MWWPR, one of the world's top independent public relations firms, announced today that Ryan Velasco has joined the agency's Washington D.C. office as Vice President of Corporate Communications and Issues and Crisis. Velasco will work closely with Michelle Rios, Managing Director of the Washington D.C. office, to identify new business opportunities and expand MWWPR's presence in the DC market. ?

Velasco joins MWWPR from Ogilvy with 16 years of experience in strategic communications, advising a range of public and private sector clients; from crisis messaging and brand reputation to stakeholder engagement, government/tribal relations and public-private partnerships. While at Ogilvy, Velasco worked closely with Rios on marquis corporate clients, including DowDuPont, and new business initiatives to grow the agency's Corporate and Public Affairs business. On the public sector side of the house, he served as Special Projects Director for the Community Engagement and Risk Communications contract vehicle, which represents a new direction in how FEMA messages risk and delivers on community engagement and outreach.

"We're thrilled to have Ryan join our MWWPR team. He brings years of experience in successful issues management and crisis planning and recovery which will not only benefit our current clientele but also aid in growing our business," said Michelle Rios, Managing Director, Washington D.C. "Ryan is known for his top-notch client service and business savvy sense and we're lucky to have him. We look forward to watching Ryan do great things here at MWWPR."

Velasco has worked at the forefront of disaster resilience planning, communications, and climate change adaptation. He specializes in leading disaster field teams, including community outreach and recovery operations and served at the White House Council on Environmental Quality as a Deputy Associate Director during the Obama Administration leading key elements of the President's Climate Action Plan. He specifically led long-term recovery operations in New York for FEMA following Hurricane Sandy and served as a liaison and policy advisor to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, in support of recovery operations for the 2012-2013 drought. While at FEMA, was a recipient of the prestigious Administrator's Award for contributions to a key policy and doctrine initiative for disaster recovery planning.

About MWWPR
Thirty-two-years young, MWWPR is among the world's leading independent, integrated PR agencies with nine offices across the US and the UK. Powered by data and guided by insights, intellect and human instincts, the agency leans heavily into a digitally-led, content-driven approach. Its mission is to ignite influence and impact to help organizations matter more to those who matter most.