Christopher M. Gray
Silver Spring,MD
Summary
Christopher Gray is a strategist and storyteller who helps organizations navigate complex moments and translate them into brand clarity. With over a decade of experience in campaign strategy, executive communications, and narrative development, Christopher has helped CEOs, nonprofit leaders, academic research centers, and civil society coalitions change public perceptions and achieve critical objectives. From coordinating national messaging around the confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice to leading sustainability-focused ESG campaigns for one of the world’s top architecture and design firms, his work sits at the intersection of market development, communications, public policy, research, and sustainable design. Whether conducting a brand audit, developing 360 degree messaging strategies, or partnering with design leaders to reframe how a firm shows up in the world, he focuses on surfacing what matters—and building messaging that resonates. He has launched platforms, built coalitions, trained executive leaders, and authored strategic plans in critical moments for private firms, nonprofits, and prominent elected officials.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder & President
Big Picture Progressive Strategies
07.2022 - Current
- Provide strategic counsel on visibility, brand positioning, and public affairs to mission-driven nonprofit organizations.
- Conduct communications audits and develop insight-driven messaging frameworks for private sector firms, foundations, and nationally recognized nonprofit clients.
- Lead strategic planning on issues ranging from program development, change management, fundraising, and market strategy.
Director of Communications
Fair and Just Prosecution
06.2024 - 06.2025
- Member of FJP’s senior management team overseeing strategic planning, budgeting, HR, and foundation relations.
- Guided the organization through three leadership changes as the organization went through a period of reorganization and brand transformation.
- Directed organization-wide communications strategy including earned media, rapid response, and executive visibility for the organization and for elected officials across the United States.
- Served as spokesperson during high-profile legal matters, coordinating real-time messaging, and press engagement.
- Developed the organization’s first comprehensive crisis communications and digital strategy playbook.
Director of Communications
Alliance for Justice / Alliance for Justice Action Campaign
06.2021 - 07.2022
- Built a modern communications team featuring media relations, web development, digital engagement, and branding resulting in a 35% increase in email subscribers and the successful launch of a new SMS/text messaging program.
- Led communications strategy for federal judicial confirmations, including the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. This included coordinating messaging with the White House, the Senate Judiciary Committee and more than 100 civil society organizations.
- Oversaw a rebrand of the Bolder Advocacy program, including new brand guidelines for publications, messaging strategy, and a strategic repositioning for funders and members.
Director
The Raben Group
08.2019 - 06.2021
- Led narrative and brand strategy for major nonprofit brands including the ACLU, the MacArthur Foundation, the United Philanthropy Forum, Jobs for the Future, the Immigrant Legal Resources Center, The Sentencing Project, Public Counsel, Democrats for Education Reform, and the National Coalition on School Diversity.
- Developed executive communications strategy and oversaw implementation for CEOs and other C-Suite leaders of major foundations, trade associations, academic centers, and nonprofit leaders.
- Designed and led major communications and marketing campaigns for national and international clients. These included media strategy, messaging, research development formal envoys to major national and international policy forums such as the United Nations General Assembly, reputation management.
Communications Director
State Energy and Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law
07.2018 - 08.2019
- Served as on-the-record spokesperson for the organization and former Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of the Interior and White House Climate Czar David J. Hayes.
- Advised coalitions of state attorneys general in their public messaging on ongoing litigation against the federal government, including coordinating press conferences, speaking engagements, and crisis response.
- Led organizational brand development through the creation of new brand guidelines, website development, the creation of key thought leadership platforms such as newsletters, research, and other materials, and social media campaigns.
- Worked with leading foundational partners including Bloomberg Philanthropies on reputation management and rapid response.
Executive Communications Manager
Gensler
10.2015 - 07.2018
- Developed and led Co-CEO Diane Hoskins’ executive communications strategy for global ESG campaigns, engagement with multinational NGOs such as the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and the World Green Building Association, and led content and marketing strategy for Gensler’s sustainable design practice.
- Spearheaded Gensler’s participation in the Paris Climate Negotiations, Climate Week NYC, the Global Climate Action Summit, and UN Habitat III.
- Launched Gensler’s official podcast – the Gensler Design Exchange – and served as the lead editor and director of the firm’s first annual sustainability report.
Media & Communications Specialist
U.S. Green Building Council
08.2015 - 10.2015
- Independently led a 10-nation public relations campaign in the run up to the U.N.’s historic Paris climate negotiations resulting in international coverage of the global built environment’s key role in combating climate change.
Marketing Specialist-Corporate Marketing
DrFirst
07.2013 - 03.2014
Education
M.A. - Communication Studies
Syracuse University
01.2012
B.A. - History, Political Communication
James Madison University
01.2009
Skills
- Brand Strategy
- Narrative Development
- Executive Advisory
- Strategic Communications
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Campaign Leadership
- Rapid Response
- Digital Media Strategy
- Cross-Sector Collaboration
- Crisis and Reputational Risk Management
Bulldog Reporter
Gold Winner: Best New Member/Volunteer Campaign
"The Top 10 States for LEED"
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Professional Working
The American Business Awards
Gold Winner: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year-Public Affairs
"The Top 10 States for LEED"
Timeline
Director of Communications
Fair and Just Prosecution
06.2024 - 06.2025
Founder & President
Big Picture Progressive Strategies
07.2022 - Current
Director of Communications
Alliance for Justice / Alliance for Justice Action Campaign
06.2021 - 07.2022
Director
The Raben Group
08.2019 - 06.2021
Communications Director
State Energy and Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law
07.2018 - 08.2019
Executive Communications Manager
Gensler
10.2015 - 07.2018
Media & Communications Specialist
U.S. Green Building Council
08.2015 - 10.2015
Marketing Specialist-Corporate Marketing
DrFirst
07.2013 - 03.2014
B.A. - History, Political Communication
James Madison University
M.A. - Communication Studies
Syracuse University
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