About Us
K. Brinkman & Associates
Practices in all areas of public policy at the state, local and federal levels. Founded over 45 years ago, our firm has keen knowledge of how government works and how best to advance our clients’ goals with the legislative and/or executive branches of government. We value bipartisanship, maintaining solid relationships with members of both political parties.
K. Brinkman & Associates are very proud of our sterling reputation for integrity and honesty with all that we do. Our clients will find us to be highly responsive to client concerns and to work tirelessly on their behalf.
K. Brinkman & Associates can provide immediate access to influential public policymakers and can help develop concrete strategies for successful outcomes. To continually monitor all legislative activity, we employ a sophisticated computer tracking system that delivers real-time information.
Kristen Brinkman Tell
Kristen Brinkman is no newcomer to the public policy arena in Ohio. In fact, it could be said that she was a lobbyist before she could walk. She was born into a lobbyists’ family, her father Thomas Green having enjoyed a highly successful Ohio lobbyist career for over 45 years.
In fact, Kristen started working political campaigns when she was still in grade school. A 1992 graduate of Ohio University with a degree in Political Science, Kristen went to work for Speaker Jo Ann Davidson as an aide and campaign manager. Kristen was chosen to be the Legislative Assistant and District Aide when Mrs. Davidson was elected Speaker of the Ohio House in 1994.
In addition to her work for Speaker Davidson, Kristen’s background includes working for the President of the Ohio Senate, Paul Gillmor, and Legislative Page in the Ohio Senate.
Her lobbying career started in 1996 when she was named Legislative Director of the Ohio Homebuilders Association. Two years later, she joined her father’s firm, by then one of the most successful independent lobbying firms in Ohio. She was eventually promoted to Vice President of the firm and later its President.
Kristen’s success as a lobbyist and business leader was recognized by Columbus Business First, when the newspaper selected her to be on of their “Forty Under 40” executives, an annual tribute to young business leaders in the Central Ohio area. Kristen currently serves on the Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s Public Affairs Committee, is a board member of Children’s Hunger Alliance, serves by gubernatorial appointment on the Ohio Hepatitis C Advisory Commission, and is on the advisory board for the Support Our Troops national organization. Kristen also serves as an advisor to the Chi Omega National Fraternity and is active in the Kiwanis Club of Granville.
Family History
Advocacy and public policy work is deeply imprinted in K. Brinkman & Associates thanks to Thomas C. Green — a friendly and familiar face on Capitol Square for decades and a giant in the lobbying community — Tom Green provided unique insight and terrific guidance for his daughter, Kristen, to use as she forges relationships and successes for all K. Brinkman & Associates clients.
Thomas C. Green
A registered legislative and executive agency lobbyist for over 45 years, Tom began working with Ohio lawmakers in 1970 as Manager of Governmental Affairs at Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc. Later, he was promoted to Director of Governmental Affairs for Columbia Gas’ seven-state distribution operations.
In 1978, Tom joined Kent B. McGough & Associates, one of Ohio’s first independent lobbying firms. He served as Vice President of the firm, which had among its clients the campaign committee of Governor James A. Rhodes, Timken Company, 3M and Ohio Bell Telephone Company. The firm also was a highly successful manager of statewide issue campaigns.
When a consent decree broke up AT&T and the Bell Companies in 1983, Tom accepted the challenge to help rebuild AT&T’s lobbying team. He helped create the AT&T Midwest Government Affairs Operation, hiring governmental affairs professionals in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio. Tom became Director of Governmental affairs for the State of Ohio. In 1986, he was elevated to Regional Vice President of AT&T, having responsibility for all public affairs and regulatory activities for the States of Ohio and Indiana.
Tom started his own lobbying firm in 1991 and built it into one of Ohio’s premier independent lobbying companies. He has repeatedly earned the recognition from political leaders and peers alike for his effective advocacy on behalf of clients. He served several years as Director of the Ohio Lobbying Association and was its President in 2000. In a recent survey of lobbyists and members of the Ohio General Assembly by an independent research firm, Tom was voted Most Effective Independent Lobbyist in Ohio.
Tom is a member of the Perry County Republican Central Committee, and serves on the government affairs committees of both the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. Before becoming a lobbyist, Tom was a newspaper reporter for the Youngstown Vindicator and served as a staff writer and Assistant News Editor of the Meadville, PA Tribune. Tom currently serves as a Senior Consultant with K. Brinkman and Associates.