Union PR and comms powerhouse Hailstone Strategies expands senior leadership team with two prominent vice presidents

Veteran communicators LaToya Smith and Andrew Baker join growing firm following a string of historic campaign victories for workers and unions nationwide

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Hailstone Strategies, the leading public relations and strategic communications firm for labor unions and workers’ rights organizations, today announced the addition of veteran communicators LaToya Smith and Andrew Baker as Vice Presidents, expanding the firm’s senior leadership team as it continues to grow its work with unions across the country.

The expansion comes amid growing demand for sophisticated communications strategies that can help unions break through an increasingly crowded media environment, elevate workers’ voices, and build public support for organizing and advocacy campaigns.

“Hailstone is growing because we deliver results, and LaToya and Andrew bring the depth of experience we need to help even more unions win,” said Dave Bates, President and Founder of Hailstone Strategies. “Both have spent their careers at the intersection of communications, organizing, and advocacy. They understand that great PR isn’t just about getting attention. It’s about using communications strategically to shape public opinion and build real worker power to win concrete victories. As unions are setting their sights higher with bigger vision in order to harness American workers’ anger about the rigged economy,  we’re right there in the trenches partnering with our clients to help them achieve their highest goals.”

The hires follow a series of highly successful campaigns supported by Hailstone. Most recently, nearly 900 registered nurses at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, voted by 89 percent to form a union with SEIU Wisconsin – the largest private-sector union election in recent state history. The victory builds on Hailstone’s growing record of high-impact labor campaigns.

In 2025, the firm led a public relations campaign supporting approximately 900 nurses organizing at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, generating widespread positive media coverage before nurses won the largest nurse union election in recent Pennsylvania history. 

Smith brings more than 20 years of experience in public relations, advocacy, and messaging. A former journalist, she has built a career helping mission-driven organizations strengthen their public presence, tell compelling stories, navigate complex issues, and develop communications strategies that engage audiences and drive action. Before joining Hailstone, Smith served in senior communications and executive leadership roles, leading high-profile campaigns, media relations, executive communications, digital strategy, crisis communications, and organizational positioning. She spent nearly 15 years with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), where she led communications for organizing, advocacy, legislative, and member engagement campaigns in the IAM Midwest Territory, and later served as Chief of Staff. She began her career in broadcast journalism as a television news producer and later a political reporter and anchor covering Florida government and politics. 

“I’ve seen throughout my career how powerful communications can be when it is connected to a larger strategy and grounded in the voices and experiences of working people,” said Smith. “Hailstone understands that communications should do more than generate headlines. It should help organizations build support, strengthen campaigns, and win. I’m excited to bring my experience to a team doing that work at such a high level.”

Baker is a strategic communicator and organizer with more than 12 years of experience leading public relations, worker communications, and field work for contract campaigns, organizing drives, and legislative efforts. Beginning his career as a union organizer with SEIU, he also helped lead successful new organizing campaigns for the Michigan Nurses Association before shifting his focus to communications full-time. Most recently, Baker served as Director of Communications & Special Projects for Child Care Providers United, a partnership between SEIU and AFSCME representing 75,000 family child care providers in California. Previously, as Communications Director for UPTE-CWA 9119, he led statewide communications for healthcare, research, and technical professionals throughout the University of California system. Baker has also developed campaign and communications strategies for public-sector, nonprofit, higher education, and gig workers.

“The best communications strategies don’t sit apart from organizing. They strengthen it,” said Baker. “Hailstone has built a reputation for understanding that connection and for putting workers themselves at the center of the story. I’m excited to join a team that approaches communications as an essential part of building strong campaigns and delivering meaningful results.”

The addition of Smith and Baker expands Hailstone’s senior-level capacity to provide unions with integrated communications support spanning strategic planning, earned media, messaging, digital communications, and member storytelling.

“Workers are organizing and taking on some of the most powerful institutions in the country. They need communications teams that understand the stakes and know how to win,” said Bates. “Hailstone is the preeminent PR and communications firm for the labor movement, and we’re continuing to grow to meet the needs of unions and workers across the country. LaToya and Andrew strengthen our ability to deliver the strategic communications support our clients need.”