Fiona Hutton & Associates is your connection to a winning team of public affairs professionals with proven track records of success in representing high-profile clients and effectively managing complex and challenging issues.

Fiona Hutton
President

One of the state’s best-known public affairs professionals, Fiona Hutton knows how to connect the right team and strategy at the right time. With more than two decades of experience in the agency, corporate, political and governmental worlds, she’s an expert at communications strategy, project management and oversight and succeeding for her clients.

Since launching her own public affairs firm in 2001, Ms. Hutton has developed a first-class public affairs practice that ensures effective solutions for clients. Her approach is straightforward - a resolute and hands-on commitment to fulfilling clients' needs, solving their problems and ensuring they achieve their goals.

With a proven record of success, she is a sought-after expert for creating cohesive brand identities, forging targeted and meaningful partnerships and crafting comprehensive strategic communications programs. Her extensive experience and sage counsel make her the go-to choice for clients seeking to navigate controversial and complex issues, advocacy efforts, regulatory processes, legislative actions and crisis management situations.

As an industry leader, her clients and peers respect and depend on her for her detail-oriented approach and keen ability to assemble and manage the strongest teams for communications and outreach efforts for corporate clients, trade associations, nonprofit organizations and political interests.

With nearly two decades of experience in California’s highly competitive and constantly evolving political and regulatory landscape, Ms. Hutton has a unique insight into the people, processes and policies that dictate success in communications and outreach programs at the state and local level. Her vast expertise in the most challenging public policy areas, including business regulation, water, entitlements, land use, conservation, health care, energy and infrastructure, have made her the only choice for clients who demand the top professional in the field with the proven skills to successfully clear any communications hurdle.

She’s created the overall strategy for successful outreach, education and communications efforts for corporate clients, major environmental organizations and governmental agencies, ranging from the Los Angeles Dodgers to The Nature Conservancy. She’s crafted creative and resourceful plans for new initiatives for clients, including City National Bank and Clear Channel Outdoor – Southern California. She’s spearheaded the communications and public education efforts of numerous governmental entities, including the cities of Malibu, Santa Clarita and Hermosa Beach.

Clients from the Los Angeles Zoo to the California Association of Health Plans have relied on Ms. Hutton for her creative insight, her strategic counsel and her skills in developing and managing the most effective communications and outreach programs possible.

Ms. Hutton got her start in communications strategy working for then-Governor Pete Wilson, playing an instrumental role in coordinating all aspects of his statewide and national political agenda, including his 1994 gubernatorial re-election and statewide ballot measure campaigns. She also managed accounts for a major public relations agency and served as in-house communications professional for a Southern California company prior to founding her own firm in Los Angeles.

Ms. Hutton remains one of the state’s top political strategists. Her strong background and connections in the environmental and conservation communities led to her playing critical campaign management roles in every statewide conservation and water bond measure – including Propositions 12/13, 40, 50 and 84 – on California’s ballot since 2000. She also played a critical role in the winning campaigns for Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 – four Indian gaming measures that sparked one of the most controversial and expensive ballot measure campaigns in California history.

Ms. Hutton serves on the board of directors for the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, one of the largest business advocacy organizations in the Los Angeles region, and is a founder and board member of the organization’s political action committee. She received her B.A. in Political Science from San Diego State University.

Download PDF Bio

Laura Mecoy
Strategic Communications Advisor

Laura Mecoy is our message maven, strategic communications advisor and media coach. With more than two decades of experience in writing and research, she’s an expert at working with our clients to craft and perfect the right messages at the right time for the right audiences.

A former award-winning journalist, she brings a unique insight into communications. From leading our hands-on media “coaching” that prepares our clients for their most challenging encounters to providing invaluable strategic counsel for external and internal communications, Ms. Mecoy is a proven strategist who skillfully develops concise and compelling messages to cut through the clutter and create clear and effective communications.

She has worked with clients engaged in business, education, scientific research, energy, transportation, healthcare, land use, conservation, legislative advocacy and more. She has led our municipal government team representing the cities of Malibu and Hermosa Beach and developed the messaging for initiative campaigns and other clients. Her writing and research skills have been the basis for the development of videos, brochures, newsletters and many other collateral materials for clients seeking to inform and influence internal and external audiences.

