Founder and CEO
Before establishing her own company, Rebecca gained external affairs experience at two firms: as principal at The Raben Group, a nationwide public policy and strategic communications firm, and as director at Porzio Governmental Affairs, a law firm subsidiary focused on state-level lobbying and business development. While her focus was on climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, she used her expertise to advance her clients’ priorities in education, energy and renewables, gun violence prevention, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and other areas.
Rebecca began her career as a White House intern in the Domestic Policy Office of the Vice President, where she focused on policy and speechwriting. She continued her focus on politics, policy, and government in New Jersey, where she worked on two congressional campaigns and was a legislative aide to State Senator John Girgenti. Rebecca also was a project specialist to U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg.
Her policy portfolio included issues such as education; energy and the environment; health, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals; historic preservation; and LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. Rebecca then served as the chief education policy officer with the New Jersey Department of Education, a role created for her by the current Governor’s office. She analyzed, developed, and executed policies to influence the external policy environment and public policy agenda. While there, she also managed relationships throughout the state legislature, the Governor’s office, the U.S. Congress, statewide education organizations, and with lobbyists and other stakeholders.
In addition to these government roles, she has worked in the not-for-profit sector. Rebecca gained significant experience during her tenure as a director at the strategic and crisis communications firm CN Communications International, Inc., where she was responsible for the executive management of a nonprofit overseeing the budget, advisory board, staff, volunteers, communications, press, social media, sponsorships, grants, fundraising, and event and conference planning that brought together thought leaders in government, academia, and industry. Rebecca was previously the acting director for state affairs with the Drug Policy Alliance, where she managed strategy, program planning, and implementation for both the 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4). She oversaw state affairs employees, state offices, lobbyists at the state-level throughout the country, and lobbied state legislators, governors, and other government officials.
During her career, Rebecca taught for a decade in the Federated Department of History at Rutgers University-Newark and taught American Government as part of a philanthropic venture for the Modern States Education Alliance. Additionally, Rebecca has a strong track record of published work – having been featured in the Fordham Law Review, Politico Magazine, and Public Seminar and as a columnist in Insider NJ.
Rebecca earned her doctorate in U.S. history from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, a master’s of science degree in the theory and history of international relations from The London School of Economics and Political Science, and a bachelor’s degree from Boston University. She obtained an executive education certificate for completing the program “Climate Change and Energy: Policymaking for the Long Term” from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She is a visiting associate at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Additional information can be found by visiting her LinkedIn profile.
“Historians have to make a special effort and be unabashed about connecting historical knowledge and understanding to contemporary strategic and operational problems.” ~H.R. McMaster
