Steve’s career spans well over 20 years of government relations and public affairs experience. He was the 2014 Democratic Nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, which made him the youngest African American to win a statewide primary in Texas.
He began his career at The White House as an intern in the Office of Legislative Affairs. He assisted that division in their efforts to advance President Clinton’s congressional priorities.
After moving back to Houston in 1998, he joined the staff of U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and later became the budget analyst for House Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Sylvester Turner. After leaving Turner’s office, he joined the Texas Medical Association. There, he is credited for establishing TMA’s legislative key contact and “First Tuesdays” programs (which still exists today).
In 2003, he joined the American Heart Association – Texas Affiliate as its Vice President of Public Advocacy. There, he guided AHA through one of its best legislative sessions, and was recognized as one of the most influential non-profit lobbyists in 2005 and 2007.
As a result of that success, Stephen launched Capital Assets, A Full-Service Public Affairs firm, which specialized in lobbying, issue campaigns and public relations. In that role he was involved in numerous statewide lobbying efforts which resulted in the appropriations of over $30 million from state revenue for his clients. He has represented the Easter Seals, American Heart Association, Houston METRO, the Environmental Defense Fund and served as the public affairs strategist to the CEOs of the Houston, Dallas and Austin branches of the National Urban League (NUL).
Steve later started Capital Assets Sustainable Energy Development and Public Affairs, LLC to help bridge the “Green Divide” by expanding access to renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions. Capital Assets achieves this through the development of PACE, utility-scale solar projects and advancing access to electric vehicles. He served on President Barack Obama’s National Solar Partnership, the Solar Energy Industries Association’s Finance Initiative committee and was on the Executive Board of SPEER. In recent years, Steve has worked closely with the Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club, Environment Texas, the NAACP and Public Citizen on environmental justice issues.