Brandon Zavala serves as the Senior Government Affairs Manager at the Afriat Consulting Group, Inc. (ACG), where he supports the firm’s coalition-building, community-outreach and advocacy on behalf of clients.
Prior to joining the team at ACG, Brandon served as the Campaign Manager for Christy Smith for Congress (Special & General) – the most expensive and competitive House race of the 2020 election cycle, garnering more than $30 million dollars in direct and outside spending. Throughout the Special Election, Brandon led the campaign and consultant team through press cycles where the campaign was directly engaging with the President of the United States on Twitter, in the Press, and in a widely covered incident where the campaign successfully worked to ensure the opening of a polling location in a predominately African-American and Latino community.
Previously, Brandon held the role of Accounts Manager at Method Campaign Services where he managed day-to-day execution of constituency engagement and press objectives for clients including: Los Angeles Unified School District, Members of Congress, state legislators, real estate developers, non-profits, city council and independent expenditure campaigns. Prior to this, Brandon worked at SEIU Local 1000 and as a staffer on various political campaigns.
Brandon was appointed to the United States Electoral College for the 2020 election, casting one of California’s 55 electoral votes for President and Vice-President of the United States. In 2014, Brandon was appointed by the Mayor of Palmdale to serve on the Mobile Home Rental Review Board for a 3-year term, the youngest appointee in city history. Brandon lives in Santa Clarita with his longtime partner, Bryan.
Brandon can be reached directly at 818.450.2777 or via email at Brandon@Afriat.com.
Tina Vartanian serves as the Public Affairs Director at the Afriat Consulting Group, Inc. (ACG), where she manages the firm’s community outreach, political, and campaign activities. Since joining ACG, she has successfully assisted clients with Request for Proposals (RFP) procurements, the entitlement of controversial development projects, among other successes.
Tina previously served as the Senior Policy Associate at the Alliance for Children’s Rights – a nonprofit advocating for the rights of vulnerable children, young adults, and families impacted by foster care. In this role, she spearheaded the organization’s policy work in Los Angeles.
Tina has served in several additional political posts. She worked at the prestigious advocacy firm, Kyle House Group in Washington D.C. and interned for then-Senator Barbara Boxer.
She holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from California State University, Long Beach and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University, Northridge.
Tina can be reached directly at 818.450.2774 or via email at Tina@Afriat.com.
Aaron Green, one of Los Angeles’ most respected political advocates, serves as the President of the Afriat Consulting Group, Inc. With extensive relationships and expertise in the political arena, he is the firm’s primary conduit to the City and County of Los Angeles as well as the City of West Hollywood. Aaron provides ACG’s clients with access to elected officials, their staff and to senior-level public agency personnel. He serves as a trusted advisor to many of the region’s leading decision-makers.
Since joining the firm in 2009, Aaron has spearheaded some of the ACG’s leading initiatives. On behalf of his clients and through his advocacy, community outreach and team-management expertise, ACG has entitled millions of square feet of real estate, won municipal contracts valued at hundreds of millions of dollars and guided clients through the difficult process of getting legislation passed.
Prior to his work at ACG, Aaron managed the advocacy and public policy department for the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), one of the preeminent business groups in Southern California. In his post Aaron was VICA’s key policy analyst and lobbyist, responsible for the political advocacy that fostered a stronger business environment in the region.
Aaron volunteers much of his free time to civic and political activities and has served on the boards of civic, political and non-profit organizations. He was the youngest board member ever elected to the board of the Child Care Resources Center, where he provided governance and oversight to the organization’s $140 million annual budget. He serves as Chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s PAC. He has been named as one of the “40 under 40” business leaders by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.
Aaron can be reached directly at 818.450.2779 or via email at Aaron@Afriat.com.
