Power Players in Public Relations and Lobbying

Michael Hardaway specializes in crisis management, media relations, political affairs and strategic messaging. A Capitol Hill veteran, Hardaway most recently worked as Hakeem Jeffries’ top advisor on messaging, communications and stakeholder engagement. He led messaging efforts for Jeffries from his freshman term in Congress through his rise to House leadership. Hardaway also worked for former President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin. He is a member of the Economic Club of New York.

What influenced you to pursue a career in this field?
I realized that the ability to drive perception and shape public sentiment is something I was gifted with.

Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in public relations or lobbying?
The ability to add value is the most important thing you should work on. Trusted relationships are also critical, but you want to be in the business of having a reputation as someone who can deliver.

What skills do you think are most useful to succeed in this industry?
Storytelling and the ability to sell are essential.

With more than two decades of leading roles in public service, Tara L. Martin is a social impact strategist highly skilled in public relations, government affairs, labor union relations, grassroots community engagement, brand development, and political consulting. Working with the Hip Hop Alliance, the NFL Alumni Association, and other notable labor union and worker’s rights organizations, Martin partners with clients across sectors to achieve sustainable social change with her diverse expertise and fresh insights.

What influenced you to pursue a career in this field?
My background in music, writing, and health care prepared me for this role. When I started consulting, I wanted to marry all of these elements into my work while leaning into my vast public sector experience. My inspiration is centered around what positive social, political, or environmental impact my clients are making and how we evidence and communicate this in a meaningful and authentic way to all of those invested in our mutual success.

Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in public relations or lobbying?

• Always remain in a constant state of learning and growing. 
  
• Don’t be afraid to be your most authentic self. 
  
• In public affairs, you can’t skip steps. Taking on roles/jobs in government and public service makes you a better lobbyist. 
  
• Don’t try to emulate others. Focus on charting your own path in the space, and success will follow.
  

What skills do you think are most useful to succeed in this industry?

• The humility to know that you don’t know everything
  
• The courage to take risks 
• Networking, networking, networking! 
  
• Due diligence and coalition building are a necessity.
  
• Ability to get along with and interact with diverse groups of people 
• Experience working with government or media 
  
• Knowledge of legislative/regulatory procedures and creative storytelling

Michael Nitzky is a managing director in Mercury’s New York City office where he brings an extensive knowledge of politics and media. Prior to joining Mercury, Nitzky served as senior communications director at StudentsFirstNY. Previously, Nitzky was the first director of communications for New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer. Nitzky was also the senior political producer at NY1, helping transform “Inside City Hall” from a local public affairs show into NYC’s premier political television program.

What influenced you to pursue a career in this field?
Public relations is an extension of my work as a television producer. I used to work with PR experts to place their clients on NY1 and now I collaborate with a diverse set of clients to promote and enhance their message in the media.

Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in public relations or lobbying?
You should ask lots of questions and listen to the answers. To be successful in any business, be it PR or the media, you need to ask lots of questions to best understand all the intricacies of a story. If you don’t know all the details, you won’t be able to share that message internally and externally. You also need to listen carefully to the answers to your questions to help shape the message.

What skills do you think are most useful to succeed in this industry?
Listening skills and having a strong work ethic are key. Don’t take no for an answer.

Tony Sclafani has more than 20 years of experience and specializes in media relations, crisis communications, government affairs and brand building. Before joining Mercury, he led the Javits Center through an image transformation as its chief communications officer, including an award-winning expansion and sustainability program. Tony also led communications and public affairs at the New York City Department of Buildings after serving as FDNY press secretary and was a reporter for New York Daily News.

What influenced you to pursue a career in this field?
Storytelling is in my DNA, and I am passionate about identifying, developing and producing impactful storylines that inspire us to move our world forward. For more than two decades, I’ve been shaping stories on both sides of the media landscape, in good times and in times of crisis, and I’m honored to work with a dynamic team of media experts at Mercury to support our amazing clients.

Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in public relations or lobbying?
Be respectfully relentless. Follow up, and then follow up again. Only one person can create the storyline of your career – you.

What skills do you think are most useful to succeed in this industry?
The best way to understand the media is to walk in their shoes. The knowledge and skills I learned as a New York Daily News reporter have proven invaluable to me. Conducting in-depth interviews in challenging situations, writing under intense deadlines and competing with other talented reporters is what prepared me for a career in public relations. There’s no other training like it.

