# Slate Communications

> Slate Communications is a Fort Collins agency that works exclusively with local governments. Founded by former public-sector communicators Kim Newcomer and Ryan Burke, it combines communications strategy, municipal branding, community publications, economic-development marketing, and visual storytelling. Its practical edge is not simply design: Slate builds public input, staff realities, elected officials, and implementation constraints into the work.

- **Founded:** 2013
- **Headquarters:** Fort Collins, United States
- **Founders:** Kim Newcomer (Co-founder and CEO), Ryan Burke (Co-founder and Storyteller)
- **Products:** Strategic communications, Local government branding, Community publications, Economic development marketing, Parks, recreation, and culture marketing
- **Notable:** Supported more than 80 cities, towns, and counties since 2013., Won a 2025 3CMA Award of Excellence for the City of Baytown's Baytown Voice community publication., Won a 2025 3CMA Silver Circle for the Town of Fraser logo and branding.

## Products & services

- **Strategic communications** — Communications planning, audits, community-engagement strategy, content, social media, media relations, and crisis planning.
- **Local government branding** — Research-led municipal identity work including stakeholder outreach, design, messaging, brand guides, templates, council presentations, and rollout planning.
- **Community publications** — Planning, writing, design, and production for city magazines, recreation guides, annual reports, and resident information.
- **Economic development marketing** — Strategy, websites, video, photography, print, and digital materials that explain development and help communities attract and retain businesses.
- **Parks, recreation, and culture marketing** — Department brands, recreation guides, campaigns, communications support, and recruiting for public amenities and programs.
- **Video and photography storytelling** — Public-sector video, animation, photography, campaign assets, and visual explanations of services and initiatives.

## Achievements

- Supported more than 80 cities, towns, and counties since 2013.
- Won a 2025 3CMA Award of Excellence for the City of Baytown's Baytown Voice community publication.
- Won a 2025 3CMA Silver Circle for the Town of Fraser logo and branding.
- Won a 2024 3CMA Silver Circle for Williamson County logo and branding and a 2024 3CMA Savvy Award for Baytown Voice.
- Received a 2024 American Public Transportation Association AdWheel Award for Park City Transit marketing and communications.
- Earned public-sector communications and design recognition from 3CMA, TAMIO, APTA, the Center for Digital Government, AVA Digital Awards, the Society of Publication Designers, and Gold Ink Awards.

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Slate published lessons from Colorado government communicators on trust, burnout, realistic engagement expectations, and careful use of AI.
- **2026-04** — Kim Newcomer was scheduled to present 'Say It Like You Mean It: Reaching Residents with Authenticity, Not Perfection' at the Colorado City and County Management Association annual conference.
- **2026-02** — Slate published a five-part argument for doing less but more consistent local-government outreach, including preserving print and separating communications from engagement.
- **2025** — Baytown Voice won a 3CMA Award of Excellence, and the Town of Fraser branding won a 3CMA Silver Circle.
- **2025-02** — Slate published a Commerce City parks and recreation brand-refresh case study.
- **2025-01** — Slate published work for Valdez Parks and Recreation and a Palisade tourism video campaign.
- **2024** — The firm received 3CMA recognition for Williamson County branding and Baytown Voice, plus an APTA AdWheel Award for Park City Transit.
- **2024-03** — The Town of Fraser formally adopted branding developed by Slate Communications.

## Links

- Website: https://www.slatecommunications.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3021124
- Twitter/X: http://twitter.com/slatecomm
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@slatecomm
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/slatecommunications

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/slate-communications
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-23