Look Ahead Strategies is a highly specialized, full-service communications and research firm serving political, policy, and issue advocacy clients. Look Ahead’s experienced professionals have worked on more than 500 political campaigns, issue advocacy efforts, and policy debates across the United States.

Our Services

Strategic Communications

Breaking through today’s competitive media landscape requires an agile communications support system to deliver persuasive messages to targeted audiences. Look Ahead’s experienced communicators are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and tactics needed to build entire communications systems, craft messages, drive narratives, create headlines, respond rapidly, and shape the public debate every day. Our strategic communications services include:

  • Communications general consulting
  • Building communications infrastructure
  • Data-driven audience engagement
  • Media relations and story pitching

Rapid Response & Crisis Management

Look Ahead specializes in providing aggressive rapid response and crisis management services that are seamlessly integrated into our clients’ existing organizational structure. Our team will work hand in glove with an existing communications apparatus to identify earned media opportunities in real time and leverage them to advance their strategic objectives.

  • Risk identification and mitigation
  • Craft responses to incoming media requests
  • Set the record straight
  • Monitor public sentiments
  • Create compelling messaging
  • Media training for surrogates

Strategic Research

Arming our clients with data-driven research is critical to achieving their objectives. Look Ahead can compile comprehensive research reports on candidates, organizations, and issues, which can then be utilized for earned media, paid campaigns, digital content, and grassroots advocacy.

Candidate Research
Whether our clients need an expedited dive to identify a candidate’s key vulnerabilities or a full 90-day report, Look Ahead will deliver a quality research product tailored to their needs.
Candidate Research Data Book
Streamline the process of conducting research, testing potential messages, and approving content for paid advertising with the Look Ahead candidate research data book. In addition to identifying vulnerabilities, Look Ahead will partner with a reputable polling firm to assess which messages resonate best with voters in a particular state or district.

Issue Briefs, Lobbying Matrices & Public Records

Congressional Issue Briefing Reports
Understanding the landscape of where Congress stands on a particular issue – or a set of issues – is often an arduous, time-consuming process. We simplify that process by collaborating with our clients to develop policy matrixes, which can be overlayed onto sitting members of Congress profiles to give them crucial insights on how to spend their time and resources most effectively.
FOIA/Public Records
Look Ahead can develop a campaign of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and state records requests focused on obtaining communications, documentation, schedules, and other public records that advance our clients’ missions.
Lobbying Matrix
Before launching a lobbying campaign, it is critical to develop profiles on targets, their background, and clearly define why it’s important. Look Ahead can streamline this process by building a comprehensive lobbying campaign matrix and work with our clients to accomplish their strategic goals.

Content Consulting

A successful campaign and advocacy effort needs great content, whether it’s for TV, digital ads, social media, radio, direct mail, communications, fundraising (small-dollar online and major donor) or door knocking. Look Ahead will work with your organization and vendors to create the compelling, modern content necessary to drive persuasive messages. Our capable content specialists are skilled in condensing complicated messages and conveying them in a visually appealing and easily digestible format to ensure a steady stream of compelling content.

Media Monitoring

Look Ahead offers always-on media monitoring services to provide “eyes and ears” on the public policy debate on a daily basis, giving our clients total informational awareness about their key issue targets and allowing them to quickly respond to events and news in real-time. Look Ahead’s unique console-based dashboard serves as a hub for news articles, tweets, and other commentary relevant to our clients’ objectives, and enables authorized users to log in and view all of this content in one convenient location.

General Consulting

Look Ahead can take point in overall project management coordinating efforts, working with various vendor teams to create an effective campaign or issue advocacy team. Winning is about ensuring that all tracks of your effort complement each other. This takes seeing the whole playing field, whether it’s a C3, C4, C6, campaign, or Super PAC.

FOIA/Public Records

Look Ahead can develop a campaign of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), state, and local records requests focused on obtaining communications, documentation, schedules, and other public records that advance our clients’ missions.

