Gretchen
Hamel is the founder of Highline Strategies, a boutique messaging and
communications firm born from right of center values and a progressive way of
thinking. The firm works with organizations that influence the national
dialogue around policy issues, political campaigns looking to connect with its
voters, and companies striving to connect with its customers. Services include message development,
communications planning and crisis response, media training, polling and focus
group advisement, and general political campaign advisement.
Most
recently, she served as the executive director of Public Notice, a
multi-million dollar advocacy organization launched in 2009. Over the course of
four years, she managed the organization’s strategy and relationships with
outside counsel, pollsters, and communications and advisors. She also oversaw
all of the group’s national and state advertising campaigns, three of which
were recognized by AdWeek in 2012 as
the top ads aimed at independent voters.
As
Public Notice’s chief spokesperson, Hamel appeared on hundreds of national,
state and local radio and television programs. She has been published in Investor’s Business Daily, Roll Call, USA
Today, and U.S. News & World
Report, on the CNBC, CNN and Fox News websites, and in a dozen statewide
publications. Hamel also oversaw all message development; over the last four
years, Public Notice conducted more than 60 polls and 100 focus groups.
Under
Hamel’s leadership, Public Notice also provided strategic advice to several
like-minded organizations that needed aid with branding, positioning and
advertising. As Public Notice’s chief spokesperson, Hamel appeared on hundreds
of national, state and local radio and television programs. She has been
published in Investor’s Business Daily,
Roll Call, USA Today, and U.S. News
& World Report, on the CNBC, CNN and Fox News websites, and in a dozen
statewide publications. Hamel also oversaw all message development; over the
last four years, Public Notice conducted more than 60 polls and 100 focus
groups.
Before
joining Public Notice, Hamel served as founder and partner of Endeavour Global
Strategies, where she managed the press for Colombia’s first international
brand image campaign. Other clients included associations and organizations in
need of strategic global communications plans.
Prior to founding Endeavour Global Strategies, Hamel was
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Public and Media Affairs,
where she served as the spokeswoman on trade for the Bush Administration.
During her time at USTR, Hamel traveled to 14 different countries, coordinating
all interviews and planning and overseeing all media events for U.S. Trade
Representative Susan C. Schwab. In that position, Hamel was a lead player in
crafting and conducting the White House public relations campaign for passage
of several pending free trade agreements (FTAs). She led the weekly media
planning and outreach of six agencies, which resulted in hundreds of positive
articles and editorials. Hamel was also lead communicator on the high profile
and controversial negotiations to open the South Korea beef market, which was
one of the top Asian news stories of 2008. She was recognized by USTR for her
outstanding work on the issue.
Hamel began her career on Capitol Hill as deputy press
secretary for Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts, managing his state media
operation and advising the congressman on agriculture issues. She then served
as communications director for Texas Congressman John Carter. In Carter's
office, Hamel executed a communications plan that successfully led to the
passage of the toughest identity theft law in U.S. history. In 2005, Hamel
became chief spokeswoman and press secretary for the House Republican
Conference where she provided messaging and press guidance for 232 press
secretaries, developed and maintained relationships with national media, and
managed communications campaigns. Her efforts contributed to the extension of
tax cuts, renewal of Voting Rights Act, and passage of border security and
energy bills.
Hamel has worked with producers and bookers for all of
the major domestic news networks and many international outlets, including BBC,
CNBC Asia and CNN International. She has also worked with specialty
entertainment and news programs such as Oprah
and 60 Minutes.
She is the fourth generation to raise cotton and wheat
and operate a cow-calf operation in southwest Oklahoma. She holds a bachelor’s
degree in mass communications from Oklahoma City University and a master’s
degree in communications from the University of Oklahoma. Though raised in
Oklahoma, Hamel was born in Texas and still has family ties to the state.
