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Our team has the most combined experience in New England with lobbying and media relations experts in energy & utilities, B2B technology, mobility, security, life sciences, non-profits, and real estate.
About Patrick
Patrick Bench is the Founder of Benchmark Strategies. In this role, he provides public affairs and lobbying counsel to clients. Patrick specializes in economic development and procurement advisory services.
Patrick founded Benchmark Strategies in 2014 after years of leadership in executive government offices, specializing in economic development and international affairs.
Prior to launching Benchmark Strategies, Patrick served for five years as a Vice President of Public Affairs at Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. Preceding Rasky Baerlein, Patrick served for five years in economic development roles in Governor Mitt Romney’s and Governor Deval Patrick’s Administrations, primarily as the Director of Business Development for the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment (MOITI).
Patrick is a Bachelor of Political Science graduate from Providence College, with a Master of Public Administration from Suffolk University. He lives with his wife and daughters in Boston, Massachusetts.
Favorite vacation spot is Barranquilla, Colombia
About Brian
As Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Brian Domoretsky focuses on state and municipal government affairs and public sector business development. He also leads Benchmark’s regional State Chief Information Officer (CIO) Advisory Practice for New England and other states.
Brian joined Benchmark after serving eight years at the cabinet level of government in the Commonwealth for Governors Baker and Patrick. Most recently, Brian served as an Assistant Secretary and Chief of Staff to Secretary/CIO Curt Wood at the Executive Office of Technology Services & Security (EOTSS). Before that, Brian managed a $1.1B budget as the Secretariat Chief Financial Officer for the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security (EOPSS). Earlier in his career, Brian was a Legislative Aide and Campaign Manager for the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Taxation – State Representative Paul C. Casey of Winchester. He was also the 2014 campaign manager that helped State Representative Michael S. Day become the first Stoneham candidate to win a seat in over 40 years.
In between government service, Brian was Director of Communications & Development and a Wealth Management Advisor at Commonwealth Financial Group in Boston.
Brian received a BA in Economics from Boston College. He currently resides in Stoneham, MA.
Fun Fact
Brian is a mild-mannered professional by day and a rock guitarist by night.
About Susan
As a Senior Vice President of Public Relations, Susan leads the company’s communications practice.
Susan joined Benchmark after more than six years working for a full-service public relations agency, and after 16 years as the Director of Communications for the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the city’s planning and economic development agency (d.b.a Boston Planning and Development Agency). In both the public and private sector’s Susan brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications and message development, media relations, and issues and crisis management.
Susan holds with pride, a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and lives in Jamaica Plain with her husband and twin daughters.
Fun Fact
When I’m not at work, you’ll find me: Traveling. I live to travel.
About Colleen
As an Assistant Vice President, Colleen leads the content creation for Benchmark’s clients. She is a seasoned and prolific storyteller who will leverage traditional media relations – including established relationships with reporters and editors at local, regional and national publications–to take full advantage of these highly visible platforms for your story. Colleen joined Benchmark after working at a full-service consulting agency where she developed and implemented effective legislative and public affairs campaigns for a diverse base of corporate and non-profit clients. Colleen graduated from Fairfield University where she received a B.A in Political Science and English Literature and currently resides in the South End.
Fun Fact
Colleen recently completed her first marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and looks forward to her next.
About Abigail
As our Junior Social Media Specialist, Abigail Gutierrez works with our clients on their social media strategy.
Abigail has a passion for content creation in both English and Spanish. She is proud of her Salvadoran roots and is very involved in the Latino community throughout New England.
She lives on the North Shore with her family.
Fun Fact
Abby once traveled to 10 different countries in Europe within 2 weeks!
About Sarah
As Senior Operations Manager, Sarah is the lead for compliance, accounting, benefits, and administration while supporting the team to meet all goals set by clients.
Prior to joining Benchmark, Sarah worked as an early education teacher and as a research assistant for different labs and centers.
Sarah is a Northeastern alum with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and minor in Criminal Justice and currently resides in New Jersey.
Fun Fact
Fun fact: Sarah has dyed her hair every color of the rainbow.
About Kate
As Media Relations and Content Specialist, Kate is responsible for developing media materials that advance client goals and support Benchmark Strategies’ thriving public relations practice. Her main responsibilities include conducting media outreach, developing press releases and other media materials, and undertaking client and market-based research projects.
Kate comes to Benchmark with a background in journalism, public relations and public policy. Previously, she was a Civic Fellow at the Close Up Foundation in Washington, D.C., and worked on the External Relations and Communications team at her alma mater. She has also been a freelance journalist throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island, published in outlets such as The Boston Globe.
She graduated with degrees in journalism and in political science from the University of Rhode Island. She received numerous university awards while at URI, such as the Edgar Leduc Award for Public Service and the Journalism Department’s Wilbur Doctor Endowment.
Kate currently lives in Cambridge, but is proudly from the Worcester area.
Fun Fact
Kate loves live music and has been to more than 100 concerts.
About Alexi
As a Public Affairs Associate, Alexi provides targeted counsel and public affairs services in conjunction with Senior Leadership to international and domestic businesses, large corporations, small businesses, and nonprofits. Key responsibilities include providing strategic consulting in all aspects of public affairs across assigned client work.
Prior to joining Benchmark, Alexi served as Senior Information Manager in the Executive Office of MA Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and as an intern at the Massachusetts Trial Court.
Alexi is a graduate of Merrimack College, where she received a B.A. in Political Science. She and her dog Georgie currently reside in Winthrop.
Fun Fact
Alexi has studied and worked in Sydney, Australia.
Brian joins Benchmark after working for over three years on the Policy and Research team at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. As Senior Manager of Government Relations, Brian was responsible for providing expert analysis for relevant legislation and public policy proposals impacting the Chamber’s 1,200 members. Brian interfaced with employers to form policy positions, respond to policy inquiries, and coordinate outreach strategies to elected officials as well as develop and distribute policy testimony representing the Chamber’s public policy positions.
Brian previously worked as a Policy Analyst for Minority Leader Brad Jones in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Under this role, Brian was responsible for legislative affairs in the issue areas of Housing, Transportation, Financial Services, Election Laws, Capital Expenses, and Redistricting.
Brian earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Northeastern University, a Masters Degree in Political Science at the University of New Hampshire, and earned his BA at Saint Anselm College.
Brian lives in Boston with his wife.
Fun Fact
My first ever job was as a Martial Arts Instructor.
About Elysia
As a Vice President of Media Strategy, Elysia provides a modern approach to PR and outreach through content creation and storytelling.
Prior to joining Benchmark, Elysia worked more than 15 years in television news as an Emmy award winning journalist. She worked across the country but most of her work had been in New England – with the CBS station in Providence, RI and the NBC station in Springfield, MA. She also spent the last 6 years in Boston at NECN/NBC10 Boston and then Boston 25 News.
Elysia is a graduate of Roger Williams University, where she earned degrees in communications and political science, and lives in Southern Massachusetts with her daughter.
Fun Fact
I’m currently obsessed with: My baby daughter Claire
About Lauren
As Vice President of Public Affairs, Lauren’s primary areas of focus include the Massachusetts Legislature and the Executive Branch.
Before joining Benchmark, Lauren was Director of Government Partnerships at Bird, where she managed more than 100 city relationships and drove millions in revenue. Prior, Lauren served as Director of Programs and Government Relations at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and held numerous roles across the Massachusetts State House spanning seven years.
Lauren holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Vermont and an M.A. in Magazine Journalism from Kingston University London. She currently serves on the External Advisory Board for UMass Boston’s Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy and lives in Quincy with her fiancé.