Hilary Brown

Hilary Brown
Hilary Brown

Hilary Brown

Vice President

213-741-1500, ext. 575

Hilary Brown is a government affairs professional with extensive knowledge in public policy and government relations. Hilary works across EKA accounts to help create concepts and complete strategies, programs, and campaigns using client insights. She also manages daily client operations and strategy approach with multiple high profile clients.

Hilary has extensive experience in developing and applying successful proactive and responsive public affairs campaigns and community relations projects. She manages the social media aspects of our practices, a vital tool in today’s communications arsenal. Parallel to overseeing this evolving arena, Hilary works with our team creating collateral materials and event coordination that function in support of the social media messaging.

Hilary worked as an AmeriCorps Jumpstart team leader and Corps member, where she provided individualized attention and positive adult-child relationships to prepare preschool students in low-income neighborhoods for school success. She helped implement early childhood curriculum, supported family involvement, and promoted children’s language and literacy skills through ongoing relationships with preschool children.

Hilary is a member of the Ainahau O Kaleponi Hawaiian Civic Club and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA).

Hilary holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations with a political science emphasis from Pepperdine University.

Gina Gribow

Gina Gribow
Gina Gribow

Gina Gribow

Senior Vice President

Gina is an accomplished public affairs professional with extensive experience in providing strategic counsel and communication advice to a diverse range of sectors, including technology, transportation, infrastructure, sustainability, non-profit, and real estate development, in Los Angeles City and County. She also specializes in community affairs consulting.

Gina’s career journey began in politics on Capitol Hill, where she first served as a Page for the U.S. House of Representatives. She later interned for Senator Dianne Feinstein and worked as a Staff Assistant and Legislative Correspondent for Congresswoman Jackie Speier. Her foray into local politics included serving as a Land Use/Government Attorney at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, where she represented clients in real estate transactions, land use entitlements, government approvals, and public contracts.

Gina is currently on the Steering Committee of the Rautenberg New Leaders Project (NLP), a leadership program through the Jewish Federation that focuses on training young civic leaders; is a member of Chief, a private membership network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders; serves on the Downtown Works Board of Directors, Central City Association’s sister non-profit; and serves on the Board of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.

Gina holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from UC Hastings College of the Law. Gina is an active member of the State Bar of California.

Jaime de la Vega

Jaime de la Vega
Jaime de la Vega

Jaime de la Vega

Executive Vice President

213-741-1500, ext. 570

Jaime brings over two decades of senior level experience working in and for the public sector to EKA’s Transportation and Procurement practice. He has focused on developing and implementing viable solutions for highly complex problems involving technical, operational, management, financial, legislative, communications and political issues. His experience with elected offices, on legislative boards and as a chief executive officer provides strategic insight into the decision making and approval procedures at local and regional transportation agencies. He brings policy and practice together to serve the client’s needs and respond to their priorities.

Jaime has held multiple senior level transportation positions in local government, including Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Metro Board of Directors, Metrolink Board of Directors and Los Angeles Deputy Mayor for Transportation.

Jaime has an MA in urban planning from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a BA in urban studies, summa cum laude from California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

Harvey Englander

Harvey Englander
Harvey Englander

Harvey Englander

Founding Partner

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213-741-1500, ext. 518
213-220-5058 mobile

Harvey Englander founded EKA in 2005 to provide a superior level of public affairs and government relations services previously unseen in Southern California. His approach of developing a team of the most seasoned practitioners in their respective fields has been the guiding principle that led the firm to become the largest independent public relations agency in Los Angeles only five years following its founding.

Harvey didn’t just change the game – he changed the story by developing a strategic approach methodology for the firm’s clients. This strategic approach to a client’s situation delivers results for EKA’s clients time and time again.

Harvey has created and successfully lead hundreds of public relations, political and public affairs campaigns. He is often the person called when traditional communications campaigns don’t reach their goals. He has been called upon to rescue numerous political campaigns and careers that appeared to be on the verge of defeat. Simply, Harvey is the person you always want in your corner.

Harvey has set a standard for success, delivering his clients the results they need. He has a clear understanding of the public and political landscape and how to effectively communicate his client’s story across it.

