Drew Wilson
Corcoran Partners on Thursday cut the ribbon on a new St. Petersburg office and brought on Helen Levine to run the ship.
“Our team prides itself on providing focused and exceptional service for our clients on a broad range of issues and funding requests. The addition of our fourth office reflects the high degree of importance we place on St. Petersburg and Pinellas County and Helen Levine is the right person to lead our firm’s expansion and growth in the area,” said founding Partner and CEO Michael Corcoran.
“Her integrity and commitment to excellence are second to none. Helen’s respect for all stakeholders on both sides of the aisle, her persuasive problem-solving abilities, and her love of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County truly made her the only choice for us.”
Levine comes to the firm with more than 30 years of experience in local government, higher education and the nonprofit sector. She most recently served as regional Vice Chancellor of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, where she oversaw the school’s government relations until her retirement in August 2020.
“I am pleased and honored to lead the St. Petersburg office of Corcoran Partners where the tradition of client-centered service, deep and enduring relationships, and impactful outcomes will continue to be the hallmark for our existing and new clients. I am grateful to Mike and Jessie (Corcoran) for their trust and confidence and look forward to a very productive and successful 2022.”
As Vice Chancellor, Levine had a presence in Tallahassee every Legislative Session and in committee weeks and earned a reputation as a staunch policy wonk. In addition to working on issues related to USF, she made herself familiar with various other topics in state politics, a skill which made her a formidable and respected force.
Near the end of her tenure, she helped the school navigate the USF system’s legislatively mandated consolidation process, removing USF St. Pete’s independent accreditation and shifting back under a singular accreditation with the USF Tampa parent campus and the Sarasota-Manatee regional campus.
Before coming to USF, Levine held positions within St. Petersburg city government and at the City University of New York.
In a news release announcing her hire, St. Petersburg Rep. Ben Diamond lauded Levine as “an extraordinary community leader, passionate advocate and pragmatic problem solver” and said her hire “clearly demonstrates the firm’s commitment to effectively advocating for organizations in the nonprofit and education sectors, especially those serving residents in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County, and the entire Tampa Bay region.”
