Rachel Noerdlinger is the first Black equity partner at Actum, where she leads strategic communications, crisis management, and community engagement. Throughout her almost 30 years in public relations, she has been at the forefront of major national issues, including managing media coordination for the high-profile funeral of George Floyd and amplifying many other of the most historic cases of our time. Noerdlinger also served as press secretary during Al Sharpton’s presidential bid and also did PR for Johnnie Cochran.
As an award-winning communications strategist, can you share an example of a particularly challenging campaign you worked on?
The murder of George Floyd and the campaign for justice was one of the most challenging cases I’ve worked on. From the day he was murdered on May 25, 2020, we had nine days, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, to convene global media and mourners in Minneapolis for his funeral. NAN and Rev. Sharpton took the lead, and because of the COVID pandemic, we had to work under very strict parameters in terms of what was permissible for safety reasons. From the onset, there were particular challenges, and as the case evolved, the challenges remained. The passion point for us was, “How do we turn demonstration into legislation?” With so many inflection points throughout the entire process, every day was a different task in the pursuit of justice. Personal navigations were far more taxing than public perception. The tears of George Floyd’s brothers, sisters and children were the driving force to turn his pain into purpose.
How important is it for women to have a voice in your particular field?
Amplifying women’s voices, Black women in particular, is the driving force behind nearly every decision I make, both personally and professionally. With that said, it’s not important for women to have a voice across diverse industries, it’s essential. When women are given equal opportunities, we bring a unique perspective that enriches decision-making processes and ultimately enhances the bottom line. The time has come for businesses to recognize the immense value we bring to the table. Spoiler alert: We are the table.
What have you learned about yourself in doing this type of work? How has it changed you?
Dedicating myself to this kind of work has transformed me into much more of an empath in that I have to push for goals while nurturing the emotional elements that often shape many of these cases. I realized that you can never become so career-minded that work becomes autopilot.
What are some of your proudest achievements?
One of my biggest and proudest achievements is becoming the first Black female equity founding partner at Actum, a global public strategy firm. It is not enough to be in the room or even have a seat at the table, but owning a piece of it makes all the difference.
What advice would you give younger women entering your field?
Be entrepreneurial. Understand that communications strategy isn’t something that necessarily has to be done at a firm or agency; it’s more of a practice that can be explored in your daily walk of life.
