Steven Labrenz

Wilderness Narrative Co. was born from the belief that the outdoors teaches us things no classroom ever could — clarity, humility, teamwork, and the ability to see the world with a wider lens. Our work is grounded in the idea that stories shaped by wild places carry a different kind of truth. They’re lived, not manufactured. They’re felt, not forced.

Founded in Minnesota and shaped by an upbringing in Alaska, Wilderness Narrative Co. blends executive‑level brand strategy with the authenticity of backcountry experience. We help mission‑driven organizations, outdoor brands, and community‑focused nonprofits tell stories that feel human, grounded, and real. Whether guiding youth in the Boundary Waters, volunteering at Camp St. Croix, or directing narrative for technical field teams, our work centers on one thing: elevating the moments that matter.

We believe storytelling is a form of stewardship — a way to honor people, places, and purpose. Wilderness Narrative Co. exists to bring clarity, meaning, and emotional resonance to the stories that deserve to be told.

• Led enterprise-level brand, marketing, and communications strategy for a national engineering and infrastructure firm within a Fortune 500 parent company. Directed technical storytelling, partner-aligned messaging, and cross-functional communication programs supporting high-visibility initiatives.
• Strengthened brand consistency through development of unified messaging frameworks, brand governance tools, and cross-functional communication standards, enhancing brand recognition across all channels.
• Directed the organization’s digital ecosystem (WordPress, Vimeo, social platforms), improving SEO performance and time-on-site by 15% and increasing project page engagement by 30% through data-driven optimization.
• Developed naming conventions and brand architecture guidelines that improved clarity across 12+ enterprise programs and supported long-term brand scalability.
• Expanded social media presence through targeted content strategy and analytics-driven refinement, resulting in increased engagement and audience growth.
• Led national media planning and buying across seven industry publications, strengthening brand visibility and credibility in key markets.
• Advised the company president on executive messaging and stakeholder communications for a $30M infrastructure initiative with significant community and regulatory impact.
• Built editorial calendars and standardized communication workflows, enhancing cross-functional alignment and streamlining operational processes.
• Achieved successful execution of over 20 annual RFIs and 40 quarterly technical case studies through strategic planning. Drove alignment between sales engineering and operations to enhance brand integrity in technical submissions.

• Led communication strategy, stakeholder engagement, and cross-agency coordination for multimillion-dollar public-sector energy and infrastructure programs. Strengthened narrative clarity, improved information flow, and ensured alignment across government, engineering, and operational teams.
• Directed integrated communication planning for federal, state, and municipal initiatives, ensuring clear, consistent, and audience-appropriate messaging across all channels.
• Served as primary liaison to government partners, strengthening cross-functional collaboration and supporting mission-aligned communication for high-visibility programs.
• Developed content strategies, editorial calendars, and stakeholder materials that enhanced program visibility and fostered community engagement.
• Supported issues management and executive communication for complex service initiatives, ensuring timely and coordinated public-facing messaging.
• Contributed to major contract wins with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, City of Spokane, and Washington State DOT through strategic messaging and relationship building.
• Supervised cross‑functional teams of 20+ members, fostering collaboration and ensuring project objectives were consistently met.

• Directed strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, and executive-level messaging for major infrastructure, security, and building technology programs across Alaska’s federal, military, and institutional sectors. Strengthened narrative clarity, ensured mission-aligned communication, and supported multimillion-dollar initiatives with high public visibility.
• Led integrated communication planning for high-visibility infrastructure and security programs, ensuring clear, coordinated, and compliant messaging across federal, military, and institutional audiences.
• Served as spokesperson and primary liaison to federal agencies and military installations, reinforcing trust and alignment across complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Produced executive presentations, public-facing messaging, and digital content that enhanced stakeholder understanding of multimillion-dollar modernization and security initiatives.
• Managed $3.5M Salesforce pipeline, exceeding FY20 performance targets through targeted communication and stakeholder engagement.
• Oversaw communication and reporting for $2.4M subcontract supporting Missile Defense Agency’s LRDR site, ensuring clarity and alignment with operational goals.
• Owned management of University of Alaska Fairbanks account within Alaska branch, overseeing annual $649K technical support for statewide building automation preventative maintenance.

• Managed communication, service coordination, and stakeholder engagement for federal and state clients across northern Alaska, fostering trusted relationships with government partners to support infrastructure modernization initiatives through clear and consistent communication.
• Strengthened communication and program coordination across federal and state partners, enhancing transparency and ensuring operational alignment.
• Collaborated with Siemens Government Technologies on a $1M+ preventive maintenance contract for Ft. Greely Army Base.
• Managed communication, service coordination, and stakeholder engagement for federal and state clients across northern Alaska. Built trusted relationships with government partners and supported infrastructure modernization initiatives through clear, consistent, and audience-appropriate communication.
• Strengthened communication and program coordination across federal and state partners, improving transparency and operational alignment.
• Developed public-facing materials and service updates to facilitate infrastructure modernization and ensure continuity of operations.

• Chosen for Siemens' competitive 12-month Sales Engineering Development Program that supported statewide infrastructure and public-sector initiatives.
• Chosen for an elite, 12-month national leadership program that translated complex Siemens industrial engineering solutions into clear, value-driven narratives for statewide infrastructure initiatives.
• Directed communication outreach and aligned stakeholders for high-visibility public-sector projects, enhancing collaboration with Alaska DOT, Alaska Railroad, and Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center.
• Navigated complex, multi-party communications between technical SMEs and government decision-makers, ensuring project clarity and maintaining reputational trust.
• Leveraged outreach strategy to build $115K Salesforce pipeline within 120 days, exceeding FY16 performance targets and narrative quality standards.

• Led nationwide communication and rollout for multimillion-dollar promotional campaigns supporting Fortune 500 brands across 8,000+ Walgreens and Duane Reade locations. Ensured brand consistency, operational alignment, and high-quality execution across large, distributed field teams.
• Directed national communication strategy for promotional campaigns, achieving clear, consistent brand messaging across all retail markets.
• Strengthened brand visibility and operational execution through data-driven reporting and cross-functional alignment with client and internal teams.
• Managed workforce coordination and internal communication systems supporting complex, high-volume retail initiatives.
• Enhanced brand visibility and operational execution through data-driven reporting and alignment with client and internal teams.
• Owned $1M in merchandising project execution and promotional campaign delivery for consumer-packaged goods clients across Walgreens retail channels.

• Contributed to national brand execution and retail activation for the Novartis portfolio, providing insights, reporting, and cross-functional coordination to strengthen in-store brand performance across 6,500 U.S. retail locations.
• Directed communication and activation strategies across 6,500 U.S. retail accounts, ensuring consistent brand execution in diverse markets.
• Produced weekly reports and insights for senior leadership, guiding national marketing decisions and enhancing campaign performance.
• Drove revenue growth from $121K to $5M through targeted activation strategies and data-driven recommendations.
• Led relaunch of Theraflu into U.S. grocery channels, coordinating cross-functional teams for effective retail execution.

• Elevated product visibility through IRI/Nielsen insights and targeted merchandising recommendations.
• Presented promotional analyses that supported national marketing initiatives and strengthened client relationships.
• Developed expertise in brand execution and retail activation, facilitating effective cross-functional communication.
• Facilitated national training program