Sean McBride is the founder of DSM Strategic Communications, a full-service communications, public relations and issues management firm that designs and executes innovative, customized strategic communications initiatives for corporations, trade associations and foundations that help them achieve their public policy, marketplace and organizational objectives. 

Sean’s communications, earned media and rapid response skills were developed and honed early in his career, having served in senior positions for numerous political campaigns for more than a decade, including two U.S. presidential and two U.S. Senate races.

For more than twenty years, he has worked closely with CEOs and C-suite executives in the fast-moving consumer goods sector to develop marketplace and public policy solutions that help provide more than 330 million Americans with safe, nutritious, convenient and affordable food choices. 

His perspective on breaking news and events and his opinion-editorials have appeared in the Washington Post, Politico, Bloomberg, VOX, Southeast Produce Weekly, Food Dive, Supermarket News and Grocery Dive.

He has helped lead several of the most high-profile and contentious public policy battles of the last decade, including the national debate over the safety, the benefits and labeling of genetically modified food ingredients, the battle against childhood obesity and the fight for legal reform at the state and federal levels of government.

Mr. McBride served as Executive Vice President of Communications & Membership Services for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (now the Consumer Brands Association), where he directed the association’s strategic communications & marketing function and was responsible for generating more than $20 million in dues and non-dues revenue for the association.

As Vice President of Communications for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, Mr. McBride devised and implemented a multi-million-dollar strategic communications effort to combat the excessive influence of trial lawyers on America’s courts and political campaigns, which helped pave the way for passage of landmark federal and state legal reform legislation in Congress as well as the states of Mississippi, West Virginia and Illinois.

He also served as Director of Communications for the American Beverage Association, where he developed and executed a multi-disciplined, multi-stakeholder external affairs campaign to promote soft drinks as an acceptable part of a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

Sean served on the staff of George H.W. Bush’s successful 1988 presidential campaign and was appointed to the staff of the ’88-’89 Presidential Transition Office. He also served as mid-Atlantic Regional Political Director for the Republican National Committee and in senior management positions for four U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial campaigns from 1991 to 1994, including the successful campaigns of Governor George W. Bush (R-TX) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX).

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Politics & Public Policy from Bethany College, where he now serves as a member of the executive committee of the Board of Trustees.  He also holds a master’s degree in Liberal Studies, with a concentration in International Affairs, from Georgetown University.