Communications & Media Relations

Amplifying
messages
that matter.

I connect compelling narratives to measurable impact — generating earned media, building stakeholder trust, and creating data-driven strategies that grow audiences across every channel.

20+
Years media expertise
10+
Years media relations
10+
Years digital growth
HubSpot Certified
Digital Marketing
HubSpot Certified
Content Marketing
Jason DeHart
  • 100+ earned media placements in targeted and national outlets
  • 20,000+ followers added
  • Well-connected media operations expert
  • Counsel the C-suite trusts

Background

From the Newsroom
to the C-Suite.

I'm Jason DeHart, an impact-focused communications leader with two decades of experience across public, private, technology, government, and media industries.

Beginning as a journalist, my career has evolved into communications leadership, where I solve problems, build infrastructure, develop teams, and drive measurable results. I've covered national events under intense deadlines. I bring a journalist's editorial instinct for what's newsworthy, the critical information an audience needs, and the foresight to see how things will evolve to every campaign I lead.

I believe the strongest communications include the human element. As a Buffalo sports fan, I've experienced how a shared sense of community and identity drives Western New Yorkers to support their teams and players. Sports is where I learned about the human bond, found the different narratives within a game that go beyond statistics, and how emotions can change with a single error.

Dual focus

Audience Engagement

A message can be delivered in multiple ways via different channels. I formulate visuals and compelling narratives around a core message, telling an attention-grabbing story that activates and grows engagement, trust, and brand recognition.

Outcomes

I've spent more than 10 years identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) to demonstrate return on investment for organizations. My history of demonstrable growth connects missions to ROI.

Industries served

Defense Government Technology Energy Media Health Financial

Career Timeline

2024 – 2026
Communications Director
Valkyrie Enterprises
  • Constructed communications infrastructure & marketing campaigns to support Business Development activity.
  • Created company branding guide & standards.
  • Spearheaded internal communication activities to grow award-winning culture.
  • Earned multiple media placements in highly visible, customer-focused outlets to increase company profile.
2023 – 2024
Communications Specialist
Savannah River National Laboratory, Dept. of Energy
  • Translated highly complex lab achievements into impact-focused, public-facing articles.
  • Developed executive-level collateral for high-stakes initiatives.
  • Brought external coverage and media pitching strategies to raise laboratory public profile.
2022 – 2023
Communications Manager
Beacon Mobility
  • Architected a multi-channel content strategy centered on company's core values and key metrics.
  • Strategized and designed multi-level change management communication plans and collateral.
  • Established communication KPI framework by researching, identifying, and strategizing company's goals.
2019 – 2022
Public Information Officer
Augusta, Georgia Fire Department & EMA
  • Led public communication efforts for Georgia's second largest emergency services department, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Engaged, strategized, and developed relationships with local and national media outlets to gain regular coverage and increase public trust.
  • Doubled the Department-owned social media following and increased engagement rate.
2016 – 2018
News Producer
WROC-TV News 8 & WPTV Newschannel 5
  • Covered national events including Hurricane Irma, Parkland School Shooting, Florida International University bridge collapse, and many others.
  • Led team coordination with in-the-field teams, production, editing, and others to broadcast daily newscasts with market-leading audience shares.
  • Executed time-sensitive editorial decisions to improve show content and constructed audience-engaging newscasts focused on impactful, structured storytelling.
2012 – 2014
Streaming Specialist
CBS Sports Digital
  • Provided technical support during live streamed events and evaluated real-time digital traffic.
  • Coordinated with producers, talent, and operations to ensure smooth delivery of digital broadcasts.
2007 – 2008
News Producer
Bridges TV
  • Led and contributed editorial decision-making for Bridges News and Talking Points.
  • Edited Talking Points show via Avid and transferred key video files and posted news stories to website.
Jason DeHart professional headshot

A message from Jason

"A message that fails to tackle the question ‘so what?’ will always fall flat."

I’ve spent my career connecting narratives to outcomes by bringing an impact-focused instinct, problem-solving mentality, and creative vision to every campaign I’ve led.

Expertise

Where strategy
meets execution.

Media Relations & Earned Media

Knowing what elements are necessary to successfully land a story at any national, digital, or local media outlet takes insight, strategy, and relationships. I recognize compelling stories, deliver earned media results to increase brand trust, drive digital traffic, and grow visibility on AI searches.

Strategic Storytelling

Narratives must go beyond the who, what, where, when, why, and hows. My storytelling also answers 'so what?' — utilizing data, collaborating with stakeholders, translating complex topics into relatable understanding, and leveraging creative writing to produce strategic content that resonates with targeted audiences.

Digital Growth

50%
Email open rate — 10 points above HubSpot’s top-performing benchmark of 40%
+22%
Boost in post engagement after internal website revamp
+5%
Year-over-year web traffic increase

Stakeholder & Executive Engagement

I've spent years working inside the C-suite — counseling senior leaders, providing presentation materials, messaging, and media preparation, and building communications infrastructures tied directly to bottom-line results. Engagement is driven by an intriguing narrative and personal connection.

Crisis Communications & Brand Management

Covered national headline crises like the Parkland School Shooting and Hurricane Irma, and led communication efforts for the City of Augusta, GA, during COVID-19 and other disaster events. I am decisive, adaptable, and thorough because of my pressure-cooker experiences, ensuring brand management and trust remain high when it matters most.

Tools & Platforms

CRM & Marketing
HubSpot Mailchimp
Media & PR
Cision Onclusive
Social & Analytics
Meta Business Suite Google Analytics
Design & Content
Canva Adobe Suite WordPress
Technology
AI Models Microsoft Office Suite Google Suite

*Designed and directed by Jason DeHart, built with AI

Recommendations

Trusted by leaders
across industries.

Dave Streett
Dave Streett
Chief Executive Officer
Valkyrie Enterprises

"One of the best hiring decisions I made was bringing Jason onto our leadership team. He quickly established the market presence, credibility, and strategic focus needed to accelerate growth in the highly competitive defense industry. Jason consistently delivered results, developed and executed effective growth strategies, and had a positive impact across the entire organization. His leadership, professionalism, and ability to build strong customer relations were instrumental in helping position Valkyrie for continued success."

Antonio Burden
Antonio Burden
Fire Chief & EMA Director
Augusta, Georgia

Not only did he cultivate positive working relationships with the media and public organizations, but internally he constantly had the pulse of what was happening among our employees. I often confided in him on topics or thoughts, and he was an excellent sounding board.

Mark Gruba
Mark Gruba
News 8 Anchor

He creates content with flow and purpose. His is a trusted voice in an anchor's ear.

Connect

Let's tell a story
worth telling.

Location
On-site: Virginia Beach, VA
Hybrid: Greater D.C. Area
Remote: United States
Membership
PRSA Member
Background
Bringing a bullhorn to send your message to your desired audiences. I've covered national headline events, acted as counsel to the C-Suite, built metrics-based communication infrastructures, and translated highly technical and complex topics into relatable, impact-focused text, graphics, videos, and other media formats.
Ready to amplify your message? Whether you need media relations strategy, executive communications, crisis management, or a full communications infrastructure build — let's talk about what measurable impact looks like for your organization.
Email Me Connect on LinkedIn