Cozen O’Connor issued the following announcement on Jan. 25.
Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce Philadelphia city lobbyist Brianna A. Westbrooks will be joining the Public Strategies practice as a government relations professional. Westbrooks is experienced in regulatory and legislative policy and procedure, with extensive relationships with the Philadelphia City Council. Her deep research and policy analysis will be a welcome addition to the firm’s growing and nationally recognized Public Strategies practice, where she will continue to focus on policy monitoring, analysis, and advocacy in the Kenney administration and Philadelphia City Council.
“Relationships, particularly those within the nuanced world of City Hall, are an integral component of this practice. As a rising star within the complex policy advocacy realm Brianna will be an invaluable asset for Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies,” said Joseph Hill, Government Relations Principal at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. “Her experience as a lobbyist, particularly in the context of the pandemic, will serve Cozen O’ Connor well, especially with the rapidly changing health care and economic policy landscape.”
In her role as a government affairs manager working at the Pennsylvania Apartment Association, Westbrooks proved to be a champion of her clients when she collaborated with stakeholders to help secure $150 million in state and $60 million in local funding for rental relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an intern with the United Way of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke, and Councilmember Ed Neilson, her extensive public policy research and analysis was developed and implemented into legislation.
Throughout the unprecedented time of the COVID-19 crisis, Westbrooks’ unrelenting efforts researching and analyzing existing public policy, and advocating on behalf of the real estate and nonprofit sectors, has proved invaluable. She has strategically negotiated various policy changes and has shown a tremendous skill navigating the complex waters of lobbying in Philadelphia City Hall.
“We always feel lucky when we can catch a true up-and-comer who has shown significant ties to and love for the city of Philadelphia,” said Vincent R. McGuinness, Cozen O’Connor’s president and managing partner. “We believe her experience in public policy as a researcher, advocate, and as someone who has a proven ability to build relationships will be a tremendous addition to the team in Philadelphia for years to come.”
“Being part of the Public Strategies practice with Cozen O’Connor is a wonderful opportunity for me to build upon the relationships I have cultivated within the city of Philadelphia’s government,” said Westbrooks. “The COVID-19 pandemic will have long lasting ramifications in economic and health policies that will affect citizens of Philadelphia for a long time to come. Having the broad resources of Cozen O’Connor behind me to help with the complex legislative and regulatory processes and procedures is both encouraging and exciting.”
Westbrooks earned her B.A. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated cum laude.
Original source can be found here.