Purple’s Rebecca Ballard Named Firm’s First Chief of Staff

Purple Strategies has tapped Rebecca Ballard, who has been leading communications, marketing and engagement for the firm since joining Purple as a managing director in 2020, to be Purple’s first Chief of Staff. The appointment comes as Purple expands its leadership structure in support of its people, clients and continued growth.

“Rebecca seems like she has always been Purple, for the many ways she works in partnership with me and the other partners, leads our operations team, and supports and encourages Purple as a whole,” said Kristen Morgante, Purple Managing Partner and COO. “This new chief of staff role is a natural extension for her and for Purple and will be incredibly beneficial to the firm as we grow and transform within our new structure.”

Before coming to Purple, Ballard was a communications and operations executive at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a global communications consultancy and public relations network. During her time with the firm she served in a series of roles that included leading the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, leading communication and culture for the firm’s U.S. operation, and partnering with the firm’s top leaders on culture, growth and transformation priorities. Ballard began her career at Public Strategies, a business advisory firm specializing in public affairs, crisis management and public opinion research. Her work with the firm for nearly a decade covered a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including automotive, retail, manufacturing, health care, energy, and financial and professional services.

“Purple has been such an exciting and dynamic place to be since my day one, and I’m grateful to have been working alongside some truly talented people through a period of extensive change and growth for our clients and for our firm,” Ballard said. “That story for Purple continues. And with Colleen [Connors], Ben [Seto], Angela [Bundrant] and others joining the Purple team, and the persistent brilliance of the team I joined three years ago, there’s never been a better time to be Purple.”