Ben Branham

Ben Branham is the Chief Operations Officer and Managing Director of Pythia, one of New York's leading public affairs strategic consultancies, where he oversees all aspects of the business and leads a number of campaigns on notable policy issues in New York City and New York State -- ranging from transportation and economic development to affordable housing and hospitality. Ben is also an adjunct lecturer at Baruch College’s Marxe School of Public & International Affairs, where he teaches a course for the Executive MPA program on the craft and structure of effective argument.

He previously served as Chief Communications Officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where he led all marketing and communications functions and drove the comprehensive rebranding of the bi-state agency.  In doing so, aside from the many fire drills and crises that came his way -- from emergency landings and severe storms to personnel controversies and the Covid-19 pandemic, he unabashedly fell in love with the new and improved LaGuardia Airport and led the rollout of its new terminals among many other transportation infrastructure projects across the region. His background spans the public, private, and non-profit sectors where he has been fortunate to navigate the intersections of policy, infrastructure, innovation and sustainable growth. Branham formerly served in several senior roles in the administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, including as Chief Strategy Officer of the City’s Economic Development Corporation.  He also was Executive Vice President of Edelman’s New York office, where he advised foundations, institutions, and Fortune 500 companies. He lives in Brooklyn with his family.