Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Thursday he has chosen Susan Kennedy to serve as his senior counsel for external affairs to represent the city’s interests in Montgomery.
Woodfin described Kennedy as “a seasoned lobbyist with extensive experience working with the Legislature and state agencies.”
“Susan offers the city a wealth of experience, with more than 25 years of direct legislative experience and a demonstrated history in work related to economic development, public budgeting and tax policy,” Woodfin said. “She lives in Birmingham, she understands the city’s needs, and she has the relationships and skills to serve us well.”
As a consultant and lobbyist, Kennedy has worked with local governments, Fortune 100 companies and high-functioning nonprofits, and “she has a record of working with multiple stakeholders to find creative policies and solve stubborn problems,” Woodfin’s press release shared.
Most recently, Kennedy played a key role in the creation of the Alabama Childcare Tax Credit, working with the Women’s Foundation of Alabama to promote tax credits that encourage expansion of child care and allow employers to provide child care options for their workers. The tax credits passed in 2024 as part of Gov. Kay Ivey’s workforce package and were designed to remove one of the chief employment barriers for women.
“When you can work within the political system to meet the needs of real people, businesses and governments, you can make a lasting difference,” Kennedy said. “Mayor Woodfin already has a proven track record of finding innovative solutions, and I am deeply honored and excited to be a part of this exceptional team. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve the people of Birmingham.”
Kennedy was most recently a senior advisor at Levitate Legal and Consulting and also founded Kennedy Consulting. She has previously worked as a lobbyist in Montgomery, a government relations and education funding manager at the Alabama Education Association, and as general counsel at the Alabama Department of Revenue.
She has a degree in economics from Emory University and also graduated from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law.
She and her husband, Randal, live in Norwood.
