# Collaborative Communications Group

> Collaborative Communications Group is a Washington-based, woman-owned consultancy that treats communications as infrastructure for education and social-impact organizations. Founded in 2000 by Kris Kurtenbach with Terri Ferinde as a founding partner, the firm combines strategy, messaging, media, design, research, digital work, and full-service events. Its edge is fluency in the institutions it serves: foundations, government agencies, universities, school systems, nonprofits, and cross-sector coalitions that need complex ideas made public, usable, and persuasive.

- **Founded:** 2000
- **Headquarters:** Washington, United States
- **Founders:** Kris Kurtenbach (Founder, President and CEO), Terri Ferinde (Founding Partner)
- **Products:** Design and data visualization, Digital solutions, Events and convenings, Media and engagement, Messaging and thought leadership
- **Notable:** Reached its 25th anniversary in 2025 after launching on April 1, 2000., Reports work in every U.S. state and a handful of countries., Reports more than 500 unique convenings, more than 50,000 participants, and more than 1,000 speakers.

## Products & services

- **Design and data visualization** — Brand identities, publications, websites, campaign systems, and visual explanations of complex evidence.
- **Digital solutions** — Digital strategy, websites, social content, channel planning, and audience engagement for mission-driven organizations.
- **Events and convenings** — End-to-end design and production for in-person, hybrid, and virtual gatherings, including content, logistics, vendors, travel, production, and evaluation.
- **Media and engagement** — Narrative strategy, earned media, campaigns, spokesperson preparation, public engagement, and coalition alignment.
- **Messaging and thought leadership** — Message frameworks, executive positioning, op-eds, presentations, and internal communications.
- **Research and reporting** — Research, surveys, policy briefs, reports, case studies, editorial development, and knowledge products.
- **Strategic planning** — Facilitated planning, organizational learning, communications capacity assessment, and implementation support.
- **AI with Purpose** — People-centered AI adoption, governance, training, custom GPTs, AI-assisted campaigns, and AI-supported convening and message testing.

## Achievements

- Reached its 25th anniversary in 2025 after launching on April 1, 2000.
- Reports work in every U.S. state and a handful of countries.
- Reports more than 500 unique convenings, more than 50,000 participants, and more than 1,000 speakers.
- Won 2025 Communicator Awards for work with Search Institute and Parents as Teachers, including two Awards of Excellence and two Awards of Distinction.
- Won two Davey Awards for brand identity work with the Early Learning Nation Collective and Search Institute.
- Won a 2014 WebAward for the LearnDC website.
- Helped the Everything to Gain campaign generate 1.4 million digital impressions, 6,000 new site visitors, 800-plus email subscribers, and an estimated $1.2 million in earned-media value.
- Designed and produced three Girls Build Solutions convenings reaching more than 900 participants from 2022 through 2024.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Announced a LinkedIn Live series titled Communications Built for Trust, Connection + Reach.
- **2026-07** — Published new work on executive positioning and on what makes event partnerships feel seamless.
- **2025-11** — Expanded its AI with Purpose initiative with resources on strategic communications in an AI era.
- **2025-05** — Marked its 25th year with four 2025 Communicator Award honors for Search Institute and Parents as Teachers work.

## Links

- Website: https://collaborativecommunications.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/collaborative-communications-group/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/Collaborative_
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXniAvxcqDLdo9yJ6UwUwYw

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/collaborative-communications-group
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-20