Rachael Hartford

Rachael Hartford is a communications and political strategist with over a decade of experience driving impactful and integrated communications campaigns across the corporate, political, crisis communications, advocacy, non-profit, and governmental arenas.

At Precision, Rachael is a vice president on the communications team and works with a variety of clients to execute effective communications strategies, to develop messaging that breaks through with target audiences, and to land top-tier media coverage. Day to day, you can find Rachael working with non-profit, philanthropy, and advocacy organizations to advance their causes, with leading technology, legal, and financial services companies to advise and position their executives at the highest levels of their industries, and with clients across a myriad of sectors to manage and respond to crises.

Prior to Precision, Rachael served as deputy communications director and national press secretary to former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH). In Sen. Brown’s office, Rachael served as the point person for national communications efforts in a competitive swing state. She also worked with local and statewide stakeholders to create, manage, and implement compelling messaging strategies that drove the office’s media efforts and promoted the Senator’s legislative agenda. Rachael helped guide the communications team in times of crisis as well, including during two impeachment trials, the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the aftermath of January 6th. Before joining Sen. Brown’s office, Rachael served in state, regional, national, and leadership communications roles for U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. From the leadership office, Rachael worked with the entire Democratic caucus to develop and coordinate messaging and press strategies surrounding hot-button issues and top legislative priorities, and was part of the team that successfully defeated efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017. On the local and state levels, Rachael managed media relations efforts to effectively communicate the Senator’s policy priorities to New Yorkers. 

Rachael lives in Washington, D.C. and is originally from the Hudson Valley in New York State. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College.