07.30.19
Washington, DC – Today, Seven Letter, a leading Washington, DC-based, strategic communications and public affairs firm resulting from the merger of Blue Engine Message & Media and JDA Frontline announced the addition of David Knaus, Justin Krakoff and Alfonso Hidalgo in three newly-created positions on its growing team. Knaus was previously a senior campaign aide to former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner. Krakoff, previously a digital organizer, and Hidalgo both served as fellows at Seven Letter prior to joining the staff.
“It has been an exciting summer, beginning with the launch of our Seven Letter brand and continuing with the addition of three exceptional team members,” said Seven Letter founding partner Allison Fastow. “Dave, Justin and Alfonso are talented communicators who bring creativity and skill to our client work. We are thrilled to add them to our growing team.”
Prior to his work on Gov. Rauner’s campaign, Knaus worked at Luntz Global where he counseled numerous political campaigns and causes and helped enhance the reputations of clients in a variety of industries, from financial services to sports and entertainment. Knaus’s experience conducting consumer and public opinion research and devising communications strategies for corporations, leading political organizations, prominent trade associations and non-profits makes him a valuable asset to Seven Letter. Before Luntz, Knaus worked as a field coordinator for the Colorado Republican Committee.
Krakoff also joins Seven Letter from the campaign trail. He spent the 2018 election cycle working on U.S. Rep. Susie Lee’s campaign. Prior to joining the Seven Letter staff, Krakoff participated in the Blue Engine Message & Media fellowship program and was a Blue Engine intern in 2017.
Hidalgo comes to Seven Letter from Massachusetts, where he spent time interning at the New England Council. He went on to complete the Blue Engine + JDA fellowship program before joining the Seven Letter staff full-time this month.
“We are very excited to be able to offer Dave, Justin and Alfonso’s unique perspectives to our clients,” said David Di Martino, founding partner at Seven Letter. “With Dave’s background in research and analysis, and how they inform effective message development, and Justin and Alfonso’s strengths in creative content deployment, we are confident they will prove instrumental in helping our clients achieve their goals.”
Building on his experience, Knaus will be working with clients in industries ranging from financial services and consumer products to housing and health care – on services spanning brand management, crisis communication and issue advocacy. Krakoff will be doing work primarily in the environmental and conservation sectors and has joined the firm’s growing cannabis practice, promoting client causes through digital communication and coalition building. Hidalgo’s work will focus on copyright law, safety and transportation issues, among others. He will be assisting clients primarily with their public relations and digital communications needs.
The nearly-30 member Seven Letter team has experience ranging from Capitol Hill to the White House, government agencies to journalism, and from large public relations agencies to political campaigns. For more information on Seven Letter, including staff bios, please visit the firm’s website, SevenLetter.com.