Joel Hood Email & Phone Number

Greater Chicago Area

• Chief speechwriter and director of a team of writers in Chicago and Washington DC who elevate the AMA brand and serve its leaders through venue placement, speeches, presentations, letters, op-eds and all written correspondence. • A key member of the communications strategy team, working directly with the CEO, President, Board Chair and other senior leaders to advance the work of the organization, frame the master narrative, and promote AMA’s values in shaping the future of medicine.• Responsible for building and maintaining one of the nation’s most respected and highly visible leadership communications teams, elevating AMA leadership as true thought-leaders in medicine in times of crisis and shaping how they communicate with fellow physicians and diverse global audiences.• Oversaw the pitching and securing of AMA leaders at top conferences and events across the U.S., including SXSW, the Consumer Electronic Show, National Press Club, Aspen Ideas Festival, HIMSS, The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, top journalism conferences, and countless others.• Created internal process that grew event placement of AMA leaders from one or two annually to more than 20.• Prepped AMA leaders for public speaking opportunities and built relationships to further the AMA’s position as the best-known and most-influential health care organization in America.• Grew speaker output more than 50% over a five-year period by streamlining internal speechwriting operations, developing robust stump presentations and core communication messaging.• Worked closely with AMA advocacy team to develop briefing materials for conversations with the White House on health policy and scripts for Congressional briefings.• Multiple Cicero speechwriting award winner as writer and editor.

Greater Chicago Area

Senior speechwriter and content strategist for the nation's largest and influential medical organization. Worked directly with AMA senior leadership, including the CEO, President, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and others to develop speeches, talking points and presentations for speaking engagements across the U.S. and internationally. Key member of the content development team inside the AMA's communications office, responsible for helping create our messaging framework on important health care issues, as well as writing or editing talking points, op-eds, blog posts, staff memos, and general communications for internal and external audiences.

Greater Chicago Area

The District’s primary speechwriter for the CEO, Chief Education Officer, Board of Education President, as well as department leaders and high-ranking cabinet officers. Led the District’s efforts for all internal communications for nearly 40,000 employees and 400,000 students and their families. Previously wrote speeches for former CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and Interim CEO Jesse Ruiz. • Wrote or edited the CEO’s speeches and talking points for Board of Education meetings, national conferences, community events, policy briefings and political rallies.• Helped lead high-level communications strategy and planning sessions within the department.• Responsible for editing or writing all District correspondence within Central Office and its 664 schools.• Member of the District’s Senior Leadership Team.• Designed and implemented a new internal communications strategy to better serve District employees, parents and stakeholders.

Greater Chicago Area

Led the District’s communications department, overseeing a press secretary and three deputy press secretaries. Responsible for day-to-day operations of the department, all external communications with media and the public, and helped develop the overall communications strategy for the District.• CPS spokesman and chief liaison between the District and high-ranking officials at City Hall, including top advisers to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.• Actively led high-level communications strategy and planning sessions.• Coordinated the media roll-out strategy for large District initiatives.• Worked directly with local and national media on all types of stories, scheduling interviews and prepping the District’s CEO as well as subject-matter experts with background material and talking points. • Responsible for writing and editing District press releases.

Greater Chicago Area

Award-winning general assignment reporter for the largest media organization in the Midwest, with an emphasis on environmental issues and conservation. Promoted in January 2011 to investigative education reporter.• Spearheaded Chicago Public Schools beat during the transition to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and through the landmark teachers’ strike in fall 2012. Reporting set the tone for coverage locally and across the nation.• A frequent contributor to WGN radio and television leading up to and during the teachers strike. Also a guest on national platforms, including National Public Radio, BBC America and Wall Street Journal Radio.• Lead reporter/writer on team that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for breaking news in 2011 for the coverage of two Chicago firefighters killed in a South Side fire.• Led the newspaper’s coverage of the Asian carp controversy, writing extensively about the science behind invasive species and their threat to the Great Lakes. Followed the twisting story from the halls of the U.S. Supreme Court to the river bend where new control tactics were being tested.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Award-winning general assignment reporter for the second-largest media organization in South Florida. Wrote extensively about environmental topics, including land use, conservation and waste. Also wrote about the quirky ways of life in the Sunshine State, from alligator hunting to air boat legislation. A frequent contributor to the newspaper’s media partner, WLS radio.• Won multiple awards from the Florida Press Association and was part of a team that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2006 for coverage of Hurricane Wilma and its aftermath.

Modesto, California Area

Award-winning general assignment reporter for a 95,000-circulation daily newspaper in Northern California’s Central Valley. Began as a sports writer and outdoors columnist, focusing on environmental issues, hunting and fishing legislation. Later promoted to covering county government and politics.

Ontario, California

Award-winning sports writer for a daily zoned edition of the Los Angeles Times. Wrote extensively on issues critical to prep athletics in the sports-crazed suburbs of Los Angeles.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Journalism

Education record