History
At SSG our Mission is to help our clients achieve effective public policy and regulatory outcomes while protecting their brand and reputational objectives.
SSG was founded in November 2018 after Tom Sheehy left Greenberg Traurig’s Sacramento Office where he had spent eight years working as a Senior Director guiding clients through legislative and regulatory challenges. Brena Sheehy joined the practice as a registered lobbyist in 2019 and Eric Mandell joined in 2020 as a government contracting expert after 15 years of senior level service within the California Department of General Services.
The SSG team leads our clients through complex, competitive, and high-pressure environments to secure the desired outcome. Our 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. We operate successfully in the intersection between public policy, politics, and people. We help our clients manage legislative and regulatory issues by conducting thorough research and understanding the different variables that impact the client’s success. We then develop the strategy, tactics, and craft the messaging that positions the client to win, all while integrating and leveraging the client’s resources to achieve the public policy outcomes desired.
Get in touch
(916) 213-8998 | tom@sheehystrategygroup.com
1017 L St., #771, Sacramento, CA 95814
Book an appointment ▸
From Tom
Learn how the LAO shapes public policy through nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis.
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 California’s most challenging issues, from helping multiple Governors close multi-billion-dollar budget deficits to making government more efficient. He has advised clients on sensitive matters across state finance, transportation, privacy, consumer protection, taxation, environmental quality, natural resources, and land-use regulations. His ability to see the big picture—while developing targeted strategies—gives clients a rare advantage in Sacramento’s corridors of power.
Brena Sheehy testifying in Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Over the years, Tom has built a vast network of public- and private-sector relationships, including corporate executives, elected leaders, and senior state officials. Many current department directors and Governor’s appointees launched their careers alongside him in the 1990s. His public service includes senior posts in the Department of Finance, Department of Transportation, and State and Consumer Services Agency, as well as a decade as a principal consultant in the Legislature.
As Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Finance, Tom helped shape California’s $200+ billion budget and chaired or served on influential boards and commissions, including the State Lands Commission, Public Works Board, CalSTRS, the Infrastructure Bank, Building Standards Commission, Tax Credit Allocation Committee, and Pooled Money Investment Fund.
Tom holds a B.S. and MBA in Finance from UC Davis. He lives in Sacramento with his wife, Brena, and their two sons.
PROCUREMENT PARTNER
ERIC MANDELL
Eric Mandell brings more than 40 years of executive experience and a track record of results in external affairs, marketing, and procurement.
Most recently, he served as Chief of Acquisitions for the California Department of General Services (DGS), overseeing all statewide contracts and managing over $10 billion in annual spend. Previously, he led California’s Office of Small and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Services and served as Acting Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Small Business and DVBE Advocate, ensuring small and veteran-owned firms had access to billions in state contracts each year.
Eric’s career also spans four decades in marketing, communications, and media. He has led award-winning campaigns for California initiatives including Breast Cancer Awareness, Enterprise Zones, Military Base Reuse, the Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, and Sacramento WORKS.
A UC Davis graduate, Eric has pursued additional studies at the London School of Economics, Harvard Business School, and CSU Sacramento. His background includes radio and television work, as well as founding his own small business, ECM Communications.
Principal|Public Policy Advocate
BRENA SHEEHY
With over 20 years of experience in public policy advocacy, healthcare, and the insurance industry, Brena Sheehy is a seasoned advocate and a registered lobbyist with the State of California. She brings a wealth of expertise to Sheehy Strategy Group, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping strategies and representing clients across various sectors.
Brena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, specializing in Risk Management and Insurance, from Fresno State University. She began her career in California’s insurance industry, where she helped launch the Health Insurance Plan of California (HIPC)—a groundbreaking initiative that expanded affordable health insurance access for small and medium-sized businesses. As Director of Sales, Brena led the market expansion of this innovative state purchasing pool.
Afterward, Brena joined CIBA Vision, a subsidiary of Novartis, where she earned distinction as a top-performing sales representative in the western U.S.
At SSG, Brena coordinates legislative analysis and represents a diverse range of clients, including trade associations, nonprofits, and organizations focused on parental rights, labor law, education, healthcare, and insurance. Since the firm’s inception, she has served as a strategic advisor, leveraging her communication, analytical, and policy expertise to drive successful outcomes for clients.
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 that prioritizes responsiveness—calls are returned promptly, and emails answered within 24 hours—so clients are informed of political threats and opportunities before it’s too late to act. We know our clients and their business deeply, never needing to sift through files to address basic questions.
Tom Sheehy is a trusted advisor and confidant, always available to provide perspective, answer tough questions, and offer clear, effective options. He understands the importance of protecting and enhancing each client’s reputation while conducting lobbying, regulatory, and state procurement work with the highest integrity.
When projects demand broader expertise, SSG partners with leading public relations, legal, and digital marketing firms to deliver results tailored to client needs.
