News
What people are saying about our team and our winning work
Parkside Vice President of Operations and Growth Alex Elmasri, sat down with David Lombardo of WCNY’s Dispatches from Planet Albany to discuss the state of the New York State Comptroller Democratic Primary.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podc…
Parkside Chief Operations Officer Tess McRae spoke to The City about Mayor Mamdani's first 100 days, explaining how his first few months in office were crucial to answering critics who said the 34-year-old was all flash and no substance…
Parkside Chief Operations Officer Tess McRae appeared on NY1’s Inside City Hall to discuss the push to raise taxes on the wealthy, state budget negotiations and the state of the 2026 Governor's race in New York.
Watch the full episode …
Parkside Senior Vice President Saima Anjam was named to City & State's 2026 Above and Beyond Womenlist. Saima represents environmental groups, nonprofits, and unions, always going above and beyond to help her clients succeed.…
Parkside Managing Director Spencer Lee was named to City & State’s Queens Power 100 list. Spencer oversees our public affairs practice where he spearheads multi-million dollar ad campaigns and helps political candidates win tough ra…
Parkside Vice President Alexia Holden was named to City & State's Albany 40 Under 40 list. Alexia came to Parkside with years of experience working in state government and works with a variety of Parkside's clients, including severa…
Parkside Partner Joe Reubens was once named to City & State's Brooklyn Power 100 list. Joe is the best in the business at creating impactful ads and direct mail for candidates as well as at helping nonprofits increase their fundrais…
Parkside Vice president of Operations and Growth Alex Elmasri appeared on Dispatches from Planet Albany, hosted by David Lombardo, to "discuss the game of political musical chairs getting started in Manhattan."…
Parkside Vice president of Operations and Growth Alex Elmasri spoke to City & State about "the energy he’s seeing" amongst Democrats, in light of Rep. Jerry Nadler's retirement announcement.…
From City & State:
Jake Herring joined The Parkside Group in 2018 after serving as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s top state legislative affairs aide and in the New York City Council’s finance and member services divisions.
Her…
Alex Elmasri, Parkside's VP of Operations and Growth, appeared on David Lombardo's Capital Pressroom to discuss the mayoral races in Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse, highlighting the unifying themes surrounding these elections.
To listen …
From City & State:
One of the state’s top lobbyists and political consultants, Evan Stavisky for the past decade has established himself as a key player in casino and sports betting policy. Among Stavisky’s clients are FanDuel, Draf…
From City & State:
Budgets, corporate government relations and nonprofit successes are Paul Thomas’ trade at The Parkside Group, lending his years of experience as Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s chief of staff, various roles throug…
From City & State:
Evan Stavisky knows that in Albany, sports is big business. The longtime operative was an architect of the state’s mobile sports betting system, which generated $58 billion in bets in the first three years after i…
The Parkside Group is honored to have received four Pollie Awards in Direct Mail Campaign, Best Use of Humor, National Direct Mail, and Door Hanger.
The Pollie Awards, sponsored by the American Association of Political Consultants, set …
Communications Associate, Amanda Henning-Santiago appeared on David Lombardo’s Dispatches from Planet Albany podcast episode, Drafting Political Movies to talk about her favorite political films.
Listen to the episode here…
The Parkside Group is honored to have received five Reed Awards for excellence in political and nonprofit campaign work from 2024. The Reed Awards is a national competition held by Campaigns and Elections Magazine celebrating the best i…
Parkside VP of Operations and Growth Alex Elmasri appeared on David Lombardo’s Dispatches from Planet Albany podcast, to discuss “the odds behind some of the most hotly discussed elections.”
To listen to the podcast, head here>>…
Parkside VP of Operations and Growth Alex Elmasri sits down for a deep dive into the 21st Congressional District with David Lombardo, host of Dispatches from Planet Albany podcast, to discuss whether “Democrats should be spending any of…
From City & State:
Harry Giannoulis has been gearing up for another eventful election cycle in New York City. The Parkside Group founder helped a slate of state Senate Democrats win reelection last fall and keep their substantial ma…
From City & State:
State Senate Democrats relinquished their supermajority in 2024, but lost just one seat: a southern Brooklyn district flipped by Republican Steve Chan. With the help of its longtime political consulting firm, The …
Parkside is kicking off 2025 with exciting news! We’re thrilled to announce several new hires and a well-deserved promotion within our team.
We’re proud to share that Tess McRae, our Vice President of Communications, has been promoted t…
From City & State:
Saima Anjam brings a deep environmental and social justice commitment to her advocacy at The Parkside Group, a New York City campaign firm where she is senior vice president. Her recent efforts have secured millio…
From City & State:
We had a number of major victories this year, including securing the first-ever state funding to help the National September 11th Memorial & Museum present the annual Tribute in Light remembrance and passing a…
The Parkside Group welcomed two new team members this month:
Ilea Franklin and Rosana Duarte.
