Firm adds White House communications director to its ranks
WASHINGTON, DC – February 25, 2021 – Qorvis Communications, the D.C.-based strategic communications arm of Publicis Groupe, today announced that Kristina Baum has joined the firm as a vice president of public affairs.
Baum has spent the last decade in senior communications roles in both the private sector and the highest branches of government including serving as a lead communications strategist at the White House, in both houses of Congress, and as the chief spokesperson for Chevron Phillips Chemical Company.
“Kristina’s experience leading communications in both the House and Senate, not to mention serving as communications director in the highest office of American government during one of the most challenging public health crises in our nation’s history, makes her strategic counsel unparalleled,” said Qorvis Communications Founder and President Michael Petruzzello.
“Kristina’s reputation for working well under pressure and partnering with both journalists and policymakers is a credit to her thorough leadership and strategic thinking, which makes her an asset to Qorvis clients.”
Baum most recently served as communications director for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). In addition to serving as the chief on-the-record spokesperson for the OSTP, Baum developed communications plans and messaging strategies for over 90 policy streams and played an active role in managing communications in the COVID19 response. Baum’s Hill experience includes being communications director for both the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, as well as press secretary for the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. She also previously served as external communications supervisor for Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, following a stint as a reporter in the financial news industry.
“The top-notch work being done by Qorvis Communications in the areas of healthcare, international affairs, energy, and defense make this next step a perfect fit,” said Baum. “Undoubtedly Qorvis has a stellar reputation with a multitude of global and domestic clients who are committed to making a difference in the world. I’m honored to serve alongside such talented team members, and I look forward to diving into the great work already in action.”
As a three-time cancer survivor, Baum is an inspiration outside the office too. She advocates for those battling melanoma through her work to raise awareness, fund research and find a cure. She is a regular contributor to media on cancer research and a fundraiser for multiple charities and advocacy groups for melanoma patients and survivors. She has also advocated before the FDA on clinical trial design and medical countermeasures to brain metastases.
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About Qorvis Communications
Qorvis Communications is Publicis Groupe’s strategic communications firm. Qorvis is made up of a large corps of public affairs, public diplomacy, journalists, and communications strategists who employ their diverse backgrounds and skillsets to produce positive outcomes for clients. The firm engages Publicis’s vast resource network to further advance client efforts around the nation, and around the world.