Work hard for good causes, think deeply,
Our Team
Pete Mackey, Ph.D.
President & Executive Strategist
Bio | CV | Connect on LinkedIn| Publications
Melanie Moran
Vice President & Senior Strategist
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
Kim Verstandig
Vice President for Fundraising & Senior Strategist
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
Rachel Rogol
Director of Operations & Strategy Management
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
Marley Weston
Assistant Marketing & Media Manager
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
Jeff Dillon
Senior Counsel, Technology Solutions
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
Elise Partin
Senior Counsel, Executive Communications Coaching
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
Steve Gibson
Senior Counsel, Videography & Photography
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
Farah Ameen
Senior Counsel, Editing & Research
Bio | Connect on LinkedIn
About Pete Mackey, Ph.D.
Founder & President
Mackey Strategies
In August 2016, Pete established Mackey Strategies to provide strategic communications and leadership services to colleges, universities, foundations, schools, and other nonprofits.
With a client base that features America’s finest private and public educational institutions—and delivering expertise in institutional rebrands, interim leadership, communications audits, presidential coaching, team training, fundraising campaigns, admissions marketing, and more—Mackey Strategies is dedicated to greater futures for educational nonprofits and all they mean to our country.
Amherst College
Chief Communications Officer
Serving as the college’s first Chief Communications Officer (CCO), Pete oversaw all aspects of communications, with primary responsibility for developing and executing a communications strategy that furthered the College’s strategic goals—in admission, advancement and alumni relations, internal communications, and more.
Read More
Pete re-structured and expanded the staff to develop a 20-person division that encompassed institutional news, media relations, graphics design, web development, the alumni magazine, campus events, sports information, social media, video and photography. He oversaw a comprehensive perceptions study, the complete re-design and re-writing of the website, a new approach to internal communications, and a new literary festival, as well as partnering on a new admissions viewbook. He also addressed multiple crises, from sexual assault cases to changing the college mascot.
(2014-16)
Bucknell University
Chief Communications Officer
Pete initiated, built, and led Bucknell’s first comprehensive communications division, a 40-person team with responsibility for all communications channels plus printing and mail.
Read More
Pete led the team in developing and implementing a comprehensive communications strategy grounded in extensive perceptions research, and redesiging all media to bring the strategy to life, including the website, alumni magazine, admissions and fundraising collaterals, and more.
- Bucknell's re-designed website received the top award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and was named the most innovative site in higher education by Edustyles.
- Along with a new admissions marketing programming, the new website contributed to 40% increase in applications in one year. Admissions pages views rose by 122%, and homepage bounce rates fell by 85%, among other significant improvements.
- Bucknell's re-designed alumni magazine was named the "Most Improved Design" in the ContentWise Magnum Opus Awards.
- The virtual tour won a prestigious Webby Award.
Pete played a key leadership role in planning and implementing the $500 million comprehensive campaign, including serving as executive producer for the launch weekend that featured Norah Jones and Walter Isaacson. He also wrote and produced a multimedia and theatrical dinner event in New York City for top donors, plus a campaign theme song and the campaign video.
(2006-14)
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Director of Communications
As the first head of communications for this $600 million scholarship foundation that was then in its infancy, Pete established the communications operation and brand identity, including the messaging, website, and print collaterals. He also managed media and public relations in support of scholarship recipients and their secondary schools, community colleges, four-year colleges, and graduate schools nationwide.
(2003-06)
Science Foundation Ireland
Director of Communications
For this $1 billion international science foundation that had just then been established by the Republic of Ireland, Pete developed the communications strategy, co-developed the institutional strategy, and oversaw the creation of all branding, messaging, the website, and print collaterals plus media relations. He also did all executive writing for SFI’s director general, and managed public relations with grant recipients across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, as well as Ireland's universities.
(2000-03)
University of South Carolina
Director of Communications
This is where Pete’s communications career began, serving as the president's director of communications as he turned around an institution experiencing a crisis of integrity and identity. Pete hired and trained the office’s writing team and served as the president’s writer, speechwriter, communications advisor, and crisis communications consultant. He wrote the institutional strategy, advised senior executives across the institution's eight campuses on communications, wrote about 100 speeches a year, and was part of a senior team that worked through every challenge from joining the Southeastern Conference to campus crises that drew national media interest.
For the University’s $500 million campaign, Pete wrote the case statement and co-wrote or edited all national collateral and fundraising materials, including co-writing and co-producing the campaign launch and other major campaign events.
(1989-2000)
Education
Pete earned his PhD in 20th-century British literature and literary theory from the University of South Carolina. He earned his BA and MA degrees from Case Western University.
Publications
Pete is the author of numerous essays, articles, and the books:
How to Change the Future: Lessons from Ireland on Revolutionizing Scientific Innovation and Economic Prosperity (Strategic News Service, 2023)
Chaos Theory and James Joyce’s Everyman (University Press of Florida, 1999)