BCW Group Veteran Amy Cloessner Named President of Direct ImpactJuly 19, 2022

NEW YORK, July 19, 2022 – BCW Group has promoted Amy Cloessner from Chief Operating Officer to President of Direct Impact (DI), the nation's leading grassroots firm and a member of the BCW Group of companies, effective immediately.

With a presence in every media market and political jurisdiction across the country, DI is redefining what it means to engage a community through 21^st century grassroots and purpose-driven communications. DI’s in-market experts use firsthand market insights and knowledge of local and regional trends to produce creative campaigns that reach, captivate and activate a community, including consumers, policymakers, constituents and key stakeholders alike.

Cloessner will be responsible for building DI’s offerings, growing its client base and overseeing talent management. She will work closely with Jeff Joseph, BCW’s incoming President, Washington, D.C., as well as BCW Group company Prime Policy Group, to develop solutions and programs for clients that require holistic grassroots, lobbying, policy and reputational programs.

“Amy is the perfect choice to lead DI, as she is an incredible, homegrown success story having started her career with us at Burson-Marsteller in 2002 and advancing steadily through the ranks,” said Mary Corcoran, President, North America, BCW, to whom Cloessner reports. “In her most recent role as Chief Operating Officer of DI, Amy has led the firm’s daily operations, including developing business strategies across all lines of business, overseeing staffing decisions, building and managing relationships with a diverse network of partners, and driving DI’s culture, vision and growth. This is a natural next step for her and I’m excited for what DI will achieve under her leadership.”

During her tenure with DI, Cloessner has served as the client lead/grassroots senior strategist for Fortune 100 companies, associations and nonprofits spanning a wide range of issues and industries, such as healthcare, financial services and automotive. She also currently serves as the U.S. local lead for one of BCW’s largest global accounts, working with a nationwide field network across more than 90 markets to deliver corporate reputation and marketing communications for the organization.

“I’m incredibly honored to be named President of Direct Impact, particularly at this time when it has become absolutely critical for brands and organizations to connect directly, personally, locally with their most important audiences on the issues that matter most to them,” said Cloessner. “We have seen time and again how substantive and lasting change starts from the bottom up. I look forward to continuing to serve DI, its people and its clients through this next chapter.”

Cloessner succeeds Drew O’Brien in this role.

About Direct Impact
Founded in 1988, Direct Impact (DI) is a premier grassroots firm and member of the BCW Group of companies and WPP. DI and its nationwide network of in-market experts execute state and local strategic communications and public affairs campaigns that reach every community, media market and political jurisdiction in the U.S. DI’s use of firsthand, hyper-local insights and trends - combined with an “earned-plus” approach - moves people to take action, support brands and effect change. DI is redefining what it means to engage a community—consumers, policymakers, constituents and organizations alike—through 21^st century grassroots and purpose-driven communications.