As Vice President of Strategy & Communications, Nic Dunn leads Sutherland Institute’s public communications and strategic engagement efforts, which include media relations, multimedia production, marketing, and other forms of outreach and public engagement to enhance Sutherland’s strategic objectives. Nic also hosts the Sutherland podcast: Defending Ideas.
Nic brings more than a decade of experience in public policy and strategic communications spanning state and local government and the private sector. Prior to Sutherland, Nic served as director of Utah Community Builders, the Salt Lake Chamber’s nonprofit social impact foundation. In that role, Nic worked with the private sector to advance statewide initiatives in mental health, family policy, and upward mobility. Nic is also a member of the Salt Lake County Intergenerational Poverty Task Force.
In other previous work, Nic ran public policy for the Utah Valley Chamber, served as senior policy advisor to Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton, directed media relations for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, and worked on Gov. Gary Herbert’s communications staff as lead speechwriter.
Nic has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Utah, and dual bachelor’s degrees in broadcast journalism and political science from the University of Nevada, Reno. Nic and his wife, Lizzie, live in Eagle Mountain with their two sons.