Time and again, Harvey’s unmatched talent, innovation, and experience have delivered success in the most challenging circumstances. Whether Fortune 500 executives, startups, non-profits, government agencies, or high-profile individuals, leaders turn to Harvey for strategic, seasoned counsel when it matters most.
And call him they have. Over his career, Harvey has successfully led hundreds of public relations, political, public affairs, and entitlement campaigns. He is the expert organizations and individuals rely on when traditional approaches fall short—rescuing public agencies, private companies, and entertainment figures facing crisis, litigation, or reputation threats.
Harvey has also revived issue and candidate campaigns that seemed destined for defeat, guiding them to victory. Harvey Englander is the strategist you want in your corner when everything is on the line.
Harvey Englander is one of the nation’s most respected figures in public affairs and communications strategy, a master tactician whose work has influenced some of the most consequential campaigns and initiatives in California and beyond.
As Founder and CEO of The Englander Group, a premier public affairs and government relations firm based in Southern California, Harvey leads a boutique consultancy known for its effectiveness in solving complex political, regulatory, and reputational challenges. The firm represents a select group of clients seeking highly strategic counsel and direct engagement from one of the industry’s most seasoned advisors.
Harvey previously founded and led Englander, Knabe & Allen (EKA), which he built into Southern California’s largest independent public affairs and public relations firm. For two decades, EKA has become synonymous with high-stakes problem-solving, from navigating complex land use entitlements and ballot measures to guiding clients through reputational crises and regulatory battles. Under his leadership, the firm earned a reputation for delivering results where others fell short.
With a career spanning over five decades, Harvey has designed and executed hundreds of successful public relations, political, and advocacy campaigns. Known for his strategic agility and relentless focus on outcomes, as a trusted advisor, he is the person clients call when the stakes are highest, and the path forward is unclear.
A UCLA graduate, Harvey pairs political acumen with a communicator’s instinct, bridging policy, media, and public opinion across diverse communities. After selling EKA to his senior colleagues in 2020, he launched The Englander Group to focus on high-impact projects and advisory work, continuing his legacy of excellence and innovation in the field.
He has been honored multiple times by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the 500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles, and his civic contributions are as distinguished as his professional achievements. Harvey has served on numerous boards, including the UCLA Alumni Association, the UCLA School of Public Policy, the Los Angeles City College Foundation, and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. He co-founded the American Diabetes Association’s celebrated “Los Angeles Political Roast” and is a long-serving member of the West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation, among others.
Harvey’s public service includes appointments to the Bipartisan California Commission on Internet Political Practices and the Los Angeles County Junior Golf Commission. He is also a founder and past president of the Los Angeles Lobbyists & Public Affairs Association.
A defining force in public affairs, Harvey Englander continues to shape the field as a strategist, mentor, and institution builder. His enduring impact is reflected not only in the campaigns he’s won and the clients he’s guided, but in the generations of leaders he has helped develop.
The Englander Group is a boutique, insights-driven public affairs, advocacy, and strategic communications firm. We specialize in high-impact strategies that move the needle, combining data-informed insights with persuasive messaging to help clients navigate complexity, shape narratives, and influence public perception.
We don’t just practice public relations, we redefine it. Our strategic, insight-driven approach empowers clients to make bold, informed decisions, capitalize on critical opportunities, and drive lasting success, whether navigating a high-stakes crisis or accelerating forward momentum.
There is no substitute for experience, and we’ve done it all. From Fortune 500 companies and Main Street businesses to national nonprofits and local public agencies, we’ve helped clients across every sector tackle challenges, advance initiatives, and build lasting credibility. Regardless of the issue, industry, or goal, we deliver effective and efficient solutions rooted in creativity and innovation.
We also understand that genuine community engagement is never one-size-fits-all. Whether you are launching a project, addressing a local issue, leading a campaign, or growing a business, we know how to authentically embed you in the community, building relationships that are deep, strategic, and enduring.
From high-stakes advisory to everyday communications support, we simplify complexity and craft compelling stories that resonate with the audiences who matter. Our team of seasoned professionals executes focused campaigns that mobilize support, shape opinion, and drive measurable impact.
Click on any study to expand and read.
Then-Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan proposed diverting $30 million from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) into the City’s General Fund—a move that would have slashed airport staffing, degraded service levels, and driven up air travel costs for millions of travelers. When negotiations between the City and the Air Transport Association (ATA) collapsed, the Mayor began moving unilaterally to implement the plan.
That’s when Harvey Englander stepped in.
