Verified profile

Leah K. Blue

Internal Communications | Employee Engagement | Transparency

Leah K. Blue's profile photo
LocationWashingtonUnited States
Government service12yrsForeign Agricultural Service (FAS) · U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) · Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

About

I’m a communications leader who helps organizations inspire and engage employees through clear messaging, strong executive alignment, and culture-driven storytelling. Here are a few highlights from my 14-year career in the federal government!

  • Increased intranet engagement by 9,000+ visits across 20 divisions.

  • Delivered digital campaigns with 75% open rates and 100% click-throughs.

  • Led hybrid events and town halls that boosted in-person participation by 30–60%.

  • Cut internal email overload by 50%, streamlining communications.

I bring a unique blend of strategic communications, employee engagement, and change management expertise, with deep federal leadership experience and a proven ability to translate vision into measurable results.

Now seeking senior-level opportunities in Internal Communications, Corporate/Partner/Member Communications or Employee Engagement where I can drive culture, connection, and performance at scale.

Roles

Feb 2024–Jul 2025
Former role

Public Affairs Specialist, Internal Communications Lead

Department of Health and Human Services

Washington, District of Columbia

Public Relations

●      Led enterprise employee communications for 20+ divisions, advising senior leaders on integrated strategies supporting modernization and change.

●      Redesigned digital communication channels, boosting homepage visits by 30%, yielding 9,000+ pageviews and accelerating subscriber acquisition.

●      Produced and facilitated 13 town halls that strengthened transparency, improved alignment, and increased two-way communication across the org.

●      Authored playbooks, templates, and workshops for 19 Employee Resource Groups to build scalable culture and inclusion communications.

Jun 2021–Feb 2024
Former role

Lead Internal Communications Coordinator

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Communications

District of Columbia

Public Affairs

●      Shaped and sustained global core narratives with senior leaders, ensuring consistent, trusted communications across 180+ countries and varied stakeholders.

●      Redesigned hybrid town hall experiences, increasing global engagement by 60% and improving participation quality.

●      Communicated critical updates to 2,000 employees with 85% open rates in under an hour, strengthening leadership trust.

●      Created video communications campaigns achieving 75% open rates, improving understanding of complex updates and increasing engagement.

●      Launched the agency’s first intranet from concept through content creation, including wireframes, information architecture, and end-to-end copywriting.

Sep 2018–Jan 2021
Former role

Detail Assignments – Communications Outreach Planning & Digital Strategy

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

District of Columbia

Community Relations CoordinatorMedia and CommunicationEducation and Training

●      Directed a 24-member cross-functional team to deliver high-stakes enforcement communications and digital campaigns, maintaining scope, timelines, and stakeholder alignment.

●      Responded to urgent communication needs in 'on-call' rotations, resolving time-critical problems and safeguarding trust amid tight timelines.

●      Translated complex enforcement rules into clear, audience-ready content across articles, blogs, and social—improving comprehension and usability.

●      Coordinated the timely validation and distribution of 50+ press releases, maintaining strict standards of consistency and precision.

Oct 2011–Jun 2021
Former role

Communications Specialist

Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Communications

District of Columbia

Communications

●      Analyzed call data and optimized communication scripts, cutting remote call time by 5 minutes and reducing staff burden at scale.

●      Elevated internal communications through practical digital resources (scripts, trainings, articles, blogs, and social content) that strengthened mission connection.

●      Facilitated 30 targeted workshops to clarify roles and resolve workflow friction, boosting cooperation and operational performance.

●      Embedded continuous, data-informed process improvements that improved the speed and precision of public-facing information delivery.

Jun 2008–May 2010
Former role

Reference Intern and Volunteer

SMITHSONIAN NMAH ARCHIVES CENTER

Washington, District of Columbia

ResearchLibrarians and Library Management
  • Delivered tailored support to over 35 researchers weekly at the reference desk, improving research efficiency and satisfaction.

  • Evaluated archival center workflows and independently authored the first training handbook for reference interns to standardize onboarding.

  • Researched and curated archival collections to design customized tours, representing management during VIP and donor group visits.

  • Authored detailed finding aids including background information, summaries, and catalog descriptions for processed archival collections.