Jo-Anne Sears is a master communicator at the highest levels of policymaking in Washington. She wields her subject matter expertise and access to decision makers on behalf of Velocity's aerospace/defense, intelligence, and space tech clients to influence laws and regulations and conduct successful business development with federal agencies.
Jo-Anne's impeccable timing means that clients get their voices heard at crucial policymaking stages, using the communications tools that will make the strongest impact--from private face-to-face meetings to domestic and foreign media outlets, digital and social media technologies, media training, talking points, speeches, and harnessing the 24-hour news cycle to augment messaging goals.
Jo-Anne's strategic instincts developed over 20+ years as a trusted communications and public affairs advisor in the national security community. She crafted effective policy messaging and crisis communications for the White House, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Air Force, real-world intelligence and military operations, and entrepreneurial defense and space tech companies, among others. Highlights include:
• Served as senior strategic communications advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Principal Space Advisor. Jo-Anne ensured that strategic engagements, policy, and messaging supported the Air Force mission through interactions with Congress, the White House, National Space Council, Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, NOAA, intelligence agencies, think tanks, and the media.
• Learned the culture and language of Congress and the value of a bipartisan approach by advocating for defense and intelligence agency and private industry positions before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, Senate and House Select Committees on Intelligence, and the House and Senate appropriations defense subcommittees (funding).
• Earned a meritorious service award in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks for her support of the White House and Secretary of State Colin Powell as State Department press secretary and spokesperson with expertise in counter terrorism, diplomatic security, and Central Asia.
Jo-Anne holds an M.A. in Organizational Change Management, with Distinction, from Hawaii Pacific University and a B.A. in Communications and English, Cum Laude, from Marist College.
