Kara Hughes

Kara Hughes is an executive-level leader with deep expertise in public policy and government relations across federal, state, and local levels. She has the proven ability to lead diverse teams, manage complex initiatives, and build strategic partnerships. Kara has a strong record of helping elected officials, corporations, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations translate broad policy goals into effective, real-world outcomes.

As Senior Advisor and Head of the NYC Practice at O’Donnell & Associates, Hughes oversees the management and strategic direction of the firm’s clients and legislative and regulatory initiatives for NYC. She offers clients a wealth of experience—and a history of success—throughout the political and public policy spectrum. Kara has delivered for clients: securing billions in government funding, winning multiple RFP campaigns, passing life-saving legislation, navigating complex regulatory changes, and creating unique partnerships between the public and private sectors. She supervises a diverse portfolio of clients, ranging from major corporations and non-profits to new, innovative brands. She also works with a global transportation company on congestion pricing and new faregates and has been actively engaged in efforts to protect children with food allergies by enhancing existing programs and recently passing life-saving legislation. Kara also assisted OD&A client, Pixis Drones, land a major role in NYC’s 50th celebration of hip hop by navigating complex regulatory challenges. Additionally, she has collaborated with new technology companies in the transportation and security sectors to establish their presence as key players in New York City and State. These have resulted in critical investments and job creation. Hughes is instrumental in driving the firm’s efforts in securing essential government funding and fostering innovative public-private sector partnerships to enhance safety and security.

Kara’s expertise has been honed over the course of her career, from Capitol Hill to political campaigns to City Hall. She started her career in Senator Barbara Boxer’s office before working on several high-profile political campaigns, including as Deputy Policy Director for Hillary Clinton’s historic 2000 Senate campaign.

Kara worked for Senator Clinton for several years, first as Director of Economic Development in her Senate office before starting a non-profit on her behalf, New Jobs for New York, that focused on promoting economic development in New York State. She served as Senator Clinton’s point person on 9/11 issues, leading outreach to the business community in Lower Manhattan on issues related to the redevelopment of Ground Zero. She worked to build consensus with business and community leaders and elected officials on the allocation of $20 billion in recovery and redevelopment funds.

Years later, she was able to finish working on many of those same issues as a Senior Advisor for City, State & Labor Affairs at the Port Authority, as One World Trade Center was finally completed.

After several years in the private sector, Kara returned to government service as First Deputy Director and then Acting Director of the Mayor’s Office of City Legislative Affairs in 2018. In this role, she served as Mayor de Blasio’s primary liaison with the City Council, negotiating hundreds of bills on his behalf, and was the lead mayoral advisor on the 2019 Charter Review Commission, which successfully passed five ballot referendums, including Ranked Choice Voting. In this capacity, she served as the primary liaison between City Hall and the City Council, helping to shape public policy and advancing the mayor’s legislative agenda, including a historic reduction in carbon emissions, critical speed camera reauthorization and expansion legislation, landmark protections against childhood lead poisoning, and mandatory disclosure for home-sharing sites.

For three years, Hughes ran the Corporate and Legislative division for the #1 lobbying firm in New York City, where she was promoted to Executive Vice President. She led strategic planning for the firm’s corporate clients and directed legislative strategy firmwide, where she managed day-to-day engagement for a broad portfolio of clients, including Disney, Google Cloud, Target, Delta, Charter, Aeroterm, and the Motion Picture Association. Some key accomplishments include securing a final agreement for one of the largest air cargo facilities in the country, a key part of the JFK Airport Revitalization; the reauthorization and expansion of the New York City School Speed Camera legislation home rule; and the launch of New York City’s outdoor dining initiative during the height of COVID. Kara also guided some of the largest employers in NYC to understand and navigate COVID regulations at the height of the pandemic, ensuring their feedback shaped policies.

Since Kara’s transition into the government relations and lobbying world, she has won numerous awards—including City & State’s Who’s Who in Government Relations (2023, 2024, 2025); NYC Top 50 Lobbyist (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025); Economic Development Power 75 (2021, 2022, 2023); Economic Development Trailblazer (2025) NYS Women 100 (2025); New York Responsible 100 (2019, 2023); and Schneps Media Power Women of Queens (2021).

Kara graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Social Thought & Political Economy, where she played Division I lacrosse.