Chris Bertelli Email and Phone Number

Bertelli Public Affairs is a strategic public affairs and communications firm committed to providing expert services to California education clients with a commitment to improving educational equity.-Leading public affairs and enrollment strategies for several Sacramento-area charter management organizations. -Designed and executed public relations, branding and marketing plans for a community college consortium project to highlight high school and community college participation in career pathways.-Managed crisis communications efforts for a Bay Area charter management organization threatened with closure.-Directed internal and external communications efforts for Southern California charter school threatened with charter revocation.-Led rebranding effort for two Sacramento-area public high schools as part of plan to increase enrollment.-Developed and executed a digital campaign strategy in Los Angeles to support the passage of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).-Launched and managed groundbreaking online strategy to close enrollment gaps at a Los Angeles charter management organization.-Developed unique digital political and advocacy tools for use by education-reform minded candidates and organizations to identify, organize and mobilize supporters.

Worked with six Teach For America (TFA) regions (San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Bay Area, Greater New Orleans and South Louisiana) to design and execute communications strategies and tactics.-Wrote comprehensive strategic communications plans for TFA regions, including specific media goals, objectives and metrics.-Executed on regional strategies by drafting press releases, op-eds, talking points and other communications collateral, pitching stories to the media and serving as media point person in each region.-Managed crisis communication plan development and implementation in regions with issues likely to result in negative media attention.

Summary: As Executive Director, I was responsible for the administration of more than $12 million in foundational and Federal grant funds for use for and on behalf of four California charter management organizations, encompassing 86 schools. The College - Ready Promise uses these funds to help the organizations implement new teacher evaluation systems, align supports to the evaluations, implement compensation systems aligned to the evaluations and develop new career pathways for highly-effective teachers.Specific duties and accomplishments:* Oversaw the implementation of a multimillion dollar grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to improve teaching effectiveness in 86 schools managed by four Charter Management Organizations (CMO) across California* Developed and implemented strategies that support the CMOs’ development of teacher evaluation and supportsystems* Managed multiple staff members and vendors* Managed Bill & Melinda Gates and federal grant compliance and reporting processes* Created and managed organizational budget* Achieved more than a half million dollars in savings through the development of in-house capabilities* Worked with other California education advocacy organizations to design and implement effective advocacy and communications strategies, including the defeat of weak teaching effectiveness legislation in 2012 (AB 5)* Represented The College-Ready Promise in the media and at education industry gatherings* Developed agenda for and managed regular meetings of The College-Ready Promise Board of Directors

Summary: Started the advocacy and communications operation for The College-Ready Promise from scratch, with an initial focus on strengthening internal communication capabilities and planning for external engagement.Specific duties and accomplishments:* Performed internal and external communications needs assessment and made recommendations for communications programs and improvements.* Drafted and managed the production of comprehensive teacher guidebooks that were branded and tailored for each CMO to explain the implementation of new teacher development systems* Developed comprehensive external communications plan* Developed relationships with other education reform organizations such as Teach Plus, Communities for Teaching Excellence, Parent Revolution and Education Trust-West to broadly communicate the groundbreaking work of The College-Ready Promise CMOs* Led the design of The College-Ready Promise website* Designed and drafted communications collateral and media materials for use with key audiences and stakeholders

Summary: Helped manage clients and business development activities for a nationally-recognized public relations firm that specializes in representing charter schools and other education-reform minded organizations.Specific duties and accomplishments:*Worked with the president to identify metrics for growth and operational efficiencies* Performed day-to-day management of client accounts including the supervision of other team members* Developed long-term strategic communications plans for clients, including plan objectives, media calendars,key messages and vulnerabilities assessments* Drafted press releases, op-eds and collateral materials* Developed internal communications plan for trade association client* Drafted new business proposals and participated in pitching Larson Communications to potential clients* Delivered media training and “media 101” presentations to charter schools* Pitched client news stories to broadcast, print and new media outlets

* Helped manage day-to-day operations as a member of the firm’s senior management* Spearheaded cost reduction and IT modernization effort* Assisted in guiding the firm’s strategic vision and decision-making* Wrote new business proposals and pitched firm to potential clients* Managed firm’s staff development efforts* Oversaw multiple account teams for a diverse list of clients* Developed public relations and public affairs strategies for clients* Served as strategic advisor and mentor to less-experienced firm members* Drafted press releases, op-eds, talking points and other tactical documents for clients

* Guided Governor Schwarzenegger’s education communication strategy* Served as primary spokesman for the Administration on education issues* Wrote press materials for the Secretary of Education and Governor* Participated in development of strategy to intervene in low-performing districts* Advised Governor’s Office on communications issues relative to the Governor’s Committee on Education Excellence

* Appointed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the top homeland security communications post* Managed external communications operations* Served as primary spokesman on California homeland security issues* Performed print, radio and television interviews* Wrote press releases, talking points, op-eds and briefing papers* Managed media operations for largest statewide homeland security exercise in the country* Managed initial development and maintenance of first Office of Homeland Security website* Managed development of crisis communication materials* Developed crisis communications exercise program for state and local public affairs managers* Managed media operations for several high profile homeland security issues* Held secret-level classified security clearance