2025 Power Players in Public Relations & Lobbying

Ryan Adams is a senior vice president at Actum who designs and executes integrated campaigns across strategic communications, digital advocacy, paid media, and lobbying. As the former founder of HZQ Consulting, he is known for coalition-driven pressure strategies that move policy, protect reputations, and win elections. Through award-winning creative and strategy, he blends narrative and data to deliver measurable outcomes for public affairs, labor, and electoral clients in high-scrutiny, regulated environments.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Coalitions win. Listening across differences, testing assumptions with data, and aligning narrative, policy, and pressure give decision-makers both reason and runway to act. The best way to be adaptable as channels and rules shift is to stay true to your coalition and not blur the core message. Relationships, resilience, and rigorous execution turn smart ideas into laws passed, contracts won, reputations protected, and markets moved. Everything else is just an ad buy.

What is your biggest accomplishment this year?
Driving four high-stakes wins: (1) architecting a national pressure campaign that secured an on-the-record presidential commitment; (2) leading a digital media campaign for a national public affairs effort that mobilized hundreds of thousands of petition signatures and pushed prosecutors and state leaders toward resentencing review; (3) helping multiple major unions secure contract victories by uniting member education, data-driven media, and targeted lobbying, and (4) securing millions for a vital LGBTQ service provider here in NYC.

Terence has been active in the New York media and political scene for more than a decade. He was an award-winning journalist who covered real estate and economic development, local and national politics, sports, and crime with the Queens Courier, the Commercial Observer, and New York Daily News. Terence went on to serve as communications director for New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides, and later spearheaded communications for the New York Building Congress.

At Actum, Andrew leverages his vast experience as a communications consultant, television commentator and former political reporter on behalf of his clients. He’s an experienced crisis manager, with an instinctive knowledge of how the media responds to fast-breaking developments. In addition to his work for Actum, he writes about politics for The New York Times and Washington Post and frequently appears on MSNBC and CNN to comment on national politics.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Your career should be a mission – if you’re not passionate about it, you’re wasting a whole lot of time.

What is your biggest accomplishment this year?
My colleagues at Actum and I led the epic campaign to save Fire Island’s beaches, securing over $50 million to rebuild its beaches after a series of devastating storms. We then worked to secure the future of Long Island’s South Shore, culminating in Governor Kathy Hochul’s allocating $1.7 billion to maintain the beaches for the next 30 years.

Ted Anastasiou is an entrepreneur and attorney with over a decade of experience in highly regulated industries. Beyond his legal practice, he advises clients facing media scrutiny, from Travis Scott and Rolling Loud to leaders in cannabis, technology, fashion, and manufacturing. Leveraging his background as an appointed state regulator and successful tech founder, Ted delivers practical and legal insights to solve high-stakes challenges for companies and high-profile individuals.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
The most important lesson I’ve learned in my career is that professional relationships are everything. Success rarely comes from being transactional – it comes from building trust, respect, and credibility. I’ve found that being direct and straightforward about the pros and cons of any decision is the fastest path to meaningful progress. Honesty and clarity create lasting partnerships, and that’s far more valuable than short-term wins.

What is your biggest accomplishment this year?
My biggest accomplishment this year has been growing my business to represent nearly one-third of all licensed cannabis businesses in New York State. Achieving that scale in such a short time, and in such a highly regulated industry, is something I’m proud of. Despite constant change and regulatory uncertainty, I’ve guided clients to remain steady, adapt strategically, and keep focused on long-term success, ensuring they’re well positioned in an industry defined by volatility and competition.

George Arzt has been actively involved in the politics and public affairs of New York City and the nation for decades as a newspaperman, TV executive and news producer, press secretary, and public relations advisor. Founded in 1995, his PR and lobbying firm, GAC, represents a wide range of business, nonprofit and public affairs clients, handling crisis management, media relations, community and government relations, speech-writing and litigation support. 

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Tell the truth, unless you can’t.

Liz Benjamin has been with Marathon Strategies for six years, focusing on crisis communications, coalition building, and public affairs. She is a former reporter with more than two decades of experience covering state and New York City government and politics. Her expertise includes print, TV and digital reporting and commentary. Liz spent 10 years at the Albany Times Union, four years at the Daily News and hosted “Capital Tonight” on Spectrum News, for eight years.

Loren Amor is a political strategist who leads public affairs for BerlinRosen, an Orchestra company. Loren draws on experience as a campaigner and senior legislative staffer to help clients navigate federal, state, and local policy challenges. Previously, Loren was an advisor to the NY State Senate Majority Leader, helping to build winning coalitions around a historic agenda. He’s managed campaigns at every level and helped lead Democrats’ successful 2018 effort to retake the State Senate.

Valerie Berlin drives Orchestra’s growth and expansion, guides client service best practices, and supports organizational culture for Orchestra partners. In her role as principal and co-founder at BerlinRosen, Valerie provides strategy and communications counsel across the firm’s practice areas, advising leaders, companies and organizations on high-risk matters and in developing integrated campaigns. Prior to founding BerlinRosen, Valerie spent 20 years as an organizer, campaign manager, and senior communications director.