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The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to return for veto session Oct 24-26 and Nov 7-9.  With a new Chicago mayor, here’s our take on some hot button issues to keep an eye on:   Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an amendatory veto on a bill that would have allowed utility companies, mainly the electric utility

What do Sam Bankman-Fried and Rod Blagojevich have in common?  They never met a reporter or an open-ended question they didn’t love to use to defend their innocence against far-reaching charges (and in Blago’s case, convictions) of fraud.    Both men deployed unusual strategies to defend their cases in the court of public opinion before their

In the high-stakes world of professional sports, success isn't solely measured by on-field wins and championship titles. The reputation and public perception of a sports franchise can significantly impact its long-term popularity and profitability.   While more high-profile and consumer facing than our clients, say, in manufacturing or energy or tech, sports teams’ problems and challenges

It’s like the proverbial tree in the forest: Is it news if no one is there to cover it?  This fascinating — and frankly, depressing — report from PBS’ Judy Woodruff explores the dangers of the decline in local news. My alma mater the Medill School of Journalism put some numbers to the challenge: Since

First, there was Facebook.   In 2008, the Obama campaign was widely credited for harnessing the power of social media to fuel its unlikely path to the White House.  Today, political campaigns continue to experiment with new digital and social media tools that push the envelope on reaching audiences and creating new means for authentic

“It’s the economy, Stupid.”   I was 15 (ah-hem) when that phrase became the soundbite of the Clinton-Gore ‘96 presidential campaign.   Today, the line still resonates.  Simplicity rules. Aka the “KISS” Rule.  In our post-Clinton, post-MTV, post-long-form world, we now daily battle the ongoing onslaught of information offered up by a 24/7 news media and a

Practice makes perfect. Yes, we all know that’s the rule, but when you’re the CEO or C-suite executive dealing with so many competing interests, how do you justify the time required to go into preparing for media interviews?   From my experience advising senior leaders in the private sector and the political arena, you can learn

It’s the quiet times that worry me the most — when things are humming along, operations are working fine, teams are collaborating as they should. Just business as normal.   To me, this is the time to think ahead: What happens when the unthinkable happens? Are you ready for that moment?  If your organization is ready

The terms “issues management” and “crisis management” may seem like they’re interchangeable, but nothing could be further from the truth. They’re actually quite different and require different approaches depending on a client’s circumstances.   My business partner Dennis Culloton likes to explain that a crisis is an issue that wasn’t managed. A metaphor I’ve heard compares

Celebrities. Mega-consumer brands. Fortune 500 companies. And of course, former presidents.  No one is immune from a crisis, even your average Joes can fall victim to a crisis by going viral for the wrong reason.   As we like to say, it’s not a matter of it but when a crisis will strike.  When in crisis,

You would have to be living under a rock to have missed the cryptocurrency scandal surrounding FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. As his world began to crumble, we watched him turn to all public avenues from media interviews to social media channels to clear his name. This surely made all crisis communications experts like myself

By Eleni Demertzis “The best competition I have is against myself, to become better.” That’s a quote by the legendary basketball coach John Wooden that my dad instilled in me at a young age. It’s a mantra that has followed me through my career (and life) that motivates me to always be better, learn

In 2021, Courtney joined CBL as a Senior Consultant, focusing on her specialty, healthcare issues advocacy and crisis management. She works with our range of healthcare industry clients, from hospital systems to long-term care organizations, advising them on how to navigate the regulatory arenas in Springfield and Chicago. To celebrate her 1-year anniversary with

By Natalie Bauer Luce I first met Dennis Culloton at a fundraiser in Bucktown for Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.   After a brief chat and a few big laughs at his prime one-liners, we exchanged business cards, and I thought that was that.   How wrong I was.  Little did I know in the

At home, I’m the mom of two rambunctious, fun and occasionally out-of-control little boys. At work, I’m a partner in our public affairs and crisis management firm. While the two roles may seem vastly different, it turns out my 9-to-5 is not that all that dissimilar from my other full-time job of parent. Here’s a

I was half-heartedly watching a music award show while multi-tasking when I heard country music star and coronavirus fighter Dolly Parton dedicate the show to the people of Ukraine. Matthew Ramsey of Old Dominion told the audience it felt “strange” to celebrate winning an award while a war rages in Ukraine. “There are people fighting

Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a nonprofit community organization, success in the digital space starts with being able to reach your target audience. But with new digital platforms emerging almost daily, which channels should you be using to effectively communicate to your intended audience? To put it simply (and unhelpfully), it depends. Are

As we enter another year of the COVID-era, we reflect on all the habits, routines and practices that have been permanently impacted. One transformational change is the actual business of government. Just like executives had to find a way to keep their businesses moving, so did our officials and administrators in the typically stodgy business