Les Francis

Les Francis is a communications specialist and political strategist with extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. He is also a highly regarded policy and opinion leader in national political circles.

Before joining Washington Media Group, Mr. Francis spent three years at Goddard Claussen Strategic Advocacy and served for five years as Vice President for Communications & Public Affairs at the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Prior to joining ETS in 2001, Mr. Francis was executive vice president of Winner & Associates and a principal in Winner/Wagner & Mandabach Campaigns. Prior to that, Mr. Francis was deputy assistant to President Jimmy Carter and deputy White House chief of staff.

In 1981, Mr. Francis launched his own business, The FMR Group, which was a pioneer in the grassroots-lobbying field. The firm was known for its innovative and effective constituency-development efforts. Mr. Francis and his firm won national recognition from the Public Relations Society of America and the American Association of Political Consultants.

In addition to managing or consulting dozens of initiative and referenda campaigns over the past two decades, Mr. Francis served as a staff member, manager, or senior adviser in campaigns for almost every office from city council to president. At different times in his career, he has also served as the Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Mr. Francis has also served as a volunteer consultant to the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and has advised democratic movements and parties in Northern Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Bosnia. For several years Mr. Francis was a faculty member of political communications at George Washington University, where he taught courses in campaign communications and political campaign ethics.

With his extensive and varied experience in politics and government at the local, state and federal levels, Mr. Francis is a frequent source for journalists as they cover or analyze current events. He has authored and co-authored articles for many of the country’s leading newspapers, and has been a guest lecturer at several universities.