Jennifer J. Sharpe

Fractional Communications Leader

Fractional communications leadership for energy, utility, and transportation clients. Assess, realign, and strengthen programs that need senior direction without a full-time hire.

Senior Manager, North American Communications

Reported directly to Norway-based executive leadership and partnered with Brunswick Group's Munich team to support global communications strategy.

• Architected and launched the North American corporate communications strategy to create executive visibility, drive climate policy leadership, and champion commercial expansion objectives.
• Drove 25% year-over-year growth in brand visibility and market presence by designing and deploying a fully integrated media and digital communications platform for ACT Expo 2025.
• Built and maintained strategic relationships with more than 100 global, national, and trade media outlets.

Lead Communications Manager

Retained through Duke Energy's acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas as Regional Enterprise and Executive Communications Lead. Served as senior enterprise spokesperson and led climate policy communications for this Fortune 150 regulated utility with 8M+ customers. Provided oversight and direction to multiple agency teams.

• Spearheaded enterprise-wide communications for the Accelerating Clean Energy initiative, placing the cost of hyperscale demand from energy-intensive, AI-driven data centers on corporations with special tariffs.
  • Partnered with internal executives and communications leaders at Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Nucor to design a formal communication plan that translated a complex pricing model into clear public narrative and elevated the initiative into national policy conversation.
• Partnered with the SVP, System Planning and Construction to prepare Congressional testimony on the need to build several new small modular reactor (SMR) facilities to meet rising data center electricity demand.
  • Developed key messages, drafted the SVP's comments to the Congressional Energy Subcommittee, and created a comprehensive, confidential Q&A document.
• Architected the communications function for the Southeast Hydrogen Hub, a coalition of five regional energy providers spanning six states, building a unified brand and platform to compete for $8B in DOE funding. Lauded as a best-in-class collaboration model.
• Commended with the PRSA Silver Anvil Award for orchestrating 24/7, enterprise-wide crisis communications during Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

Senior Consultant, Communications

As enterprise communications lead, directed internal and external communications strategy for a $2M annual investment portfolio. Set and aligned KPIs for agency partnerships with corporate strategy and measurable business outcomes. The brand work carried through Duke Energy's acquisition and earned Piedmont Natural Gas recognition as the Cogent Utility Trusted Brand Study's Most Trusted Utility in 2017.

• Drove development and delivery of enterprise communications strategies that strengthened brand trust and market leadership, boosting the J.D. Power customer satisfaction ranking from #9 to #1.
• Protected corporate image and reputation as lead spokesperson during high-stakes incidents, including gas emergencies, public protests, and severe weather events.
• Established the company's first communications program, with a consistent brand and message cadence for every audience: media, customers, and regulators.
  • Built an annual message map, month by month, by message, audience and schedule. Reviewed with stakeholders monthly and renewed annually. The practice is still used today.

Corporate Communications Manager

Managed internal and external communications through financial and industry volatility; supported executive communications.

• Maintained positive morale during 2008 bankruptcy proceedings and associated layoffs by leading crisis communications in conjunction with Barclays.
• Enhanced internal communications by building the organization's first SharePoint intranet for 4K+ employees.

Corporate Communications Manager

Trained C-suite executives on message and media development. Wrote, produced, and distributed monthly CEO video messages.

• Crafted internal and external communications for 12 M&A transactions, including Taconic Telephone and Berkshire Telephone Company in New York.

Public Relations Manager

Built the company's first-ever PR program. Hired and managed Edelman out of Atlanta. Designed the governing message house and executed C-suite media training.

• Designed a proactive PR campaign for emerging ILEC and regulatory challenges and emerging VoIP issues, including a roadshow and comprehensive national, regional and trade media outreach. Managed all internal and external communications for two regional acquisitions.