Gloria Story Dittus

Gloria Story Dittus serves as chairman of one of Washington’s leading public affairs firms, Story Partners.

She has spent 30 years defining corporate communications, marketing, public affairs, reputation management and crisis communications strategies. She has been an advisor to CEOs, Senators, Members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries and leading business executives.

Dittus has worked with executive teams at some of the world’s most recognized brands including Shell, HSBC, Home Depot, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, General Motors, Southern Company, Fluor, British Telecom, Playboy, Clear Channel and others developing and implementing strategic communications and executive thought leadership programs.

Wired Magazine called her the nation’s first “technology public affairs PR maven.” PR News named her the “Public Affairs Executive of the Year,” a distinguished honor among public and government affairs professionals.

Under her leadership, Dittus Communications was recognized as Public Affairs Agency of the Year. She was named one of Washington’s “25 Women Who Mean Business.”

Dittus developed and managed many national campaigns including the award winning “Coming Home Campaign” for Shell Oil Company following Katrina. The “Coming Home Campaign” garnered numerous awards for outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Program and is credited by many as one of the key corporate initiatives which helped to rebuild the City of New Orleans.

She founded Story Partners in 2010 following the acquisition of Dittus Communications by Financial Dynamics, a business communications firm. She has retained many of her former clients and former staff in her new endeavor.

From 1989 to 1993, Gloria helped found and build the Direct Impact Company, a grassroots lobbying firm. Gloria began her career as a staff member in the U.S. Senate, but soon transitioned to Exxon Corporation’s government affairs media team. She later helped rebuild Edison Electric Institute’s public information department, and added her legislative media-relations expertise to the company’s government affairs operations in 1986 as its lobbyist for nuclear power issues.

After having built and sold two game-changing public affairs firms, Gloria has identified a vacuum in the communications field where government and business intersect.

Combining social media marketing, strategic communications and executive thought leadership, Story Partners provides clients strategic communications programs which carefully align marketing and communications efforts across corporate enterprises to deliver results in today’s crowded marketplace.

She advises numerous CEOs in the development of thought leadership and issue advocacy programs. She is an active mentor teaching and training emerging leaders around the world. She provides pro-bono communications expertise to non-profit organizations, particularly in the Gulf Coast.

She serves on numerous boards and organizations, including the Society of Fellows of the Aspen Institute, the Board of Trustees for Ford’s Theater, the National Press Foundation, the Arthur Page Society, the Bryce Harlow Institute, The George Washington Graduate School of Political Management, the Public Affairs Council and the Society of International Business Fellows.

Debra Cabral

A highly-esteemed communications professional, Cabral brings more than 25 years of experience to Story Partners in a variety of sectors including nonprofits, health care, finance, technology and corporate communications.  Prior to joining Story Partners, Cabral served as Executive Vice President of Porter Novelli, where she served as head of the digital communications and social media marketing group.  She has designed and implemented strategies for sales and marketing teams to increase brand exposure and sales to targeted public and private-sector audiences for clients as diverse as SAIC, SurfControl, Entrust, and EADS, among others.

Prior to joining Porter Novelli, she served as EVP for Dittus Communications where her responsibilities included overall client management and company operations.  She has also held leadership roles at The Capitol Group, The Jefferson Group, HealthNet Federal Services and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Additionally, she spent seven years serving in the leadership office of the late former House Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Jr.

Amos Snead

Amos Snead is a communications professional with a proven track record of success on behalf of high-profile corporate, association, and government entities. Amos plays a key role at Story Partners, providing clients with communications guidance that is informed by his in-depth experience working with leading print, broadcast and online journalists.

Amos began his career in communications with a five-year tenure working in various capacities for the U.S. Congress, ultimately rising to serve as Spokesman for House Republican Whip Roy Blunt. In addition to his work with House leadership, he also served as a Press Aide for the House Energy and Commerce Committee under both Chairman Billy Tauzin and Chairman Joe Barton. Following his work with the Energy and Commerce Committee, he served as Communications Director for U.S. Congressman Louie Gohmert of Texas.

Amos joins Story Partners after two years working for an international public affairs firm, where he provided strategic guidance that advanced the policy goals of his clients within the energy, technology and health industries. During his tenure with his prior firm, he also served as the primary spokesman for numerous entities, including a telecom association and a government relations firm. In addition, he designed and implemented a broadcast media strategy for a leading Capitol Hill print outlet as well as worked with senior members of the media on behalf of a majority of the firm’s clients.

Amos has been recognized as a leader in both the public and private sectors. National Journal named him one of “The Hill People of 2007” and PR News featured him as one of “15-to-Watch in 2007”, an award that recognizes rising talent within the public relations industry. Snead was named to the “35 and Under Power Set” by National Journal in 2012.

Trudi Boyd

Trudi Boyd brings more than 25 years of experience in issues management, crisis communications, legislative and regulatory program planning, executive positioning, grassroots, coalition management, media training, and cultivating new business. Trudi develops successful and award winning public affairs campaigns for major corporations and trade associations on issues related to health care, food and nutrition and agribusiness. A veteran communications strategist, she has worked with clients such as the Animal Health Institute, MilkPep, Dairy Management, Inc., PhRMA, Biotechnology Industry Organization, GE Foundation, International Dairy Foods Association, National Milk Producers Federation, Kraft Foods, The Medicines Company, Pernod Ricard USA, Grocery Manufacturers of America, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition.

Trudi leads clients in developing, coordinating and implementing public affairs initiatives and policy positions, comments in response to legislative, regulatory and executive actions of impact, and serves as the media contact for clients in Washington, D.C. She also maintains appropriate executive, legislative and regulatory contacts, recommends and arranges client participation in association events, panels, and Congressional hearings, and ensures client’s views are communicated – directly and through the media, associations or stakeholders – to U.S. policymakers.