In every engagement, Ms. Mecoy brings the same finely honed instincts for understanding and communicating complex topics that she developed during more than two decades as a journalist in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and Los Angeles for The Sacramento Bee and McClatchy Newspapers, the nation’s second largest newspaper chain.

She offers clients a wealth of experience and knowledge of public policy based on the firsthand experience she gained while reporting on presidential, gubernatorial and other political campaigns; the U.S. Congress, U.S. Supreme Court, state legislatures and several major trials. She’s also developed a broad knowledge of public policy issues, including education, healthcare, transportation, development, land use, energy, scientific research and the environment.

Ms. Mecoy’s reputation as a leader on these issues and others has made her a sought-after expert commentator for numerous national news outlets, including the Today show on NBC, CNN, Court TV and NPR. The Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs and the Center for Campaign Leadership also sought her expert commentary, while several publications, including the AARP Bulletin, Los Angeles Magazine and Money Magazine, have hired her to write on these topics.

Ms. Mecoy is active in the community, serving as a member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Los Angeles Board of Directors and the chair of its Communications Committee and its Walk to Cure Diabetes Committee. She is also a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, the Online News Association and Step Up Women’s Network. Ms. Mecoy graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Journalism-News Communication.

Download PDF Bio

Ann Newton
Account Supervisor

Ann Newton is our firm’s specialist at connecting people and organizations to produce winning coalitions for issues, projects and campaigns. She is a respected leader in the field who has successfully deployed and managed ally development and outreach strategies for a broad spectrum of corporate, nonprofit and political clients, as well as constituency groups ranging from healthcare to environmental interests.

From City National Bank to Weintraub Real Estate Group, Fiona Hutton & Associates’ corporate clients depended on Ms. Newton to manage their accounts, develop concise and effective messages and expertly communicate those messages. She is known for her extensive knowledge of the California communications environment, her prompt attention to clients’ needs and her skills at creating and managing all forms of communications tools – from websites to brochures and other printed materials.

Ms. Newton was critical to the success of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) award-winning statewide public education program – California’s Water: A Crisis We Can’t Afford – which succeeded in producing the substantial and measurable  increase in voters’ knowledge of the state’s water crisis ACWA sought. She also managed a statewide education program for several of California’s top conservation groups that included extensive and ongoing outreach and communications to elected leaders, environmental organizations, government entities throughout the state and many more decision makers.

She provided essential coordination and management of several important media efforts, including the California Association of Health Plans’ successful announcement of a new educational program to combat obesity and the statewide editorial board outreach that was crucial to the victorious outcome of four Indian gaming measures in 2008.

Her large network of contacts and her extensive knowledge of public policy give her an unparalleled ability to quickly and effectively respond to clients’ needs. As a result of her expertise, she has become a respected advisor for numerous clients dealing with complex public policy issues, including serving as a key strategist for the State Water Contractors in navigating California water policy.

Active in statewide politics, Ms. Newton has played critical roles in the management and execution of statewide ballot measure campaigns in California, from signature qualification through final Election Day activities. In 2010, she directed a successful coalition building effort that was critical to the defeat of Proposition 27, a measure that would have eliminated an important reform in redistricting.

Ms. Newton’s organizational skills, her communications acumen and her experience in all aspects of the firm’s work ensure clients at Fiona Hutton & Associates achieve their goals.

Ms. Newton has been with the firm since 2005 and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America. She graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.A. in Political Science.

Download PDF Bio

Jennifer Wonnacott
Senior Account Executive

Jennifer Wonnacott brings a broad scope of media relations, public affairs and political campaign communications experience at the state and local levels to Fiona Hutton & Associates. Her breadth of experience and extensive knowledge of communications strategy helps our clients craft compelling messages and deliver those messages effectively to produce the desired results.

Ms. Wonnacott offers Fiona Hutton & Associates’ clients a unique perspective on developing comprehensive strategic communications plans. She has successfully created plans to align with the top issues and goals of elected officials, companies and community organizations and managed the execution of these plans including messaging, targeting and outreach. Her deep knowledge of the political and legislative landscape in California allows her to approach communications planning from a distinctive angle.

