New York, NY – Today, SKDK announced a number of promotions to the senior leadership team, including a DC Chief of Staff, three Managing Directors and three Executive Vice Presidents. Together with the firm’s partners and current leadership, these new senior executives will focus on overseeing and growing the firm’s diverse portfolio of public affairs and cause-oriented clients.
“The talent at SKDK is unmatched and I have never been prouder of the team than I am today,” said CEO Josh Isay. “Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, the individuals we are promoting today have continued to deliver exemplary work for our clients and be leaders at the firm. I look forward to the year ahead with this roster of talented communicators.”
This week, the Observer named SKDK one of the top PR firms in America, citing its work advocating for President Biden’s climate agenda with the political advocacy organization Climate Power; representing more than 1,000 victims of the Boy Scouts seeking justice for alleged abuse; and partnering with New Yorkers United for Justice to reduce incarceration and racial justice in the parole system.
The senior leadership promotions are as follows:
Cameron French takes over as the new DC Public Affairs Chief of Staff, the first person of color to hold the position. French, who continues to serve as a Senior Vice President in Public Affairs has been with the firm since 2018 where he has led teams across sectors in technology, housing and progressive advocacy. He previously served as a senior spokesperson for the Biden-Harris Transition and worked as an Obama appointee including time at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and with the 2008 and 2012 Obama-Biden campaigns.
Michael Czin has been promoted to Managing Director in the DC office. Czin has been with the firm since 2016, where he has helped clients navigate complex crises and led campaigns for progressive advocates, companies and trade associations. Michael recently returned to SKDK after taking a leave of absence to serve as a Senior Advisor in the White House Counsel’s Office. He previously served as DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s communications director, and as national press secretary for the Democratic National Committee.
Kendra Barkoff Lamy has been promoted to Managing Director in the DC office. Lamy joined SKDK in 2016 after serving as press secretary to then-Vice President Biden. While at SKDK, Lamy has worked on a number of high profile matters ranging from climate change and Native American issues to government whistleblower cases, as well as representing victims of sexual assault and abuse. More recently, she served as senior adviser to Administrator Regan at the Environmental Protection Agency during a leave of absence from the firm.
Devon Puglia has been promoted to Managing Director in the New York office. Previously the Communications Director for Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy, Puglia has been with the firm since 2018 and leads political campaigns, education projects, and public affairs accounts, advising Governors, elected officials, advocacy campaigns, and education leaders nationwide on communications.
Liz Kenigsberg has been promoted to Executive Vice President in the DC office. Kenigsberg has been with the firm since 2015 and runs public affairs and crisis communications for a diverse portfolio of clients, with an emphasis on cybersecurity and technology. She previously worked on Capitol Hill, campaigns and with the Office of the First Lady.
Alex Bloom has been promoted to Executive Vice President in the New York office. Over the past five years with SKDK, Bloom has led a broad range of public affairs campaigns and crisis engagements, working closely with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Win, Open Society Foundations, the Hewlett Foundation, and Columbia Business School. He has a background as a newspaper reporter and has worked on multiple New England political campaigns.
Stephanie Reichin has been promoted to Executive Vice President in the New York office. Reichin, who continues to serve as NY Public Affairs Chief of Staff, has been with the firm since 2015 leading public affairs campaigns and profile elevation efforts for a broad range of nonprofit, philanthropic and arts and culture clients including The Rockefeller Foundation, the National Institute for Reproductive Health, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Shed, Girls Who Code, Girl Scouts, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
About SKDK
SKDK is a top national communications and political consulting firm bringing unparalleled strategic communications experience to Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, philanthropic organizations and labor unions, as well as political committees and candidates. With offices in Washington, New York, Los Angeles and Albany, SKDK offers strategic support to managing a crisis, protecting a brand, advocating an issue or winning an election.
In 2020, SKDK was a key advisor to the Biden for President campaign and helped to make history by electing Joe Biden as President of The United States and Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black, Asian-American and first woman, as Vice President. SKDK has won the Holmes Report’s influential North America Public Affairs Agency of the Year multiple times and was recently listed by the Observer’s as one of the best public relations firms in America for 2022.
To learn more about SKDK, visit our website at www.skdknick.com. SKDK is a proud member of The Stagwell Group, a collaborative group of agencies who are out to “reinvent the holding company,” according to the Wall Street Journal. The Stagwell Group portfolio includes more than a dozen best-in-class, digital-first agencies who are focused on what modern CMOs need. Learn more about Stagwell at www.stagwellgroup.com.