Dan Seligson
Strategic Communications Leader, Experienced Storyteller

EXPERIENCE

Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston, MA — Senior Director, Strategy and Impact/Crisis Communications

October 2024 - Present

Uplifting CJP’s work in several core areas, including mental health and anti-poverty initiatives, efforts to combat antisemitism, and the work of our community partners and grantees.

  • Leading strategic/segmented communications for the release of 2025 Jewish Community study, once-in-a-decade research into issues critical to the 300,000 Jews in Greater Boston, including media management, talking points for experts and frontline fundraisers; targeted information internal stakeholders, Board of Directors, and donors

  • Managing ongoing crises impacting Greater Boston’s Jewish community, including responding to incidents of antisemitism, managing complex communications around the Gaza War, and responding to urgent media inquiries

  • Leading CJP’s internal communications around crises for staff, board members, and key volunteers

  • Crafting speeches, talking points, and presentation materials for CJP’s CEO and subject matter experts

  • Leading the reimagining of CJP’s crisis response plans encompassing a wide variety of scenarios, from violence in Greater Boston to wars in the Middle East

  • Partnering with wide-ranging teams, including our Communal Security Initiative, Anti-Poverty Initiative, Center for Combating Antisemitism, and Jewish Teen Initiative to ensure timely, responsive communications strategies encompassing public-facing documents, social media posts, spokesperson pitching, media prep, and long-range communications planning

Fresenius Kidney Care/Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA — Director of Communications

November 2021 - October 2024

Providing strategic communications leadership to motivate, engage, and retain 70,000+ employees at a Fortune Global 500 corporation.

  • Led internal communications for Fresenius Kidney Care’s 70,000 U.S. employees, including organization-wide communications, urgent information about supply chain and/or process changes, leadership transitions, closures, crisis communications, and more

  • Managing cross-functional crisis team during critical moments

  • Planned and executed complex monthly CEO forums, including developing show flow, scripting for and providing briefings to CEO and and other company leaders, promoting, and creating post-event communications to highlight key business objectives and accomplishments for 5,000+ live attendees  

  • Created multi-phase strategies for large-scale projects, including National Kidney Month, World Kidney Month, with complex tactics and concrete goals amid tight timelines and high-pressure situations 

  • Drove engagement on company intranet and mobile app through accessible and innovative content attracting thousands of views 

  • Inspired action through targeted, strategic monthly sustainability success stories to spark environmentally conscious behavior at work and home 

  • Sparked generosity by leading the company’s annual CARES Fund drive. Created an integrated campaign including video and written testimonials from recipients and donors on multiple platforms leading to $250,000-$300,000 in annual donations 

  • Crafted and directed strategy for corporate sectors and leadership including policy changes, procurement strategies, education campaigns, and process optimization

  • Responded to rapidly changing market conditions with communications strategies and tactics that ensure the highest quality patient care from a motivated workforce

  • Generated timely corporate communications on behalf of business sector leaders responding to crises, including during deadly storms, earthquakes, the war on Ukraine, and other urgent information

Combined Jewish Philanthropies — Senior Director, Strategic Communications

March 2011 - November 2021

Led timely, responsive, and strategic communications for the largest nonprofit in Massachusetts with annual revenues over $300 million, and more than $2 billion in philanthropic assets under management. Responsible for all critical external communications that demonstrate CJP’s value in the community. 

