Stratacomm Senior Partners

Stratacomm Sr. Partners Bill Buff, Ron DeFore and John Fitzpatrick

Bill Buff, Ron DeFore and John Fitzpatrick.

 
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Who We Are

At Your Service

Creative.  Results-driven. Motivated.  Inquisitive.  Risk-taking. Innovative.  Spirited. Ethical.  Fun.   These attributes aren’t things easily discernable from a resume.  They are, however, the core characteristics Stratacomm looks for when someone wants to join us.  

Those making the cut are a balance of seasoned professionals and rising stars. They are experts in transportation, energy and environment, infrastructure, defense and security, education, and healthcare, to name but a few areas.  They are digital experts, policy wonks, powerful writers, special events mavens, and media junkies.  This rich and varied blend of people and expertise allows us to build customized account groups that are tailored specifically for each client’s particular needs.  Our people embrace a challenge and dig in to help our clients win. We create a dynamic culture that brings out the collective’s very best work.

We value the individual and cultivate the team. Together, we work hard, have fun, and understand that our reputation is built (and maintained) by two things: unmatched client service and winning results.

Dara Ward

Vice President

  • Leads day-to-day communications efforts, planning and budget management for Stratacomm clients
  • Effectively manages account and project teams
  • Lives for a challenge

Dara found Stratacomm via a referral from a friend in 2007 and hasn’t looked back. With a background in marketing, communications and event management, Dara has been able to provide strategic counsel and know-how to a variety of Stratacomm’s clients. Current and previous clients include: the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project, 14th Street Bridge Rehabilitation project, Amtrak, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the O&P Streets Rehabilitation Project, Rolls-Royce North America, the Intercounty Connector, MENC: The National Association for Music Education, The Rock & Roll Forever Foundation, and various coalitions.

A knack for organizing events first manifested itself in high school and intensified in college. She found herself arranging logistics for group outings, programs for dorm residents (yes, she was an RA) and a conference for 200 attendees. Landing a part-time job with a small marketing firm in college exposed Dara to the strategy behind the scenes of corporate marketing campaigns. She was fascinated with the demo- and psycho-graphics used to reach a target audience. Coupling her fondness for planning with her marketing fascination eventually turned into a career.

Prior to Stratacomm, Dara held positions with Verizon Business, Lightningcast Inc., ARAMARK, the Virginia Air and Space Center, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and Colonial Williamsburg. With a background in not-for-profit and Fortune 100 companies, Dara is able to bring a unique perspective to the table.

Dara can often be seen partaking in the many offerings of Old Town Alexandria or heading to Tidewater to spend time with her family. She attended James Madison University in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley where she pursued her Bachelors of Arts degree in History.

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