Debra DeShong Reed, Principal.

Debra DeShong Reed has held high level communications positions in the private sector, on Capitol Hill, in state and national political campaigns, and in the media. She has developed media strategy for some of the most high profile campaigns and public figures in Washington. In January 2006, she founded Point Blank Public Affairs with Amy Weiss, serving clients that include Fortune 100 companies, non-profit organizations, unions, coalitions, and foundations. Point Blank was named by the National Journal as one of "The most respected, and buzzed about, [women owned DC] firms."

Prior to Point Blank Public Affairs, DeShong Reed served as Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the United Nations Foundation. There she created two new programs bringing local television reporters to the United Nations for three days of briefings and interviews, and "Talk Radio Day at the UN" with radio hosts from around the country broadcasting from the United Nations for the first time in history.

Prior to working at the Foundation, DeShong Reed served as a Senior Communications Advisor for the Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign. She managed the communications department in the Washington DC headquarters and oversaw the multi-million dollar satellite media operations. She also regularly appeared on national television and radio shows on behalf of the campaign. Previously, DeShong Reed was the Democratic National Committee's Communications Director where she coordinated six presidential primary debates including the first ever bilingual debate.

On Capitol Hill, DeShong Reed served as the Communications Director for U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) during a federal campaign finance investigation and a U.S. Senate Ethics Committee investigation. She served as Press Secretary to Majority Leader Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and as the campaign Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). DeShong Reed has worked at the local levels of politics and media, serving as Communications Director for the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and as a news bureau supervisor and on-air reporter for WBTW-TV (CBS) in Myrtle Beach, SC.

DeShong Reed is a graduate of Fairfield University and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Amy Weiss