Clare Venegas — Strategic Communications

Clare Venegas · Strategic Communications

Executive Profile

The Journalist Who Never Stopped Reporting — Or Writing Other People’s Best Lines

A 25-year career moving between newsrooms, boardrooms, and the public square — always with a reporter’s instinct for what actually matters.

My career began where all good communications work should: at a newspaper. Covering city government for the Orange County Register gave me something no marketing course can teach — a journalist’s instinct for what’s actually newsworthy, and deep respect for an audience’s intelligence.

From there I moved into corporate communications, public affairs, and nonprofit leadership — managing media relations for a global manufacturer, overseeing communications for Southern California’s largest toll-road system, directing a high-profile political membership organization, and leading a network of women’s health clinics.

At Curt Pringle & Associates I advised public and private-sector clients on strategic positioning and built relationships with elected officials statewide. Most recently as VP and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at the University of Dallas, I led enterprise-wide brand transformation, launched the institution’s first crisis communications plan, and secured national placements from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News.

The tools keep changing. The principles don’t.

25+

Years in communications

$500K

Cost savings delivered

WSJ

Among placements secured

3×

Industry benchmarks exceeded

Career Record

Selected positions across three decades

University of Dallas · Irving, TX

VP & Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

2020 – Present

Led enterprise-wide brand transformation, crisis communications, and earned media strategy for the President. Secured placements in the WSJ, Dallas Morning News, Fox News, EWTN, and national Catholic outlets. Drove record undergraduate applications while delivering $500K in cost savings by bringing enrollment marketing fully in-house.

Curt Pringle & Associates · Anaheim, CA

Vice President

2018 – 2020

Advised public and private-sector clients on strategic communications and public affairs. Built relationships with state and local elected officials, policymakers, and business leaders. Drove business development and client retention through targeted strategic messaging.

Obria Medical Clinics · Southern California

President & Executive Director

Earlier career

Provided executive leadership for Southern California’s largest network of life-affirming women’s health clinics. Oversaw administration, communications, community partnerships, and organizational growth across multiple locations.

Lincoln Club of Orange County · Tustin, CA

Executive Director

2006 – 2015

Led strategic growth of a high-profile political membership organization with deep ties to senior business and community leaders. Managed government affairs, advocacy, member engagement, and relationships with elected officials at state and local levels.

Southern California Toll Roads · Orange County, CA

Communications & Public Affairs Manager

Earlier career

Managed communications and public affairs for Southern California’s largest toll-road system, navigating complex stakeholder relationships, government relations, and media strategy for a major regional infrastructure organization.

QSC Audio Products · Costa Mesa, CA

Public Relations Representative

Earlier career

Managed all media relations for a global audio technology manufacturer. Placed bylined and ghostwritten articles in international trade publications. Produced press campaigns for five major tradeshows. Built the company’s first online press room.

Core Competencies

LinkedIn-aligned expertise

Strategic Communications

Media Relations & Earned Media

Executive Ghostwriting

Thought Leadership

Crisis Communications

Public Affairs

Government Affairs

Brand Management

Content Strategy

Stakeholder Engagement

Reputation Management

Coalition Building

Executive Media Training

Nonprofit Communications

Digital Platforms & Analytics

Team Leadership

Video & Multimedia Production

Internal Communications

Selected Work

Case studies & notable projects

Executive Communications · Higher Education

Presidential Brand & National Earned Media Strategy

Transforming a university president into a recognized national voice — from Fox News to WSJ.

Developed and executed a comprehensive earned media strategy for a university president, personally drafting op-eds, expert commentaries, and contributed articles for national and regional publication. Built the executive’s LinkedIn presence from zero to 5,000+ followers. Placements spanned the Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News, American Mind, National Catholic Register, EWTN, Fox News, and Relevant Radio — all within a single academic year.

