Jack O'Donnell

Jack O'Donnell leads O'Donnell & Associates as Managing Partner, and his Buffalo-based firm's fingerprints have been on several of New York's highest-profile investments. The firm helped secure historic SUNY funding, including major state support for the University at Buffalo that reinforced its role as home to Empire AI, New York's public artificial-intelligence computing consortium — an initiative Governor Hochul has continued to expand statewide. O'Donnell & Associates also helped deliver a $2.3 billion railcar contract that retained and created jobs across the state, while guiding transformative cultural investments, including local, state, and federal funding for the $220 million Buffalo AKG Art Museum expansion and the $115 million Strong Museum's Neighborhood of Play, as well as funding wins for UB's James Joyce Museum and the American Museum of Natural History.

That range of work traces back to a career built at the intersection of politics and policy. Before founding O'Donnell & Associates, O'Donnell spent more than a decade as a partner at one of New York's largest public affairs firms, and earlier held senior positions for U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and served as Senior Policy Advisor to the New York State Comptroller — experience that now informs a client roster spanning Fortune 200 companies, biotech startups, nonprofits, and labor unions. As the firm's own nomination put it, that track record reflects "the growing number of businesses, institutions, and organizations that trust our team to deliver results," including continued advocacy for New York's health safety-net organizations and essential community services.

O'Donnell is also the author of "Bitten by the Tiger," the true story of Gov. William Sulzer, the only New York governor ever impeached, and a contributing author of "Impeachment." He's been named a rising leader by both Buffalo's Business First and City & State, one of New York's top 20 political strategists, and to the Albany & Upstate Power 100 lists. A Canisius College and SUNY Buffalo Law School graduate, he's also served as an adjunct faculty member at Canisius, founder of the Transplant Miracles Foundation, and held board and trustee roles with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, and the Buffalo Police Foundation. He and his wife, Marina, and their children, Thomas and Elsie, divide their time between Buffalo, Albany, and New York City.