Building Reputations. Shaping Conversations. Driving Change.
In an era of friction and polarization, clear communication is a competitive advantage. McDonough Strategies helps businesses, nonprofits, and campaigns unite audiences around the narratives that build reputations, drive engagement, and deliver results — from the boardroom to Congress to the communities where change takes root.
Capabilities
Message Development
Persuasive, compelling messages unite audiences, effectively explain nuanced issues, and propel organizations forward. We partner with organizations to craft compelling narratives that drive strategy, using our decades of experience linking audiences with varying motivations toward a common goal.
Public Affairs & Policy Communications
Policy outcomes hinge on the ability to translate and make common sense out of wonky or highly technical issues. We craft strategic public affairs and policy campaigns at the federal, state, and local levels that effectively reach and resonate with members of Congress and C-suite leaders, while also appealing to the grassroots. Coalition development aims to unite partners and unlikely allies to mobilize support, giving policy initiatives momentum and credibility.
Litigation & Investigations Communications
We have unique experience on both the government and business sides of complex civil enforcement litigation and investigations matters. We know how to work closely with attorneys to help align communications, public affairs, and legal strategy on sensitive litigation and enforcement investigations matters to effectively drive persuasive narratives and protect reputations.
Issues Management & Crisis Communications
Preparing for and effectively managing challenging or uncertain moments as well as moments of change can make or break organizations. We look around corners to develop plans that anticipate potential challenges so organizations are prepared with moment-ready messaging and response plans and are not caught off guard. In difficult situations, we provide steady leadership and work tirelessly to help you emerge stronger.
Executive Positioning & Media Training
We help leaders sharpen their voices and serve as strong messengers internally and externally for their organizations. With experience training leaders for high-stakes media interviews, speeches, and internal all-hands, we develop tailored executive trainings to effectively communicate with key audiences, including media, and help build credibility, rally support, and secure reputations.
Meet Abbie
Abbie McDonough is the Founder of McDonough Strategies. She has 20 years of experience in strategic, political, and litigation communications and reputation management. She has served as a communications advisor to leaders of national and global institutions as well as elected leaders from U.S. senators to state attorneys general.
Abbie built her career helping leaders in federal and local government develop their brands and legacies, make major announcements around policies and enforcement litigation, and navigate politically sensitive situations. She has expertise in juggling the communications challenges of reaching diverse audiences across the country, from the urban and suburban communities surrounding the nation’s largest cities to rural communities that dot America’s heartland.
At McDonough Strategies, Abbie helps clients across a wide variety of industries with narrative development, public affairs, stakeholder engagement campaigns, congressional and third-party investigations, and sensitive business changes or challenges. She spent the past several years working at strategic communications firms where she worked on a variety of complex crisis and litigation matters for non-profit, corporate, and cooperative clients.
In government, Abbie served as the communications director for D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, where she was the office’s chief spokesperson. Prior to that, Abbie worked for over a decade on Capitol Hill, serving as communications director for U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp and national press secretary for U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller. In these roles, she served as a senior advisor and worked directly with elected officials, developing strong relationships with national and local media outlets, crafting and executing strategic communications plans, announcing major litigation against national and local parties, rolling out policies and legislation, and driving conversations on issues ranging from responsible financial services regulation to sustainable energy development to public safety and beyond.
Abbie serves on the Board of Directors for the Squash and Education Alliance and Acorn Outdoor Learning. She graduated from Yale University. She resides in Washington, DC with her husband and two daughters, and is an avid fan of the Washington Spirit professional women’s soccer team.