Dean Pagani has been named senior vice president of the Hartford-based communications firm McDowell Jewett Communications. Pagani has been involved in Connecticut public affairs as a journalist, public relations consultant, and political advisor to top elected officials for over 30 years. During the last year, he has worked with MJC as a Washington, D.C. based strategic partner. He will now work full time from MJC offices in Hartford.
Pagani served as communications director and chief of staff to the governor of Connecticut (1996-2004). His time in the governor’s office included two landslide re-election victories, numerous public safety crises, and the daily management of the governor’s policy agenda. Pagani is also known for providing steady counsel during an impeachment inquiry and criminal investigation.
“Based on real world experience no one understands better than Dean the effect of conventional news media and social media on the formation of public policy and the protection of public reputations,” Duby McDowell said. “He is known for providing consistently solid guidance on the development and execution of effective communications strategies and a number of our clients have benefited from his insight during the last year.”
Pagani has worked with a number of private sector clients including; Shell Oil, Nestle Waters and Pfizer. He has managed issue advocacy campaigns for Connecticut non-profits and offers discrete crisis management guidance to individuals or firms facing intense public scrutiny. He recently earned a Master’s degree from George Washington University in New Media Photojournalism.
“McDowell Jewett provides a unique service in Connecticut at the intersection of journalism and public policy,” Pagani said. “Joining this firm is an excellent opportunity to work with colleagues and clients who are interested in making positive change in our state.”
Prior to his work in the governor’s office Pagani was a media advisor to the Republican leadership in the state Senate. He served as press secretary to former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. In 2010, he was a senior adviser to the Connecticut gubernatorial campaign of Tom Foley. Before 1994 he was a working journalist in Connecticut. He has continued to maintain his interest in journalism as a weekly columnist, blogger, and former managing editor of a website dedicated to coverage of the nation’s governors.