The Work
Every organization has an Understanding Gap. It simply looks different from one organization to the next. Here are a few examples of what closing that gap has looked like in practice.
Helping a Community See a Hidden Need
The Northern Illinois Food Bank serves some of the most affluent counties in Illinois, where the perception of prosperity often obscured the reality of food insecurity. The challenge wasn't the organization's mission. It was helping donors and community partners recognize that hunger existed in their own neighborhoods.
The Understanding Gap
Helping donors understand hidden hunger.
The Outcome
Strategic communications reframed the conversation around hidden hunger, helping connect the Food Bank's mission to the communities it served and moving stakeholders from awareness to action.
Expanding Understanding of a Medical Specialty
The American Academy of Dermatology represented more than 19,000 physicians, but policymakers often associated dermatology with a single condition rather than the thousands of diseases the specialty diagnoses and treats across every stage of life.
The Understanding Gap
Helping policymakers and stakeholders understand the full scope and value of the specialty.
The Outcome
Working with Academy leadership, executive messaging was repositioned to better reflect the breadth of dermatology's expertise. Within six months, the effort generated more than 100 earned media placements and helped ensure the profession's voice better matched its role in healthcare policy conversations.
The Academy of Osseointegration brought together many of the world's leading experts in dental implant science. But expertise alone doesn't shape a profession. It has to be understood, shared and trusted.
The Understanding Gap
Helping the Academy's expertise become better understood beyond its membership while strengthening its position as the leading authority in implant dentistry.
The Outcome
Working with executive leadership, I strengthened thought leadership, aligned communications and created new opportunities for members to share their expertise through media, publications and digital platforms. The result was greater visibility for both the Academy and the experts advancing implant dentistry.
Turning Expertise Into Influence
Creating a Shared Voice
When the U.S. credit union movement surpassed 100 million memberships, the Illinois Credit Union System had an opportunity to help hundreds of credit unions celebrate a significant milestone. But hundreds of independent organizations needed a shared story that would strengthen public understanding of the credit union movement across the state.
The Understanding Gap
Helping individual credit unions communicate one shared message while strengthening public understanding of the credit union movement.
The Outcome
Leading a statewide task force, I coordinated public relations, advocacy and community engagement efforts that resulted in more than 100 local events, exceeded national participation benchmarks and positioned Illinois as a leader in the national campaign.
Your Organization Has Its Own Story, Too
If you're wondering whether your organization is being understood as clearly as it could be, let's start with a conversation.