Ruder Finn, has significantly expanded its presence in the Washington, D.C. metro area with recent new hires, including a head of federal communications, Ellen Back, and sustainability communications expert, Sarah Stanley. In addition, award-winning, Virginia-based, multicultural agency, Comunicad, led by Gloria Rodriguez, joined Ruder Finn's group of companies this year. Ruder Finn's new office houses more than 20 communications specialists from across the D.C., Maryland, Virginia area.

Ruder Finn's D.C. office will service anchor clients such as Southwest Airlines, which recently named Ruder Finn as agency of record to advance overall communications and thought leadership. The agency's work with Southwest will cover a wide array of areas including media relations, environmental sustainability, and branded partnerships and entertainment. The D.C. office also recently brought on Robotic Research, a leading provider of autonomy and robotic technology.

Ruder Finn D.C. is the hub for RF Comunicad, a group of seasoned professionals that provide expertise in service-driven, social-impact, public affairs, and community programs designed to reach the Hispanic community. With clients such as Ford Motor Company and Molson Coors, the team will help drive Ruder Finn's government and public affairs work, helping clients navigate a shifting multicultural landscape.

"Public affairs and government relations is a major focus for Ruder Finn," says Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn. "The policy landscape is constantly changing, and so has our approach to supporting stakeholder engagement. The breadth and depth of our expertise in the Washington, D.C. office is a testament to how adaptive our communications work can be in order to best serve our client's needs in an integrated and holistic manner."

Ruder Finn's D.C. work spans multiple industries and sectors, including government, manufacturing, healthcare, lifestyle, and food and beverage. It is also home to RF Relate, a growing social impact and ESG practice launched in 2019 that provides support around environmental sustainability, advocacy, public affairs, global health, health equity, corporate reputation, and crisis communications.  

"Washington is a dynamic market with the merger of politics, business, and civil society," says Monica Marshall, head of Ruder Finn D.C. "Our team is a perfect reflection of this intersection and has years of experience developing and executing award-winning work across a range of issues important to employees, consumers, customers and other stakeholders."