Jake Leon Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc

Directed strategic communications and media relations for the 3 year-old financial reform advocacy organization. Helped to define organizational messaging and policy positions, and promoted them to a national audience. Sought and secured media coverage in top global outlets, and bolstered the organization’s influence among key partners, stakeholders, policy makers, and business leaders. Managed organization’s presence across both new and traditional media.Earned coverage in 700 articles within 10 months on key policy issues in major national and international news and business print outlets, including The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, Fortune, and The Los Angeles Times.Helped elevate and solidify CEO Dennis M. Kelleher’s standing as a pioneering financial reform thought leader, securing key interviews with top print and broadcast media outlets; landed over a dozen interviews in 10 months on CNBC, PBS, MSNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg TV, showcasing organization to a high-level national audience.Attracted reporters and secured coverage from The Financial Times, The Los Angeles Times, McClatchy, Bloomberg, Reuters, and Politico at a February news conference to unveil historic lawsuit against the Justice Department; lawsuit announcement generated more than 200 articles in the 2 weeks after the news conference.Leveraged social and digital media to champion Better Markets' policy positions and materials and to raise its public profile, including management of a prolific Twitter presence and content-heavy website.Created a timely weekly newsletter to provide pertinent media and policy updates; also drafted press releases, blog posts, and talking points, and led both technical and creative teams in production of marketing collateral.

Led media relations, external communications, and social media strategies to support policy goals. Wrote speeches, publications, press releases, newsletters, guest articles, and blog posts, building an effective, unified presentation of policy positions, public image, and messaging. Managed video campaign to educate general public on public accounting through 4 film noir-style videos, garnering more than 125,000 unique views on YouTube.Helped build a consensus with leading investor and business groups on CAQ policy issues, including financial reform, fighting fraud, and enhancing investor confidence.Established and strengthened relationships with national media and accounting trade contacts, including reporters and editors at The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Politico, Reuters, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek.Launched and managed CAQ’s entry into social media, and directed both internal teams and external consultants in creation of website content and marketing materials.

Drove multi-year, $1M+ media outreach and education plan on behalf of major gaming trade association. Developed strategic communications and media relations to improve public perception, bolster the association’s brand recognition, and win support of business, government, and community groups.Developed relationships with reporters at key national, regional, and trade media outlets, building robust network of media contacts that enabled large-scale communication of news and developments.Authored several guest articles, opinion pieces, and letters to the editor, and secured their placement in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, among other outlets.Proactively educated reporters and editors about positive impact of gaming on national and local infrastructure and economy.Ensured most efficient use of $350K annual budget, maximizing the ROI of strategic communication investments.

Developed and implemented public relations, public affairs, and strategic media plans on behalf of consulting firm clients. Managed communications and marketing activities for law firm’s Washington office.Helped build positive media relations, suggested and pursued strategic partnerships, and led public affairs campaigns for clients across the environmental, chemical, healthcare, and financial services sectors.Developed litigation and crisis communications campaigns to bring balance to media coverage on behalf of companies in highly regulated industries.Recruited third-party media spokespersons and developed messaging materials for media interviews that supported client policy goals.

Coordinator, Emerging Issues & Strategic Planning (2000 to 2003)Program Associate, Communications/Legislative Initiative (1998 to 2000)Identified and analyzed emerging issues in the nonprofit sector and helped manage campaign to grow awareness of foundations on Capitol Hill and in the media.Studied trends affecting philanthropic foundations, derived action-based strategies, and presented analysis to senior decision-makers of foundations and nonprofits. Collaborated with regional associations to develop and deliver national training programs.Helped design and manage advertising campaign in key national publications to highlight value of foundations.Coordinated educational campaigns, including fly-ins and district meetings, for foundation representatives to inform elected officials of the essential value of philanthropy.