The degree is more than a brand, it’s a skill set and a network.
“In the state legislature, someone could write the best, most reasoned, analytical memo, and it is still possible nothing will come of it because the lawmakers don’t want to do anything that’s going to jeopardize their re-election,” reflected Franklin Esson (MPP ‘08).
Esson put his policy skills to use in a variety of New York state government roles before moving into lobbying, where he now drives change from outside the government. Throughout his career in different committees, he applied what he learned at the Ford School to issues ranging from financial fiscal policy to energy and health care.
He points out that “the degree is more than a brand, it’s a skill set and a network,” and credits the Ford School's strong analytical curriculum for helping land his initial Ways and Means Committee role.
Later, as director of the New York State Senate’s Higher Education Committee, Esson was involved in a project he is still incredibly proud of: working on legislation concerning sexual assaults on college campuses. “We held hearings, meeting with government affairs representatives from colleges, chancellors, and even presidents of certain campuses, to hear their perspectives,” said Esson. He also met with advocacy groups, including survivors of sexual assault and defense attorneys. Ultimately, the legislation reformed the campus sexual assault process to ensure universities and colleges complied with Title IX’s requirements to investigate and adjudicate cases of sexual assault. The bill also instituted requirements like campus climate surveys, tightening a process that had previously been inconsistent across institutions. This was an impactful experience for Esson not only because of the issue’s importance, but also because it was a largely bipartisan effort at the time, with the Me Too movement spurring significant media attention and legislative urgency. “Being able to help shape this legislation to impact nearly all college campuses in New York State was a big accomplishment,” Esson shared.
But Esson also noticed that good, thoughtful bills could stall. This forced him to look more deeply into the politics of policymaking. “I admit that when I first started my career, I was only focused on the analysis. “I hadn’t fully absorbed the lessons from Ford’s PubPol 510 ‘Political Environment of Policymaking’ course,” he said.
In his position now as a lobbyist with the New York State Association of REALTORS ®, he takes the political environment seriously. “When you understand the politics, it prepares you to lobby for good policy that helps consumers and businesses alike,” explained Esson.
Esson has found that some of the most successful lobbying happens by building broad coalitions. “You have to work at building partners—sometimes with people or organizations you might never expect to be on the same side,” he said. Recently, Esson was part of a coalition for the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) in New York that passed this year after three or four years of advocacy. The coalition included tenants’ groups, landlord groups, and large commercial stakeholders—groups that often find themselves at odds. “People think these groups are always fighting—and sometimes they are—but every now and then, they get together and say, ‘This is something we need.’ Lawmakers love to see that level of consensus,” he noted.
Alongside being a good coalition builder, “the best lobbyist is an educator,” Esson says. Lobbyists’ role is to educate people and help them develop an understanding about issues. “People think lobbyists are always going in to talk with a lawmaker with an ask, but nine times out of ten, we’re educating them about an issue,” he explained. Lawmakers are generalists; for example, there are 20–30 committees in the New York Legislature, with each lawmaker serving on five or six committees. To educate effectively, a lobbyist must build trust not only with lawmakers but also with their staff. “You can’t be a good lobbyist without being reliable and trusted on the inside. The real goal is to be ‘that person’ who gets called when a question comes up about your issue.” Esson adds, “When I first meet with someone, I try to build rapport—maybe by talking about my background in the Assembly and Senate, or as a New Yorker. It matters, especially with newer staff.”
Esson now strongly believes that you can often have as much or more impact working outside of government as a lobbyist, particularly when you harness networks and coalitions to push for meaningful change.
“Unless you’re an elected official—and even then, your influence is limited—it’s sometimes the outside actors who can have the biggest impact,” he reflected.
His gratitude for the Ford School and the support he received during his time there led him to serve on the Alumni Board. “I wanted to support the school in a service and advisory role, building on my experiences to give back to the program.” He hopes his work helps the school continue to thrive and adapt.