Recognizing that traditional lobbying alone would not be enough, Englander saw the key to stopping the Mayor’s plan: mobilizing a powerful, self-interested constituency. He zeroed in on frequent flyers—residents who relied on LAX and who would be directly affected by higher ticket prices and reduced service. Rather than take a passive approach, Harvey engineered a data-driven campaign that reshaped how political pressure could be applied at the municipal level.
Using his proprietary DialogBuilder™ system, Englander integrated the major airlines’ frequent flyer databases with the City of Los Angeles’ voter file—an innovative fusion of public and private data never before attempted on this scale. He then crafted a targeted, compelling direct mail campaign and sent it to more than 375,000 frequent flyers who were also registered Los Angeles voters.
The results were immediate and overwhelming: Over 75,000 postcards flooded City Hall and congressional offices—sent by more than 25,000 highly motivated constituents demanding the plan be scrapped. The pressure was undeniable. The message was clear.
The Mayor’s proposal was decisively defeated.
Harvey Englander’s campaign didn’t just stop a damaging policy—it pioneered a new model of grassroots mobilization by aligning data science, political strategy, and targeted messaging. His work preserved critical services at LAX, protected air travelers from unjustified costs, and demonstrated the power of civic engagement driven by smart advocacy.
Santa Barbara based Matrix Oil proposed to drill 50 oil wells on a small part of the Puente Hills Landfill Habitat Preserve in the City of Whittier. The 1290-acre preserve was originally an oil field owned and operated by Chevron and Unocal.
Over 500 oil wells operated for about 100 years until the land was abandoned in the early 1990's. Because of the dramatic increase in oil prices and the efficiencies that new drilling techniques employed; it was now possible to revive the oil field and about 20 million barrels of oil were expected to be produced over a 25-year period. The City of Whittier negotiated a lease with Matrix with a substantial payment of royalties - enough to cure the City's budget problems for years to come.
Englander was retained by Matrix to educate the community about the benefits of the arrangement and to educate the public about the minimal impact of the project on the nature preserve and surrounding communities.
Following a series of focus groups with residents, a public opinion survey was conducted that found that the more Whittier voters knew about the project, the more in favor of it they were. The research also showed that voters living more than 2 miles away from the project were substantially stronger in their support than those voters who lived nearby, with a majority of residents favoring the revenue the project could bring to the city.
It was important to define the project before the well-organized opponents of the project reached a critical mass in their communications efforts. The Whittier Daily News was the principal source of information in the City and the reporter covering the issue often got facts wrong and showed bias against the project. Fortunately, we had the time and resources to communicate directly to Whittier residents.
Through the program we designed and implemented we were able to find local spokespeople who agreed to sign letters to the editor and who also agreed to comment at the public hearings of the Planning Commission and the City Council.
The Planning Commission hearings were scheduled to occur over three nights in the ballroom of a local hotel because it was expected that the City Council chambers would not hold all the interested parties. Our goal was to have one speaker for every two in opposition. We exceeded our goal by having only 25% fewer speakers than the opponents at the hearings. By the time of the third night, the opponents of the project were growing dispirited.
The Planning Commission voted 5-0 for the project. The City Council hearings a few weeks later were essentially a replay of the Planning Commission, with hearings stretching on for 6 nights. Once again, we had only about 25% fewer speakers than the opponents.
The City Council voted 5-0 for the project.
Our program not only increased citizen awareness of the project, but it provided the appointed and elected officials with the "political cover" they needed to make the right decision.
Proof of the effectiveness of our program occurred at the City Council election a few months after the vote. All three of the incumbent Councilmembers were re-elected by substantial majorities despite leaders of the anti-oil coalition running against them.
In 2013, 63 percent of Los Angeles voters approved Proposition D, which granted limited immunity to 135 medical marijuana dispensaries. Since the passage of Proposition D, more than 1,000 illegal operators have impacted neighborhoods. Many of the illegal locations were opened within close proximity to schools, churches and parks-and few, if any, illegal dispensaries pay state and local taxes.
This led to the creation of the United Cannabis Business Alliance (UCBA), formed with over twenty-five of the Proposition D compliant medical marijuana dispensaries operating legally within the City of Los Angeles. Besides being the interim executive director for UCBA, Englander played a direct role in placing Proposition N on the city ballot. Our scope included developing a full campaign from signature gathering to fundraising. We also lobbied the city on behalf of UCBA, in order to keep the council informed of what UCBA was doing and to prepare for the city's next steps.
Within six weeks, UCBA needed to obtain over 100,000 valid registered voter signatures. To ensure UCBA reached their goal. UCBA collected over 124,000 signatures and Proposition N was placed on the ballot for March 2017. UCBA ended up abandoning support for this measure to support the City's own measure, which was placed on the ballot by the City Council. Although Proposition M was not authored by UCBA, they believed supporting the city was important. Proposition M was passed overwhelmingly by voters.
