Jacob is a seasoned communications professional and advisor with nearly 15 years of journalism, governmental, and political campaign experience at the local, state, and federal levels. He’s been at the forefront of some of the biggest news stories of our time and has helped elected officials, candidates, and organizations successfully navigate historic crises and reputational threats that garnered significant media attention.
Jacob joins SKDK as Vice President of Public Affairs from Capitol Hill, where he served as Communications Director for U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres of New York. In this role, he managed all communications efforts for one of the country’s most fast-paced, press-intensive congressional offices and executed an aggressive media strategy that resulted in significant coverage of key legislative priorities.
Previously, Jacob held senior communications roles for Trudy Busch Valentine, the Democratic nominee in the 2022 Missouri Senate race, more than 30 circuit and associate circuit judges in the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of the State of Missouri, and for Lyda Krewson, the first woman ever elected Mayor of the City of St. Louis, where he was the chief spokesman for 22 executive branch departments comprising of 6,500 municipal employees.
Prior to his work in politics and government, Jacob honed his skills as a gifted storyteller and communicator working as a local television news reporter and anchor in markets large and small across the country, from Peoria, Illinois to Boston. Having worked on both sides of the camera, he truly understands how to craft a compelling message that gets to the heart of an issue and resonates with authenticity and impact.
For his on-camera work and in-depth, investigative reporting, Jacob has been nominated for more than 10 regional Emmy awards, winning in 2015 and 2019.
A proud Midwesterner at heart who now calls Washington, D.C. home, Jacob is a native of the St. Louis metro and a graduate of Illinois State University, where he majored in broadcast journalism.
