Andrew Koneschusky is a crisis communications and public affairs expert with more than 20 years of experience counseling corporate executives, association CEOs, law firm partners, political candidates, nonprofit leaders and high-profile individuals. Andrew’s clients often find themselves in adversarial and high-stakes scenarios, including federal and state policy battles, government investigations, high-profile litigation, and business, political or personal conflicts. Andrew also specializes in countering negative press, mis- and disinformation, deepfakes, defamation, social media attacks and other attempts to manipulate the information and/or policy landscapes.
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Domestically, Andrew’s work spans many industries, from emerging technology and financial services to healthcare, energy and transportation. For nearly a decade, Andrew advised the U.S. commercial drone industry as it shaped the first-ever commercial drone regulations while at the same time tackling safety, security and privacy concerns. Other U.S.-based clients have included a global technology giant facing antitrust investigations on both sides of the Atlantic, a global money payments company under concurrent FTC and DOJ investigations and financial services providers the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) attempted to regulate out of existence. He assisted multiple clients in advocating for COVID relief during the pandemic, fought tax increases on behalf of the beer and airline industries and, in 2017, was at the forefront of tax reform as the co-executive director of American Against Double Taxation, a coalition that fought for the restoration of the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT).
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Outside of the U.S., Andrew has led more than a dozen engagements for international institutions, foreign companies, foreign governments and political leaders, primarily in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Following the 2017 geopolitical crisis in the Gulf region, Andrew advised a global media network as it countered a multimillion lobbying, public relations and disinformation campaign orchestrated by regional rivals. For several years, Andrew advised a Chinese technology company confronting multiple policy threats in the U.S., including export restrictions and country of origin bans at the federal and state levels. Andrew counseled the Government of Kenya as the country sought to rebuild its image following post-election violence, institute political reforms and counter the threat of Al-Shabab in Somalia. Likewise, Andrew advised the People’s Democratic Party in Nigeria in the run up to a contentious presidential election in which national security concerns were front and center.
Well before the advent of ChatGPT, Andrew saw both the opportunities and risks presented by the proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies. In 2018, while a partner in an Omnicom-owned strategic communications firm, Andrew helped found the AI Impact Group, a specialized consultancy within Omnicom to help brands navigate the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
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Earlier in his career, Andrew was a vice president at the crisis communications firm LEVICK where he guided clients through congressional investigations, state and federal regulatory actions, and complex litigation and crises. His clients at LEVICK included an insurance and financial services company implicated in the 2008 economic collapse, a major U.S. airline that faced FAA scrutiny over missed inspections and a FEMA trailer manufacturer caught in the crosshairs of the House Oversight Committee after Hurricane Katrina. While at LEVICK, Andrew also led the communications effort behind the landmark Supreme Court case that granted habeas corpus rights to detainees imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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Andrew started his career in politics and served as a spokesperson for leading Democratic members of Congress, including as national press secretary for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Prior to working on Capitol Hill, he served as executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party and, prior to that, as the state party’s communications director.
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In 2014, Andrew was named to PR Week’s “40 Under 40” list of industry leaders who “demonstrate innovative thinking, strong determination and results that indicate a long and successful career in the PR industry.”