This summer, the Culloton + Bauer Luce team was lucky enough to have Maggie Gorman as an intern. In addition to helping with our client campaigns, she interviewed our team of expert advisors over Zoom as a way to get to know them.

Where did they go to college? Do they root for the Cubs or the White Sox? What would they be doing if they weren’t working at CBL? Find out in our new “Intern Interviews with Maggie Gorman” series!

First up, Executive Vice President Natalie Bauer Luce.

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Maggie Gorman: What degrees have you achieved and where did you earn them from?

Natalie Bauer Luce: I attended undergraduate at Northwestern University and got my bachelor’s degree there at the Medill School of Journalism.

Maggie: What were some of your work experiences prior to joining Culloton + Bauer Luce?

Natalie: After graduating from Medill, I got my start working in newspapers. I was a daily reporter and a general assignment reporter covering a whole host of issues. Just whatever the news of the day was. I also got the chance to cover a lot of local government and politics. After that, I got more into working in the public affairs realm, left behind journalism, and just really wanted to get into the mix of government and politics. I ended up working for a big PR firm handling public affairs accounts, working primarily in telecom, hospitality and a little bit of energy. After that I went to work for Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the Illinois Attorney General, who served for 16 years. I spent a number of years working with her as her senior communications advisor. I worked with her and the senior lawyers on a number of high profile litigation issues, policy and things of that nature. So that’s really where I honed a lot of the skills that I use on a day-to-day basis at Culloton + Bauer Luce.

After my time in government, I decided to dip my toe in the start up pond here in Chicago. I went to work for a fairly prominent entrepreneur in the tech scene. He started a new company that he was building and I helped build out their communication strategy and function from the ground up. It was a really appealing project to learn on the inside how communications executives and business leaders look at PR, and that has really informed a lot of the work that I do now with our clients, particularly in tech, but across all sectors.

Maggie: What makes Culloton + Bauer Luce stand out against other firms for clients?

Natalie: I would say what makes Culloton + Bauer Luce stand out is really our approach and our mindset. We bring a strategic mindset to every engagement. This isn’t a piecemeal, tactical program that we put together and we aren’t just reacting to news of the day. We really work with our clients hand in hand to develop a comprehensive, strategic approach to address their problems. Whether it’s a crisis issue or more of an issues management issue, we develop campaigns and bring a campaign mindset, just like running for office. We use the client’s problem to develop a campaign that addresses that pain point.

Maggie: Why did you decide to get into the line of work that you are doing now?

Natalie: I love being at the intersection of business, government, politics and regulation. It is just fascinating, and it is never boring. I can certainly say that. I also really enjoy working with our clients and advocating on their behalf, whatever their cause might be. We work very closely, day in and day out with our clients. And so, their problems become my problems and I really enjoy and have a passion for resolving those pain points.

Maggie: What do you think you would be doing if you were not working at Culloton + Bauer Luce?

Natalie: That’s a great question and something that I struggle to answer. Maybe playing Major League Baseball if I could. Or perhaps I would be back in public service. I enjoyed my time working in that arena and am always fond of working with elected officials to advocate for causes and policy issues that really help improve people’s lives. So, I would say probably public service.

Maggie: What can you be found doing in your free time?

Natalie: Chasing after my two little boys for the most part. There’s not much time for that or anything else other than that, or even sleep for that matter. So, I spend a lot of time with my boys and sneak off from time to time to get in a workout. Our work is very stressful so getting a good run in or exercise is helpful.

Maggie: White Sox or Cubs?

Natalie: I don’t think this can be an option for us since we work with the Cubs. I am by nature a Cubs fan, but I would say Cubs all the way.

Maggie: If your childhood had a smell, what would it be?

Natalie: I would say freshly cut grass. I grew up outside of the Chicago area in the northwest suburbs and had a big yard as a kid. I had to do a lot of the yardwork myself, which were some of my chores. I have a fond memory of spending lots of time outside, especially in the summertime. I think of it now watching my boys play in the backyard. So, I would say freshly cut grass.

Did you know …

1. I was extremely close to getting arrested my first day on the job at my first newspaper gig while covering a protest during the 2000 Bush-Gore campaign season. I was so young the cops assumed I must’ve been a protestor!

2. I’m a recovering band nerd. I can play the alto, tenor and baritone sax. (Not well.)

3. I once drove through the Sierra Madre mountain range with an armed escort on my way to Guadalajara. I’ll never tell why …