  • Devised and executed rapid-response appeals that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in response to national disasters, including multi-platform campaigns (social media, email) and PR outreach that generated regional coverage and additional donations

  • Led creation of organization’s first crisis response plans in wake of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, including resilience planning, contingency plans, and communal security cooperation, and managing crisis simulations, interviewing colleagues, creating action plans, flows, and timelines

  • Oversaw PR firm

  • Led production of video content with Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman that secured over 1 million views 

  • Guided key executives on successful proactive and reactive communications strategies with content that included speeches, conferences, and media appearances to advance brand and reinforce key messaging

  • Dramatically improved cross-organizational, cross-functional communications, particularly during crises

  • Innovated young adult engagement programs, including founding israel360, an eight-year initiative that combined social media, a website, podcasts, and live events to enable thousands of young adults to experience a variety of topics and have productive conversations across challenging topics

  • Fostered productive relationships with local reporters at newspapers, television outlets, and radio stations yielding  dozens of positive stories communicating policy positions and advanced CJP colleagues as thought leaders

  • Created and led community-wide events attracting thousands of participants

  • Produced memorable and powerful speeches, op-eds, and powerpoints for CJP leadership for large-scale presentations to diverse audiences

  • Partnered with HR to create effective and timely communications, keeping internal and external stakeholders aware of organizational initiatives and policies with an eye toward empathetic and compassionate responses to complex situations

National Environmental Education Foundation, Washington, D.C. — Director of Communications

November 2009 - March 2011

Served as first-ever communications director for national, federally mandated nonprofit leading efforts to educate consumers, students, and corporations on issues of environmental sustainability and conservation.

  • Led and implemented successful proactive and reactive communication plans for national events, including Environment Education Week and National Public Lands Day

  • Created and managed social media channels and strategies; attracted thousands of new followers

  • Managed communications associate and summer interns

  • Secured regional and national press coverage for NEEF events; maintained media contacts in wide array of national and environmental niche publications

  • Evaluated and selected  external public relations firm and managed communications teams

  • Oversaw website overhaul to more effectively communicate organizational policies and national environmental initiatives

  • Wrote speeches and talking points for high-level speakers, including EPA Administrator and Toyota Motor Corp. executives 

  • Produced PSAs and info videos with external contractors

Pew Center on the States, Washington, D.C. — Communications Director (electionline.org), Project Manager (Pew Center on the States)

March 2001 - October 2009

Played a pivotal role establishing a nationally recognized and frequently quoted think tank providing essential data and comparative analyses of American elections while serving as a spokesperson about voting and polling place procedures on national media outlets. 

  • Created, researched, designed, and published widely-read content on election administration procedures and challenges following the Bush/Gore election

  • Served as spokesperson for electionline.org, a think tank created by Pew to study post-2000 election administration procedures

  • Managed researchers, interns, PR firm, and design firm

  • Created media training series “roadshow” around the country in advance of the 2008 election and briefed national reporters including Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer, The Washington Post, and dozens of news editors

  • Testified as a voting administration expert before the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Pennsylvania State Legislature on voting procedures. Authored chapter for “Voting in America” and regularly authored articles for Campaigns and Elections Magazine.

  • Addressed press conferences on state voting procedures and appeared on camera/broadcast/radio as election expert on national outlets, including NPR’s Fresh Air, Fox News, ABC NewsNow, CNN, NBC Nightly News, and Bloomberg. Quoted in numerous newspapers and on websites.

    SKILLS

  • CEO and executive-level communications, reputation management, and outreach

  • Proactive and reactive internal communications

  • Employee and consultant management

  • Employee engagement campaigns

  • Crisis management

  • Innovative storytelling

  • Podcasting

  • Event design/management

  • Speechwriting

  • Media relations

  • People management

    EDUCATION

    Columbia University, New York, N.Y. — M.S., Journalism
    Connecticut College, New London, Conn. — B.A., International Relations, Magna Cum Laude

    AWARDS & RECOGNITION

  • Two-time CJP Quarterly Employee Award

  • Pew Charitable Trusts Quarterly Employee Award

  • First web-based reporter ever granted U.S. Senate Press Gallery credentials

    OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • Government affairs reporter, PlanetGov.com, Virginia 2000-2001

  • Lead political reporter, Fairfax Journal Newspaper, Virginia, 1998-2000

  • Director of Communications, Center for Jewish and Christian Values, Washington, D.C., 1995-1996

  • Researcher/Writer, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Washington, D.C., 1993-1995