Nancy J. Sterling, APR, Fellow PRSA

Nancy is Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications at ML Strategies. She has a wide-ranging practice that includes reputation management, strategic public relations consulting, community relations, and litigation support. She specializes in crisis communications, where she has counseled clients in both the private and public sectors. Clients have ranged from Fortune Five companies to individuals in need of comprehensive and immediate PR services. Nancy has handled controversies surrounding criminal and civil charges, employee accidents and deaths, sexual harassment and abuse, financial improprieties, and labor and employment issues, including strikes, among many others.

As a crisis counselor, Nancy has particular experience in the fields of business, construction and real estate, education, health care, and bankruptcy. She has helped organizations communicate during restructurings, takeovers, and buy-outs. Nancy also designs crisis communication plans to help organizations avoid crises and effectively manage through them should they occur. In addition she provides media training for executives to help them effectively navigate national print, broadcast and social media.

Nancy is a member of various firm multi-disciplinary practice groups. Her education practice consists of counseling clients in both secondary and higher education in the area of communications strategy. As a former acting vice president at Boston University, Nancy managed the public relations, marketing, new media, and related departments for the fourth-largest independent university in the United States. She was also the Acting Director of Communications at Phillips Academy, Andover.

Nancy also has broad experience in proactive public relations, promoting everything from real estate development to food-related products to biotech treatments. Before joining ML Strategies, Nancy was director of community relations for Mount Auburn Hospital, a Harvard teaching facility. Earlier, she was director of communications/chief spokesperson for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), a 7,000-person transit system. She was also director of informational services and chief spokesperson for the Boston Police Department, where she was the first woman on the command staff.

Nancy began her career as a news writer for WCVB-TV, Boston (ABC), where she advanced to assignment editor and series/field producer. She held a similar position at the CBS affiliate in Boston before becoming planning editor at WOR-TV in New York City.

She has lectured widely on media and crisis communications. Nancy has taught crisis communications at Curry College and Lasell University.

• Boston University (MA)
• Boston College (BS)

• 2018 PRSA Boston Diane Davis Beacon Award Honoree, the chapter's highest award

• Numerous Client Campaign Awards, PR Club of New England

• Member, Public Relations Society of America, College of Fellows (APR Accreditation)
• Co-President, Community Center of Needham, Inc.
• Member, American Ireland Fund, Boston Dinner Committee
• Former Ethics officer, Boston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America
• Past Board member, BUILD, Boston
• Past Member, Alumni Board of Boston University College of Communications
• Past president, Boston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America
• Past board member, Publicity Club of New England
• Past board member, Cambridge Children and Family Service