Stephen is a strategist and campaign manager at Purple. He leads teams focused on both reputation renewal and public affairs challenges in sectors as diverse as health care, logistics, manufacturing and technology. His career started with a love of politics and the luck to help people he admires, including Bill Frist, Mitt Romney and Lamar Alexander. Stephen joined Purple in March 2009, hoping to bring a political approach to a new enterprise focused on results that endure beyond an election cycle. His mission was to build a dedicated digital team with expertise in online advertising, social media analytics and software development. As the communications environment evolved and fragmented, Stephen and his colleagues quickly found that new media wasn’t new, that online tools weren’t optional and that campaigns had to consider digital content from day one. This was instrumental in Purple’s bold decision to eliminate silos and transition toward integrated client teams. Countless clients can attest to the success this approach has generated.

“Clients don’t come to Purple for the status quo. But change can be demanding – and messy. Luckily, we have partners with the commitment and the courage necessary to face that head on.”

“At Purple, every client and every challenge is utterly unique. There’s nothing more exciting than diving deep into a new problem or a new audience, and nothing more humbling than recognizing what you don’t yet know.”

“My father always runs up the last steps of a staircase, and I try to do the same. It’s a daily reminder of the underrated power of good old fashioned hustle.”

“I’d tell people starting out that there’s no replacement for a good night’s sleep. And when that doesn’t happen, caffeinate.”