Responsible for all media relations for a wide spectrum of issue, political and public affairs campaigns, as well as in two State Assembly offices, Ms. Wonnacott has extensive experience with both traditional and social media and knows how to tactfully navigate the ever changing media industry. Her ability to cultivate and manage relationships with reporters, bloggers and editorial page editors provides a key asset to clients. Additionally, Ms. Wonnacott has acted as an on the record spokesperson.

From writing compelling press releases that cut through the noise and garner attention to planning press events that make it to the top of news assignment desks, she seeks out the opportunities that will give our clients and their messages the greatest possible exposure. She is also adept at moving client messages onto the opinion pages through placement of op-eds and building editorial board tours where stakeholders can deliver their messages firsthand.

Ms. Wonnacott’s knowledge of media communications helps clients craft strategic plans and accompanying collateral materials that deliver targeted, concise and consistent messages. Her approach to developing materials is grounded in thorough research, thoughtful planning and experienced insight into what works. Clients can be confident that their materials will put their best messages forward.

While Ms. Wonnacott has advised two State Assemblymembers on strategic communications, the greater part of Ms. Wonnacott’s professional experience was spent providing strategic communications for elected officials, companies and public affairs campaigns at a public affairs and political consulting firm in Sacramento. As a consultant at the firm, Ms. Wonnacott carried out the day-to-day management of media relations plans and worked to secure high media visibility for a wide range of clients, including education organizations, health care related issues and automotive companies. In addition, she assisted with the production of television ads and direct mail, as well as polling research.

Ms. Wonnacott’s extensive experience building integrated media campaigns with measurable results and wide network of relationships she has cultivated through political and public relations campaigns, helps put our clients on the path to success.

Ms. Wonnacott developed her passion for politics and communications while attending UC Berkeley where she graduated from with a B.A. in Mass Communications.

Download PDF Bio

Emilie Korenberg
Account Coordinator

A talented communicator and outreach specialist, Emilie Korenberg knows how to deliver results for our clients. At Fiona Hutton & Associates, Ms. Korenberg’s keen ability to activate the right coalition members, deliver messages effectively and implement strategy makes her a valued tactician for our clients.

From leading client outreach and coalition-building efforts to developing and managing highly targeted outreach databases, Ms. Korenberg understands that our clients’ success depends upon being able to implement the appropriate response and outreach in a timely and professionally executed manner.

Ms. Korenberg assists in the day-to-day management of external communications and operations for our clients ensuring a consistent message is carried successfully through all platforms. She provides essential oversight of social media, web site management and creation and distribution of e-newsletters. With a background in event coordination and non-profit work, Ms. Korenberg also has a proven ability to effectively coordinate high-profile events. Her highly organized approach and adroit supervision of these ongoing tasks ensure our clients get the information and services they need, when they need them.

Since joining Fiona Hutton & Associates, Ms. Korenberg has demonstrated her communications and outreach skills serving in a key role in the membership development and management of the Southern California Water Committee. Using her event planning skills, she successfully coordinates Southern California Water Committee’s Annual Dinner which attracts 400-500 stakeholders and opinion leaders every year and is spearheading a statewide public education and outreach program on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Ms. Korenberg graduated from Chapman University with a B.A. in Organizational Leadership. She is in the process of completing her Masters of Communication in Science, with an emphasis in Organizational Communication and Conflict/Crisis Management, at Pepperdine University.

Download PDF Bio

Chloe Stearns
Administrative Assistant

Ms. Stearns is an integral member of the Fiona Hutton & Associates team adeptly managing the operations of our fast-paced office and providing clients with the upmost professional assistance with any administrative matters.

In addition, Ms. Stearns plays a vital role in the day-to-day implementation of strategies by providing essential support to clients through research, media monitoring and coalition coordination. She also assists in the maintenance of websites making certain the most accurate, up-to-date information is posted.

Since joining Fiona Hutton & Associates, Ms. Stearns has quickly developed a keen understanding of communicating effectively with targeted audiences and ensuring clients have the necessary information in order to be successful. Clients can be confident that their messages are reaching the right audiences through the contact databases Ms. Stearns develops and manages.
Clients can depend on Ms. Stearns to deliver needed services in a timely, organized and professional manner.

Ms. Stearns is committed to enriching the lives of young children, serving as the Head Mentor for The Young Storytellers Foundation for the past three years. She graduated from Chapman University.

Download PDF Bio