Josh Taylor

Mr. Taylor is a respected public affairs professional and experienced manager with fifteen years of experience in state and federal government and non-profit organizations. He has advised leaders and large organizations and helped them to advance their mission by providing strategic planning expertise on a range of issues. Taylor has developed successful strategic engagement plans for the President of the United States, multiple Cabinet Secretaries and members of Congress.

Mr. Taylor has spent his career advocating for public policy that positively impacts the lives of Americans. A veteran of the Obama Administration, Capitol Hill and several political campaigns, Taylor’s public service earned him the Meritorious Service Award in 2015, the second highest honor bestowed upon a civilian employee by the federal government. In 2010, Taylor was named a “Top Up and Coming Press Secretary” by The Washington Post in recognition of his strategic and effective media relations accomplishments while in Congress.

An experienced manager, Mr. Taylor has led a national team of communications professionals as Acting Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs after serving as Press Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary from 2011-2015. A member of the Senior Executive Service, Taylor advised Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary Robert A. McDonald and VA leadership on strategy for all public affairs matters and key organizational initiatives.

In 2008, Mr. Taylor joined the historic Obama campaign, leading the Texas communications team. Taylor spent several years on Capitol Hill (2003-2011) as the communications director for former Texas Congressman Chet Edwards (D-Waco), a respected senior member of the House Budget and Appropriations Committees. He devised communications strategy for Congressman Edwards on a range of issues including Veterans, Defense, Non-Proliferation, Education, Transportation, Energy and Homeland Security. He also advised Edwards during several successful re-election campaigns in a highly competitive congressional district considered to be one of the “most Republican seats held by a Democrat,” as well as the vice presidential vetting process in 2008, where Edwards emerged as a surprise finalist to become then Sen. Obama’s running mate. Taylor also served as Director of Communications for Third Way, a Washington, D.C. think tank committed to centrist public policy solutions, and for a leader in the Texas House of Representatives.

Mr. Taylor has extensive on-the-record experience and has been quoted by multiple media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today. Similarly, his strategic communications work has resulted in engagements with CNN, FOX, NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, Meet the Press and 60 Minutes among others.

A native of Texas, Taylor attended The University of Texas at Austin and resides in Silver Spring, Maryland with his family. He enjoys family vacations, live music and Longhorn sports.

Follow Mr. Taylor on Twitter @JTaylorTX