FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 1, 2025
Contact: Info@617MediaGroup.com
Former Senior Labor Advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden joins 617MediaGroup to lead and expand agency’s government affairs practice
Erika Dinkel-Smith joins senior leadership at America’s top labor strategy and consulting firm
WASHINGTON, D.C. — 617MediaGroup, the nation’s leading consulting agency for labor unions and mission-driven causes, announced today that Erika Dinkel-Smith has joined the firm to lead the expansion of the agency’s Government Affairs practice — a key part of the agency’s coast-to-coast services in communications, campaigns, strategy, and event/convention management.
Dinkel-Smith most recently served as Special Assistant to the President, Senior Labor Advisor to President Joe Biden in the White House, where she played a pivotal role in shaping pro-worker policies and building strong ties between the administration and organized labor.
Her nearly two decades of experience in the labor movement include serving as National Political and Legislative Director for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), as well as working as a representative and organizer with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Based out of 617MediaGroup’s Washington, D.C. office, Dinkel-Smith will lead the agency’s Government Affairs practice in support of labor unions and mission-driven organizations across the United States and around the world; along with bolstering the agency’s support for pro-union candidates, ballot initiatives, and independent expenditure campaigns.
The move further cements 617MediaGroup’s status as the number one strategy partner to organized labor – and adds another key senior leader to the firm’s overall strategy practice which delivers holistic solutions to issues confronted by labor unions, along with associated funds, coalitions, and campaigns.
“Erika’s unparalleled experience at the intersection of government and labor makes her the ideal leader to lead and expand our government affairs practice,” said Jaclyn Kessel, Managing Director of 617MediaGroup. “Across the country, our agency already delivers top-tier strategy, event production, and communications services for the labor movement. Erika’s leadership will allow us to deepen that impact through direct policy advocacy and legislative engagement.”
617MediaGroup is a union shop and the fastest-growing communications agency serving mission-driven organizations nationwide. With a footprint that spans the entire United States from Hawaii to New York, the agency is trusted by labor unions, labor-affiliated funds, advocacy groups, and progressive coalitions across North America. Its robust suite of services includes:
- Strategic communications and media relations
- Message development and paid advertising
- High-impact event planning and execution
- Advocacy strategy and coalition-building
- Public affairs and government relations
- And more
“I’m proud to join a union agency that shares my lifelong commitment to working people,” said Dinkel-Smith. “This practice builds on 617MediaGroup’s powerful foundation — helping movements and workers not just to be heard, but to win real policy changes and important campaigns that improve workers’ lives in communities across the United States and beyond.”
About 617MediaGroup
617MediaGroup is the nation’s leading strategy, consulting, and capacity-building agency for labor unions and mission-driven organizations. The agency delivers award-winning strategy, media, messaging, event production, public relations, and advocacy support for movements nationwide. 617MediaGroup is the first agency of its kind to operate as a wall-to-wall union shop, and is proudly affiliated with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 35. To begin work on your next project or campaign with 617MediaGroup, email PartnershipDevelopment@617MediaGroup.com.
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