LegalZoom charged Englander and his team with launching their website and providing ongoing Public Relations services.
Englander had to immediately create interest in LegalZoom at a time when Internet companies faced credibility and efficacy challenges. Despite the lack of viable online legal competitors, LegalZoom.com still had an uphill battle overcoming the tarnished image of the industry.
The demise of the dot-com economy posed both obstacles and benefits for a start-up like LegalZoom. On the one hand, media attention on failed dot-corns was abundant; on the other, showcasing a new, credible dotcom could attract the media looking for a positive piece on the industry. Englander considered it critical to make LegalZoom distinct from the failed dot-corns and position it as a credible online company.
Because of media pessimism and the growing focus away from start-ups, Englander knew the site needed to be dramatic and eye-catching in its media outreach activities. To catch the attention of the media, Englander and Shapiro disseminated a "LegalZoom Justice Court Summons". The personalized summons, which had the look and feel of an actual court summons, ordered members of the media to appear before the LegalZoom Justice Court to preview LegalZoom before the site went live.
Upon getting the attention of the media, the team embarked upon a media outreach campaign - setting up interviews for Mr. Shapiro and the LegalZoom management team. At Internet World, Englander secured one-on-one interviews with editors both on the floor of the event and at a LegalZoom sponsored Los Angeles Lakers Media Event.
LegalZoom made a huge splash. Over 250 print outlets covered the launch of LegalZoom.com including The New York Times, Business 2.0, Fortune Small Business, Fortune, Associated Press, Investor's Business Daily, San Francisco Chronicle and Atlanta Journal Constitution. National TV coverage included CNN, Fox News Live, Fox & Friends, Bloomberg TV, NBC and PBS, as well as local network affiliates in Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Dayton, Erie, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, Philadelphia, Raleigh and Toledo, among others.
The LegalZoom website hits increased 10-fold compared to pre-launch figures and site registrations more than quadrupled in the days following the launch. Since the launch, site hits and sales have held steady at 3-times the rate compared to pre-launch.
By the time Englander was hired to kill the project, the Bundy Village project had already been approved by the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and was on its way to approval by the City Council, with the backing of the local City Councilman.
Within 4 weeks, we developed more than 10,000 opponents to the project within Council District 11 and a small part of Council District 5. Of those 10,000, 4,000 agreed to place a lawn sign in their front yard. Our campaign had multiple elements, including mailers, telephone calls, walkers, a video went viral and was also screened for various homeowner and neighborhood council groups and an aggressive email campaign was developed.
A key element of the campaign was getting opposition signs on the lawns of as many homeowners as possible along the route that the Councilman took each day from his home to the freeway, and back again.
The Councilman who had previously supported the project reversed positions publicly declared his opposition to it.
The developer made every attempt to sway the Councilman and decided to delay the City Council hearing from July until October. Then, it was extended another 120 days as community pressure continued based on our campaign.
Then, the developer filed for bankruptcy to head off foreclosure of the property because of his inability to obtain entitlements. "For his part, Lombardi blames Kilroy for the vicious and well-funded fight, saying that lenders are scared off by the controversy. "Every lender we have dealt with has seen the 'Stop Bundy Village' signs," he says, referring to the signs that scattered across the entire Westside,” it was reported in the Los Angeles Times.
Browning Ferris Industries (BFI) wanted the City of Los Angeles' permission to reopen the City portion of Sunshine Canyon Landfill in the northern end of the San Fernando Valley. This would be a difficult proposition since incumbent Councilman had been successful in convincing a majority of the Council eight years earlier to close the landfill.
Tn order to develop a successful community relations strategy, Englander identified the saints," 'sinners,'' and “undecideds.” The process began by conducting a community assessment survey, Englander created a telephone survey that was cross matched with high propensity voters. Based on the survey’s results, Englander created and implemented a strategic plan that invited Valley residents to visit the landfill to see how a safe, environmentally friendly, and modern landfill is run and how it can help keep trash collection and disposal costs down.
A speakers bureau program was created, and presentations were made to numerous business, civic and homeowner groups in the Valley, promoting the tax savings benefits of reopening the landfill. Englander then created an outreach program in the San Fernando Valley that identified approximately supporters the Sunshine Canyon Landfill proposal. These residents responded favorably to various outreach efforts enabling the campaign to deliver support letters to Council offices at a ratio of 20-1 in favor of the landfill reopening. Englander also organized and executed a letters-to-the-editor campaign with our identified supporters and was successful in
securing favorable placement of a prominent op/ed pieces in local media.
