Aoife McCarthy is an experienced communications strategist who specializes in developing tactical plans, messaging, and narratives that resonate with policy-minded audiences.
She brings over 15 years of experience to SKDK, leading strategy, creating messaging and content, and building sustainability and economic impact value into the thinking, decisions, and practices at Obama for America, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, the Global Climate Action Summit, as well as several private sector entities.
Most recently, Aoife headed federal policy communications at Instacart, where she led national communications to educate stakeholders on policy, regulatory issues, and legislation. During her tenure at Instacart, Aoife designed a federal legislative playbook and state-by-state tactics, producing tailored strategies that included the California Proposition 22 narrative.
During the Obama administration, Aoife served as the director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy, where she was the lead advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Energy on all strategic communications issues, as well as message development in key subject matter areas. In this capacity, Aoife also managed the department’s press rollout for the Iran nuclear negotiations and the COP21 Paris climate talks.
She also served as the communications director at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York. There, she oversaw the press and public diplomacy section of the mission and the messaging surrounding the long-term communications priorities of the administration.
Before joining the government, Aoife provided counsel to clients as part of a political consulting firm, focusing on reputational crises. Aoife was also a reporter for POLITICO as part of the team that launched the publication and wrote for National Journal’s Hotline, a daily political briefing, where she served as poll editor and wrote a weekly column analyzing national and state poll trends.
Aoife’s career started in conducting opposition research for political campaigns across the country and writing direct mail, for which she earned two Pollie Awards from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC).
Aoife holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and an MBA from Presidio Graduate School, with a focus on sustainable solutions.
A native of Ireland and a Boston area transplant, Aoife now resides on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
