Nothing is as important today as reputation. Without it, a
product or mission is lost. Building and protecting reputations is
Ashley McCown's forte. Some of today's most well respected
companies, organizations, and individuals have turned to Ashley as
their keeper of the flame.
During her 20-plus years in the public and private
communications sectors, Ashley has become known for her keen
analytical skills, her calm in a storm, her commitment to results,
and her unwavering integrity. As Solomon McCown's President, she
imbues her strategic thinking and values in all agency work.
Ashley brings more than 15 years of experience conceiving and
executing large-scale, statewide, integrated campaigns including
the successful 2010 ballot Campaign to Protect the Affordable
Housing law, the Energy Bucks campaign and SM&'s work with the
Executive Office of Public Safety & Security.
She directs the firm's Crisis Response Team and Litigation
Relations Practice. She has developed dozens of crisis plans for
corporations, institutions and mission-focused organizations, and
has played a key role in many sensitive and complex issues
including labor negotiations and strikes, accusations of sexual
harassment and abuse, state and federal investigations, workplace
violence, and community relations for high-profile real estate
developments.
Ashley created the agency's media training program. She has
trained CEOs, entrepreneurs, mall and property managers, attorneys,
physicians and authors to be effective communicators in print and
broadcast interviews. Much of her training expertise comes from her
experience as a spokesperson for organizations on a range of issues
and sensitive matters.
A forceful presence and compelling voice, Ashley regularly
speaks on crisis planning and management before trade associations
and communications organizations. The media call upon her to
comment on crises and litigation. She has appeared in USA
Today, Bloomberg, CNN, PR Week, PR News, O'Dwyer's
and COMMProBiz commenting on many of the pressing issues for
businesses and organizations as they rise and fall amidst the
current economic and political climate.
Earlier in her career, Ashley served as marketing director for
the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Her communications
background also includes experience in the television industry at
the CBS affiliate in her native South Florida and at WNET/THIRTEEN
in New York.
Ashley is a member of the Board of Overseers for the MSPCA, a
member of the Alliance for Business Leadership (TABL) and The
Commonwealth Institute (TCI). She is past president of the
Publicity Club of New England. In 2006, she won Crisis Communicator
of the Year honorable mention at PR News' PR People Awards.
She has a bachelor's degree in English from Mount Holyoke
College.
