Jillian Newhard brings over 15 years of extensive experience in public affairs, branding, marketing, and strategic communications, including crisis communications, digital media, internal and external communications, and change management. In her role at Kdence, she helps candidates and organizations with storytelling, branding and bringing innovative, creative solutions that grab attention and drive action.   

Prior to joining Kdence, Jillian worked at ACT within the public affairs department and led a team responsible for social media, market research and competitive intelligence, brand management and strategy, creative and content development, media relations, and strategic communication planning. During her time at ACT, she worked closely with the senior leadership and government relations team to help navigate complex change initiatives, build strategic communication plans around critical education and workforce development policy research, and partnered with advocates to advance the ACT mission. 

Throughout her career, she has been recognized as a trusted, collaborative leader who works successfully across multiple teams to deliver creative, results-driven solutions. She specializes in taking complex topics and creating content and visual designs to help align teams, clients, and customers around common goals and objectives.  

Jillian received her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Advertising from the University of Colorado – Boulder. She resides outside of Des Moines, IA, with her husband and three children, and is a member of the Lutheran Church of Hope.