Category: News

WASHINGTON- Seven Letter, a full-service strategic communications firm with offices in Washington and Boston, has announced the addition of Drew O’Brien to their leadership team. O’Brien will be taking on the position of partner at Seven Letter’s Boston, MA location.

O’Brien brings with him an extensive background working in both the private and public sectors. His most recent role was at Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW), where O’Brien led the firm’s business throughout the Northeast region as executive vice president and managing director. O’Brien also served as president of Direct Impact, BCW’s grassroots communications and advocacy practice.

Prior to entering the private sector in 2016, O’Brien’s public sector experience included work in the US State Department as Secretary John Kerry’s special representative for global partnerships. Throughout his tenure at the State Department, O’Brien dealt with outreach to private companies and NGOs as the Office of Global Partnerships played a key role in the US Water Partnership, the Secretary’s Our Oceans Conference, the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and the US response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa in 2014.

“As far as strategic communications advisors go, there is no one better than Drew O’Brien,” said Seven Letter’s founding partner and CEO Erik Smith. “Drew’s background in the private and public sectors, and his intimate knowledge of the integral elements of communications and advocacy strategy make him a tremendous asset to both the clients with whom we partner and our internal team. Many of us have known Drew for decades and now we are thrilled to welcome him as a teammate and colleague.”

Seven Letter is a member company of PPHC, the Public Policy Holding Company.  

Read more about this story in PR Week and POLITICO Influence.

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Previously, Mathias was Chief of External Affairs at the National Park Foundation. At NPF he was responsible for the government relations, marketing and communications functions; and was also responsible for the Foundation’s advocacy, advertising, marketing and PR programming, including digital strategy and brand development. Mathias also served in various roles at Ogilvy from 1995 – 2017, including CEO of Ogilvy PR North America. In addition, Mathias was founder and president of Channel Rock Strategic Advisory.

Forbes Tate Partners is a bipartisan, integrated full-service public affairs consultancy specializing in government relations, traditional and digital communications, grassroots advocacy and third-party coordination, insights and polling, coalition management, and business development. FTP Is a wholly owned subsidiary of Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (PPHC)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Forbes Tate Partners (FTP), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (PPHC.L), today announced the addition of Shanita Penny as Senior Vice President to its public affairs and cannabis practices. Penny brings extensive experience working as a cannabis professional, small business advocate, and an entrepreneur who has played a crucial role in helping reform cannabis laws and advance equitable policies. She will continue as a Senior Advisor to the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR), which represents issue experts and a vast group of stakeholders from regulated industries committed to establishing a responsible and equitable federal regulatory framework for cannabis in the United States.

“I can’t think of a better time to welcome a supply chain expert and small business advocate like Shanita Penny to the Forbes Tate team,” said Founding Partner Jeff Forbes. “Her vast knowledge on emerging markets, consumer safety, and competition policy is a boon to our clients as they navigate today’s rapidly changing economic environment. I’m also looking forward to the work she will continue to do on reforming cannabis at the federal level and advancing FTP as a thoughtful leader in this space.” 

“I’m excited to be joining Forbes Tate’s accomplished team during an explosion of support for cannabis reform at both the state and federal level,” said Shanita Penny. “As conversations about federal cannabis regulation progress, I’m eager to provide our clients the counsel necessary to successfully navigate this dynamic landscape. I also look forward to broadening the firm’s reach and shaping responsible policies for businesses and consumers alike.”

Before joining FTP, Penny served as President of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) where she advocated for social equity policies in the industry, such as increasing diversity, expanding equal access, and promoting economic empowerment in communities most impacted by the war on drugs. She has lobbied on Capitol Hill with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) to help reform federal cannabis laws. She founded a boutique cannabis consultancy, Budding Solutions, to help clients establish and scale compliant, successful cannabis businesses. She also co-founded DocHouse, a craft cannabis cultivator and manufacturer acquired by Ayr Wellness. Penny currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Sensible Markets and on the Advisory Board of Regennabis, and Shoki Beverages. 

Shanita Penny is internationally recognized for her prowess in management consulting, having spent over a decade assisting Fortune 500 companies improve business performance. She holds an M.B.A. from the University of Baltimore and Towson University where she was a Wright Global Scholar. She earned her B.S. in Transportation and Logistics Management at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.

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Forbes Tate Partners is a bipartisan, integrated full-service public affairs consultancy specializing in government relations, traditional and digital communications, grassroots advocacy and third-party coordination, insights and polling, coalition management, and business development. FTP Is a wholly owned subsidiary of Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (PPHC)

WASHINGTON – Forbes Tate Partners (FTP), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (PPHC.L), announced today the addition of Dr. Christy Gamble as Senior Vice President to lead the firm’s Research and Policy Analysis department. Dr. Gamble brings tremendous experience in strategic policy research to Forbes Tate and has done extensive work on Capitol Hill and across the country to reduce health and economic disparities for marginalized communities.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Gamble’s insights and expertise, and we welcome her to the team,” said FTP Founding Partner Jeff Forbes. “Our research department is an integral part of our team, providing the latest information we and our clients need to successfully advance important policy objectives. She is a strong leader who brings with her the tools needed to provide our clients every advantage possible in a very complicated legislative landscape.”

