Hyperlocal heroes
Building community from the ground up, and what genuinely local engagement requires that national strategy cannot fake.
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Media kit
Michael Akin
Founder and President of LINK Strategic Partners. He took a small DC shop and built it into a global communications firm, on the argument that doing well and doing good are not opposites.
Hyperlocal is not a buzzword
when you actually staff for it
Michael Akin is a community builder who has changed how organizations engage with the communities they serve. Over the past decade he transformed LINK from a small local shop in Washington, DC into a strategic communications firm with offices from Phoenix to Manchester, England.
His approach centers on authentic hyperlocal engagement, building connections that help people, organizations, and institutions thrive while producing measurable social impact in a way that is sustainable and profitable.
The LINK team ranges from 17 to 94 years of age, with more than 65 percent identifying as women and nearly 70 percent as people of color. That is not incidental. It reflects a commitment to being in and of the communities the firm serves.
He holds an MBA from The George Washington University, where he also graduated magna cum laude in political communications. Before founding LINK he was GW assistant vice president of government, international, and community relations, making the university a national model for town-gown partnerships. Earlier he led national campaigns on veteran homelessness and suicide prevention at Reingold Inc., and worked as a community organizer for vulnerable seniors in the Shaw neighborhood.
He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and young son.
The team
Ages 17 to 94, more than 65 percent women, nearly 70 percent people of color, across offices from Washington DC to Manchester, England.
A decade of impact
Ten years building LINK from a local shop into a global strategic communications firm.
The firm, and the awards
that came with it
Inc. Best In Business
Named to the list for companies that have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact in the world
Inc. 5000 honoree
Featured in 2019, 2020 and 2022 as one of the fastest-growing companies in America
PR News Diversity Awards
Mentoring Program of the Year and Ally Award recipient
PRSA National Capital
Named Large PR Firm of the Year
Best places to work
Recognized by Washington Business Journal and certified by Fatherly for New Dads
Small Business of the Year
Honored by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
Five topics he speaks on
at national conferences
Strategic communications for social change
How communications work actually moves social outcomes rather than just reporting on them.
Diversity and inclusion
Reflecting the communities you serve, in staffing and not only in messaging.
Sustainable social impact
Balancing profit and purpose, and why he believes the two reinforce each other rather than compete.
Authentic leadership
What leading with authenticity looks like in practice, past the word itself.
Ready to answer
What made you start LINK?
The origin story, and the gap he saw that nobody else was filling.
How can startups thrive in the first phase?
Practical guidance from someone who scaled a firm without losing the mission.
How does LINK prove doing well and doing good are compatible?
The business case, with the numbers behind it.
How do you lead with authenticity?
What it actually costs and what it returns.
What is emerging in customer behavior for small businesses?
Where he sees things moving, and what small operators should be watching.
International conferences
Featured presenter at the International Town and Gown Association, the UK Town and Gown Association, and National School Public Relations Association events.
SXSW EDU
Selected in 2020 to moderate Equity Must Be More Than A Buzzword, and invited back in 2023 for a panel with Urban Alliance and the Obama Foundation.
Aspen Institute and Urban League
Invited to lead sessions and facilitate dialogue on community engagement at national forums.
LINK Changemakers Series
A virtual panel series he launched featuring global changemakers, drawing thousands of international viewers.
Where else he serves
Current leadership roles
- Chairman Emeritus, Greater Washington Urban League
- Chairman, American Experience Foundation
- Board Member, Greater Washington Board of Trade
- Board Member, International Town Gown Association
- Board Member, Hugh O Brian Youth Leadership
- Board Member, Destination DC
- Board Member, Cultural Tourism DC
- Board Member, Think Local First DC
Advisory and council positions
- Leadership Council Member, Raise DC
- Founding Member, Washington Business Journal Leadership Trust
- Community Council Member, WAMU 88.5 FM
- Dean Council Member, GW School of Business
- Committee Member, DC State Fair Advisory Committee
- Former Board President, St. Mary Court
2006
GW Award, the university highest honor for advancing its mission
2011
Chairman Award from the Greater Washington Urban League, plus a DC City Council resolution naming Michael Akin Day in the District of Columbia
2015
Young Entrepreneur of the Year, DC Chamber of Commerce
2017
Laura Lisner Award for advocacy on behalf of DC senior citizens
2018
Washington Business Journal 40 Under 40, and a Communitas Award for pro bono service
2019
Selected as a WeDC Ambassador representing Washington DC nationally
2021
Ally Award, PR News Diversity Awards
2022
Featured in DC Modern Luxury Rebel with a Cause for philanthropic impact
2022 and 2023
Included in an Inc. leadership feature covering lessons from 35 CEOs
4Stay Podcast, October 2021
Leveraging Strategic Partnerships in Education. Strategic partnerships in education after COVID, authentic community engagement, and building a consulting firm that prioritizes community-serving work and diversity.
Girl Power Talk, January 2025
Local Roots to Global Reach, a featured profile in the People We Admire series covering the journey from local roots to global influence and how grassroots efforts create broader impact.
Everything you need to book Michael
Contact
Location
Washington, DC
Availability
Standard business hours Eastern Time, Monday to Friday
Microphone
Shure MV7 with earbuds
Topic tags
Community engagement, belonging, entrepreneurship, hyperlocal strategy, authentic leadership, inclusivity, social impact, strategic communications.
Book Michael
Standard business hours, Eastern Time. All podcast booking handled through Heartcast Media.