History
At SSG our Mission is to help our clients achieve effective public policy and regulatory outcomes while protecting their brand and reputational objectives.
As Principal and founder of Sheehy Strategy Group, Tom Sheehy is recognized as one of Sacramento’s most experienced and influential lobbyists, as well as a fiscal expert. Known for his strength in developing lobbying strategy, planning and executing lobbying campaigns, Tom’s ability to shape and deliver messaging in a clear and convincing manner achieves superior results for legislative and regulatory clients on difficult issues. He leads teams in complex, competitive and high-pressure environments to secure the client’s desired outcome. He has also helped clients develop state department customers and contract with state agencies, thereby securing $100s of millions of dollars in business over the years. His skill in navigating California’s political landscape comes from over two decades of experience working at the most senior levels in both the state legislature as well as the Governor’s office. He has mastered the intersection between public policy, politics and people in a lobbying career at both a Fortune 100 financial services company as well as an international law firm. Tom manages difficult policy issues by conducting thorough research and understanding the different variables that impact the client’s success. He then develops tactics and strategies to craft messages that position the client to win, all while integrating and leveraging the client’s resources to achieve effective public policy outcomes.
Get in touch
(916) 213-8998 | tom@sheehystrategygroup.com
1017 L St., #771, Sacramento, CA 95814
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From Tom
Watch “Digital Advocacy: The Future of Lobbying in California and Beyond”
OUR MISSION
We help our clients achieve effective public policy and regulatory outcomes while protecting their brand and reputational objectives.
Meet The Team
founder
TOM SHEEHY
Tom has worked on some of the most challenging issues in California, including helping more than one Governor solve multi-billion-dollar budget deficits and making government operate more efficiently. He has advised clients on a number of sensitive policy issues in the areas of state finance, transportation infrastructure, privacy, consumer protection, business regulations, tax, environmental quality, natural resource conservation and land development regulations. Tom’s unique skill set allows him to see the big picture while developing specific tactics and strategies necessary for each client’s needs. Tom offers his clients a wide breadth of experience that is unique in Sacramento’s corridors of power in the state capitol.
Over the years, Tom has built up an impressive universe of both public and private sector connections and relationships spanning blue chip corporate executives, local, state and federal elected officials and staff. Many state department directors and governor’s appointees “came up through the ranks” with Tom as he started his career in Sacramento and state government in the early 1990s. Tom has worked as a Governor’s appointee in the Department of Finance, Department of Transportation, and State and Consumer Services Agency. He was a principal consultant in both the California Senate and Assembly for 10 years, where he mastered the legislative process by developing tactics necessary to win tough policy battles. As Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Finance, Tom not only helped shape and manage the state’s $150 billion budget for more than one Governor, but he served on or was Chairman of some of the most influential state Boards and Commissions, including the State Lands Commission, Public Works Board, State Teacher Retirement System (Cal-STRS), State Infrastructure Bank, Building Standards Commission,Tax Credit Allocation Committee, and Pooled Money Investment Fund.
Tom received a Bachelor of Science Degree and an MBA in Finance from the University of California at Davis. He lives in Sacramento with his wife Brena and their two sons Nicholas and Christopher.
PROCUREMENT PARTNER
ERIC MANDELL
Eric Mandell brings more than 40 years of proven, positive results and diverse executive level experience in the areas of external affairs, marketing and procurements.
He recently retired as Chief of Acquisitions for the State of California at the California Department of General Services (DGS). In this capacity, he oversaw all statewide contracts, generating over $10 billion in annual spend.
Previously, Eric was the Chief of California’s Office of Small and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) Services. He served as the Acting Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Small Business and DVBE Advocate from 2011 through 2012. Eric and his staff worked to make certain that small and DVBE businesses got access to their share of nearly $10 billion a year in state-awarded contracts.
Eric has over 40 years in the fields of marketing, communications, advertising, and media. He has created award winning marketing efforts and campaigns for California’s Breast Cancer Awareness, Enterprise Zones, Military Base Reuse, and Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank programs, as well as Sacramento WORKS for Sacramento County.
Eric is a graduate of the University of California, Davis and has done coursework at the London School of Economics, Harvard Business School and graduate work at California State University, Sacramento. He has worked on air and in management positions in radio and television. He also owned his own small business, ECM Communications.
Principal
BRENA SHEEHY
Brena Sheehy is in her fifth year as a registered lobbyist with the state of California and brings over 15 years of experience in healthcare and insurance industry experience to the Sheehy Strategy Group (SSG). Brena holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration - risk management and insurance from Fresno State University and worked for a number of years in property, casualty and health insurance in the Central Valley. She moved to the Sacramento region in the mid-1990’s where she helped launch the innovative Health Insurance Plan of California (HIPC). Soon she was promoted to Sales Manager and finally took over running the HIPC sales program as Director of Sales. This groundbreaking state purchasing pool opened the doors to affordable group health insurance to many small and medium sized businesses in the state. Later she joined CIBA Vision, a subsidiary of Novartis, where she became a distinguished territory sales representative for the western region. Brena has also represented SingleCare in the Sacramento Valley and promoted pharmacy discount programs for those with and without health insurance. Since joining SSG she has coordinated legislative analysis and lobbied for trade association and non-profit clients on matters concerning parental rights, labor law, education, healthcare and insurance. She has served as a strategic advisor to SSG since its inception, and her experience, communication and analytical skills make her a critical component to the success of the SSG.
DIGITAL aDVOCACY & MARKETING PARTNER
DAVID DURAN
David Duran, co-founder and Principal at Duran Kinst Strategies (DKS), plays a critical role for the Sheehy Strategy Group. He oversees the digital advocacy and marketing for the firm as well as other important communications and administrative roles. David has worked with us now for almost 5 years. For most of the prior two decades, David worked for elected officials and nonprofits and has excelled in communications, research, technology, problem-solving, financial and administrative management, and efficiency building. As the main face of Duran Kinst Strategies, David has a proven record of improving organizations and helping them to thrive. He received his bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College, but not before spending a semester studying abroad at Oxford. He majored in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). He lives in Sacramento with his wife and DKS co-founder Christina.
Our Size
SSG is a boutique firm, where client phone calls are returned promptly and emails receive a response within 24 hours so political threats and opportunities are communicated immediately, thus placing all the client’s options “on the table” before it is too late to act effectively. SSG always knows the client and their business without having to search through stacks files to answer basic questions. Tom Sheehy is a trusted advisor and confidant who is always available as a sounding board or to answer questions and provide effective options to every difficult situation and request. He understands the importance of protecting and enhancing the client’s reputation while conducting lobbying, regulatory and state contract procurement work with the utmost integrity. SSG also partners with and directs public relations, legal and digital marketing firms to bring about desired outcomes depending on the requirements of the project and client’s needs.