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission approved BFI's Sunshine Canyon Landfill application. That approval came before the entire City Council later that year. Our identified supporters again demonstrated their support to the full council and the council approve Sunshine's application.
The Beverlv Hills City Council put a measure on ballot that would raise business. parking, and corporate taxes. The Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce was prepared to support this measure, with no organized opposition in their path.
Representing the interest of small businesses in the city, Englander was retained by a group of property owners who were concerned about the impact on their tenants. They had retained Englander less than 60 days before election day. The deadline to have a ballot argument against the measure had come and gone.
Using traditional outreach and campaign tactics, including a TV spot, direct mail, and an aggressive social media campaign, Englander was able to change the momentum. We were even able to convince the City Council not to withhold their endorsement of the measure they had put on the ballot. We also convinced the Chamber of Commerce to formally oppose the measure.
On election night, Measure E failed with 21% of the voters supporting it and 79% opposed.
For twenty years, Englander had led the public affairs team to develop the most significant real estate project in California, if not the nation.
Englander was originally retained by the initial developer to develop a communications and entitlement campaign for the develop of two mid-rise condominium towers on the site of the closing Robinson May department store in Beverly Hills. During the course of this initial engagement, the developers sold the property for a record $500 million to a London based development company. The entitlements were approved but soon after the developer went bankrupt, and the property was bought and sold by three different international funds.
The property was then sold to Chinese conglomerate Wanda who retained Englander to modify the entitlements to add a hotel to the project. Wanda also changed the name of the project to one that Englander developed: One Beverly Hills. Once again Englander led the public affairs team and successfully revised the entitlements. Shortly thereafter, the Chinese government ordered Wanda to sell their foreign real estate portfolio.
Alagem Capital purchased the property and developed a plan that encompassed the adjacent Beverly Hilton Hotel that they also owned. This new project, designed by Pritzker Prize winning firm Foster & Associates was modified and became two condominium towers 28 and 32 stories high along with a 9-story hotel. The plan also included a 10-acre botanical garden and ultra-luxury retail. Once again Englander led the public affairs team, and the project was approved by the City Council.
Cain International and OKO group took over the development of the property that is now branded by Aman. Englander remains the lead public affairs consultant for the project which is scheduled to open in 2028.
In 2008, shortly after the 9900/One Beverly Hills project was initially approved by the Beverly Hills City Council, the developers of the proposed Waldorf Astoria Hotel was also approved by the Council. However, this project proved to be more controversial, and a referendum was launched against it.
During the course of the 30-day signature gathering period, the developer’s initial consultants ran a “signature blocking” campaign that angered many people in the City. The opponents were able to gather sufficient signatures in June and an election was called to coincide with the Presidential election in November. Englander was retained as the lead consultant to run the campaign against the referendum.
Englander conducted numerous focus groups and surveys and developed a campaign to fight the referendum. All research showed that the election was going to be extremely close and every tool in Englander’s toolkit was used to educate, motivate, and activate voters. Extremely well-trained professional canvassers, social media, direct mail, cable TV and lawn signs were utilized in the upscale Beverly Hills community. Heavy emphasis was placed on absentee voters.
When votes were counted on election night it appeared that the opponents had won by about 250 votes, but there were still a couple of thousand votes left to be counted over a 30-day period. The Registrar of Voters announced new vote totals twice a week and the gap appeared was closing. At 5pm that evening the final results were counted and we defeated the referendum by 68 votes out of more than 12,500 votes cast on the measure.
Harvey Englander is a widely recognized authority in public affairs and crisis management whose insights are regularly featured across prominent local, state, and national media outlets. With decades of experience advising clients on complex political, regulatory, and reputational challenges, Englander is frequently sought after by journalists for his strategic perspective on high-stakes issues. His work and commentary have appeared in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, The Los Angeles Business Journal, and the UCLA Newsroom, underscoring his influence and leadership in the field.
“This is how politics used to be,” Democrat Harvey Englander said after sidling up to Republican Joel Fox. The two met through their work with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., a spawn of the Proposition 13 taxpayer revolt, circa 1978.
Elected directors of the UCLA Alumni Association board [include] Harvey Englander, consultant. Englander earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA in 1972.
Boehly’s firm acquired the interest from Beny Alagem’s Oasis West Realty LLC, said Harvey Englander, a spokesman for Oasis. Alagem first bought a stake owned by 54 Madison Partners, Englander said. The sale values the complex at $1.2 billion
Harvey Englander is founding partner of Englander Knabe & Allen, the largest public affairs and lobbying firm in Southern California. Englander’s expertise includes creating and running political campaigns, developing public affairs campaigns, and creating crisis communications programs for companies and nonprofit organizations nationwide.
