Redefining lobbying.
Zektick + Company (Z+C) is a 100% woman-founded, owned and operated law and government relations consulting firm that bridges the gaps between the public and private sectors.
STORY 
Are we lobbyists?
Yes. Z+C follows in the footsteps of longtime Maryland lobbying firm Alexander & Cleaver, and we continue to receive mentorship and support from those who have practiced the art of lobbying since before that term bore any negative connotation.
But, no. To the extent “lobbying” refers to influencing, and “influencing” infers persuading in any way indirectly, subtly, or covertly… that’s not us.
Our advocacy is direct. Our efforts are transparent. We get our clients directly before the right decision-makers. We religiously abide by all applicable ethics laws and legal codes of professional conduct. We proudly boast whom we represent, and why. We loudly shout our clients’ interests from the government building rooftops.
We are negotiators. Liaisons. Translators. Ambassadors.
Call us anything you’d like. Call us to help you make change.
THE POWER OF 
Like our government affairs work, the + that runs through Z+C’s visual and written communication has a purpose. Its prominence reinforces a reverence to the idea that none of us alone has the power to make real change.
This principle plays out in our practice as we proactively seek the addition of partners, allies, coalitions, experts and validators that inform, amplify and empower client objectives.
Services results
State Legislative Advocacy
- Engage in annual strategic planning with clients to align business priorities and objectives with the legislative and political landscape
- Build coalitions to advocate with strength in numbers
- Craft policy, budget, and bond initiative structure and language
- Analyze and evaluate fiscal notes, state budgets, and legislative history
- Identify and engage key members and community leaders to champion legislative initiatives
- Negotiate compromises with legislative opponents
- Plan and execute Advocacy Days and other grassroots lobbying efforts
- Work with committee leadership and bill sponsors to identify opportunities within the legislative process
- Identify bills early on that may serve or harm client interests
State Administrative + Executive Advocacy
- Advocate for inclusion of funding in the Governor’s proposed annual budgets and departmental budget requests
- Facilitate client relationships with administrative agency decision-makers and gubernatorial staff
- Partner with the Governor’s office on proposed legislation
- Identify targeted purchasing opportunities
- Conduct outreach to the Governor’s Office, cabinet members and key staff members on viable contracting opportunities
- Negotiate proposals and critical contract terms with procurement agents, drawing upon creative contracting opportunities such as piggybacking, cooperative purchasing, sole-source, and cost-neutral/non-exclusive options to the state
- Argue for and against contract awards before the Maryland Board of Public Works, with key staffers and through formal testimony at Board meetings
- Draft and lobby for regulatory fixes
Local Government Representation
Clients 
Partners
- Okta
- Oracle
- Security Industry Association
- Zero Trust Coalition
- BusPatrol
- Aetna
- Inframark
- Maryland State Bar Association
Energy & Environment Section Council - Frankford Towing, Inc., et. al.
- RIVUS Engineering
- K & K Adams, Inc.
- Maryland Coalition Of Families
- Tusk Philanthropies
- Time to Care Coalition
- Fair Funding Coalition
- Fight For Fifteen Coalition
- Maryland Rise
- Baltimore Collegetown Network
Our Expertise
Barbara Zektick, Esq.
President + CEO
Barbara brings over fifteen years of experience in government relations and as a practicing attorney for a variety of public sector clients. Barbara has served as a trusted advisor on legal, policy, procurement, and government relations issues to Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, various Baltimore City cabinet members and elected officials and all of Maryland’s 24 counties as the Associate Director of the Maryland Association of Counties.
After receiving her law degree from the American University Washington College of Law, Barbara worked for the Maryland Department of Transportation managing multimillion-dollar real estate joint development projects, and on passing key pieces of legislation prioritized by the Governor’s administration. Barbara later went to serve the City of Baltimore, where she represented the Department of Transportation on legislative issues before the Maryland General Assembly and City Council of Baltimore.
Barbara served as Acting Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and Operations in 2012, overseeing the Baltimore Police, Fire, Public Works, General Services, Information Technology, and Transportation departments; offices of Emergency Management and Criminal Justice; Parking Authority and the Environmental Control Board. She also served as Acting Deputy Director of Transportation in 2013, before appointed to the new position of General Counsel. In that role, Barbara managed the Department of Transportation’s government relations, legal matters, and the Right of Way Division, a new division to the department with approximately 40 employees.
Barbara subsequently joined the Maryland Association of Counties, where she represented counties on procurement, fiscal, taxation, finance, and transportation matters before the General Assembly. In that role, she saved counties tens of millions of dollars by advocating against unfunded mandates and significant cost shifts. She also worked closely on passing the first piece of legislation since the Great Recession to restore deeply missed transportation funds to local governments.
Barbara served as an attorney and Director of Government Relations for Alexander & Cleaver, P.A., before working closely with firm leadership to spin off Z+C in 2020.
Barbara is a member of the Maryland Bar Association. She has served as a Dean’s Fellow at the American University Washington College of Law and Mayor’s Fellow with the City of Baltimore and graduated from the Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary’s Leadership Development Program. She holds a B.A. in Writing Seminars from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law. She is currently a founding member and general counsel for the Matt Trone Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to eradicating heart disease.
State Law Resources
Z+C is the Maryland firm selected by the prestigious State Law Resources, Inc. (SLR) network for our abilities in handling administrative, regulatory, and government relations matters throughout the state. Our clients may utilize this network for access to our counterparts throughout the United States, and Z+C can act as a national coordinating advisor for multi-jurisdictional government relations matters upon request.