Joining us as Policy Associates, Ilea and Rosana bring a wealth of expertise to further enhance our team’s commitment to impactful policy work…
From Crain’s:
“It’s truly extraordinary and unprecedented that New York has the same kind of coordinated campaign that is traditionally seen in other states, where labor, community stakeholders and candidates up and down the ballot are …
From City & State:
A passionate advocate for arts and culture, Lauren Bush is the chief operating officer of a government relations powerhouse, The Parkside Group. An art history major in college, Bush spent eight years running with…
From PoliticsNY and amNewYork:
Harry Giannoulis is the co-founder and CEO of The Parkside Group, a strategic communications and public affairs firm that has served over 750 clients. He has worked on over 300 successful campaigns and was…
From City & State:
Katelyn O’Leary has been lucky enough to focus professionally on the issues that she feels most passionately about. “Climate change is that existential crisis we all face,” says the lobbyist, who specializes in en…
From City & State:
Separately, Hochul is working closely with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to help mobilize Democrats in the state to win back the House after a catastrophic 2022 in New York and has begun ta…
From Bloomberg:
New York is a solidly Democratic state, but voters outside of New York City tend to be more moderate on social and economic issues than the party’s progressive wing.
The 2022 election served as a “wake-up call for a lot …
From City & State:
When you’re lobbying for one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in New York history, it helps to have a partner who is as embedded in the halls of Albany as Evan Stavisky and his Parkside Group. When…
From City & State:
A former chief of staff to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Paul Thomas knows his way around the halls of power from the Bronx to Albany. Thomas deployed his understanding of how policy is made to help his clients a…
From City & State:
Evan Stavisky knows Albany and New York City and other corners of the state like the back of his hand. The influential lobbyist and political strategist, whose mother is a state senator, leads government relations…
Parkside Vice President Kalima Johnson was honored with a Women of Distinction award by Assembly Member Brian Cunningham and received a citation from Congresswoman Yvette Clarke for her incredible work!
…
From City & State:
Saima Anjam is a policy virtuoso who cares deeply about New York’s most overlooked communities. In her career, Anjam has expanded access to New York’s legal and health services and lobbied for critical social equi…
From PoliticsNY and amNewYork:
What is one thing your organization hopes to accomplish in 2024?
The Parkside Group will be advising and working with its clients in their advocacy efforts and partnerships with both New York State and Cit…
Parkside Group received three Pollie Awards from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) for Best Overall Data Analytics Solution, Best Overall Use of Direct Mail, and Best Direct Mail for National Public Affairs/Issue …
From The New York Times:
How did Eid inspire your outfit? When I was growing up, I was always taught that you should always look your best on Eid.
Why did you come to this gathering? It’s very diverse. It’s very accepting. And I wanted …
The Parkside Group is proud to announce that it has received three Reed Awards for Best Fundraising Mail Creative, Best Collateral Item, and Best Digital Campaign on a Shoestring Budget.
The Reed Awards is a national competition, named …
The Parkside Group welcomed new team member Dominic Kablack this month as its new Director of Scheduling.
Dominic is a seasoned professional with a proven track record in operational management and advocacy. With over a decade of experi…
From City & State:
From a small, scrappy startup to a lobbying and political consulting powerhouse, The Parkside Group has seen a period of growth under Harry Giannoulis, including working on projects that have been n…
From Empire Report:
Millions of dollars have been spent by suburban Democratic candidates attacking their own party because they think distancing is necessary. This approach never works. Ever. There are no voters who find these tactics …
Parkside Vice President Kalima Johnson was recognized as Consultant of the Year by BPRHAL's Young Professionals!…
From City & State:
A onetime chief of staff to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Paul Thomas is a partner in The Parkside Group’s government relations team, overseeing budget advocacy work and representing corporate and nonpr…
Parkside Founding Partner and President Evan Stavisky, spoke to the Daily News about Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State and the continued desire to see more housing plans:
It is not clear whether she will center housing in her 2…
From City & State:
The Parkside Group – a highly rated political consulting and lobbying firm – also handles communications work. The firm recently partnered with the Rockland County Health Department to run a culturally sensitive m…
The Parkside Group welcomed team member, Andrew Costello, this month.
Andrew joins Parkside as its new Accounting Associate, where he is supporting all company wide operations for accounts, ledgers and financial reporting.
Andrew has pr…
From Crain’s New York Business:
A Marist College poll this month showed both political leaders with underwater approval ratings. Hochul was elected to a full term by a startlingly narrow margin in 2022, and Adams is facing down potentia…
From City & State:
Saima Anjam joined the Parkside Group in 2019, with a focus on using her social justice advocacy background to assist progressive groups. Her portfolio emphasizes social impact with a bevy of nonprofit clients. Pr…
The Parkside Group welcomed three new team members this month: Beth Warren, Kathryn “Kat” Gordon, and Shakiya Booker.
Beth joins Parkside as its new Deputy Chief Operating Officer, where she will contribute deep programma…
From Crain’s New York Business:
“Every fall, there are certain immutable facts of nature,” says Evan Stavisky, a Democratic political consultant. “Birds fly south for the winter, the Jets are eliminated from contention, and the entire N…
From AM New York and Politics NY:
Harry Giannoulis provided the strategic vision that transformed the Parkside Group from a startup company into a multi-faceted strategic communications and public affairs firm that has served over 750 c…
From City & State:
Stephanie Olcese once had ambitions of becoming a doctor or social services worker, but eventually she found politics to be the best route toward making systematic change.
