Clyde Group, Washington’s Newest Communications and Public Relations Firm, Formally Launches

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 15, 2015 – Clyde Group, Washington’s newest communications and public relations firm, formally launched today, unveiling a team quietly assembled over the course of the past year from the worlds of politics, business, journalism and advocacy. The firm serves a portfolio of flagship clients across sectors and issues, including Sallie Mae, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Charities Aid Foundation, Novo Nordisk, the diaTribe Foundation and The Iron Yard.

“We wanted to quietly build a team of pros, and now we’re excited to unveil a new best-in-class agency drawing on staff from the best communications firms, the Hill, journalism, two White Houses and Wall Street,” said Alex Slater, Managing Director of Clyde Group. “Our hope is to make Clyde Group a DC institution, and we’re already serving major global companies and working across important issues – the next generation of health care, the future of energy, financial services, education and a range of complex situations.”

Clyde Group, which is informed by Wall Street expertise and resources, offers integrated communications and public affairs services across six areas, working in corporate communications, public affairs, issue and advocacy campaigns and integrating them all with digital and social media and data driven analysis.

“Strategy isn’t an additional service to sell; it’s an approach that underlies everything Clyde Group does. We make smart decisions and chart a path to victory with measurable benchmarks. That’s real strategy,” said Slater.

Integrating digital and social media, along with research and data analytics, into all engagements, the Clyde Group team is unique in all being published authors or pundits (hyperlink to our articles). The team includes, in order of joining:

Alex Slater, Founder and Managing Director

The first employee at Glover Park Group, and formerly of SKDKnickerbocker, Slater has been a trusted advisor and connector for Fortune 100 firms, the world’s largest brands and some of the most important advocacy causes. He leads Clyde Group in Washington.

Ali Carey, Associate
Carey will focus on the firm’s digital and social media efforts, joining Clyde Group from CLS Strategies where she advised major clients facing policy and regulatory challenges, focusing on crisis and public affairs. Carey has also worked in the political and international arenas, gaining experience at both the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the United Nations in New York City.

Justin Warren, Senior Associate
Coming to Clyde Group from the Dewey Square Group, Warren specializes in corporate, advocacy and crisis communications, having worked on behalf of trade associations, non-profits and Fortune 100 companies. A journalist by training, he has reported from the halls of Congress and the chamber of the U.S. Supreme Court – with work appearing in local and national publications, including the Washington Post.

Laura Beth Ellis, Associate
Ellis leads much of the firm’s digital and social media work in addition to executing strategic communications campaigns for Clyde Group’s union and education clients. A powerhouse media strategist, Ellis excels at landing media coverage for a range of important clients.

Caleb Ward, Director
An expert in the energy space, Ward serves as a Director of the United States Nuclear Infrastructure Council, a business consortium advocating for better worldwide U.S. nuclear energy engagement. His experience spans Fortune 500 corporations, major trade associations, foreign governments, and energy clients across UK, EU, Asia and American markets. He has harmonized legislative, regulatory strategy with communications outreach, executing a number of landmark campaigns.

Cory Combs, Senior Associate
Combs comes to Clyde Group with a demonstrated record of strong writing, excellent media skills and social media expertise that has helped influence key outcomes and land coverage in leading print and broadcast outlets. He previously worked with CLS Strategies, where he worked on behalf of former professional athletes who sued the NFL over concussions and debilitating head trauma, helping secure an unprecedented settlement agreement.

Drew Calabro, Associate
After spending a year with Teach for America in rural Louisiana, Calabro brings an expertise in education policy to the Clyde Group team. Previously, Calabro worked with the Sagamore Institute, a think tank in Indianapolis, to develop strategy, prepare important policy briefs, and play a role in executing events targeting state and federal lawmakers. He also served in the office of United States Senator Sherrod Brown.

Catherine Kosse, Junior Associate
Kosse joins Clyde Group with a diverse background in politics, international affairs and communications. She previously supported the Innovation and Strategic Investment Team at Vital Voices Global Partnership, and prior to that, served in the Office of Congressman John Yarmuth.

And Clyde Group is advised by our Senior Partners:

Alexander Dresner, Senior Advisor
Dresner, formerly of Bridgewater Associates, is a senior strategic advisor to the firm. Dresner currently serves as a member of the leadership team at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), where he oversees the hospital-wide Value Management Office. Dresner has also served in the White House and Pentagon speech-writing offices.

Nicholas Sykes, Senior Advisor
Sykes is a senior advisor with 13 years of management, business and financial leadership experience. Previously at Bridgewater Associates and J.P. Morgan Chase, Sykes is actively involved in creating opportunities for underprivileged groups, including Sponsors for Education Opportunities, Code2040, Cultivating Aspiring Leaders and other civic institutions.

“We’re not a big agency, but we don’t call ourselves a boutique,” Slater says. “We offer something more: richer client engagement, deeper expertise and ultimately better results. I’m proud of what we’ve already accomplished, and more importantly what we will achieve in the weeks, months and years ahead.”

Clyde Group is a Washington-based communications and public relations agency advising global corporations, major non-profits, advocacy groups and exciting start-ups. More information on the firm can be found at clydegroup.com.