Since 2009, Aaron has had the opportunity to work with senior elected officials, government agencies, corporate leadership, and non-profit advocacy organizations on strategic public affairs communications to help inform media coverage locally, statewide and nationally.
Serving for four years as spokesperson for former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Aaron has experience in media strategy and press relations, crisis communications and message development. Before founding Pickus Communications in 2015, Aaron worked with Bob Gogerty of Gogerty Marriott, a longtime Seattle-based public affairs firm on issue campaigns for AT&T and Vulcan Philanthropy, which focused on Paul Allen’s philanthropic endeavors.
Aaron has supported a wide range of high-profile issues in Washington. His counsel is grounded in communications that drive a public policy outcome or manage a crisis, which is distinct from most traditional public relations or marketing practices. Aaron’s expertise in developing public affairs communications plans that integrate media engagement has given him the opportunity to support:
property owners grappling with complex urban development and multinational corporations competing in the Washington market
highly regulated economic sectors such as gambling, cannabis and industrial manufacturing
health care stakeholders in pursuit of more effective care models
organized advocacy to improve public health, K-12 education and environmental outcomes
trade associations advocating on behalf of cannabis license holders, supported living providers, home builders, community development financial institutions, assisted living providers, refuse & recycling and charter public schools.
Aaron is honored to have had the opportunity to share his approach for integrating strategic public affairs communications and media engagement into successful policy development efforts. He has been invited as a guest lecturer in the University of Washington’s School of Public Health graduate-level health policy class to discuss public affairs communications and has served as a guest speaker at Seattle University Law School regarding the legislature and the legislative process. In upholding discipline and professional communications engagement with policy stakeholders, Aaron is committed to a public affairs approach that never loses sight of long-term goals even while navigating a crisis or the general issues of the day.
Raised in Mukilteo, Washington, Aaron graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and in Political Science. He lives in West Seattle with his wife, daughter and son. While he has been fortunate to live and travel outside of the Pacific Northwest, there really is no place like home.