1. Home
  2. Our Speakers
  3. Symone Sanders Townsend & Mike Murphy

Symone Sanders Townsend & Mike Murphy

Together, seasoned political strategist and sought-after commentator Symone Sanders Townsend and top Republican Party media consultant Mike Murphy team up for an unmissable dialogue about the intersections of political strategy, campaign communications, and the power balance between media and politics.

Seasoned political strategist and commentator Symone Sanders Townsend offers an in-depth analysis of today’s most important issues with authenticity, humor, and unparalleled insight. Drawing on her White House experience as a Senior Advisor, Sanders Townsend shares her expertise in communications and political strategy, in-depth analysis of key political issues, and the challenges and possibilities for radical change, offering vitalizing takeaways that engage as well as inform.

Mike Murphy is one of the Republican Party’s most successful political media consultants, having handled strategy and advertising for more than 26 successful gubernatorial and Senatorial campaigns, including 12 wins in “blue” states that have consistently voted Democratic in Presidential elections. He served as a top campaign advisor to John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with dozens of other GOP Senators, Governors and Members of Congress. He also advises several Fortune 500 corporations, as well as several Hedge Funds and Trade Associations.

Bringing expertise from opposite sides of the political aisle, Sanders Townsend and Murphy discuss the realities of political campaigning as well as today’s top stories in politics from their unique perspectives in this vital joint appearance.

We can help you find the perfect speaker for your event. Get in touch with us to find a speaker!

CALL TO INQUIRE

Call to Inquire  646.227.4900
Symone Sanders Townsend headshot

Symone Sanders Townsend

EXCLUSIVE
  • Political Strategist and Former CNN Political Commentator
  • Host & Anchor, MSNBC's 'The Weekend'
  • Former Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris
  • Author of 'No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America'

Symone Sanders Townsend: Strategic Communicator | Leadership Catalyst | Advocate for Change

Symone Sanders Townsend is a powerhouse communicator and thought leader whose TED Talk Stop asking permission! challenges audiences to lead with courage, authenticity, and conviction. A dynamic voice on leadership, resilience, and social change, Sanders Townsend has built a career at the intersection of strategy, communication, and equity—advising leaders and organizations on how to navigate high-stakes challenges with clarity and purpose.

Sanders Townsend made history as the youngest national press secretary for a U.S. presidential campaign, working with Senator Bernie Sanders. She later served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration. She went on to become a prominent political commentator for CNN and currently serves as host of SYMONE on MSNBC, in addition to anchoring and hosting for MSNBC’s streaming platform, The Choice.

The author of No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, Sanders Townsend shares her take-no-prisoners approach to leadership and career success, inspiring a new generation to embrace authenticity and drive meaningful change. She has delivered energizing keynotes at SXSW, Politico’s Women Rule Summit, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, and beyond. As principal of the 360 Group, she has also advised corporations, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations on messaging, strategy, and social impact initiatives.

With humor, insight, and unshakable authenticity, Sanders Townsend delivers transformative talks on leadership, communication, diversity, and navigating change—empowering audiences across industries to stop asking for permission and start making their mark.

View Profile >
Mike Murphy headshot

Mike Murphy

EXCLUSIVE
  • Famed Conservative Political Media Consultant
  • Frequent Guest, NBC News, CNN, & MSNBC
  • Co-Host, 'Hacks on Tap' Podcast
  • Top Campaign Advisor to John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, and Arnold Schwarzenegger

Famed conservative political media consultant Mike Murphy is a widely quoted pundit, longtime analyst and frequent guest on NBC News, CNN and MSNBC, and co-host of the popular Hacks on Tap podcast. One of the Republican party’s most successful consultants, he has served as a top campaign advisor to John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with dozens of other GOP Senators, Governors, and Members of Congress. Murphy has spoken for groups including the Council of State Restaurant Associations, Simpson College, Friess Associates of Delaware, the California Chamber of Commerce, America’s Health Insurance Plans Association, Goldman Sachs, NY Life, and John Hancock, among many others.

Murphy advises several Fortune 500 corporations, as well as Hedge Funds and Trade Associations. He has written columns and op-ed pieces for TIME, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Bulwark, and the LA Times. He is currently co-director the University of Southern California’s Center for the Political Future and served as a longtime senior fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, focusing on the intersection of domestic politics and national security decision making.

View Profile >
(-)
Biography

Symone Sanders Townsend's Biography

Symone Sanders Townsend is an author and seasoned political strategist.

Sanders Townsend rose to prominence in 2016 as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’s then-presidential campaign.  At 25, she became the youngest presidential press secretary on record and was named to Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of 16 young Americans shaping  the 2016 election.  At 29, she published her first book, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America and served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign.  At 31, Sanders Townsend was appointed as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration serving as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris.

A communicator with a passion for problem solving and social justice, Sanders Townsend served as the national chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee and a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice before joining Senator Sanders’s campaign. There, she worked to raise the profile of young voices in the fight for juvenile justice reform and brought millennial perspectives to policy conversations. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris administration, Sanders Townsend was principal of the 360 Group where she helped clients find sound solutions to tough political and social problems. 

Sanders Townsend is a former political commentator for CNN and resident fellow of both Harvard's Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School and the University of Southern California's Center for the Political Future.  

She is a native of North Omaha, Nebraska and currently resides in Washington D.C. with her husband, Shawn.

Mike Murphy's Biography

Mike Murphy is one of the Republican Party’s most successful political media consultants, having handled strategy and advertising for more than 26 successful gubernatorial and Senatorial campaigns, including 12 wins in “blue” states that have consistently voted Democratic in Presidential elections. He served as a top campaign advisor to John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with dozens of other GOP Senators, Governors and Members of Congress. Murphy has worked on five GOP Presidential campaigns and for foreign leaders in Europe and Latin America. He also advises several Fortune 500 corporations, as well as several Hedge Funds and Trade Associations. In 2020 he served as a key strategist for Republican Voters Against Trump.

Murphy is also a widely quoted pundit; he is a longtime top analyst for NBC News, CNN and MSNBC and he co-hosts the popular podcast Hacks on Tap. In the Hacks on Tap newsletter, Murphy and Robert Gibbs share insights you'll only get from folks who have spent a lifetime in the political trenches of both parties. He’s written columns and op-ed pieces for TIME, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Bulwark. Visit Murphy's website to read his commentary >>

Murphy is currently co-director the University of Southern California’s Center for the Political Future.  He serves on the boards of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. He served as a longtime senior fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; focusing on the intersection of domestic politics and national security decision making. Murphy also works as a writer and producer in the entertainment industry with projects at HBO, CBS, and 20th Century Fox Studios.

Murphy was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He lives with his wife Tiffany and daughter Audrey in Los Angeles.

More ideas that might interest you:
Duos & Debate
Point/Counterpoint Debate