In Memoriam
In the course of our lives we rarely come across the people whose impact was felt quite like that of Steve Afriat. Over his decades-long career, many worked with him, had been his close friend and had been his clients for years, if not decades. Steve’s legacy will be one of friendship, caring, success, integrity and fighting for change. His work helped shape Los Angeles’ skyline, transform policy and politics, and set the standard for what it means to be a trusted advocate.
Steve was a pivotal advisor, influencer and fixture in local politics for nearly 40 years. He served as Chief of Staff to then L.A. City Councilmember Zev Yaroslavsky in the early 1980s. He founded the Afriat Consulting Group in 1985. He was one of the most sought-after campaign consultants throughout the 1990s and 2000s, winning dozens of campaigns, including the approval of more than $2 billion dollars’ worth of bonds in the City of L.A. for vital services like police and fire stations, libraries and parks. In the City of West Hollywood, he held a perfect record of winning candidate campaigns and ballot measures.
The Afriat Consulting Group with Steve at the helm entitled some of the most well-known development projects in L.A. during his tenure. He played a pivotal role in entitling more than 14 million square feet of projects, including the original Metropolis in DTLA, the nationally recognized Ten Thousand building in Century City, and the Red Building at the Pacific Design Center, amongst many others. Steve had a great sense of pride for the role he played as a co-founder of the very first Los Angeles Aids Walk in 1985.
The Afriat Consulting Group continues to operate in Steve’s name and honors his legacy through our work, our commitment to our clients, and our resolve to do right by the communities we call home.
Tina Vartanian serves as the Public Affairs Director at the Afriat Consulting Group, Inc. (ACG), where she manages the firm’s community outreach, political, and campaign activities. Since joining ACG, she has successfully assisted clients with Request for Proposals (RFP) procurements, the entitlement of controversial development projects, among other successes.
Before ACG, Tina was the Senior Policy Associate at the Alliance for Children’s Rights – a nonprofit advocating for the rights of vulnerable children, young adults, and families impacted by foster care. In this role, she spearheaded the organization’s policy work in Los Angeles. Additionally, Tina has served in several political posts. She worked at the prestigious advocacy firm, Kyle House Group in Washington D.C. and interned for then-Senator Barbara Boxer.
She holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from California State University, Long Beach and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University, Northridge.
Tina can be reached directly at 818.450.2774 or via email at tina@afriat.com.
Aaron Green, one of Los Angeles’ most respected political advocates, serves as the President of the Afriat Consulting Group, Inc. With extensive relationships and expertise in the political arena, he is one of the firm’s primary conduits to the City and County of Los Angeles as well as the City of West Hollywood. Aaron provides ACG’s clients with access to elected officials, their staff and to senior-level public agency personnel. He serves as a trusted advisor to many of the region’s leading decision-makers.
Since joining the firm in 2009, Aaron has spearheaded some of the ACG’s leading initiatives. On behalf of his clients and through his advocacy, community outreach and team-management expertise, ACG has entitled millions of square feet of real estate, won municipal contracts valued at hundreds of millions of dollars and guided clients through the difficult process of getting legislation passed.
Aaron’s extensive relationships with community, business, environmental and labor leaders across the region enable him to build broad coalitions when advancing his clients’ initiatives. Combining his significant experience in community relations, advocacy, grass roots organizing, campaign management, digital media and a network personal relationships with leading decision-makers and influencers, Aaron directs the firm’s coalition-building campaigns, which are vital components to the success of any major development or infrastructure project.
Prior to his work at ACG, Aaron managed the advocacy and public policy department for the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), one of the preeminent business groups in Southern California. In his post Aaron was VICA’s key policy analyst and lobbyist, responsible for the political advocacy that fostered a stronger business environment in the region.
Before VICA, Aaron worked as an accounts and branch manager for a healthcare staffing firm based in Los Angeles, managing more than 100 external employees and providing services to many of the region’s leading healthcare providers. A second-generation Angelino, Aaron completed his bachelor’s degree in political science at Hamilton College and participated in study abroad programs at Oxford University and in Washington, D.C.
