Redefining lobbying.
Zektick + Company (Z+C) is a 100% woman-founded, owned and operated law and government relations consulting firm that bridges the gaps between the public and private sectors.
Story
Team
Work
STORY 
Zektick + Company (Z+C) is a 100% woman-founded, owned and operated law and government relations consulting firm that bridges the gaps between the public and private sectors.
Are we lobbyists?
Yes. Z+C follows in the footsteps of longtime Maryland lobbying firm Alexander & Cleaver, and we continue to receive mentorship and support from those who have practiced the art of lobbying since before that term bore any negative connotation.
But, no. To the extent “lobbying” refers to influencing, and “influencing” infers persuading in any way indirectly, subtly, or covertly… that’s not us.
Our advocacy is direct. Our efforts are transparent. We get our clients directly before the right decision-makers. We religiously abide by all applicable ethics laws and legal codes of professional conduct. We proudly boast whom we represent, and why. We loudly shout our clients’ interests from the government building rooftops.
We are negotiators. Liaisons. Translators. Ambassadors.
Call us anything you’d like. Call us to help you make change.
THE POWER OF
Like our government affairs work, the + that runs through Z+C’s visual and written communication has a purpose. Its prominence reinforces a reverence to the idea that none of us alone has the power to make real change.
This principle plays out in our practice as we proactively seek the addition of partners, allies, coalitions, experts and validators that inform, amplify and empower client objectives.
Services results
State Legislative Advocacy
- Engage in annual strategic planning with clients to align business priorities and objectives with the legislative and political landscape
- Build coalitions to advocate with strength in numbers
- Craft policy, budget, and bond initiative structure and language
- Analyze and evaluate fiscal notes, state budgets, and legislative history
- Identify and engage key members and community leaders to champion legislative initiatives
- Negotiate compromises with legislative opponents
- Plan and execute Advocacy Days and other grassroots lobbying efforts
- Work with committee leadership and bill sponsors to identify opportunities within the legislative process
- Identify bills early on that may serve or harm client interests
State Administrative + Executive Advocacy
- Advocate for inclusion of funding in the Governor’s proposed annual budgets and departmental budget requests
- Facilitate client relationships with administrative agency decision-makers and gubernatorial staff
- Partner with the Governor’s office on proposed legislation
- Identify targeted purchasing opportunities
- Conduct outreach to the Governor’s Office, cabinet members and key staff members on viable contracting opportunities
- Negotiate proposals and critical contract terms with procurement agents, drawing upon creative contracting opportunities such as piggybacking, cooperative purchasing, sole-source, and cost-neutral/non-exclusive options to the state
- Argue for and against contract awards before the Maryland Board of Public Works, with key staffers and through formal testimony at Board meetings
- Draft and lobby for regulatory fixes
Local Government Representation
Z+C enjoys strong relationships with leaders of Maryland’s 24 counties, school systems, and hundreds of municipalities. We understand local government operations and keep our finger on the pulse of political activity at the county and city levels. We provide ordinance drafting and advocacy before county and city councils, particularly concerning land use, development, infrastructure, and social policies that impact funding, public safety, health, and social justice. We adeptly navigate purchasing opportunities with local governments and cooperatives comprised of local governments.
Clients Partners
We speak government. We speak it on behalf of organizations from locally-owned small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations, and from individual philanthropists to national trade associations. We build bridges between the public and private sectors, because neither can solve our public policy challenges alone. Our current client list includes:
Government Innovation
- Okta
- Oracle
- Security Industry Association
- Zero Trust Coalition
- BusPatrol
Transportation & Sustainable Infrastructure
- Inframark
- Maryland State Bar Association
Energy & Environment Section Council - Frankford Towing, Inc.
- RIVUS Engineering
- K & K Adams, Inc.
Nonprofits
- Baltimore Collegetown Network
- Tusk Philanthropies
- Time to Care Coalition
- Fair Funding Coalition
- Fight For Fifteen Coalition
Team Expertise
Barbara Zektick, Esq.
President + CEO
Barbara@zektick.com
Barbara brings over fifteen years of experience in government relations and as a practicing attorney for a variety of public sector clients. Barbara has served as a trusted advisor on legal, policy, procurement, and government relations issues to Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, various Baltimore City cabinet members and elected officials and all of Maryland’s 24 counties as the Associate Director of the Maryland Association of Counties.
After receiving her law degree from the American University Washington College of Law, Barbara worked for the Maryland Department of Transportation managing multimillion-dollar real estate joint development projects, and on passing key pieces of legislation prioritized by the Governor’s administration. Barbara later went to serve the City of Baltimore, where she represented the Department of Transportation on legislative issues before the Maryland General Assembly and City Council of Baltimore.
Barbara served as Acting Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and Operations in 2012, overseeing the Baltimore Police, Fire, Public Works, General Services, Information Technology, and Transportation departments; offices of Emergency Management and Criminal Justice; Parking Authority and the Environmental Control Board. She also served as Acting Deputy Director of Transportation in 2013, before appointed to the new position of General Counsel. In that role, Barbara managed the Department of Transportation’s government relations, legal matters, and the Right of Way Division, a new division to the department with approximately 40 employees.
Barbara subsequently joined the Maryland Association of Counties, where she represented counties on procurement, fiscal, taxation, finance, and transportation matters before the General Assembly. In that role, she saved counties tens of millions of dollars by advocating against unfunded mandates and significant cost shifts. She also worked closely on passing the first piece of legislation since the Great Recession to restore deeply missed transportation funds to local governments.
Barbara served as an attorney and Director of Government Relations for Alexander & Cleaver, P.A., before working closely with firm leadership to spin off Z+C in 2020.
Barbara is a member of the Maryland Bar Association. She has served as a Dean’s Fellow at the American University Washington College of Law and Mayor’s Fellow with the City of Baltimore and graduated from the Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary’s Leadership Development Program. She holds a B.A. in Writing Seminars from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law. She is currently a founding member and general counsel for the Matt Trone Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to eradicating heart disease.
Erin Sher Smyth, Esq., CPPO
Procurement Consultant
Erin@zektick.com
Erin joined the Z+C team in January 2022 and hit the ground running by advising clients on procurement-related matters, including complex issue resolution, contract negotiation, solicitation requirements, and equity program compliance. She also reviews all legislation and regulation pertaining to procurement matters. As Deputy Director of the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Special Projects, she spearheaded and quarterbacked significant reform of a number of critical public safety communications and information technology projects. For nearly 15 years, Erin held increasingly substantial roles overseeing Baltimore City’s procurement, culminating in her service as the City’s Chief Procurement Officer from 2017-2020. She holds a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore.
Calvin Hallman, Jr.
Operations Manager
Calvin@zektick.com
Calvin brings over eight years of political, government and financial sector experience to the Zektick team. He studied Political Science and Government at the University of South Carolina, where he served in student government as Deputy Secretary of Government Relations. Since then, Calvin has worked in various positions throughout Maryland including for the Mayor of Baltimore, the Baltimore City Council, Jim Shea’s gubernatorial campaign and the President of the Maryland Senate before joining the private sector.