WSJ

Placement secured

5K+

LinkedIn followers built

14+

Outlets in one quarter

Major placements, year one

Brand Strategy · Enrollment Marketing

Enterprise Brand Refresh & In-House Creative Build

Bringing enrollment marketing in-house, building a team, redesigning the brand — and delivering record results at half the cost.

Led the institution’s first enterprise-wide brand refresh, aligning all messaging, visual identity, and web presence to a new strategic direction. Produced comprehensive brand and language guides. Brought enrollment marketing fully in-house, building an internal team of graphic designers, video producers, and web developers. The redesigned flagship website serves 1.5M+ annual visitors while delivering $500K in cost savings and driving undergraduate applications to record levels.

$500K

Savings from in-housing

Record

Undergraduate applications

1.5M+

Annual website visitors

214

Design projects in Q1 ’26

Content Strategy · Social & Digital

Content Ecosystem Growth: 248% Impressions Increase

Building a content operation from the inside out — with results that beat industry benchmarks by 3x.

Built and led a cross-platform content strategy driving dramatic year-over-year growth across all major social and digital channels. Grew video output 3x in a single quarter. Produced an internal newsletter averaging a 57% open rate across 12 editions — well above industry benchmarks. Family audience engagement ran 3x higher than platform benchmarks.

249%

Impressions growth YOY

109%

Content output growth YOY

57%

Newsletter open rate

3×

Industry benchmark exceeded

Public Affairs · Government Relations

Stakeholder Strategy Across Public, Private & Nonprofit Sectors

Two decades advising organizations through complex political, regulatory, and community stakeholder environments.

Across roles at Curt Pringle & Associates, the Lincoln Club of Orange County, Obria Medical Clinics, and the Southern California toll-road system, built deep experience in public affairs strategy, government relations, community outreach, and advocacy communications across all three sectors.

20+

Years in public affairs

Sectors: public, private, nonprofit

State

& local government relationships

Press Clippings

Selected placements & publications

A sample of ghostwritten op-eds, expert commentary, and media appearances secured across outlets.

Wall Street Journal

Op-Ed on Academic Freedom

Ghostwritten · Dec. 2025

Dallas Morning News

AI Is Revolutionizing Business — But It Can’t Form the Leaders We Need

Ghostwritten op-ed · Dec. 2025

The American Mind

How Liberal Education Can Aid America’s Renewal

Ghostwritten op-ed · 2026

National Catholic Register

Renewing Catholic Universities Can Renew America

Ghostwritten op-ed · 2026

Fox Digital

AI Can’t Replace Wisdom

Ghostwritten commentary

Fox News · OC Register · Voice of OC

Guest commentaries & broadcast appearances

Personal bylines & media appearances

EWTN News

University panel explores American exceptionalism through a Catholic lens

Placed coverage · 2026

Relevant Radio · Drew Mariani Show

Faculty & executive radio appearances

Placed broadcast · 2025–2026

OC Catholic · Inside OC · Left, Right & Center

Guest commentaries & television appearances

Personal bylines & broadcast · Earlier career

Services

What I offer organizations & executives

Executive Ghostwriting

Op-eds, thought leadership, LinkedIn content, speeches, and expert commentary — in your voice, placed in the outlets that matter to your audience.

Media Relations & Earned Media

Strategic pitch campaigns, editor relationships, press releases, media training, and full-service earned media strategy for executives and organizations.

Brand & Content Strategy

Brand positioning, messaging frameworks, language and brand guides, editorial calendars, and content ecosystems built for long-term growth.

Crisis Communications

Crisis plan development, messaging frameworks, stakeholder communications, real-time response support, and post-crisis reputation strategy.

Public & Government Affairs

Stakeholder positioning, coalition building, elected official relationships, advocacy communications, and public affairs strategy across sectors.

Video & Multimedia Content

Concept, scripting, production oversight, and editorial direction for video series, podcasts, testimonials, and campaign content.

The Journalist Who Never Stopped Reporting — Or Writing Other People’s Best Lines

Career Record

Core Competencies

Selected Work

Press Clippings

Services

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