Bully Pulpit International names Rob Shepardson as Senior Advisor to drive integrated brand and public affairs strategy

Bully Pulpit International (BPI) today welcomes Rob Shepardson, communications strategist and co-founder of the award-winning agency SS+K, as Senior Advisor.

Bringing more than 40 years of experience at the intersection of advertising, public affairs, politics, and issue advocacy, Rob will help BPI clients navigate today’s complex, high-stakes reputational landscape.

Shepardson’s arrival reflects a continued and deliberate strategic push by BPI to serve modern leaders whose challenges straddle corporate communications, CMO mandates, and brand groups. By breaking down the traditional silos between corporate reputation and consumer brand marketing, Shepardson will help clients align high-impact brand narratives with meaningful public advocacy and societal impact.

“Rob is a sage voice that I have learned from since the first days of BPI. He brings such credibility as a pioneer of culture-first campaigns, from Livestrong and Obama 2008. But CMOs love it because he can bring that creativity without the hype and focus on how to use it to drive clear business outcomes,” said BPI CEO Andrew Bleeker.

Throughout his career, Rob has led high-impact initiatives and campaigns across the commercial, political and non-profit sectors. His advocacy and political portfolio includes serving as the youth agency for President Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns, as well as directing major efforts for the Obama White House, the Biden/Harris campaign, the Biden White House, the Harris/Walz campaign.

On the corporate and institutional side, Rob has guided brands such as Microsoft, HBO, JP Morgan Chase, L’Oreal, Starbucks, AWS, Meta, WhatsApp, the NCAA, the Open Society Foundations, the AFL-CIO, and more. His work has won multiple awards, including Cannes Lions for creative excellence and effectiveness.

He has worked extensively in public health and healthcare, including LiveStrong (leading the agency team that developed the iconic yellow wristband), the Gates Foundation, Let’s Move! (former First Lady Michelle Obama’s signature anti-childhood obesity campaign), Mt. Sinai Health System, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Sandy Hook Promise, No Kid Hungry, Planned Parenthood, the UN Development Programme, the ONE Campaign, and more.

“Andrew and his partners have built one of the best firms in the world. They merge deep political intelligence with next-generation technology to drive strategy, giving clients a competitive edge in shaping narratives and building their brands,” said new BPI senior advisor, Rob Shepardson. “Success today demands breaking down the silos between corporate reputation, advertising, and advocacy. I look forward to joining the team and helping clients navigate the pressures of a fast-moving, fractured media ecosystem.”

“As production becomes more accessible, great strategy and bold creative will be the ultimate differentiators. Rob will help guide our team to the kind of insightful strategies that result in creative capable of creating real change.,” said Christina Sheffey, Partner & Executive Creative Director.

Previously, Rob advised heads of state and international presidential campaigns at the Sawyer/Miller Group. In 2014, President Obama appointed him to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, serves as an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and is an advisor to Cortico, a non-profit affiliated with MIT Media Lab’s Center for Constructive Communication

The news of Shepardson’s appointment comes during a period of rapid global growth for BPI. It follows the recent additions of Elizabeth Alexander as Partner, leading litigation communications, and Jo-ann Robertson as President of Europe, alongside BPI’s strategic acquisition of European firms 365 Sherpas, BOLDT, Message House, and Seven Hills.