“I’m looking forward to joining the talented team at Forbes Tate Partners in their Government Relations practice and leading the firm’s Research and Policy Analysis division,” said Dr. Gamble. “Advancing our client’s policy priorities requires creative solutions and an exceptional understanding of the political and policy dynamics impacting not just Capitol Hill and the administration, but also statehouses across the country. That’s why I’m excited to contribute my unique background and experiences to support and amplify the strategic goals of our clients in today’s political environment.”

Prior to joining Forbes Tate Partners, Dr. Gamble served as the Director of Research, Policy, and Practice at HUED, a startup focused on connecting marginalized patients of color to culturally competent medical providers in their communities. Dr. Gamble also worked as the Head of Policy and Strategy for two non-profits aimed at advancing health equity for marginalized communities. She has served as the Democratic Health Counsel for the then Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

She was also selected as a National Minority Quality Forum’s 40 Under 40 Leader in Health, deemed an expert with the Allies for Reaching Community Health Equity Expert Network, and named the Duquesne University School of Law 2016 Recent Graduate of the year. Additionally, Dr. Gamble has written several op-eds that were featured in U.S. News and World Report, ABC News, The Hill, Rewire, and TruthOut.

Dr. Gamble earned her JD from Duquesne University School of Law; she also holds a DrPH in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and an MPH in epidemiology and biostatistics from Eastern Virginia Medical School. She received a BS in microbiology from North Carolina State University.

Five Hires Bolster New Offerings and Expand Creative Capabilities in Washington and Boston Offices

WASHINGTON, DC – (March 10, 2022) – Seven Letter, a full-service strategic communications firm with offices in Washington and Boston, today announced the launch of an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practice that will focus on developing and implementing ESG strategies that align with and support existing business and reputational objectives. Additionally, the firm has expanded its corporate communications offering to support both public and private companies in their efforts to reach existing and prospective investors, sector analysts and the financial media in the form of financial communications and investor relations.

The addition of two new partners, Scott Deitz and Meaghan Hohl, along with Christian Rodriguez, Macsonny Onyechefule and Jesse Rogers, will be integral to the expansion of the firm’s offerings.

“A commitment to ESG has become table-stakes for our clients – it is no longer an exception, but the rule,” said founding partner and CEO Erik Smith. “Our clients demand communications strategies that deliver on their commitments to their customers, their shareholders, policymakers and other stakeholders. Establishing this ESG practice is a natural expansion for our firm. Aligning our clients’ external communications with their business goals is central to every one of our engagements. Our new colleagues know the importance of this moment in our industry and they bring tremendous experience and talent to our team.”

Scott Deitz, a 30-year corporate communications veteran and certified ESG Practitioner joining the firm as a Partner, is working alongside the firm’s senior leadership to grow its corporate communications practice and launch the ESG practice. Also joining the firm as a Partner to support this growth is Meaghan Hohl, an accomplished public affairs professional with over 20 years of experience in the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors, most recently at Fidelity Investments and the JFK Library Foundation, and an MBA in International Business and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Deitz comes to the firm most recently from Kontoor Brands (Wrangler, Lee), a public company spun off from global apparel and footwear sector leader VF Corporation (The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Dickies, JanSport, SmartWool and Supreme) in 2019, where he served as Vice President of Corporate Relations and Vice President of Public Affairs, respectively. Previously, Deitz served as Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications at building materials and fiber glass reinforcements company Owens Corning. A recognized leader in corporate social responsibility, Deitz is a Certified ESG Practitioner as provided by the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence.

Hohl’s experience includes nearly a decade leading marketing and communications efforts across various business lines of Fidelity Investments, and several years as the Director of Awards and Special Projects at the JFK Library Foundation. Prior to her work with Fidelity Investments, Hohl served on the district, legislative and presidential campaign staffs of former Secretary of State and Senator John Kerry. She is a graduate of The George Washington University with an MBA in International Business and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Like Hohl, Christian Rodriguez and Jesse Rogers are joining the firm’s Boston office. Rodriguez joins as a Senior Manager from a leading Boston public relations firm that has a specialty in technology, where he developed a deep expertise in media strategy, particularly within the tech industry. Rogers, formerly with the Combined Jewish Philanthropies as a member of their strategy and impact team, joins as a Content Specialist.

Finally, with an eye towards continuing to enhance the firm’s creative offering, Macsonny Onyechefule, a communications professional with expertise in digital media, writing and video development, is joining as a Manager in the Boston office. With a master’s degree in Digital Media from Northeastern University, Mac will support both the firm’s creative and strategic communications teams.

“It’s an exciting time to be at Seven Letter. We are carefully expanding our practice to better tell our clients’ stories and setting the bar even higher for creative content development through our in-house digital, video and design capabilities. With Scott, Meaghan, Christian, Mac and Jesse joining our already deep bench of talented and experienced professionals, we are even better positioned drive client initiatives from ESG, to financial communications to digital media,” said founding partner David Di Martino.