  • Submitting requests for public records
  • Assisting with FOIA, state, and local records appeals
  • Resolving FOIA, state, and local records disputes

Media Training and Booking

Media Training Programs
Media training programs are tailored to your specific needs, whether you’re a spokesperson, public figure, or part of a communications team. These programs are led by seasoned media professionals who have extensive experience in journalism, public relations, and broadcast media. Their expertise ensures that you receive cutting-edge guidance and practical insights to enhance your media presence and performance.
Established Network
Our established network encompasses a wide range of media channels, including television, radio, print, podcasts, and more. With our extensive reach, we can help you identify the most suitable media outlets for your target audience, ensuring your message reaches the right people at the right time.
Team of Experts
Our team of experts will work closely with you to understand your campaign objectives and target demographics. Leveraging market research and industry insights, we will develop a strategic media plan tailored to your specific needs, maximizing the impact of your earned media efforts.

Digital Services

Social Media Management
LAS Digital offers full-service social media management for multiple channels, including development of content calendars to ensure your accounts are generating engagement and getting more followers.

  • Launch and maintain social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
  • Develop content calendars to maximize channel growth and audience reach.
Paid Media Advertising
Policy changes from Facebook, Google, Twitter, and other platforms are drastically reducing your ability to use paid advertising for issue advocacy. Yet it’s more critical than ever before to reach your target audiences with these channels. LAS Digital can ensure you are compliant with every advertising platform and work to quickly launch an advertising campaign to help put you in a position to win in the policy battle arena.
Email Marketing
Anyone can send out an email, but you need experts to ensure your message gets delivered first and then acted upon. LAS Digital starts with the three fundamentals of email deliverability: infrastructure, authentication, and reputation so your communications don’t end up in spam.

  • Next, we focus on creating email content that is optimized for action and achieving your organization’s goals.
  • Correctly set up your email marketing program according to industry best practices to ensure deliverability and inbox placement.
  • Manage email marketing programs that drive actions like fundraising, advocacy, or content sharing.

Donor Investment Advisory

About Us

Kyle Reliford

Managing Director

Hooff Cooksey

Senior Vice President

Chris Martin

Senior Vice President
Chris Martin is a Senior Vice President at Look Ahead Strategies. Before joining the Look Ahead team, Chris provided communications consulting services for Political Action Committees and served as Director of Rapid Response for the House Republican Conference. In addition to his experience on Capitol Hill, Chris was a Regional Press Secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee and Communications Director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Chris is a native of Brooksville, Florida and received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida.

Robert Buckley

Senior Vice President
Robert Buckley is a Senior Vice President at Look Ahead Strategies. With over a decade of experience in political research, Robert has researched candidates at every level, including Presidential, Gubernatorial, Senate, House, and state legislative races across the country. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA, and is a proud California native. Prior to joining Look Ahead, Robert served as Managing Director at America Rising, overseeing all House research during the 2022 and 2020 cycles.

Julia Portela

Vice President

Joe Gierut

Vice President
Joe Gierut is a Vice President at Look Ahead Strategies. Before joining Look Ahead, he served on Capitol Hill in communications capacities for Rep. John Faso and Sen. Todd Young, in addition to leading communications operations for a national Super PAC. In 2016, Joe worked on the communications team for Todd Young’s victorious U.S. Senate campaign. Joe earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Dayton and a Master’s Degree from American University. He is a native of the Chicago suburbs.

Jared Wheeler

Vice President
Jared Wheeler is a Vice President at Look Ahead Strategies. Jared is a political researcher who has specialized in quality control and creativity efforts on political races across the spectrum to ensure clients receive the best research products available on the market. Jared previously served as a Managing Director at America Rising, Deputy Research Director at the Republican National Committee, worked in the U.S. House of Representatives, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and VA Victory.

Patrick Wheat

Senior Director

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