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Symone Sanders Townsend & Susan Del Percio

Renowned political strategists and crisis management experts, Symone Sanders Townsend and Susan Del Percio team up for a riveting program focused on the political realm of communications, public policy, and today’s media environment in a powerful joint appearance.

Symone Sanders Townsend is a seasoned political strategist and former national press secretary for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, offering 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 to the Biden-Harris Administration, 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.

Susan Del Percio is a well-known political strategist and crisis communications consultant. She is a political analyst for NBC & MSNBC and a contributor for NBC News THINK and Know Your Value. With nearly 30 years of experience in the political, government, nonprofit and private sector arenas, she is a trusted advisor, helping leaders develop and execute focused strategic communications and winning crisis management campaigns.

With significant experience in high-stakes communications and unparalleled insider insights, Sanders Townsend and Del Percio offer vital takeaways for organizations and individuals alike in this unique program.

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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.

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Susan Del Percio headshot

Susan Del Percio

  • Political Analyst for NBC & MSNBC
  • Political Strategist and Crisis Communications Consultant

Susan Del Percio is a well-known political strategist and crisis communications consultant.  She is a political analyst for NBC & MSNBC and a contributor for NBC News THINK and Know Your Value.

With nearly 30 years of experience in the political, government, nonprofit and private sector arenas, she is a trusted advisor, helping leaders develop and execute focused strategic communications and winning crisis management campaigns.

Her unique insights on government procedure, regulatory environments and public policy is highly sought after, especially now, with public affairs, policy and media so thoroughly intertwined.

Appointed as a Special Advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2014, she initiated and implemented communication strategies, and advised and developed policy initiatives. Susan also served as Deputy Commissioner in the Giuliani Administration (1995-2001) prior to founding her firm in 2001.

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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.

Susan Del Percio's Biography

Susan Del Percio is a well-known political strategist and crisis communications consultant.  She is a political analyst for NBC & MSNBC and a contributor for NBC News THINK and Know Your Value.

With nearly 30 years of experience in the political, government, nonprofit and private sector arenas, she is a trusted advisor, helping leaders develop and execute focused strategic communications and winning crisis management campaigns.

Her unique insights on government procedure, regulatory environments and public policy is highly sought after, especially now, with public affairs, policy and media so thoroughly intertwined.

Appointed as a Special Advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2014, she initiated and implemented communication strategies, and advised and developed policy initiatives. Susan also served as Deputy Commissioner in the Giuliani Administration (1995-2001) prior to founding her firm in 2001.

Susan received both her Bachelor and Master's degrees from Emerson College, where she has served as a Distinguished Lecturer.

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