Prior to joining Story Partners, Trudi served as general manager of Allison+Partners Washington, D.C. office. Her previous experience includes serving as a managing director of the Health and Life Sciences practice at FTI Consulting. She began her career in Washington on Capitol Hill serving as chief of staff and communications director for former U.S. Congressman Larry Combest of Texas. Prior to working in Washington, D.C., Trudi was a journalist in Texas and news director and anchor at a CBS affiliate.

Andrew Fimka

Andrew Fimka is a public affairs and political operations professional, with full-cycle project management experience in issues management, strategic communications, grassroots mobilization and coalition development.

Prior to joining Story Partners, Andrew served as Director of Political and Legislative Advocacy for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) – the nation’s leading association representing small and independent businesses. Working at the crossroads of business, politics and policy, Andrew led NFIB’s issue advocacy and political communications campaigns that successfully targeted grassroots activists, as well as policy stakeholders.

While at NFIB, Andrew was also charged with implementing organizational plans across state, regional and national divisions while coordinating on-the-ground operations, numerous digital properties and external coalitions.

Before NFIB, Andrew served in a variety of campaign roles for congressional and presidential candidates, as well as a national campaign committee.

Andrew is a graduate of the University of Hartford (West Hartford, CT) and holds a master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management (Washington, D.C.)

Kate Connors

Kate Connors brings more than a decade of policy communications experience to Story Partners, especially in the areas of healthcare, intellectual property and education. She most recently served as director of communications for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the leading trade association for the biopharmaceutical industry. While there, she oversaw communications regarding Food and Drug Administration regulation, intellectual property policy, sales and marketing practices and oversight, and the economic impact of the sector, as well as PhRMA’s social media presence. In that time, she worked toward successful passage of the America Invents Act, which updated America’s patent system, and the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. Prior to PhRMA, she worked at Qorvis Communications. She began her career as a healthcare trade journalist.

A native of northwest Connecticut, Kate received a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and a master of the arts in literature from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Lauren Pratapas

Lauren Pratapas is currently a Senior Director at Story Partners, a leading national public affairs firm in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining the Story Partners team, Pratapas served as the Director of New Media for Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy in the United States House of Representatives.  After her graduation from Elmwood in 2003, she received a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Communication from the University of Ottawa. Looking to build upon her communications degree, she accepted a four-month internship at CTV’s Vancouver bureau, where her work caught the eye of CNN in Washington. She began as a full-time producer for the network and a contributor for CNN.com’s political ticker in December 2008. Lauren spent three years at CNN, where she contributed to Wolf Blitzer’s award-winning Situation Room coverage, engaged in daily coverage of Capitol Hill, and helped shape network coverage of President Obama’s historic inauguration and other national and international news. In her previous role in the Majority Whip’s office, Lauren modernized the digital media operation and her work on the first of its kind project “WhipCast” was recently honored with multiple awards by the American Association of Political Consultants.

In addition to her professional career, Lauren serves a Social Director on the board for the Republican Communications Association and on the board of the Republican Women.

Caleb Smith

Caleb Smith is a digital media strategist with a diverse background in campaign management and political communication.  Most recently, Caleb served as the Director of New Media for the House Committee on Financial Services, where he made a name for himself as one of the most talented and creative videographers on the Hill, producing more than 100 web videos for dozens of members of Congress.  Prior to his work in the House of Representatives, Caleb was the head new media consultant for CPAC 2011, the largest annual gathering of conservatives leaders, where he wrote and produced a series of behind-the-scenes videos and helped craft the conference’s rapid response and crisis management strategy.

A native of Kentucky, Caleb brings to the team years of experience in campaign management and grassroots organization in races ranging from the state level all the way to the U.S. Senate. He studied at the London School of Economics and is a summa cum laude graduate of American University. In his spare time, Caleb enjoys playing soccer, telling stories, and saving money with Groupon deals.

Lisa Chapman

Lisa Chapman brings to Story Partners a strong background in media relations, writing and implementing media campaigns. Prior to Story Partners, Chapman worked for a D.C.-based public affairs firm, where she was involved in earned media campaigns for clients in the transportation, beverage and threat detection space. Chapman has also been involved in several digital media projects, successfully implementing modern new media tools into existing public policy campaigns. Prior to Story Partners, Chapman also reported for The Hill newspaper in Washington, D.C. She is a Wisconsin native and received her B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from Miami University in Ohio.

Elyse Petroni

Elyse brings a strong background in both digital communications and traditional media relations to Story Partners. Having worked at leading PR agency, GolinHarris, she is skilled in making complex stories suitable for various audiences on a multitude of platforms. She has worked on a wide portfolio of clients in the energy, technology, food safety and non-profit sectors, and has a proven track record of securing media hits and successfully implementing new media strategies to amplify clients’ stories online.

Elyse is a native of New York State and graduated magna cum laude from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism and a minor in Business Administration.

Collier Craft

Formerly with Dittus Communications, Collier has both political and public affairs experience. He brings to Story Partners a unique talent and the ability to work with both corporate and political clients, demonstrating knowledge of the goals and needs of each sector through his successful media campaigns.

Collier has led successful statewide political campaigns and has experience in both political and grassroots campaigns, coalition building, strategic counseling, media management and public relations.

A graduate of Auburn University, Collier Craft began his communications career in the office of the Alabama Senate Pro Tempore. Craft spent the majority of his career working in public affairs and communications, while at the same time managing numerous political and grassroots campaigns.