Aaron volunteers much of his free time to civic and political activities and has served on the boards of civic, political and non-profit organizations. He was the youngest boardmember ever elected to the board of the Child Care Resources Center, where he provided governance and oversight to the organization’s $140 million annual budget. He has been named as one of the “40 under 40” business leaders by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. Describing Aaron, the Business Journal said simply: “Aaron Green knows politics”.
Aaron can be reached directly at 818.450.2779 or via email at aaron@afriat.com.
Steven Afriat is an expert in public policy, political strategy and governmental decision-making. Formerly Chief of Staff to then Los Angeles City Councilman now retired County Supervisor, Zev Yaroslavsky, Afriat was also a Chief Legislative Aide to the California Legislature and has vast experience in public affairs. Afriat has been recognized for his years of service with appointments to many boards and commissions. He served an unprecedented tenure as President of the Los Angeles County Business License Commission and currently serves as President of the Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission.
Willing to dig his heels in for a cause, Afriat seeks to build successful coalitions engendered to boost clients’ interests. Throughout his professional career, Afriat has developed a formidable network that spans from Los Angeles and Sacramento to Washington DC. Afriat brings over 40 years of political and governmental experience to benefit clients and is a strategist who recognizes that to achieve success, sound planning and knowledge of the process and personalities go hand-in-hand. As a result, Afriat calls upon a lifetime of experience, not only as Council Office Chief of Staff but as an Assemblyman’s deputy, Consultant to the Legislature, community organizer, high school teacher and businessman. That’s why decision-makers rely on him.
Afriat was assigned by then-Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan the responsibility of organizing a coalition favoring City Charter reform. This watershed appointment marked Afriat’s emergence as the consultant of choice for City officials. Afriat went on to manage the Proposition K campaign approving new Parks & Recreation assessments; Measure DD, garnering a two-thirds vote for Library bonds; Proposition F for Fire and Animal Services, the highest approval margin of any City bonds at the time; and Proposition Q, which Afriat managed after two unsuccessful attempts by others, garnering a two-thirds vote approving $600 million for Police and Fire services.
It is the same winning philosophy that the Los Angeles City Council came to rely upon which Afriat delivers to all his clients. Since 1985, he has gained approval of many high-profile projects, successfully shepherding millions of square feet of development projects, and hundreds of millions of dollars of Government Contracts. Renowned for his strategic and technical expertise, Afriat puts his clients first and consistently achieves results.
Steven Afriat can be reached directly at 818.450.2771 or via email at steve@afriat.com.
Andrew Kratzer serves as the Political and Community Relations Director for The Afriat Consulting Group, Inc. In this role, Andrew helps clients achieve their goals by building consensus and coalitions among neighbors, community stakeholders and advocacy groups across Los Angeles. Further, he supports many of the firm’s advocacy efforts at Los Angeles City Hall and throughout Los Angeles County.
Andrew started his career in politics the historic “No on Measure S; Stop the Housing Ban” campaign where he helped build one of the largest and most diverse coalitions in Los Angeles’ history. The Coalition, consisting of business groups, organized labor leaders, affordable housing advocates, community groups, and tenants’ rights groups led to an overwhelming victory at the polls and launched his next opportunity as the Government Affairs and PAC Manager at the Building Owners and Managers Association Greater LA (BOMA/GLA).
At BOMA/GLA, the largest association for commercial real estate owners and managers in Los Angeles, Andrew significantly expanded the political reach of the association and effectively advocated for the commercial real estate at the City, County, State and Federal levels. He increased BOMA/GLA PAC fundraising by more than 80% during his tenure and conducted political advocacy on behalf of BOMA/GLA across Los Angeles.
Andrew grew up in the San Fernando Valley. He completed his undergraduate studies at Boston University and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and a delegate to the California Democratic Party. In his spare time, Andrew can be found on the golf course or at a baseball game.
Andrew can be reached directly at 818.450.2772 or via email at andrew@afriat.com.
