Former California Sen. Laphonza Butler brings her expertise in political strategy, labor leadership, and public service to global consultancy firm Actum L.L.C. as a partner, according to a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Butler will be tasked with growing the firm’s impressive global client portfolio. After taking over for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the former senator became increasingly prominent in the political spotlight. Alongside a career as a trusted advisor to several elected officials, such as former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Butler also served on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016.
While working with the former first lady, Butler set her sights on becoming an advocate for transformative public policies, coinciding with staying committed to representation for underserved communities and equity. Such vision made her the perfect candidate to join a firm like Actum. “We are thrilled to welcome Senator Butler into the partnership,” said Managing Partner Fabian Núñez.
“Her leadership, strategic vision, and depth of experience in navigating complex political landscapes will be a tremendous asset to our firm and our clients, helping to deliver innovative and results-driven solutions that have defined Actum.”
Fellow partner Kirill Goncharenko shared the same excitement but touched on her will to turn policy into progress, labeling her as a “ game-changer,” echoing the title of “Champion of Change” given to her by the first Black president of the United States, Barack Obama.
For Butler, becoming a partner at Actum is just another chapter to her robust story. “Joining Actum represents an exciting opportunity to continue the work I’ve dedicated my life to — bringing people together to solve big challenges,” she said. “Actum’s commitment to delivering meaningful outcomes aligns perfectly with my approach to leadership, and I’m thrilled to work alongside this talented team to help our client achieve their goals.”
The announcement comes after a week of battles between Democrats and Republicans following the transition between the Biden-Harris administration to the Donald Trump-J.D. Vance team. After a short stint–14 months to be exact — in Washington, D.C., Butler told Rolling Stone that she garnered several useful relationships and assisted with policies, but the main lesson learned was knowing when it’s time to walk away.
She said that’s something that many politicians don’t understand, including her predecessor, who died at 90 years old, still serving the Golden State, is “When is it time to go? I think it has to start with: ‘Whose power is it?’ Are you running for yourself, or are you serving the power of the people who elected you? Who trusted you,” she said. “And if at any point in time, you were no longer able to exercise fully the power that they — not you, but they — have, it’s probably time to have that conversation, right, with yourself, with your family, with your colleagues.”
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