Solomon McCown & Company (SM&), a 100% women owned PR firm with a proven track record of helping clients achieve their goals through innovative, integrated communications campaigns, has added Jillian Youngblood as Vice President to oversee national communications strategies and expand the agency’s New York City presence. Youngblood’s deep connections in the corporate and political arenas will help the company grow its client base in New York and further strengthen SM&’s roster of industry leaders.
Youngblood brings 15 years of experience in education, technology, government, politics, healthcare and urban planning to SM&. She will utilize her diverse background, relationships with top tier national media and thought leadership expertise to play a critical role in developing and executing national communications strategies that support the agency’s public, private and non-profit clients.
“Jillian has held many prestigious positions for a diverse group of organizations throughout her career,” said Helene Solomon, SM& CEO. “Her depth in many of our key sectors including education, real estate development, non-profits, and healthcare perfectly aligns with our mission and client base, and we look forward to the impact she will have on achieving clients’ communication objectives.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Jillian to our agency. Her deep experience writing for the C-Suite and successfully packaging compelling story angles for top tier national media makes her a huge asset,” added Ashley McCown, SM& President.
“I’m elated to join a team that shares my passion for helping innovative leaders thrive in the public sphere, and to generate recognition for organizations transforming education, technology, real estate and healthcare,” Youngblood said.
Prior to joining Solomon McCown, Jillian managed strategic communications, including public affairs and media relations, for a variety non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs and cultural institutions. Before that, she was Vice President at The Noodle Companies, an education technology company, where she led communications around PK-20 education and lifelong learning.
Earlier in her career, Jillian worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant for Congressman Jerrold Nadler, where she was the lead staffer for the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, and worked on issues related to healthcare, urban planning and the arts. In the Congressman’s district office, she was involved in a number of large-scale real estate development projects, including the High Line and the Hudson Yards rezoning. In addition, at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Jillian managed the city’s federal and state legislative portfolios on public health, with a focus on disease control, mental health and appropriations.