Katie Leblanc Email and Phone Number

Specializing in advocacy, public policy, executing marketing strategies, and building bold communications, I work alongside diverse stakeholders to meet their respective goals and tell the stories we need to hear. Through in-depth, values-aligned, and data informed research, I build strategy that drives social change to protect our environment, fight for pro-democracy initiatives, and launch healing projects on the ground that unite across division.Through deep partnership, I build trust to advise and lead philanthropy, advocacy, and grassroot leaders in building plans to change how we see each other and our collective opportunities for the future.

Samara Collective is a women-owned communications agency working to support clients of all scales, from all backgrounds, in building up and out their narrative, communications, and campaigns strategies. We provide wraparound communications support to clients that include: driving all paid, earned, owned, and shared media, narrative strategy, storytelling initiatives, and on-the-ground capacity building for communicators at all levels.I work with clients to build large-scale, power building communication campaigns to move decision makers and improve the lives of working families. From rural communities, to urban centers, across a variety of issues, I have a track record of winning local and national campaigns that unite divergent communities and ideologies.

Supporting progressive, C3 organizations throughout Ohio to build up and out their communications presence, skills and internal capacity. Primary role is to consult, provide trainings, build networks and infrastructure for rapid response communications, story-based communications strategy, email and social content management, digital strategizing, and mass online movement mobilization.

Implemented a national procurement and materials sourcing framework for US colleges and universities that opened unprecedented institutional market access to local, organic and regenerative agriculture producers. Shifted $5M into regenerative agricultural products and producers.Built communications infrastructure to grow organizational alignment across a diverse, member-based coalition representing international farmers, processors and consumers. Successfully placed national media coverage, tripled brand awareness, and secured over $2M in donations.Collaborated with leading industry, institutional and national advocacy organizations in building impact tracking processes, with a strong emphasis on transparent, sustainable sourcing guides that benefitted all stakeholders and increased investment among institutional leadership.

Identified vendors and suppliers across the Northern Rockies region that practiced regenerative agriculture, ethical, humane, and organic production. Worked alongside the Western Montana Growers Cooperative to support producers in reaching scale, able to sell at wholesale cost. Managed diverse stakeholders in a process to identify shared challenges, goals, and market opportunities.Increased locally sourced products to account for over 43% of all items consumed on campus, equating to roughly $1M entering back into the local economy. Built and implemented a data and product-shift tracking system to inform and support responsible vendor selection.Managed the University garden, providing fresh produce and educational engagement. Presented quarterly progress reports to leadership.