Damian O’Doherty, a longtime figure in Maryland’s political and public-affairs circles, has launched a new venture, O’Doherty & Associates marking a break from the firm he co-founded nearly two decades ago, KO Public Affairs.

In a statement announcing his departure, O’Doherty said that after 17 years helping to build KO, “the canvas in public affairs has changed.” The new firm, he said, will focus on helping leaders, institutions, and innovators “gain resonance in the AI epoch,” combining expertise in law, influence, media, and capital strategy.

O’Doherty described O’Doherty & Associates as a “family of firms” spanning Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Colorado, with operations extending globally. The company includes a Maryland-based law practice, an Aspen influence and public-affairs agency, and a global capital network. Among its core offerings is Health Counsel, a practice that advises healthcare executives on policy and strategy.

The move marks a pivot for O’Doherty, who over the years has helped shape some of the region’s most visible projects—from healthcare advocacy and infrastructure expansion to economic development around the Port of Baltimore and the D.C. Beltway. He was also an early investor in MGM National Harbor and a driving force behind affordable housing initiatives for firefighters in Aspen.

“The boxing gloves that built KO don’t fit what’s next,” O’Doherty said, emphasizing that today’s public-affairs landscape demands “new tools, sharper instincts, and a broader canvas.”

From statehouses and health systems to data centers and global markets, O’Doherty said his new firm aims to guide leaders through an era where artificial intelligence and human storytelling are reshaping influence itself

“Firms must be fit to fight for a new future,” he said. “This next round starts now.”

The post Public-Affairs Veteran Damian O’Doherty Launches New Firm Focused on AI-Era Leadership and Influence appeared first on citybiz.

This contant was orignally distributed by citybiz. Blockchain Registration, Verification & Enhancement provided by NewsRamp™. The source URL for this press release is Public-Affairs Veteran Damian O’Doherty Launches New Firm Focused on AI-Era Leadership and Influence.