Jason is a seasoned political operative with 20 years of experience in lobbying, public relations and political action. The former director of political and strategic affairs for the New York Hotel Trades Council, Jason is the go-to advisor on labor issues for business leaders and companies. In 2021, he worked on the super PAC that helped Eric Adams win the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City.

Jenny brings 20 years of experience running political, lobbying, and advocacy campaigns across New York City and State. She has raised and deployed roughly $30 million on high-profile independent expenditure campaigns, including the $7 million super PAC supporting Eric Adams in 2021. Jenny directs the political and advocacy dollars for New York’s top business leaders and has won numerous legislative victories.

George Lence, president and co-founder of Nicholas & Lence Communications has over 35 years of legal and government affairs experience. Chosen as one of City & State’s Responsible 100 outstanding corporate citizens in New York, Westchester Power 100, and 50 Most Distinguished New Yorkers, George directs full service lobbying efforts on behalf of clients such as City Experiences, Statue City Cruises, and Gray Line CitySightseeing New York. Before forming Nicholas & Lence in 2007, George served for six years as chief operating officer and general counsel at NYC & Company, New York City’s official tourism marketing and promotion organization.

What influenced you to pursue a career in this field? 
When I graduated from law school, I thought I’d follow the normal path and work in a law firm. But I landed my first job as legislative counsel to a very busy state senator from Manhattan and got “bit by the bug” of communications, government, politics and public policy. That led to a succession of jobs in these areas, culminating in partnering with Cristyne Nicholas to establish our own public affairs firm in 2007, specializing in public relations and government affairs.

Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in lobbying? 
Yes, be a student and absorb on a daily basis the array of information sources now available, and research the thousands of players in government, private business and in the amazing non-profit community. Most importantly, network! Relationships are the keys to success. Work from home may sound like fun but get out there and meet with people face to face! Attend local community board meetings and plugs into an array of public policy groups hosting events around town.

What skills do you think are most useful to succeed in this industry?
Attention to detail is critical. In legislative matters, “may” vs “shall,” “and” vs “or,” or a misplaced comma can result in unintended consequences. Listen, absorb and ask questions and try to see issues and problems from all perspectives. And again, develop your people skills and build up what they used to call a Rolodex!

With George Lence, Cristyne Nicholas founded Nicholas & Lence Communications in 2007. Known for rebuilding New York City’s $27 billion dollar tourism industry following the tragic events of September 11th , she launched the city’s first consumer TV advertising campaign, patriotic tourism initiatives such as Paint the Town Red White & Blue and recruited major events such as The World Economic Forum, The Grammy Awards, RNC 2004, Country Music Awards, and Super Bowl XLVIII. Cristyne began marketing the City in 1994, serving as City Hall press secretary and, later, communications director, overseeing press operations for all city agencies. 

What influenced you to pursue a career in this field?   
From an early age, I have always been very interested in the news.  Maybe it started when I had a paper route delivering NY Newsday as a kid. I would get a kick out of getting the paper right off the truck and summarizing the headlines to my family.  Fast forward as the City Hall press secretary,  I had to do the same thing, reading and summarizing five newspapers at the mayor’s daily 8AM staff meeting. This was in the 1990s, long before the handy and helpful media aggregators like AMNY’s Morning News or NY1’s In the Papers. I also loved watching Mayor Koch on TV handling the media.  Because he was a great storyteller and brought the public into the narrative, he was a master at PR, especially with his, “How am I doing?” 

Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in public relations? 
Don’t watch the clock, the hours are unpredictable. Try to read as much news from different sources as possible.  Listen to your client’s mission and be the storyteller they can’t.  And follow the advice imparted to me by former Deputy Mayor Peter Powers, “It’s not what you expect, but what you inspect.” 

What skills do you think are most useful to succeed in this industry? 
Must be able to write a quick pitch. Think of it as an elevator speech. You only have a minute or two and may get interrupted at any time so keep it short and simple. Good contacts and relationships in the media are also very helpful and always get back to the press, even if you may not have the answer they need. They have a job to do too and understanding that will earn their respect.