In today’s hyper-connected world, our global economic and social issues call for innovative and transformative solutions. I have always believed that social good can be achieved regardless of the seat in which the client sits – corporate, government, or nonprofit. The issues are the same across sectors, and so are the challenges. I have found that effective communications can be the common factor that brings many people together to drive long-term social and economic change for the greater good. My role as a communicator is to help clients put the issue they want to tackle at the center, and work outward toward solutions.
Biography
Ken Sain is senior vice president and a partner in Widmeyer’s PreK-12 education practice. He has over 20 years of experience developing and executing strategic communications programs to effectively support long-term public policy and public education initiatives. Ken is a creative problem solver known for taking a common-sense approach to communications strategies. He currently directs the firm’s work with the William K. Kellogg Foundation to improve the lives and future possibilities of vulnerable children and their families.
Prior to joining Widmeyer, Ken was a senior vice president in the Health and Social Marketing group at Porter Novelli, where he led initiatives for an array of clients including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Psychiatric Association, Almond Board of California, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). He also helped lead Porter Novelli’s efforts for the National Cancer Institute’s minority outreach initiative to reduce health disparities, and prevent diet-related diseases.
Before joining Porter Novelli, Ken served as a media and political consultant for a leading consulting firm in Washington, D.C., where he advised numerous successful political campaigns. He was also the Vice President of Program Partnerships for PowerUP, a national non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the “digital divide” among young people in underserved communities. At PowerUP, he developed and maintained senior-level partnerships with a wide array of corporations, non-profits, and government agencies. He also acquired in-kind resources of over $22 million and designated grants to over 350 after school technology centers in 48 states. Partners included AOL Time Warner, America’s Promise, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Cisco, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, the National Urban League, the YMCA of the USA, and the U.S. Department of Education.
Ken has also worked as a special assistant to both the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Secretary of Labor. At HUD, he worked on the Empowerment Zones/Empowerment Communities Initiative where he developed and maintained public-private partnerships bringing together corporations, governmental agencies, and local community stakeholders to encourage economic development and community revitalization.
He began his career on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Al Gore (TN). He advised the Senator and formulated strategies on a range of issues including health promotion and disease prevention.
Ken earned his B.A. in political science from the University of Memphis.