07 Jan 2026
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Adds Mark Ritacco as Senior Advisor to Government Advocacy and Contracting Practice
"Manatt, Phelps & Phillips hires Mark Ritacco as Senior Advisor in its Government Advocacy and Contracting practice to work on federal advocacy, intergovernmental affairs and county government policy."
Ritacco brings nearly 20 years of federal policy and county government experience, with specialization in federal advocacy, intergovernmental affairs and public sector strategy. His focus areas include county government operations, multi-level policy coordination, bipartisan relationship building, coalition development and public-private collaboration, and he has subject-matter knowledge in mental health, artificial intelligence, infrastructure and public safety. While in the U.S. Senate, he managed the Appropriations Committee portfolio and developed a deep understanding of federal appropriations.
Prior to joining Manatt as Senior Advisor, Ritacco served as Chief Government Affairs Officer for the National Association of Counties (NACo), where he led federal advocacy on behalf of 3,069 county governments, engaged with Congress, the White House and federal agencies, and supported local leaders in accessing federal programs, grants and regulatory pathways. During his tenure at NACo he helped orchestrate the $65.1 billion federal investment in America's counties through the American Rescue Plan. He previously spent more than a decade in the U.S. Senate as Director of Strategic Initiatives for Senator Christopher Murphy and currently serves on the board of the Center for Civic Education. Ritacco earned his B.A. from the University of Maryland.