KO was founded by two of Maryland’s most effective political and public affairs strategists to combine communications and government affairs in a one-stop shop – bringing campaign tactics and focus to public affairs.

We combine unparalleled intelligence and insight about current governmental attitudes and initiatives, with a proven public and private-sector track record of designing and implementing successful strategies to achieve even the most complex, difficult objectives. 

Principals:

Steve Kearney            Damian O’Doherty










STEVE KEARNEY

Steve Kearney has been described by The Baltimore Sun as part of "O’Malley’s tight inner circle,” who “played a major role in Governor Martin O’Malley’s political ascent over the past decade,” according to The Washington Post. Most recently, he served as the Director of Communications in the Governor’s office.

Previously, Kearney served as O’Malley’s Director of Policy & Communications in the Mayor’s Office, and as a top strategist on his campaigns “at the center of O’Malley’s political rise from city councilman to mayor to governor,” in the words of The Baltimore Sun. In 2006, O’Malley was the only challenger in America to beat an incumbent governor.

During the 2002-2003 crisis in the Catholic Church, Kearney left City Hall to become Cardinal William Keeler’s Communications Director, serving on the Archdiocese’s Management Committee and helping to craft a nationally recognized response that was lauded by USA Today as: “a needed model on how to rebuild trust.” The Baltimore Sun wrote: “The intervening months… have seen Keeler move from a reluctance to publicly address the issue to become the churchman most cited as an example of openness and transparency.”

Prior to joining then-Mayor O’Malley in City Hall, Kearney was Director of Public Relations for Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand – one of Washington’s top three lobbying and law firms – specializing in crisis management and issues campaigns. And he served as a top aide to Congressman James Hayes (D-LA) in his personal office and on the staff of the House Science Committee.

Kearney lives in Baltimore with his wife Christina and their two children. He is a parishioner at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. He graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with a degree in Government.

Civic Involvement
Board of Directors, Partners in Excellence – providing Catholic school scholarships to at-risk Baltimore children: www.pieschools.org.

Catholic Charities Marketing & Communications Advisory Board: www.catholiccharities-md.org.

DAMIAN O’DOHERTY

In one year, O’Doherty has built a high-profile lobbying and public affairs practice, counseling clients on matters relating to state and local government and development. 

Previously, he served as Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith’s top advisor. The Baltimore Examiner dubbed him “one of the rising stars in state political circles” and noted the he served Baltimore County “as a critical link to the O’Malley administration.”

O’Doherty began his career as a staffer in the Senate of Maryland for two consecutive Majority Leaders and was among the youngest ever to be appointed as Counsel to the Senate of Maryland (Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee) at age 25.

He later went on to serve as General Counsel and Vice President of Government Affairs for the Mid-Atlantic’s largest real-estate trade association, GCAAR, where he led a successful coalition of interests to build a $2.4 billion highway in Suburban Washington. He also ran the highest performing political action committee for the National Association of Realtors.            

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