Public Affairs at K2 & Company
People-powered strategy. Policy-focused results.
Power doesn’t move on its own. It comes from people who are engaged, organized, and motivated to act. Success in the legislature, at the ballot box, or in the media is determined by how well you activate the voices that care about your issue and help them be heard.
K2 & Company’s Public Affairs team works across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Dakota, and South Dakota, helping organizations navigate city halls, state capitols, regulatory agencies, and federal policy conversations. We understand how people, politics, and advocacy intersect and how that interplay determines whether an issue advances or stalls.
What We Do
Public Affairs That Builds Momentum and Delivers Outcomes
Talk to a Public Affairs Expert
Our Approach
Sustained engagement. Multi-level strategy.
We begin by understanding your issue, your stakeholders, and the political environment surrounding it, whether that means a local ordinance, a statewide policy debate, or a federal regulatory question. From there, we build a public affairs roadmap that integrates advocacy, coalition-building, and communications over time.
Public affairs is rarely won in a single meeting or a single session. It requires consistency, credibility, and the ability to engage across jurisdictions and decision-makers.
Who We Work With
K2 & Company’s public affairs work is rooted in the Upper Midwest, with active engagement in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and experience navigating federal policy conversations that impact our region.
Associations and member-based organizations
Nonprofits and advocacy groups
Corporations and industry coalitions
Campaigns and issue-based initiatives
Organizations operating in politically complex environments
K2 & Company Public Affairs by the Numbers
2025 Impact
50+ op-eds and letters to the editor published, including national placements reaching audiences from Miami to Sacramento
Dozens of media interviews secured to amplify client priorities and shape public dialogue
100+ advocates activated across key issue areas, including health care, energy, and tax policy
Active engagement in five Midwest states and operates across local, state, and federal policy arenas, with established relationships among policymakers, associations, businesses, and community leaders
Successful policy outcomes at the Minnesota State Capitol, including stopping proposals that would have cost clients and taxpayers millions annually
Meet Our Team
Effective advocacy requires experience, judgment, and relationships. Our public affairs team brings all three, helping clients navigate the Capitol, engage stakeholders, and advance priorities with confidence.
Kirsten Kukowski, President and Co-Founder
Kirsten Kukowski is a seasoned communications strategist with experience at the highest levels of national politics, including presidential campaigns and national party leadership. Known for her crisis communications expertise and sharp media instincts, she helps organizations navigate complex, high-pressure environments with clarity and confidence.
Fun fact: She walked onto her college crew team and still lives by her motto, “Get to Yes.”
Chelsea Thompson, Vice President of Public Affairs
Chelsea Thompson helps clients navigate the intersection of media, political engagement, and issue advocacy with strategy and precision. At K2, she leads work across health care, agriculture, energy, and nonprofit sectors, building coalitions, managing communications plans, and preparing leaders to engage effectively with press and policymakers.
Fun fact: She proudly supports the New England Patriots and would spend her lottery winnings on a plane ticket to her next destination.
Alex Saunders, Account Executive
Alex Saunders is an Account Executive with nearly a decade of experience in local, state, and national politics. With a background in media research and rapid response analysis, he brings a strong focus on advocacy, strategy, and relationship-building to help clients secure meaningful wins.
Fun fact: He once met with diplomatic staff from more than 20 UN member nations during his time studying in New York.
Justin Giorgio, Vice President of Strategic Communications
Justin brings national campaign and nonprofit communications experience, having worked across presidential, gubernatorial, and issue-based efforts. At K2, he supports clients across the Midwest and beyond, securing earned media, building coalitions, and helping organizations sharpen their messaging to drive real results.
Fun fact: He’s an expert on all things Batman and would spend his lottery winnings on James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5.
Public Affairs That Moves Issues Forward
If you are ready to build support, influence policy, and engage the people who matter most to your success, we are ready to help.
Recent Blogs
Takeaways from Two Years of Political Chaos in Minnesota
Why does everything in Minnesota seem to be unprecedented? Numerous local happenings have dominated international headlines over the past two years, bleeding back into state level politics. For politicos watching the Minnesota legislature and trying to decipher what...
Ten Years in the Small Business Trenches
No class taught this. Kirsten and I just wrapped up another U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council Spring Meeting in Chicago at the Google HQ with over 40 business owners from all over the country - Washington to Florida and a bunch of states in between. Two...
A Look at the Mike Vrabel Scandal – When Clumsy Communications Makes a Crisis Worse
My dream job since high school? Head of public relations for the New England Patriots, combining my love of communications with my love for my favorite football team. But after the last few weeks of watching the Mike Vrabel affair scandal unfold, I can tell you that...
Meet Georgia Brucato
My name is Georgia Brucato, and I was born and raised in Boston. I have been surrounded by politics since before I can remember and have been working on political campaigns since I was a freshman in high school. My first memory in the political world is when I joined...
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Kirsten Kukowski & Kristen Sheehan
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