HOW'D YOU GET HERE?
I’d like to say my route to the communications agency world was all part of some meticulously designed master plan. In reality, it was pretty atypical and not for the faint of heart—through journalism, teaching, living abroad, academia, politics and the nonprofit and public sectors.
Looking back, each of those experiences have helped me navigate a job I’m very lucky to have, a daily opportunity to bring together my passions for education, policy, messaging and campaigning. I’m always learning and doing new and exciting things as we help folks who care deeply about our nation’s kids and their future tackle important challenges.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Since joining the firm’s PreK-12 Education practice eight years ago and now as its Managing Partner, I’ve assisted a wide range of range of nonprofit organizations, foundations, corporations and government agencies from the federal to school district level. I’ve also moonlighted as a member of the Prince George’s County (Md.) school board, a regular columnist for the National School Boards Association’s flagship magazine, and adjunct professor at American University (education policy) and the George Washington University (strategic communications).
My circuitous professional career began reporting for the Philadelphia Inquirer and legendary columnist Jack Anderson, and included stints as an ESL/bilingual instructor in the Atlanta Public Schools, Fulbright scholar in Chile and APSA Congressional Fellow on Capitol Hill. I cut my strategic communications teeth at the National Education Association, its Maryland affiliate, and other associations and campaigns. And I get a kick out of being perhaps the only communications person in D.C. who both holds a Ph.D. (in Political Science) and is fluent in Spanish.