Ann Walker Marchant

Ann Walker Marchant is the founder and CEO of the Walker Marchant Group (WMG) - a public relations firm specializing in corporate communications, litigation communications, issues management and media planning. With a core client base across industry lines, WMG provides strategic and targeted solutions to corporate brand challenges. WMG provides senior-level strategic communications counsel to some of the world's premier corporate brands, such as Eli Lilly and Company, Best Buy, Arbitron, Walmart, Walgreens, Johnson & Johnson and Toyota. The firm develops strategic partnerships that support issues impacting target audiences. Prior to founding WMG, Ann was Executive Vice President and Director of Global Business Development at Weber Shandwick International – an Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG). She led the corporate practice and oversaw global integrated advertising and public relations campaigns. Ann spent six years in the White House where she served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Research and Special Projects for Communications for President Clinton. She was responsible for developing and implementing communications strategy in support of key Presidential initiatives. In addition to major policy programs, she managed communications on projects requiring legislative support, public support and editorial support. Ann managed the rapid response operation on key legislative efforts. Ann was a partner and senior public relations director for ImagiNations S.A. in Paris, an international consulting firm. Ann began her career in communications at Burson Marsteller in New York and later went to Hill and Knowlton where she specialized in corporate and crisis communications. She serves as a director on the boards of Africare, the Howard University Board of Visitors for the John H. Johnson School of Communications and Knock Out Abuse Against Women. She attended Sarah Lawrence College, and resides in Washington, D.C. with her daughter.