BIOGRAPHY
Laura Braden has 20+ years of experience crafting persuasive stories and solving complex problems for Fortune 10 companies, professional associations, political/advocacy groups, and nonprofit clients.
She has worked on both sides of the political aisle and for most major industries (including technology, energy, healthcare, infrastructure, professional sports, and cannabis), providing counsel on public affairs, media/public relations, crisis communications, campaign/project management, content creation, digital advocacy, and community engagement.
She most recently served as Vice President of Strategic Communications (2016-2019) and Communications Strategist (2019-2022) for the California Medical Association (CMA), which represents nearly 50,000 physicians across all modes of practice and specialties.
Laura crafted and delivered results-oriented strategies to physician members, media, healthcare stakeholders, and policymakers. She led an update to the brand and website for CMA, CALPAC, Physicians for a Health California (PHC), and over 20 county medical societies. She also launched a pride in profession campaign (#CMAdocs), a social media ambassador program, a media surrogate database, and a members-only mobile app for conferences and advocacy. Laura served on their COVID-19 task force from 2020 to 2022.
Prior, she was the Senior Director of Communications for the Sacramento Kings (NBA), where she managed public relations and external communications for business operations, including the city’s approval process and construction of the Golden 1 Center and Downtown Commons.
From 2011 to 2014, she owned and managed Braden Strategies, LLC, which provided public relations, social media, and public affairs services to technology, economic development, infrastructure, energy, political, and startup clients.
She was Vice President for Mercury Public Affairs from 2008 to 2010, executing strategic communication and social media campaigns for political, corporate, and non-profit clients. During her tenure, Laura served as a communications advisor against the Proposition 23 ballot initiative (which would have suspended AB 32, California's landmark clean energy and climate solutions law), the Pickens Plan, Building America’s Future, and BP with their 2010 oil spill response efforts. She also launched Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson’s first political/official social media profiles.
From 2006 to 2008, she served as Deputy Communications Director for Governor Schwarzenegger, where she executed earned media and surrogate programs on climate change, infrastructure, agricultural and economic policies. She was also responsible for coordinating the Governor’s entertainment and international media and events.
Laura was Deputy Director of Operations and Planning for Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and director of events for Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2006 successful re-election campaign. In both roles, she planned, managed, and executed events ranging from editorial boards and media interviews to news conferences and political rallies.
From 2003 to 2006, she was a Senior Account Manager for DCI Group, directing public affairs campaigns for pharmaceutical, political, and energy clients. She also served as press secretary for Progress for America during the successful nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court and as advance/press secretary for a delegation of experts and journalists to the United Nations’ global warming conferences in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montreal, Canada.
Laura has a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics and a Graduate Certificate in International Conflict Negotiation from the University of Maryland, College Park, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Political Campaign Management from George Washington University in Washington, DC.
She currently splits her time between Tennessee and California with her son and adopted mutts.