An experienced communications and public relations leader whose areas of expertise range from corporate responsibility to crisis management, Bryan Specht has served as president of Chicago’s Olson Engage since 2012. Under his direction, this IFC Next communications subsidiary received an “Agency of the Year” designation from PR Week. Before assuming his current position, Bryan Specht served five years as chief operating officer and head of corporate affairs for Dig Communications and six years as executive vice president of Weber Shandwick Worldwide. He worked out of Weber Shandwick offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., directing the company’s crisis management practice and sitting on its executive leadership team.

Before settling permanently in Chicago, Bryan Specht also worked extensively in D.C.'s pubic sector, serving tenures as deputy chief of staff with U.S. senator Robert Torricelli and as a special assistant and senior advisor for U.S. congressman Ted Strickland from Ohio. Mr. Specht also played prominent roles in the political campaigns of Ted Strickland for the House of Representatives, Bill Clinton for President and Bill Bradley in his run for the Presidential nomination.