In 2016 and 2017 Harvey was named one of the 500 Most Influential People in the County by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

The value of giving back to the community is ingrained in his approach. Harvey serves on the Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association Los Angeles Chapter and is the co-founder of the ADA’s highly successful “Los Angeles Political Roast”. He is an active member of the Los Angeles City College Foundation and the West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation. Past appointments include the Bipartisan California Commission on Internet Political Practices and the Los Angeles County Junior Golf Commission. Harvey is also a founder and former president of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Lobbyists & Public Affairs Association.

A UCLA graduate, Harvey served on George Washington University’s Council on American Politics and was a board member of the UCLA School of Public Policy.

Harvey is married and the father of four sons and proud grandfather of three grandsons. He is married to Donna Black, a leading land use attorney.

Alex Cherin

Alex Cherin
Alex Cherin

Alex Cherin

Partner

213-741-1500, ext. 550

Alex heads EKA’s Transportation and Clean Tech practices, bringing with him a wealth of expertise cultivated over nearly two decades of active engagement across various echelons of both the public and private sectors. His extensive experience culminated in an executive role at the Port of Long Beach, the fifth-largest container port globally. Alex demonstrated a strategic leadership approach in this capacity, contributing significantly to the port’s operational excellence and prominence in the industry. His multifaceted background positioned him as a valuable leader in driving innovation and sustainability for clients in the transportation and clean tech area.

While acting as the port’s managing director of trade and operations, Alex helped shape and implement some of the most cutting-edge policy initiatives in international goods movement, regional transportation, infrastructure development and clean technology. His successful development of the clean trucks program, oversight of the middle harbor redevelopment project and the Long Beach oil tax ballot initiative were transformative.

He regularly speaks before decision-makers at all levels of the federal government, including Congress and the US Trade Representative, on competitive issues like global trade forecasts, regional infrastructure projects and pending World Trade Organization matters.

A featured guest on CNN and Fox Business News, Alex’s insights on trade, international business and public policy have been sought after and featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, and the Los Angeles Times.

Before his career in public service, Alex practiced law as a senior associate at the firm of Flynn, Delich & Wise, specializing in international trade and maritime law. He holds a BA in political science from the University of Michigan and a JD from Loyola Law School.

As the author of the occasional “Yesternow” column, Alex was awarded two “Los Angeles Press Club” Awards and was nominated in 2020 as “Journalist of the Year”. His work focused on the important confluence of Southern California history and popular culture trends.  Alex published a novel, “The Mighty 690 (Six-Ninety)”. The culmination of several years of trial and error, the book is a fictional account of an actual AM radio station contest that occurred in the summer of 1981.

Jeff McConnell

Jeff McConnell
Jeff McConnell

Jeff McConnell

Partner

213-741-1500, ext. 210

Jeff joined EKA after managing a growing list of clients at his own firm, McConnell Government Relations. He is a specialist in technology and cannabis related fields, along with a deep background in land-use policy and the budget processes of The City of Los Angeles and the County. Jeff has successfully secured hundreds of millions of dollars in contract awards for his clients over the past ten years and successfully permitted large scale developments from the Port of Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley.

Jeff began his career as a legislative deputy for Councilman Nick Pacheco, where he focused on transportation, public works, the economic redevelopment of downtown Los Angeles, and the city budget. He has maintained remarkable relationships and resources across the spectrum of Los Angeles city politics.

Jeff is currently vice-chair of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, and a former co-chair of the Transportation and Goods Movement Committee for the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, where he serves on the board. He also serves on the boards of the Central City Association and Crestview Preparatory School. Jeff is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a degree in Chemical Engineering and Theater.

Eric Rose

Eric Rose
Eric Rose

Eric Rose

Partner

213-741-1500, ext. 525
805-624-0572 mobile

Eric has more than four decades of experience advising companies, associations and individuals on various political, governmental and public relations issues. He is known nationally and internationally for his successful crisis management, reputation repair and communications expertise.

He offers a broad range of services to individuals, corporations and organizations, including labor relations, litigation support, issues advertising, visual communications, Q&A preparation for public hearings and testimony, media relations and media training. One of Eric’s most potent tools is his strength in interacting with the highest-level investigative reporters on behalf of his clients. Eric has served as a counselor to numerous Fortune 500 companies, trade unions and other organizations, interacting with senior leadership and advising them on corporate issues management, executive exposure and media relations.

