Mission North Launches Public Affairs Practice to Help Clients Navigate New Regulatory and Policy Environment

• Led by public sector and policy communications expert Emily Field, new practice is an expansion of Mission North's corporate affairs practice
• Combined practice on pace to grow more than 3X this year amidst changing stakeholder landscapes for AI, energy, finance, cybersecurity, life sciences and healthcare

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mission North, a communications agency for consequential companies, today announced the launch of a public affairs practice to help its clients navigate the increasingly complex regulatory landscape at the federal, state and local levels. Led by Emily Field, who brings deep public sector and policy communications experience to Mission North, the new offering is an expansion of the firm's corporate affairs practice. The combined practice is on pace to grow more than 3X this year amidst accelerating demand for integrated product, corporate and policy communications services across Mission North's industry practice areas, including AI, energy and infrastructure, cybersecurity, financial services, life sciences and healthcare.

AI is accelerating the rate and pace of organizational change and reshaping stakeholder communications requirements for startups and Fortune 50 companies alike. The current agency model needs to adapt. From tech-native industry disruptors to legacy brands on a digital transformation journey, organizations face increased complexity and new pressures at all levels of government - from the executive branch, to federal, state and local. Winning in this environment requires an agile, creative and integrated approach to communications that empowers organizations to shape the future of their markets as policy change agents.

"Policy and stakeholder engagement is a new competitive battlefield. Splitting corporate, product, and policy communications across multiple specialty shops — or parking it all at a global agency — creates friction and forces brands to choose between specialization and scale," said Bill Bourdon, co-CEO at Mission North. "Mission North aims to offer something different: the deep subject matter expertise, creativity and agility of a boutique advisory and the breadth of specialized services of a larger agency."

Emily Field, a senior director who brings specialized experience in public sector and policy communications, will head the new practice under the leadership of Co-CEO Bill Bourdon, EVP and Head of Growth Meghan Gardner, and SVP Courtney Chennells. Emily previously worked at RH Strategic, a leading public affairs firm in Washington, D.C., where she advised federally funded research institutions, workforce development organizations and the policy communications and government affairs arms of top technology, cybersecurity, healthcare companies and education organizations.

Since January, the regulatory landscape has fundamentally changed: organizations are confronting some of the greatest reputational challenges of our time. Washington D.C., state and local governments are evolving, as are the methods in which organizations are reaching them. Engaging in this environment requires innovative approaches and new mediums to reach key stakeholders.

At Mission North, Emily's work has focused on educating the Administration, federal agencies, state and local governments, and constituents on critical innovation issues related to AI safety and security, data center energy consumption and the next generation of defense technology. This work is helping drive technology adoption, build valuable thought leadership and increase mindshare among the nation's most powerful decisionmakers.

Mission North's public affairs offering includes strategic services and programs to help clients get smarter and faster on the reputational stressors and storytelling opportunities amidst shifting policies and positions from the Administration, Congress and state and local governments. These include:

• Strategic Counsel and Reputation Management Advisory: Bespoke insights and reputation management-focused strategies to engage DC, state and local stakeholders
• Targeted Whisper Campaigns: Development of campaigns spotlighting third-party stakeholders and key opinion formers to advance thought leadership on key issues
• Policy Content and Messaging: Bespoke messaging, congressional letters, policy briefs and memos focused on advancing policy priorities
• Stakeholder Engagement: Relationship building with community leaders, industry associations, advocacy groups and think tanks
• Legislative Analysis: Assessment of new, existing and amended laws and legislative proposals to guide business strategy
• Congressional Testimony: Compelling testimony to communicate with policymakers and their constituents about responsible actions
• Strategic Alignment: Cohesive communications campaigns and strategies that marry in-house and external lobbying, public policy and legal expertise and priorities

If you're interested in learning more about Mission North's public affairs and corporate reputation capabilities, please visit https://www.missionnorth.com/expertise/corporate.

Mission North is now hiring for its team of innovative communications professionals. Open roles can be found here.

About Mission North
Mission North is a strategic communications agency for consequential technology companies to accelerate their market impact at every growth stage. The agency is headquartered in New York and San Francisco, with hubs in Los Angeles, Boston, Washington D.C., and Portland, Oregon. For more information, visit www.missionnorth.com.

Media Contact: 
Shara Seigel, Vice President, Media Strategy at Mission North - [email protected]

SOURCE Mission North