Olivia Alair, Vice President, Public Affairs and Crisis Communications Practice, SKDKnickerbocker
Olivia Alair is a rising star within SKDKnickerbocker’s public affairs and crisis communications practice. From the day that Alair arrived at SKDKnickerbocker in early 2013, she was tapped to serve as the day-to-day campaign manager for one of their most important clients—Respect for Marriage Coalition. In January 2013, the Respect for Marriage Coalition turned to SKDKnickerbocker—after the US Supreme Court announced that it would hear United States v. Windsor, a case challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and Perry v. Hollingsworth, a challenge to California’s ban on same sex marriage, “Proposition 8”—to align the member organizations’ messaging ahead of the decisions and help increase public support for marriage equality. Alair was tapped to serve as the campaign manager and was embedded in the campaign war room.
Prior to joining SKDKnickerbocker, Alair served as campaign press secretary to First Lady Michelle Obama during the 2012 presidential race, and was responsible for coordinating and executing the First Lady’s national communications strategy.