Eric has amassed significant experience and expertise in aiding and counseling people, businesses and entities in trouble or conflict or harmed by negative communications that affected/damaged their name, goodwill, image, reputation, brand, etc.  For over a decade, clients have sought Eric as an expert source and analyst for mass media on crisis communications and issues involving damage to image or reputation.  Eric’s work with political and public-sector clients includes law enforcement, healthcare, energy, transportation, consumer goods, hospitality, leisure, and environmental management. Eric has experience in all major industries and a specialty practice serving public safety unions.

As a direct result of Eric’s involvement in many crisis communications situations, Eric has become the “go-to” person for perspective by the media to provide interpretation and analysis on issues and matters relating to those people, businesses, institutions, governments, etc., who are controversial, in conflict or trouble.  Eric is regularly sought by local, national and international media as an expert media source and analyst. The Los Angeles Times, PR News, Associated Press, Las Vegas Review-Journal, and many other media outlets have called Eric a crisis and reputation management expert and sought his insight regarding reputational issues. Eric serves as an expert witness in legal proceedings regarding defamation and image repair and has been a guest lecturer at various universities.

Adam Englander

Adam Englander
Adam Englander

Adam Englander

Partner and General Counsel

213-741-1500, ext. 528

Adam oversees a portfolio that includes strategic planning, campaigns, both political and community outreach, crisis communications, as well as lobbying to secure our clients the results they need. His successful leadership of hard fought campaigns includes multiple ballot issues and land use decisions in cities across Southern California including Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica Long Beach, Hermosa Beach and Whittier. Recently, Adam’s team won an overwhelming electoral victory in a land use initiative despite being outspent 8:1. He has led successful campaigns both publicly and behind the scenes for development projects, project entitlements, procurement bids and regulatory approvals across Los Angeles on the local and County levels.

Combining his background as a practicing attorney and political strategist, Adam provides crisis and litigation communication services to clients nationwide. His insight into the communications process is shaped through a litigation framework and delivers positive national and international media coverage for his clients.

Adam was selected as a 2009 and 2010 “Southern California Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine. He is a board member of the Silver Lake Independent Jewish Community Center and the Heidi Duckler Dance Theater, which creates site-specific contemporary art experiences in nontraditional venues. A graduate of Cornell University, Adam then earned his JD from the UCLA School of Law.

Marcus Allen

Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen

Marcus Allen

Partner

213-741-1500, ext. 600

Marcus brings more than twenty years of public policy and project management experience to the service of our clients. His leadership in many of our practice areas, including, Legislative and Policy Advocacy, Project Management and Procurement is rooted in his thorough understanding of government systems.

As Chief Deputy Controller of the City of Los Angeles [2000-2005] and then Deputy Chief of Staff in Charge of Operations and Finance [2005-2007] for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Marcus was responsible for the implementation of the mayor’s policies and initiatives as well as oversight of the City’s budget process. He managed teams of deputy mayors, commissioners and general managers. This remarkable background frames Marcus’ approach to problem solving around the client’s issues.

Part of Marcus’ approach to issues is the application of analytics to position a client’s initiative for competitive advantage. This cutting-edge approach creates a framework for the client’s story that is compelling. He has helped EKA clients introduce strategies and programs to managers and elected officials that are aimed at improving the day-to-day operations of government. These areas include healthcare, collections, predictive analytics, liability claims reduction, asset and fleet management and alternate service delivery approaches. Marcus’s reputation is built on meticulous preparation and the respect of his colleagues in both the public and private sectors. He knows how to design a path to success and the right places to deploy it.

A graduate of UCLA, Marcus also earned a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and the Southern California Golf Association.

Matt Knabe

Matt Knabe
Matt Knabe

Matt Knabe

Partner Emeritus and Joint Venture Partner

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213-741-1500, ext. 520

Matt is one of the founding partners at Englander Knabe & Allen specializing in political consulting, government relations, policy issues and communications strategy.

Matt’s relationships in Los Angeles County and the eighty-eight cities within the county are deep. From his beginnings running political campaigns at the local level to his work over eight years at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Matt created an impressive network of political relationships. Matt has continued to expand his associations and contacts through his active involvement in both Contract Cities and the Independent Cities Associations. It is hard to find someone with better access to local city managers, staff and elected officials than Matt. He is known for his sound advice in the shifting political landscape and working client issues the right way from beginning to end.

In addition to his work, Matt is very involved in the community and has served on numerous charitable boards across Southern California in his career.

Matt graduated from Pepperdine University in 1996, where he majored in Political Science. Matt was also a four-year member of the Pepperdine University Men’s Golf Team.