Maddie Kirkland
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Maddie Kirkland is an Account Manager at The Herald Group, where she helps clients tell their stories through strategic communications, media relations, and public affairs. Before joining the firm, she served as a Press Secretary on Capitol Hill, where she managed digital communications, supported media relations, and developed content for print and constituent outreach. She enjoys finding creative ways to simplify complex issues and craft messages that connect with people.
Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, Maddie graduated from Clemson University before making Washington, D.C. her home. Outside of work, you'll usually find her trying new restaurants, exploring Washington, planning her next dinner party, or cooking for friends.
Education:
Clemson University
Hometown:
Vienna, VA
Reddit and other online forums can reveal where an issue is taking shape, which narratives are spreading, and when an informal conversation is becoming a public affairs threat.
Recognition reflects the firm’s commitment to employee growth, mentorship and a collaborative culture.
Unconventional public affairs advocacy tactics can make an issue impossible to ignore by using targeted activations to reach decision-makers, create earned media opportunities, and strengthen every element of a broader public affairs campaign.
Veteran Advocacy Executive Joins THG Leadership Team and Adds Further Depth to Firm as 15th Addition in 2026
Research alone rarely drives action. Learn how to translate complex data into compelling stories, reach key decision-makers, and build a public affairs strategy that ensures your findings land.
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Audience research can do more than inform one campaign. Synthetic audiences help public affairs teams pressure-test messaging, extend research value and adapt faster as issues, audiences and news cycles shift.
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The Herald Group earns seven Hermes Creative Awards—four Gold, three Honorable Mentions—for work spanning blog content, website design, paid media, outdoor advertising, and LinkedIn performance.
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As AI floods the information landscape, policymakers struggle to know who to trust. Here's why strategic alliances with credible third-party voices have become a defining advantage in public affairs.
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The Herald Group earned Gold and Silver at the 2026 MUSE Creative Awards for work on the Alliance for IRS Accountability—a reflection of how integrated strategy and creative drive results in public affairs.