WASHINGTON — FEMA public affairs head Jaclyn Rothenberg has joined Avoq, bolstering the firm’s crisis and issues management expertise.

After three-plus years as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s spokesperson and director of public affairs and planning, Rothenberg will serve in a senior VP role, based in New York.

Over the last 15 or so years, Rothenberg has accrued experience gleaned from senior leadership roles in public and private organizations.

At FEMA, Rothenberg led a nearly 40-person team guided the agency’s media and messaging strategies on key priorities such as disaster response and recovery, environmental issues, workforce readiness and equity.

Her most recent efforts included spearheaded FEMA’s messaging and media strategy dealing with hurricanes Helene and Milton, which included combating misinformation campaigns. While at the agency, she oversaw the media and messaging approaches for dozens of disasters and led the communications efforts for the largest policy change at FEMA in the last 20 years, as well as a new collaboration with the NFL.

Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Rothenberg led the Georgia communications team for the 2020 Biden-Harris campaign and served nearly five years in New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration as a spokesperson and senior communications advisor. 

“Jaclyn brings an amazing depth of knowledge to Avoq, having provided and mastered every facet of communications expertise in her nearly two decades of experience,” said CEO Nicole Cornish. “Jaclyn’s communications leadership at FEMA put her at the center of the most complex and important issues facing the country, while her work in the private sector showcases her ability to understand the needs of the business community and how to advance client agendas.”