Marc’s take on:
Being there for clients.
There are a lot of reasons clients look to Marc as a trusted advisor. His work led to him being recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Puget Sound Business Journal and as a leadership fellow of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.
He’s an expert at developing strategies, engaging in community events, writing speeches and op-eds, and taking on leadership communications for executives in a wide range of industries. Marc says the key to excellent client relations is keeping open lines of communication during even the most difficult conversations — whether that means working to improve an organization’s public reputation or amplifying its presence in the communities it serves.
“It’s about sitting at the table with business leaders who are dealing with challenging issues, being part of their strategic team and helping them navigate those challenges with candor and empathy,” Marc says. “We’re business strategists that use all the tools in our communications toolbox to solve problems and advance our clients’ goals.”
MARC SAYS:
The work of communicating is the work of articulating good thinking, and good thinking is a product of life experience. Our team is made up of bright people who are curious about the world and have a natural empathy for others. With their diversity of experiences, our thinking improves as a group, and so our strategy and overall counsel improves.
Learning a new language.
Marc began studying Chinese when he was in college, and he had the opportunity to spend valuable time there as a young adult. It was an experience that he says totally rewired his brain and made him think about the world differently, and it ultimately taught him the ins and outs of healthy communication.
“The point of meaningful engagement isn’t to eliminate difference — it’s to understand it,” Marc explains. “You can communicate effectively with people while still celebrating and embracing the profound differences between your experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.”
When Marc isn’t cheering on his DH colleagues, he’s rooting for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team with his wife and two kids. He’s also known to build his own guitars, some of which he shreds in his rock band the Beatdown Saints. They play the first Friday of every month at the Town Pub in Seattle — look them up if you’re in town.
Education
MA, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Columbia University
BA, East Asian Studies
Wesleyan University
Leadership
Washington State China Relations Council, board chair
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, board member
Member of the National Committee on
U.S.-China Relations