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JOEL EPSTEIN
Education
Benjamin N. Cardozo
School of Law, J.D.
University of Michigan, B.A.
Notable Experience
Accelerator for America
Brooklyn Community
Services
Los Angeles Metro
The Wonderful Company
The Resnick Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
Honors
Southern California
Journalism Awards,
Los Angeles Press Club,
Best Individual Blog
Streetsblog Los Angeles,
Best Online Columnist
Housing Authority of the
City of Los Angeles,
Award of Recognition
City of Los Angeles,
Certificate of
Appreciation
Board Memberships
The Resnick Foundation,
Former Board Member
California Center for Public
Health Advocacy,
Former Board Member
Streetsblog Los Angeles,
Former Board Member
Publications
Author of articles, opinions pieces and a book.
Teaching
Education Law & Policy,
Boston College Graduate
School of Education
(2003)
Bar Admissions
California
Massachusetts
Washington, DC
Languages
Spanish and French
speaker
Community Involvement
Super Steward, New York
City Parks Department
Johns Hopkins University,
Covid-19 Contact Tracing
Certificate, June 2020
PROFILE
Award-winning communications and campaign strategist focused on transit, infrastructure finance and government.
Public affairs, media relations, issues advocacy, business evangelist, writing.
EXPERIENCE
Communications Strategy | New York & Los Angeles | 2003 — 2005, 2009 — Present
Principal
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Writing an independent analysis for Accelerator for America of five cities’ (Cincinnati, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa
and Washington, DC) approaches to passing a local transit infrastructure funding measure similar to Los
Angeles County’s Measure M transportation sales tax.
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Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Los Angeles Metro, 2016-Present.
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Advisor to Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) on programming, major gifts, strategy and operations.
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Advisor to Adopt a Highway Maintenance Corporation on opportunities with New York City Transit, MTA.
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Stringer, New York Times.
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Hired by Los Angeles Metro to write How to Pass a Mega Transportation Measure - Los Angeles County's
Lessons Learned, an oral history of the no sunset transportation sales tax. Published in 2018, the Measure M
report is a playbook for transportation agencies, cities and state legislatures interested in learning from Metro’s
successful campaign to secure funding for L.A. County’s transportation infrastructure.
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Outreach, communications and campaign evangelist and manager for L.A. Metro's Measures M and J, and in
support of improved public transit in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere.
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Corporate communications and campaign advising to promote business for Munger Tolles & Olson LLP,
OUTFRONT/JCDecaux, UCLA, HNTB, Latham & Watkins, the ULI Los Angeles, Public Health Advocates, the Los
Angeles Department of Public Health and others; writing, social media, and PR.
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Advisor to the Annenberg Foundation, Lynda.com and others on philanthropic giving, operations and employee
engagement. Managed the Foundation’s environmental portfolio, started an online and brick and mortar store
for the Annenberg Space for Photography and advised Foundation trustees on overhaul of Annenberg Learner.
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Informed readers about employee engagement, transportation and business innovation in Asia, Europe, Latin
America, the Middle East and North America through writing for HuffPost and other publications.
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Experience managing employees and consultants and in project management.
The Wonderful Company (Roll Global LLC) & The Resnick Foundation | Los Angeles | 2005 — 2009
Director of Charitable Giving & Political Director
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Created and managed the operations of the employee and community engagement program at The Wonderful
Company and ran The Resnick Foundation. Helped raise corporate profile and achieve measurable results in
employee recruitment and retention for the $4B global holding company and its subsidiaries in agricultural and
consumer product goods.
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Built and managed a unique, bilingual English/Spanish employee giving program serving 3,500 employees in
10 countries. Grew participation from zero to 98 percent and $2.4 M; directed distribution of $16M in grants;
administered the proceeds of a $25 M legal settlement to 15 international organizations and charities.
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Set performance metrics, directed development of communications plans and counseled C-level executives
on meeting community investment objectives.
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Vetted thousands of proposals in the education, health, arts, environmental and biomedical fields. Helped create a
company-founded college preparatory charter school in Delano, CA.
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Furthered The Wonderful Company’s business goals by leveraging my professional relationship with
a Former Ambassador and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative to initiate discussions about the export
of California pistachios to Asia and the Middle East.
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Vetted political candidates; ran a fundraising event targeting California growers to support the
campaign of Iowa Senator and farm bill author Tom Harkin.
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Crisis communications advising on criticism from environmentalists about the export of bottled water from
Fiji to North America, Europe and Asia and animal testing of a company product.
Education Development Center, Inc. | Boston & Los Angeles | 1996 —2003
Director of Special Projects
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Advised university attorneys, risk managers, college administrators, parents, students and others on legal and
policy matters and operations.
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Crisis communications advising to colleges and universities.
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Proposal writing and project management, business and partnership development.
Abt Associates Inc. | Cambridge, MA | 1992 — 1996
Analyst
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Directed research studies on best practices in social policy and environmental enforcement. Studied police
department and prosecutors office operations.
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Coauthored monographs on health, housing and criminal justice policy for policy makers, prosecutors and law
enforcement.
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Project management, proposal development.
1987 — 1992: Worked as an associate and practiced law in California and Massachusetts.