Kelly Whitten

Guided by almost two decades of experience, Kelly specializes in advising her clients through mission-critical communications initiatives, helping them to capitalize on and navigate both strategic opportunities and challenges. Throughout her career, Kelly has become a trusted partner to executives and communications teams across a diverse group of industries including aerospace, cybersecurity, CPG, education, energy, healthcare, real estate, retail, and technology. She has significant experience helping clients at all stages of development, from startups to large global organizations.

Kelly’s practice is rooted in her deep media relations expertise. A core focus of her work involves counseling clients on how to best navigate an ever-evolving media landscape in times of growth, retrenchment, challenge, and opportunity.

Prior to joining Kekst CNC, Kelly spent many years at HL Group where she served as chief of staff to the firm’s issues management practice lead. She began her career at FTI Consulting.

Kelly holds a B.A. in English from the University of Connecticut and was named one of the top 10 “PR Rising Stars” by the New York Observer in 2018.

Experience

Strategic Positioning

• Supports corporate and financial communications matters for clients across a diverse range of industries.
• Developed comprehensive, bespoke C-Suite positioning programs for a global pharmaceutical company, one of the largest global hedge funds, an oil supermajor, a leading apparel company, a national retail REIT, and an agriscience company, among others.
• Developed and refined corporate and investor narratives for multiple global industrials companies and companies involved in the electric battery transition to help stakeholders better understand how these businesses drive value.

Litigation Support

• Works with clients alongside their legal advisors on a variety of federal, state, and international regulatory investigations, actions, and resolutions.
• Provides strategic counsel on high-profile litigation between companies, including breach of commercial contracts, intellectual property, trade secrets, and employee misconduct, among other matters.
• Led media strategy and outreach for multi-jurisdictional litigation involving stolen art dating back to WWII.
• Advised a leading Fintech company in extensive investigations by, and settlements with, multiple state and federal regulators including the DOJ, FTC, and State Attorneys General.
• Supported communications for one of the largest cybersecurity companies regarding a business dispute with outsized media interest, as well as shareholder litigation.
• Advised a professional sports team on its communications strategy throughout a dispute with local municipalities.

Crisis and Issues Management

• Advises institutions and individuals on a range of special situations spanning reputational crises, litigation, regulatory inquiries, labor matters, workplace issues, targeted social activist campaigns, social media matters, store/facility closures, and employee misconduct, among other issues.
• Assists clients in establishing customized crisis communications plans and processes within their organizations – including outlining detailed crisis communications protocols, developing materials for specific scenarios tailored to each company’s industry and vulnerabilities, and facilitating bespoke crisis simulations.
• Supports change management programs, including executive transitions and successions, reductions in force, consolidations of businesses, and operational improvements.
• Provides ongoing counsel on preparing for and managing events across a broad spectrum of reputational issues involving customers, employees, regulators, investors, and the media for a large-cap Fintech company.
• Led global media relations response for one of the largest international technology incidents in the last decade.
• Led communications strategy for an education company facing customer scrutiny following allegations of misconduct made by former employees.
• Advised head designer at global fashion house on a variety of issues following racially charged allegations surfaced and perpetuated on social media.
• Supported communications for one of the largest global hedge funds facing backlash related to meme stocks.