I have spent more than 15 years in communications, crisis and issue management and political and legislative campaigns. In 2017, I founded The Hayes Initiative to apply my his experience steering organizations’ public affairs and media relations to clients across business, politics, nonprofits, and philanthropy.

Previously, I served on Secretary Hilary Clinton’s national advance team; was an appointed official at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where my team and I managed media and communications focusing on highly sensitive issues at the bi-state agency; and as VP of Public Affairs and Policy at GMHC, I directed strategy and implementation of all communications, advocacy and marketing for the nation’s leading HIV and AIDS service organization.

On March 16, my team and I started offering our expertise through short consultations, free of charge, especially to small businesses and nonprofits. As the founder of a LGBTQ-owned small business, I understand how important it is to help other businesses like ours through this crisis. We have been offering short consultations for how organizations and businesses can weather COVID-19 through crisis management, messaging and longer-term communication strategy. By volunteering with RXR, we would be able to continue this model of extending our support to small businesses and nonprofits.