Keeley Hanlon

Keeley is an accomplished public affairs leader with more than 10 years of experience planning and executing strategic communications campaigns for political candidates, trade associations, nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies. Before joining Purple, Keeley was the National Political Director at Allegiance Strategies, where she executed multi-faceted campaigns that advanced candidates and causes across the country. Previously, she spent three cycles on the political team at the National Federation of Independent Business and managed U.S. field operations at the ONE Campaign. Her broad issue-advocacy experience spans agribusiness, energy and human rights. She’s worked across the aisle to make the business case for social change. Keeley currently serves on the board of directors for AsylumConnect, a nonprofit organization that helps LGBTQ asylum seekers find safe services in the U.S. Keeley earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Arkansas and is pursuing a graduate degree from SOAS University of London.

Political work taught me that things can change in an instant. To succeed you have to be nimble, adaptive and always expect the unexpected. You learn to pick yourself up after a tough loss and shift your disappointment into wisdom for the next round.” 

“Purple is truly a melting pot of backgrounds, experience and expertise. Most firms get siloed by only hiring from a certain political party, issue expertise or technical specialty. But Purple brings in folks from across the spectrum. It’s the differences among us that drives our unique approaches to client challenges.”

“I had the opportunity to represent an Iraq-based nonprofit with a tiny operating budget and a staff of local, unpaid volunteers. They did transformative advocacy work and earned audiences with some of the most powerful people in the world. It’s easy to rely on big budgets and shiny tools, but I learned that meaningful change is driven by the stories we share.” 

“My mom raised three kids as a single parent while going to college full time, eventually earning a degree and entering the workforce in her mid-40s. She taught me early on to appreciate my education, remember that everyone has their own struggles and never forget where I came from.”