For Immediate Release: September 13, 2010
Contact Information: Jessica McCreight [email protected] (202) 464-6900
Emily Lenzner Joins SKDKnickerbocker Enhances Firm’s Expanding Public Affairs and Communications Practice
Washington DC & New York, - September 13, 2010 – SKDKnickerbocker, one of the leading strategic communications firms in Washington DC and New York, today announced that Emily Lenzner, will join the firm as Managing Director.
Lenzner joins the firm, which has been aggressively expanding its communications and public affairs practice, from ABC News, where she has been running media relations and strategic communications for programs “Nightline” and “This Week” and the network’s Washington bureau. A Washington native, Lenzner’s career has spanned the worlds of politics and media from the Clinton White House and New York politics to broadcast news and the entertainment and digital media industries.
“SKDKnickerbocker is delighted to welcome Emily and her talents as we further develop our public affairs practice – offering clients consistent hands-on engagement and full service public affairs capabilities,” said Josh Isay, Managing Director of SKDKnickerbocker. “Emily’s diverse experiences across the private and non-profit sectors combined with her strategic sensibility and expertise working with high profile figures will further enable us to offer diversified solutions for corporate, non-profit and crisis clients facing multiple challenges.”
The announcement follows the return of Principal Anita Dunn, who had recently been on leave from the company to serve as President Obama’s Communications Director. Lenzner will join one of the most experienced teams of high-level strategists in the country led by Bill Knapp, Dunn, Hilary Rosen, Chris Cooper, Jay Marlin, Jim Mulhall, Karen Olick and Alex Slater in Washington DC; Isay, Jennifer Cunningham and Stefan Friedman in New York.
More on Emily Lenzner Emily Lenzner has spent most of her career in media and politics with an expertise in strategic communications and media affairs. Most recently Emily served as the Executive Director of Media Relations for ABC News in Washington, where she was responsible for all public relations and communications for This Week with Christiane Amanpour, Nightline, and ABC’s Washington Bureau. In this role, she managed all PR for Ms. Amanpour and previously Jake Tapper and George Stephanopoulos; Nightline’s current anchors and previously Ted Koppel; as well as ABC News’ political and DC-based on-air talent. Emily took a year off from ABC to run media relations for National Public Radio in Washington, where as the number two communications executive for the network, she established new procedures to make the company’s media relations efforts more streamlined and effective. Emily returned to ABC In 2007 to serve as George Stephanopoulos’ editorial producer on This Week for eight months in 2007 and 2008 before returning to ABC’s communications department. Prior to her first tour at ABC, Emily was an account director at Fenton Communications in New York, where she managed clients, including off-shore wind power company BlueWaterWind and Russell Simmons and Andrew Cuomo’s partnership to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws. She was the press secretary for Tom Golisano during his 2002 campaign for New York Governor. From 2000-2002 Emily ran communications for instant messaging software tools company, ActiveBuddy. Emily’s entrée to the public relations sector was at Robinson, Lerer & Montgomery, where she was a Vice President working directly for president Ken Lerer on various media accounts, including AOL and Viacom. She previously worked in Hollywood for Diane Keaton and her production company, assisting the actress/director and her executive producer with script and project development. From 1995 to 1997, Emily was the associate producer for the News at Noon at KIRO TV in Seattle. Before that she served as a White House staff assistant to George Stephanopoulos, when he was senior advisor to President Bill Clinton. Emily was an original founder and board member of the International Organization for Adolescents (http://www.iofa.org), an NGO committed to the health and well being of adolescents around the world and with a focus on stopping adolescent trafficking. Emily received a B.A. in English from Vassar College and lives in Washington, DC with her husband and son (age 2) and part time with her three step-children (ages 15, 10, and 9). More on SKDKnickerbocker
SKDKnickerbocker offers national and international companies, advocacy organizations, associations and non-profits a range of integrated communications services provided by hands- on leaders in their fields:
Full-service public affairs/public relations capabilities; Public opinion and elite research; Crisis communications services; Branding and re-positioning counsel; Creative paid media and media buying operations; Direct Mail strategies.
Founded more than two decades ago, SKDKnickerbocker has grown to become a leading strategic, political and corporate communications consulting firm. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, SKDKnickerbocker provides a depth of service that is second to none. Our clients range from Fortune 10 companies, the world’s leading politicians to public interest groups and non-profits. Our communications strategists have an unparalleled breadth of experience and a track record of success.
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