Faculty and Authors of TheCapitol.Net > G-L
JULA J. KINNAIRD has more than 30 years in association leadership, communications and public relations, and advocacy. She twice was named one of the top 50 trade association executives in Washington, DC, by Washingtonian magazine. She currently is president of Capitol Management and Communications LLC, Arlington, VA, specializing in advocacy, strategic planning, communications and public relations.
In her career, Ms. Kinnaird served as president of three different trade associations. She is an experienced advocate and has been successful in helping influence policy working with the Administration, US Congress and federal regulatory agencies. She also directed strategic planning efforts; developed and implemented public relations campaigns; oversaw the creation of successful industry websites; and managed magazines and other publications.
Some highlights of Ms. Kinnaird’s work include strategizing and implementing a public affairs campaign to draw attention to the impact of high food prices on consumers and food manufacturers; inclusion of funding in the 2008 Farm Bill to provide additional whole grain foods to our nation’s school children; and organizing a program for congressional staffers to draw attention to health issues in the Hispanic Community.
Prior to establishing her own businesses, Ms. Kinnaird was president of the National Grain Trade Council (NGTC) and Transportation, Elevator & Grain Merchants Association (TEGMA), where she communicated the grain industry’s views to the U.S. Congress and the Administration. In 2006, she led NGTC in a major restructuring to become the Commodity Markets Council (CMC), expanding its issue focus beyond grain to encompass other agricultural commodities and energy, and recruiting key commodity exchanges as new members.
From 1992-2000, Ms. Kinnaird was president of the National Pasta Association (NPA) where she represented the U.S. pasta industry before Congress and federal regulatory agencies. She also directed NPA’s successful national public relations campaign promoting the benefits of US-manufactured pasta.
An accomplished communicator, Ms. Kinnaird was editor of a major trade association magazine, where she was responsible for both editorial and advertising content. She also created the first public relations office for the private historical organization which owns and operates Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home.
Ms. Kinnaird is a past Chair of the Washington Agriculture Roundtable, and served as the Coordinator of the Alliance for Agricultural Growth & Competitiveness, an industry coalition advocating policies that promote U.S. agricultural competitiveness.