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Kathleen Brown

Partner
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

A former California State treasurer with nearly two decades of experience as a senior bank executive, Kathleen Brown concentrates on business counseling, government and regulatory affairs in connection with the healthcare, energy, real estate and financial services industries.

Prior to joining Manatt, Kathleen served in senior executive positions at Goldman Sachs Inc. and Bank of America. At Goldman Sachs, where her roles included chairman of Midwest investment banking and head of the Western region public-sector and infrastructure group, Kathleen participated in over $4.2 billion of water and power bond financings and counseled municipal utilities in California in their efforts to meet the state’s renewable energy standards. She also helped healthcare institutions navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by healthcare reform.

A former Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee, Kathleen has extensive experience in the public sector. As California State treasurer, she managed a $25 billion bond portfolio, oversaw a $32 billion cash management fund and served as a trustee on the boards of CalPERS and CalSTRS, two of the largest pension funds in the nation.

Kathleen served as co-chair of the Council of Institutional Investors; co-chair of the Presidential Commission on Capital Budgeting; a commissioner of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works; and a two-term member of the Los Angeles Board of Education.

Prior to her campaign for treasurer, Kathleen was an attorney at a global law firm, where she was a member of the capital markets group working in public and corporate finance.

Education

  •  Fordham University Law School, J.D., 1985
  •  Stanford University, B.A., History, 1969

Memberships and Activities

  •  Admitted to practice in California and New York (inactive)

Corporate Boards

  • Director, Five Point Holdings
  • Director, Sempra Energy
  • Director, Stifel Financial Corp.
  • Former Director, Forestar Group
  • Former Director, Renew Financial

Non Profit Boards

  • Member, Investment Committee, Annenberg Foundation
  • Chair, Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles
  • Advisory Member, Stanford Center on Longevity
  • Member, The Trusteeship
  • Former Member, The California Endowment
  • Former Member, California State Chamber of Commerce
  • Former Member, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
  • Former Member, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Former Member, 2024 LA Olympic Bid Committee
  • Former Member, National Park Foundation
  • Founding Director, Women’s Foundation of California

Honors and Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2021
  • “The Los Angeles 500 Most Influential People,” Los Angeles Business Journal, 2016, 2017, 2018 and
  • 2019
  • Most Valuable State Official, City And State, 1993
  • “Breaking The Glass Ceiling Award,” Women Executives in State Government, 1994
  • “Lifetime Achievement Award,” Women in Public Finance, 2009
  •  “Women To Watch In 2011,” Crain’s Chicago