A popular refrain PR experts hear from executives is, “I’m an expert on XYZ topic. So, why doesn’t the media call me for interviews?” One reason is that the “reliable source club” is small. Anecdotally, it seems journalists have a cadre of go-to sources they tap consistently, especially when covering breaking news stories. PR News created a list of the basic characteristics of a good source, where ROKK Managing Director Lindsay Singleton explains the importance of offering context on the environment to the generalist reporter-read the article here.
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When President Biden ad-libbed a line about how Russian President Putin “cannot remain in power,” he was echoing a popular global sentiment, albeit one with enormous gravity. To some, it was seen as a moment of candor by a president whose decades-long political career had him entrenched in foreign policy matters. Others say that Biden’s tendency toward candidness is a dual-edged sword. ROKK Partner and Democratic strategist Rodell Mollineau explains how Biden is being true to himself-read the article here.
The Biden Administration is preparing for a possible new surge in COVID-19 cases and has already started the political blame game in case the response falls short. In fact, The White House has called out Republicans in Congress for not authorizing new funds to make the fourth round of booster shots free and pay for therapeutics and other ways to reduce the impact of another surge in cases. ROKK Partner and Democratic strategist Kristen Hawn said that the politics around the pandemic have put the Biden White House in a tough spot-read the article here.
GOP strategists say that Trump pulling his Mo Brooks endorsement is a reminder of the harsh reality of dealing with the former president. ROKK Co-founding Partner Ron Bonjean weighs in on the relationship between Trump and Brooks-read the article here.
Flashing a red marker and his desire for a larger stage, Texas Senator Ted Cruz was in full viral mode at Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination hearing. Republican strategist and ROKK Co-founding Partner Ron Bonjean explains how the nomination hearings are a way for Senate Republicans to capture a moment inside of Washington where the spotlight is on them-read the article here.
Republicans don’t have the votes to stop Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson from being confirmed to the Supreme Court — but they hope to use her nomination battle to advance their political war against Democrats, with an eye to the midterm elections. GOP strategist and ROKK Co-founding Partner Ron Bonjean explains how the Supreme Court confirmation process has turned into a political campaign and a branding exercise -read the full article here.
Democrats want their brightest stars to hit the campaign trail ahead of November. The only problem? It’s an open question who they are. Democratic strategist and ROKK Co-founding Partner Rodell Mollineau weighs in-read the article here.
U.S. President Joe Biden faced a formidable challenge in his first State of the Union speech, after a year in office buffeted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a jittery economy and now Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
ROKK Co-founding Partner Rodell Mollineau shared his perspective on some of the key takeaways from the speech here.
Press Secretary for the National Governors Association Adds Extensive State Legislative Experience to Bipartisan Firm
Washington, D.C. – ROKK Solutions, a bipartisan public affairs firm at the nexus of policy, politics and communications, is pleased to welcome veteran communications strategist James Nash to its leadership team as a senior vice president.
Nash was most recently the press secretary for the bipartisan National Governors Association. In this role he promoted a culture of innovation and proactive communication on behalf of the leaders of 55 states, territories and commonwealths.
Nash brings a strong background in media relations and a fresh perspective to messaging, having previously covered state and local government as a reporter for the two largest U.S. newspaper chains – Gannett and Digital First Media – and as a national desk reporter for Bloomberg News. Through his coverage of the presidential campaign trail and three statehouses, Nash gained an instinctive understanding of U.S. political geography and how messages resonate among diverse audiences across the country.
“James’ experience at the state level is crucial to the development of effective, highly targeted campaigns both in Washington and across the country,” said Rodell Mollineau, Co-founding Partner at ROKK Solutions. “His years of insight as a journalist will guide our clients in their efforts to break through a cluttered and noisy media environment, and his veteran leadership is a strong addition to ROKK’s growing team.”
“As both a reporter and as a spokesperson for governors of both parties, I’ve risen above the partisan fray to communicate with clarity and conviction,” Nash said. “ROKK has established itself as the go-to firm for clients seeking insights and strategic counsel from professionals across the political spectrum who deliver solutions to the biggest public-affairs challenges. I am honored to join this all-star team to rack up wins on behalf of ROKK’s clients.”
Since the start of the year, ROKK has also welcomed several additional team members, including:
•Abbey Rogers- Joining the firm as a senior account executive, Rogers comes from BCW Global, where she advised high-profile private and public sector clients across the financial services, transportation, technology, higher education and the public health industries.
•Rae DeBrabander- Joining the team as ROKK’s first senior account executive focused exclusively on digital and paid media, Rae started her career as a social media director for the Michigan House of Representatives and later worked as the social media and digital content manager for the non-profit organization Management Leadership for Tomorrow.
•Corinne Gorda- Joining the firm as ROKK’s newest account executive, Corinne was most recently at 300 Brand, where she worked with clients in the technology sector.
ROKK has undergone a strategic expansion over the past three years which has resulted in triple-digit growth and a variety of professional accolades including: the Agency Elite 100 list, a Platinum dotCOMM award and most recently an Innovation SABRE award. With a 360-degree integrated suite of capabilities including digital and paid media and a creative studio, ROKK is a sought-after agency for Fortune 100 organizations, nonprofits and associations looking to create change in Washington.
Each Saturday, TIME’s politics newsletter hosts a conversation between political professionals on the right and the left, pulling back the curtain on the conversations taking place in Washington when the tape stops rolling. In this episode Democratic consultant and ROKK Co-founding Partner Rodell Mollineau talks war with Russia, a historic Supreme Court nomination, the State of the Union, and a trucker convoy. Read the transcript here.