Steve Hansen has almost twenty years of experience navigating the complexities of state and local government policy making and politics. He specializes in advocacy, strategic planning, complex policy development, and targeted communications and marketing. With his thoughtful and disciplined approach, he resolves even the most complex challenges.

Steve served on the Sacramento City Council from 2012-2020. Steve has been a leading voice for smart growth, multi-modal transportation, public safety, economic development and innovation in government service. During his tenure, he served eight years as Chair and on the board of the Sacramento Regional Transit District, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, and the Sacramento Transportation Authority. He also served on the boards of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, the Midtown Association, the Broadway Partnership, the Sacramento History Alliance, the Sacramento Cable Commission, the Regional Sanitation District, Paratransit, Inc, and as chair of the Local Government Commission.

During Steve’s time on the Council, he passed key initiatives, such as building new arts and educational facilities, new street lighting, Vision Zero and complete streets policies, pro-housing YIMBY ordinances, increased protections for LGBT employees and residents, legalizing urban agriculture and urban farm stands, banning flavored vaping products, securing protections for tenants against excessive rent increases and unfair evictions, and working to bring new mobility options to Sacramento’s residents via microtransit, improved bus service, and shared-rideables. He worked tirelessly to reopen a local elementary school in the Central City. Other accomplishments include creating new and improving existing District 4 parks, working to build more affordable housing, investing in artists and the creative economy, and championing bike and pedestrian mobility projects.

Before joining Lighthouse Public Affairs, Steve served as Director of the Capital Center for Law & Policy at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, where he developed strategic initiatives, created an innovative social media campaign, and managed student and alumni public policy advocacy programs.

Steve spent eight great years as a Senior Regional Manager on Genentech’s State Government Affairs team with a variety of significant roles, including political and policy relations in 41 states with an expertise in health care law, technology issues, and business regulation. Prior to Genentech, he was Legislative Director for Equality California from 2004-2006, a statewide non-profit advocacy group for the LGBT community. In that capacity, he was responsible for policy development, direct, community, and grassroots advocacy, strategic planning, media, and budgeting. At Equality California, Steve oversaw the passage of 20 pieces of legislation over a three-year period. Although ultimately vetoed, this included the first-ever marriage equality bill to be passed by a state legislature.

Finally, Steve got his start as an Executive Fellow in the Secretary of the California State and Consumer Services Agency in the Davis Administration working on issues related to insurance, contracting, environmental stewardship, economic development, and the rights of crime victims.

Steve was honored in 2010 by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the “40 Under 40” for his community service and business work. Additionally, Steve has previously been involved in a variety of different organizations, including Secretary of the board of directors for CARES, a primary care clinic for people with HIV/AIDS, Secretary of the board of directors for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, a public-private partnership focused on improving Sacramento’s downtown community and business district, and service on the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund’s Campaign Board, which works to increase the diversity of elected officials at all levels of government.

Steve has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Gonzaga University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law with a certificate in Health Law & Public Policy, and is a member of the California Bar. He grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

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