John Gallagher is a Managing Director at Mercury Public Affairs in the New York office where he specializes in media relations, strategic and crisis communication and government relations. Prior to joining Mercury, Mr. Gallagher was Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for Tishman Construction Company and Tishman Hotel and Realty LP, where he was responsible for all external affairs, corporate giving and social responsibility and all federal, state and local government relations impacting the company. As one of the largest builders in the World, Tishman’s recent projects include the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site including Tower 1, and City Center in Las Vegas. Mr. Gallagher joined Tishman after serving as First Deputy Press Secretary and Spokesman to New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, where he maintained day-to-day media relations with the City Hall press corp. and local, national and international media; coordinated and planned press conferences, coordinated press responses across all city agencies, planned media availabilities and gaggles; supervised special press events, including major speeches, groundbreakings, unveilings and the 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony; traveled with the Mayor and members of the media, and coordinated events with the offices of Advance and Scheduling. Before joining the Bloomberg administration, Mr. Gallagher served as Vice President of Public Affairs for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which was charged with planning the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan after the attacks of September 11, 2001. He was appointed to that position by Governor George E. Pataki. He also served as Communications and Public Affairs Director for New York State Senate Majority Conference for New York City; Communications Director for State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Frank Padavan, as Public Affairs Coordinator for New York State Assembly Minority Conference; and as Communications Director for various State Senate campaigns. Mr. Gallagher is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany where he earned a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Communications. He resides in Manhattan.