Mayor de Blasio Appoints Andrea Hagelgans as Director of Agency Communications

June 16, 2014

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced the appointment of Andrea Hagelgans as Director of Agency Communications.

A well-known communications veteran with decades of experience in the non-profit and government arenas, Hagelgans brings her expertise in media relations and strategic communications to the administration. Hagelgans will be charged with coordinating the Mayor’s cabinet and city agencies to deliver clear information on the administration’s initiatives to the media and the people of New York City.

A nationally-recognized communications expert, Hagelgans most recently served as vice president of strategic communications and media at Camino Public Relations, where she successfully coordinated large-scale messaging and media campaigns for national and local progressive nonprofits. While in this role, she developed and led Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s nationally acclaimed response to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure’s decision to withdraw funding. The communications strategy won industry awards for Crisis and Nonprofit Campaigns and was given an Honorable Mention for Campaign of the Year by PRWeek. Hagelgans is also intimately familiar with local government, having served as deputy press secretary for the New York City Campaign Finance Board. 

“From sanitation to housing to consumer affairs, this city’s dozens of agencies work tirelessly each day on critical initiatives to improve the lives of New Yorkers across the five boroughs. I’m thrilled to announce Andrea is joining us in City Hall, where she will help our cabinet and agencies clearly communicate this administration’s vision and policies to the people of New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“I’m honored to join an administration that takes bold steps each day to make this city more livable, accessible and affordable for all New Yorkers. Mayor de Blasio has a clear, progressive vision and spends each day striving to make this vision a reality—and I look forward to working alongside this administration’s cabinet and agencies to ensure our Mayor’s message reaches every corner of these five boroughs,” said Director of Agency Communications Andrea Hagelgans.

About Andrea Hagelgans

Hagelgans has an extensive background in non-profit and government communications on issues ranging from hunger and poverty to women’s health, most recently serving as vice president of strategic communications and media at Camino Public Relations. In this role, she developed and led PPFA’s media campaign in response to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure’s decision to withdraw funding from the organization. Over the years, she worked closely with the organization’s senior leadership and its independent affiliates to provide strategic communications counsel.

Throughout the years, Hagelgans has worked with a range of organizations, from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and Planned Parenthood of New York City to Casa de Maryland and the Ford Foundation, among others.

Hagelgans has also served as a senior press officer, corporate and health communications for PPFA, where she communicated Planned Parenthood’s mission and messages to the national media. Hagelgans developed and implemented media campaigns for some of the organization’s highest profile issues and events, including a U.S. Supreme Court case, state legislative attacks on women’s rights, Planned Parenthood’s emergency contraception over the counter (EC/OTC) and pharmacy refusal campaigns, and the 2006 Planned Parenthood Action Fund media.

She has served on the board of directors of New York Common Pantry (formerly Yorkville Common Pantry), New York City’s largest community-based food pantry.

In 2005, Hagelgans served as deputy press secretary for the New York City Campaign Finance Board. Hagelgans ran the communications program for the New York City Mayoral Debate Program, and led the media campaign to raise awareness of the New York City Voter Guide.

Hagelgans holds a master’s in political science from Columbia University in New York City and a Bachelor of Arts from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.