Aaron McLear

Senior Counsel

Aaron McLear is a Senior Counsel at Bully Pulpit International (BPI), based in Seattle, WA. Aaron McLear has served Governors in two states, advised Presidential, Senate, and gubernatorial campaigns, worked with several multinational corporations, and been a communications executive at two category-defining tech companies.

Most recently, McLear was VP of Communications at General Motors autonomous vehicle unit Cruise, where he led the internal, external, and media analytics teams. Before joining Cruise he spent three years at Edelman, where he served as U.S. Chair for Public Affairs. His experience advising companies, nonprofits, and governments through crisis, political, and corporate reputation issues will further enrich BPI’s award-winning public affairs expertise.

While at Uber from 2017-19, McLear managed the company’s corporate, consumer, internal, product, and safety communications teams through a high-profile change in the company’s leadership as Director of Central Communications. For over a decade, McLear has been an advisor for venture capital firm SV Angel. McLear’s wisdom in the tech landscape has helped the firm position itself in various circumstances. 

Before Uber, Aaron founded a consulting firm focusing on California statewide ballot initiatives and public affairs campaigns. During that time he ran Neel Kashkari’s 2014 California gubernatorial campaign as well as the 2011 tech industry-backed independent expenditure campaign in support of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. Other clients included philanthropist Ron Conway and his venture capital firm, SV Angel, and Senator Mitt Romney’s 2012 Presidential campaign. 

Aaron previously served as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Press Secretary from 2007 - 2011 and was a press secretary at the Republican National Committee during the 2006 Midterms, advising targeted House and Senate campaigns. He worked on the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Committee and was Communications Director for the 2004 Ohio Bush-Cheney Campaign. 

He began his career in several political, communications, and legislative roles for former Ohio Governor Bob Taft and former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson. McLear is a graduate of The Ohio State University and lives in the Seattle area with his wife, Amelia, and sons, Maverick and Declan.