Laura Braden serves as Vice President of Mercury Public Affairs in Sacramento, California.
Ms. Braden has extensive experience in public affairs and strategic communications. From 2006-2008, she served as deputy communications director for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, where she executed earned media and surrogate programs on issues like energy, climate change, infrastructure, economic growth and agriculture. Ms. Braden was also responsible for coordinating the Governor’s entertainment and international media and events.
Ms. Braden also previously served as deputy director of operations and planning for John McCain for President 2008 and the director of events for Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2006 successful re-election campaign. In both roles, she was responsible for the planning, management and execution of events.
From 2003-2006, Ms. Braden was a senior account manager for the Washington, DC based public affairs firm, DCI Group. She directed strategic communication campaigns for pharmaceutical, political, energy and education clients, and supervised state grassroots and communications consultants to supplement national earned media campaigns.
Ms. Braden also served as press secretary for Progress for America during the successful nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court of the United States, and served as advance/press secretary for a delegation of experts and journalists to international United Nations’ global warming conferences in Buenos Aires and Montreal.
A native of Tennessee, Ms. Braden is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in Government and Politics. She resides in Sacramento.