Brandon Garrett is a Partner at ECG with nearly 20 years of experience with Capitol Hill and campaigns. During his tenure, Brandon amassed significant expertise in issue areas involving foreign affairs, healthcare, economic development, disaster recovery assistance, tax, financial services, and appropriations. He also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the National Minority Quality Forum where he has managed the team and led in the organization's quadruple grown in revenue and staff.
He served as Chief of Staff to Representative Robin Kelly (IL-02), who is currently a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. During his tenure, Brandon led a 22-person official staff and 100-plus person campaign staff on such matters as political strategy, public policy, and communications. Brandon also served as Executive Editor of the 2015 Kelly Report on Health Disparities in America and as Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Health Braintrust.
Immediately preceding his work with Representative Kelly, Brandon served as then-Vice President Joe Biden’s policy director and political advisor during the 2012 Obama-Biden re-election campaign. During that time, he worked on public policy, debate preparation and rapid-response communications and traveled with the current President across the nation. He also worked with the intergovernmental affairs team with state and local leadership on policy priorities at every level of government.
As the Policy Director under the Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Brandon was the lead on economic development issues and served as the Executive Editor for the CBC’s Budget Commission Report on Economic and Wealth Development. He also led the policy priorities and business development efforts for the CBC’s For the People Jobs Initiative—a national tour focusing on practical policy solutions to improve the nation’s employment rate, under the leadership of House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (CA-43). Finally, Brandon worked with the then-CBC Chairman Cleaver on issues specific to the Committee on Financial Services including housing and project finance.
He served as the first Legislative Director to then Representative—now Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge (OH-11). As Legislative Director, Brandon established Representative Fudge’s legislative shop; managed the office’s economic development, infrastructure, and housing portfolio; and helped shape the congresswoman’s district outreach and successful reelection campaigns. He was instrumental in her work on economic development and housing issues in Ohio as it was at the epicenter of the recession.
Originally from the Greater New Orleans area, he began his work with his hometown Congressman William Jefferson (LA-02) Brandon sits on the Board of Trustees of Xavier University of Louisiana, He has received numerous awards for his work in business and public policy including the CBC Foundation’s Health Staffer Award, Congressional Staff Association’s Leadership in Public Policy award, 114th Congress Stennis Fellow, Top 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health and Fund II Foundation Outstanding Leader Award.
