Land Use Entitlements and Development

Diana Yedoyan

Vice President

Diana Yedoyan serves as the Vice President at the Afriat Consulting Group, Inc. (ACG), where she assists the firm’s clients in navigating the political and bureaucratic intricacies of Los Angeles City Hall and the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration. She draws on more than a decade of experience when aiding clients in the development of carefully crafted strategies to succeed in delivering positive outcomes on challenging and complicated political and land use matters.

Prior to joining ACG, Diana worked as the Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Development for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the second largest Chamber of Commerce in Southern California. As Vice President, Diana successfully amplified and elevated the business community’s voice and visibility across the region. Diana worked to create multiple business advocacy coalitions to address key issues for Chamber members and the business community throughout the County of Los Angeles. Diana also worked to grow the Chamber’s lobbying presence in Sacramento and Washington D.C. through strategic partnerships and dynamic advocacy strategies.

Before her time at the Hollywood Chamber, Diana worked as the Senior Manager of Public Policy for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Her portfolio encompassed health care, government and fiscal affairs, smart governance, tax reform, ballot measures, local and state budgets and election strategy. Diana led and organized numerous advocacy trips to Washington D.C. via the Chamber’s Access D.C. program, Southern California’s largest annual advocacy event that connects more than 200 business and civic leaders with federal lawmakers on issues ranging from healthcare and education, to transportation and international trade.

Diana also served for over five years on the staff of the Los Angeles City Councilmember representing Downtown Los Angeles, who at the time served on some of the most powerful City Council committees such as Planning and Land Use Management, Rules and Elections, and Economic Development. In this role, Diana also worked on development projects throughout Downtown Los Angeles as they navigated through entitlement processes.

Diana has over 10 years of political experience and has cultivated a reputation as an expert in politics, public policy and government affairs, specializing in land use, housing, transportation and economic development issues. Through her expertise and knowledge of how local municipalities operate, she develops strategies and solutions for ACG’s clients as they navigate the labyrinth that is local government.

As an Armenian American immigrant, Diana proudly serves as a board member of the nonprofit Bridge of Health where they work to bridge the gap of healthcare for children battling cancer in Armenia and to create long term healthcare systems to protect children battling cancer.

Diana can be reached directly at 818.450.2772 or via email at diana@afriat.com.

Brandon Zavala

Community Relations Director

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.

Aaron Green

President

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.

Steven Afriat

Founder

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.

Aaron Green

President

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

Chief Executive Officer

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.