Erin Hammond joins Brown and Weinraub after serving as Director of External Affairs at the Office of Cannabis Management. 

Erin brings with her a diverse background working across State agencies and in the Governor’s Office. Bringing with her 15 years of experience in state agency operations Erin’s unique insight on state operations make her an invaluable advocate for organizations and businesses across New York State. 

Beginning her state career in the Governor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Erin has worked closely with agencies across State government and developed effective working relationships with their executive and operational staff. Through her work at the Executive Chamber, Erin was able to identify a role in the Health Department that matched her skills in state operations with her passion for health care. 

Joining the New York State Department of Health in 2008, Erin was able to quickly establish herself as a smart, effective resource for programs across he Department. She worked in a variety of positions in the Governmental and Public Affairs Department of the Department of Health (DOH) eventually serving as a primary point of contact between DOH and the Governor’s Office. During theCOVID-19 pandemic, Erin worked as part of the Governor’s Office and DOH, taking on increased responsibilities to coordinate with other state agencies, assist in fiscal planning in response to the pandemic, and collaborating on statewide initiative to promote equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. At DOH, Erin also participated in the development of strategic communication planning, creation of annual legislative priorities, and a range of activities designed to effectively integrate external feedback in the work of DOH. 

Following her time at the DOH, Erin was afforded the unique opportunity to serve as the first Director of External Affairs for the newly created NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). In this role, Erin was able to be a foundational part of the development and implementation of OCM’s work and goals. Erin created the OCM External Affairs Unit, worked to establish communication between industry partners and agency staff, and participated in the development and launch of OCM’s first set of comprehensive cannabis regulations.

Erin looks forward to bringing her passion and experience to the team at Brown& Weinraub. Erin has been a life-long advocate for health equity - spending over 10 years working for St. Peter’s Health Partners as an advocate for elderly patients, Erin knows first-hand the impact of health policy on patients and their families.

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