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People

Cathy McElrath Renna, Managing Partner

Cathy is nationally recognized as a media relations expert and as a leader within the LGBT community.

As a major force behind the success and growth of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), where she worked for 14 years, Cathy served as a primary spokesperson for GLAAD, as well as its first National News Media Director. She contributed to the strategic, crisis communications and community relations components of the organization’s most visible campaigns. When she served as Training Services Manager, Cathy developed the materials and curriculum for GLAAD’s highly sought after “MediaEssentials” training series. She also developed “Train the Trainer” materials for the organization, as GLAAD’s staff expanded and media training services became an integral part of the work of its Regional Media department. In her role as Community Relations Director at GLAAD, Cathy conducted hundreds of media trainings and presentations across the country to a diverse array of progressive groups of all sizes.

Most notably in terms of crisis and strategic communications, Cathy played a central role while at GLAAD in shaping media coverage of both the beating death of Matthew Shepard in 1998, a tragedy that became a cultural marker for a shift in the level of media visibility of LGBT issues, and the sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic Church, during which her efforts contributed to thwarting Church officials’ attempts to link the dynamic of abuse to sexual orientation.

Since leaving GLAAD, Cathy has worked to increase the visibility of clients such as 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai, the Matthew Shepard Foundation, the Point Foundation, Family Pride and the Williams Institute. In her 17 years working in media relations, Cathy has garnered placements in every major newspaper and television outlet in the country, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, the New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post, Newsweek and a cover story of Time magazine.

In addition to her work as a communications consultant, Cathy continues to be highly sought after by the media as a spokesperson on LGBT issues and has appeared on the O’Reilly Factor, Hannity and Colmes, CNN, MSNBC, Good Morning America and numerous local affiliate shows throughout the country.

Leah McElrath Renna, Managing Partner

Leah is an expert on communications and language with nearly two decades of experience helping people and organizations clarify and reach their goals.

As a professional clinical social worker with a Master of Social Work degree from the Smith College School for Social Work, Leah has extensive experience both as a communications consultant working with individuals and organizations and as a psychotherapist working with adults and children, individuals and families. Leah’s areas of clinical expertise include child development, family dynamics and the impact of trauma and abuse. In addition, she is an experienced group facilitator and has conducted participatory trainings for groups ranging in size from eight to more than 150 people and hundreds of interactive small group sessions.

Prior to achieving her Masters degree, Leah earned a BA magna cum laude in Economics and International Relations from Smith College and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In addition to her clinical and communications practice, she also has experience in the field of finance, including working as a licensed stockbroker and financial advisor.

Leah is also a talented writer and has authored and contributed to the production of materials published both under her own name and for attribution to others in the New York Times Magazine, USA Today, the New York Daily News, AM New York, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Advocate.com, Gay.com, Time.com and other influential media outlets. Many of these pieces were created for clients in response to breaking news and current events and published as part of strategic or crisis communications campaigns.

Laura McGinnis

Laura is a media relations and communications professional who has devoted her professional career to ensuring minority populations have a voice in the media.

Since moving to the Washington, D.C. area, she has been a spokesperson and communications director for the Obama for America Campaign, the Sundance Film Festival, the Frameline Film Festival, and the American Heart Association. She has represented the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, the NAACP Image Awards, and MGM Mirage in diversity outreach, and has worked to raise awareness for the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, and a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Delaware.