“My family was not very political growing…
From City & State:
The Parkside Group is best known as the go-to campaign consultant for the state Senate Democrats, who held on to their supermajority last year despite facing significant headwinds. Last November, the firm helped s…
From City & State:
Even a couple decades ago, the idea of a digital campaign operation was mostly an afterthought. Now, it’s sometimes a determinative force in getting a message out there. Prior to his promotion to digital director …
From City & State:
“If you see a construction site, the carpenters, the plumbers, the electricians, the painters, they all started as apprentices,” said Democratic strategist Evan Stavisky, who over the course of 45 minutes rattled …
Parkside’s COO Lauren Bush moderated the Power of Diversity in Shaping Policies panel at City & State's Economic & Workforce Development Summit, where panelists discussed how the presence of more women and people of color in pos…
From City & State:
After being raised by a nurse single mother in Brooklyn and making it to Harvard, David Garza went into retail and the corporate world. But a 2001 epiphany about his enthusiasm for service had him take a 180, and …
Wesner Pierre, opened up about his childhood in South Jamaica, Queens, the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on NYC's youth, and his hopes for the future in a wonderful new Q&A in NYN Media.
You can read the full interview w…
From City & State:
Manny Pastreich took over the presidency of the powerful 32BJ SEIU at the end of last year, succeeding Kyle Bragg. Pastreich was Bragg’s top deputy as the labor union’s secretary-treasurer before ascending to the …
From City & State:
"Strategist Evan Stavisky put it this way: “Certainly Jenifer Rajkumar is indefatigable, and she will show up anywhere, anytime."
You can read the rest of the article here>>…
The brand-new Timbuctoo Climate and Careers Institute hosted its first ever cohort of students for the summer, just a year and a half after the concept of the program had been initially discussed. The program, which was created in partn…
Farrell Fritz Government Relations Director Vanessa Bongiorno, NYSAR Director of Government Affairs Mike Kelly, AT&T Director of External and Legislative Affairs Magdalonie Paris-Campbell, and JCRC-NY Director of Community Affairs H…
From City & State:
Dan Katz is known for his ability to accomplish what some have previously thought to be impossible. He has helped pass New York’s landmark sports betting law and the Wage Theft Prevention Act, and he has assisted …
From The Hill:
“There’s no debate that we’re going to have a contentious primary, but Mondaire Jones won a contentious primary,” said Democratic strategist Evan Stavisky, who lives in the district but is unaligned with either candidate.…
Tishman Speyer President and CEO Rob Speyer, Head of Real Estate Americas at Blackstone Nadeem Meghji, and 32BJ SEIU President Manny Pastreich were recognized on City & State’s Real Estate Power 100 list.
From City & Stat…
At the hearing, BPHN provided a salient testimony on the need to address the asylum seeker and homelessness crisis.…
More than 240 million Americans will now have access to the very latest in connectivity technology, thanks to DISH, which marks a major milestone for DISH and the U.S. telecom industry overall.…
The panelincluded Andrew Celli, Partner at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP, Damaris B. Acosta, Deputy City Clerk at the Office of the City Clerk, and Carol C. Quinn, Director of Lobbying at the NYS Commission on Eth…
In partnership with the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus, Children’s Aid hosted a foster youth shadow day through their Fostering Youth Success Alliance. Throughout the day young people learned …
From City & State:
Evan Stavisky has been one of the key behind-the-scenes players in the push to expand gambling in New York. Lobbying on behalf of DraftKings and FanDuel, Stavisky has helped pave the way for the state’s online gam…
From PoliticsNY and AmNewYork:
What does sustainability mean to you?
For me, sustainability means planting seeds in a garden we’ll never see. We, as human beings, need to realize that there is only one Earth and it has a finite a…
From City & State:
Saima Anjam’s past work on issues related to workers’ rights, gender equity and climate action has imbued her work at The Parkside Group with a strong sense of social responsibility. Beyond helping clients secure …
Parkside Group received four Pollie Awards from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) for Best Newspaper Campaign, Mail for Nonprofit, Bus Sign, and Best Use of Collateral - Small Budget AAPC North.
Founded in 1969, t…
Tess spoke to Inside City Hall’s host Errol Louis on Inside City Hall about why Rep. George Santos won’t win voters acting being “loud and chaotic” on Twitter.
You can watch a short clip of Tess's appearance here>>…
The Parkside Group is proud to announce that it has received two Reed Awards for Best Fundraising Mail Creative and Best Use of Outdoor Advertising.
The Reed Awards is a national competition, named after Campaigns & Elections magazi…
The Parkside Group welcomed two new team members this month: Kalima Johnson and Cecilia “CeCe” Szkutak
Kalima joins Parkside as its new Vice President of Government Relations, where she will work with Parkside’s rapidly growing non-prof…