Jenny Backus is the founder and President of Backus Consulting, a strategic communications firm specializing in strategy development, campaign and project management and intergovernmental consulting for corporations, media outlets, trade associations, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and advocacy campaigns. Backus Consulting also works closely with clients on creating winning public affairs campaigns, event design and management and facilitation of conferences, conventions and workshops.

A nationally recognized spokesperson, moderator and expert on strategic communications and partnerships, Backus has worked for Fortune 500 companies, national trade associations and NGOs and in the political arena serving in leadership positions in the US House, the US Senate and on Presidential campaigns, including designing & managing more than 40 Presidential Primary Debates/Forums and events for the national media in the 2004 and 2008 Presidential cycles.

Prior to restarting her consulting business in 2016, Jenny served for three years as a Senior Policy Advisor and Head of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement for Google where she developed Google’s state-by-state public affairs teams and strategic plans, managed all Google’s US NGO and 3rd Party relations and oversaw a multi-million dollar public affairs and policy budget.

Jenny also served in the first two years of the Obama Administration as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategy & Planning at the US Department of Health and Human Services working closely with Secretary Sebelius and the White House. She managed communications activities for HHS and all their operating and staff divisions and during her tenure grew HHS ASPA from a $6 million to a $20 million department; expanded web and new media capabilities and supervised and managed more than $250 million worth of communication contracts across HHS.

Backus Consulting, the firm Jenny founded in 2002, has worked for a variety of clients over the past decade in the technology, healthcare, financial services, media, immigration, and legal services space as well as political parties, candidates and campaigns. She has also done extensive work in the nonprofit world helping think tanks, advocacy groups and community-based organizations expand their communications, outreach and fundraising capacity.

In addition to running her own consulting business, Jenny also serves on several Boards, including the World Learning Board, the National Consumers League Board and Impact 100 DC Board.

A graduate of Brattleboro Union High School and Brown University, Backus lives in Washington DC with her husband Ed Pagano and son Jack.

‍