

213-741-1500, ext. 585

Candace is a valued member of the EKA team as a Senior Executive Assistant. Prior to joining EKA, she served as an office manager for a gourmet food service, specializing in specific health related dietary plans for seniors. Candace oversaw the day-to-day operations and played an integral role in the firm reaching its goal of one million dollars in sales by its third year. Candace assisted with the start-up and opening of three additional office locations in San Diego, San Francisco and Texas. She also spent several years as an Attorney Clerk at the Central Office of the Orange County Public Defender, specializing in felony case work.

Candace was born and raised in Long Beach.

Donna Heinz

Donna Heinz
Donna Heinz

Donna Heinz

Controller

Donna Heinz brings over thirty years of experience in providing comprehensive administrative management services to our clients. Her background includes fourteen years at the MWW group where she supervised staff, project budgeting and program administration. Additionally, she has experience as the business manager and facilities manager for a diverse group of companies and organizations. Donna is instrumental in making sure that our clients receive immediate attention and resolution to issues as they interface with EKA.

Donna was born in New Mexico but has called Southern California her home since the early 70s. She received a BA from Woodbury University.

Kelli Sylte

Kelli Sylte
Kelli Sylte

Kelli Sylte

Director

213-741-1500

As a member of the client team, Kelli Sylte tracks issues and assists in the day-to-day administration of client relationships. Kelli provides support to multiple account teams and efficiently services each of these accounts simultaneously.

Prior to EKA, Kelli worked as an executive assistant for an insurance company where she developed exceptional administration organizational skills. She has brought value to our company by assisting our Partners and Senior Vice Presidents in a wide variety of projects by conducting research, giving legislative updates, content drafting, press material development and preparing reports in addition to monitoring industry trends.

She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University San Marcos and was a four-year collegiate athlete. Kelli grew up in Huntington Beach, CA and now resides in Long Beach.