Emily Blum

Emily Blum joined the Metropolitan Planning Council in January 2017 as director of marketing and communications, bringing 20 years of experience developing and implementing communications strategies around complex civic, social and political issues.

Most recently, Emily served as director of marketing and communications at the Chicago Humanities Festival, which curates year-round live events that connect audiences with established and emerging thinkers. During her tenure she led the organization through a rebrand to help expand institutional visibility and brand awareness and introduced new audience engagement tools including post-event discussions. Prior to joining CHF she served as the senior director of communications for Heartland Alliance, where she led one of Chicago’s largest anti-poverty organizations through a rebrand, and introduced the organization’s tagline, “Ending Poverty.”

Prior to this, she worked with a number of boutique marketing/communications firms, including Valerie Denney Communications, where she served as a consultant for a wide range of clients, including the Joyce Foundation, Chicago Public Schools, Citizens Utility Board and dozens of members of Congress.

Emily is an honors history graduate of Kenyon College and lives in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago.