Establishing a Public Voice for a Leading Human Services Nonprofit

A large and growing nonprofit serving individuals with severe mental health challenges, autism, and traumatic brain injury sought to raise its public profile following a series of leadership transitions. With a renewed focus on strategic positioning, the organization aimed to solidify its reputation as a statewide leader in human services—particularly among state officials, policy influencers, and partners across the broader health and human services sector.

To support this effort, Essex Strategies was retained to lead a proactive public relations strategy centered on storytelling, thought leadership, and media outreach. In the first year alone, we helped secure more than two dozen media placements spanning a mix of op-eds, trend-driven commentary, state budget advocacy, and features on the organization’s most innovative programs and client success stories. This included drafting and securing timely opinion pieces tied to mental health funding debates, celebrating key milestones for new service models, and highlighting the lived experiences of the families the organization supports.

The result has been a steady drumbeat of positive, mission-driven coverage that has amplified the voice of the CEO and brought consistent attention to the organization’s impact. With stronger brand recognition and a clearer public narrative, the nonprofit has positioned itself as an essential and forward-thinking partner in shaping the future of human services statewide.

Positioning a University President as a Thought Leader with a Distinctive Voice

In an academic landscape often dominated by partisan rhetoric, one university president stood apart for his moderate, common-sense approach to leadership. Believing that college campuses should prioritize learning over political demonstrations, his perspective challenged prevailing norms across higher education—making him a rare and compelling voice. To elevate his visibility and expand his platform, Essex Strategies was retained to craft and execute a strategic media campaign.

We worked closely with the President and communications team to refine messaging that conveyed his philosophy with clarity and conviction, while avoiding ideological labels. By conducting outreach, preparing media briefs, and securing interviews with top tier outlets, Essex positioned the leader as a thoughtful contrarian—someone willing to speak candidly about the role of universities without falling into partisan traps. The media strategy emphasized timely, values-driven commentary on campus culture, free expression, and academic freedom.

Secured media coverage included interviews and quotes in CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, public radio WGBH, and WBZ News Radio. The campaign successfully amplified the President’s voice as a distinctive, independent thinker in higher education—earning credibility among both academic and public audiences and positioning him as a leader unafraid to challenge the status quo.

Partnered with major law firm to manage communications strategy during SEC Investigation

When two leaders of a midsize life science company became the subjects of an SEC investigation for allegedly failing to disclose critical information in a timely manner, the company’s legal counsel engaged Essex Strategies to support the executive team. With potential reputational damage looming, the consultant worked closely with attorneys to ensure all public-facing language was legally sound while also reinforcing the company’s commitment to transparency and business continuity.

Essex swiftly developed a suite of crisis response materials, including a holding statement for media inquiries, internal and external talking points, a detailed Q&A document, and leadership communications to employees, board members, and key partners. Messaging was aligned with legal strategy but framed in a way that reassured stakeholders and maintained confidence in the company’s scientific mission and leadership transition process. Particular attention was paid to timing and tone to ensure consistency and credibility across all platforms.

Thanks to these proactive efforts, the announcement that the leaders would be stepping down during the course of the investigation was contained to a brief 24-hour news cycle and did not spill into consumer or business press. Internally, concerns were addressed, preventing disruption to research or operations.

Crisis Communications Planning and Response for National Commercial Real Estate Firm

A leading owner and operator of premier office properties across major U.S. cities engaged T.J. and his colleagues to strengthen its preparedness and response capabilities.

T.J. was tasked with updating their crisis communications plan, including pre-approved internal and external messaging templates to allow for rapid, coordinated responses. This work involved streamlining media response procedures to ensure consistency in how incidents are escalated to company leadership and the broader crisis response team. During periods of heightened disruption, he was counted on to provide monitoring and situational updates for buildings in cities across the country.

By empowering local property managers with clear protocols and timely information, T.J. helped ensure both operational continuity and strong stakeholder communication during periods of uncertainty.