Joe McHugh is an Emmy-award-winning news producer turned communications pro. Today, he’s a proven leader in public relations, media, and content strategy working as the Director of Communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. His career has been guided by a passion for making a tangible impact. His experience working as a comms director, PR lead, in the news media and for various clients makes him adept at tackling any big project. His peers recognize him for staying calm in the face of chaos to get the job done. Joe is always ready to take on the next challenge with a consider-it-done attitude.

“Since Joe started he jumped right in the deep end; taking on any task that came his way with a calm presence and “get it done” attitude. He both manages his team well and the work.”

Rebecca, Johns Hopkins Supervisor

Saving Lives and Shaping Policy: Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions

Today, Joe is focused on advocating for change using evidence-backed research at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions. The Center is the only organization of its kind, combining cutting edge research with robust advocacy campaigns to pass meaningful data-backed gun violence solutions shown to save lives. His work includes leading the communications team, molding content strategy, managing media relations, coordinating design and dissemination of reports and research, and more.

Since joining the Center in October of 2023, Joe has overseen the launch of a new website, promoted and led content creation for the new National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center, and collaborated to organize multiple events, presentations and webinars across the country.

Under Joe’s leadership the Center has prioritized SEO, content creation and multimedia increasing website traffic by over 300%. Joe has worked to draft, edit, pitch and place more than a dozen op-eds from Center faculty and staff positioning the team as thought leaders in the gun violence prevention and public health space. The Center’s always-on media strategy has helped secure 3,500+ media mentions in Joe’s first full year. The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions is the leader among similar prominent academic centers, with nearly 60% share of voice in earned media.

In his time at Johns Hopkins, Joe has worked to shape not only the Center’s communications efforts, but the overall strategy of the organization. He worked with leadership and staff to shape the Center’s priorities. Our strategic framework has become a tool for both fundraising and public facing communications.

A Career Change to Effect Change: Reingold, Inc.

Before coming to Johns Hopkins, Joe turned strategy into action at Reingold, Inc., a mission-driven full-service strategic communications and marketing firm based in Alexandria, VA. He successfully led earned media strategy for a wide-ranging list of clients including the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, the Military Family Advisory Network and the Virginia State Corporation Commission. In addition, Joe supported federal clients such as the VA Office of Mental Health and the White House-level initiative, Prosper Africa. He also has a wide array of experience managing strategies for paid, organic and internal comms tactics.

At Reingold, Inc., Joe worked as a public relations consultant and project manager for a long list of clients. He brought a deep understanding of the news industry along with a strong storytelling background to his clients every day. His PR work included creating media toolkits, building journalist databases, story pitching, managing satellite media tours, leading media training, developing talking points, producing landscape analyses, and regular media monitoring. Joe’s PR strategy helped land quality news coverage for clients big and small. Media placements include the Associated Press, Bloomberg, CBS News, Military Times, NBC News, Stars and Stripes, and many more.

Joe project-managed Reingold’s work for Virginia’s Curb The Crisis, American Society of Anesthesiologist’s REVIVEme opioid campaign and Australian Beef & Lamb.  He was always prepared to find a creative solution to any problem, PR or otherwise. Joe coordinated the production of organic social media, PSAs, opioid recovery testimonials, educational animations, and multiple paid advertising campaigns. He also helped lead the development and launch of the redesigned MFAN.org.

A Blossoming Journalism Career: TEGNA (WVEC and WUSA), NBCUniversal (WCAU), CBS (KCBS/KCAL), Philadelphia Inquirer and More

Prior to shifting to a career as a communications pro, Joe was a passionate journalist working as a news producer in various mid and major media markets including Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles. His tenure in news culminated with leading the 5 PM newscast at WUSA9 in DC .

As a producer, Joe coordinated with news crews, editors, management, writers and production crews to orchestrate live nightly shows. This is where Joe learned to stay calm under the highest of pressure and tightest of deadlines. His time in news taught him to create content for diverse audiences, use data to back up his decisions, always search for truth, and work for the good of the public.

During his journalism career, McHugh covered major breaking news, severe weather and large sports events across the East Coast. As one of the youngest producers in WUSA9’s storied history, Joe quickly became trusted with more and more responsibilities. He worked his way up from segment producer to weekend producer, eventually leading a nightly newscast in the nation’s capital. At WUSA9, Joe produced a 3-hour live election night special – booking guests, producing special segments and covering the night’s developments from DC. Joe also produced and coordinated live coverage during the 2020 summer of protests across the nation.  His diverse skillset allowed him to write digital articles and edit videos for broadcast and social media. In DC, Joe covered the initial impact of COVID-19, the January 6th insurrection, President Biden’s inauguration and the 2020 March on Washington.

Before being promoted to TEGNA’s flagship station in the nation’s capital, Joe became the go-to producer for large projects at their Norfolk affiliate, WVEC 13NewsNow. His portfolio includes special coverage in the aftermath of the 2019 Virginia Beach mass shooting, Emmy-nominated wall-to-wall severe weather coverage, and the 2019 Nationals vs. Astros World Series as a guest producer at WUSA9.

Leading to his time in Norfolk, he wrote for major news outlets in Philadelphia including WCAU NBC10 and The Philadelphia Inquirer. He vetted tip-line calls and sources for the award-winning investigative unit at KCBS/KCAL in Los Angeles. One of those tips led to a Los Angeles Area Emmy nomination.

In The Beginning: Temple University

His passion for storytelling and journalism started as soon as he walked in the door at Temple University’s TUTV studios. He worked his way up from volunteer, to producer and ended his college tenure as supervising producer in charge of Temple Update. After 4 years, 4 internships, countless jobs and 1 Emmy for Best College Newscast Joe left Temple prepared to take on an evolving media landscape.

His other professional endeavors include interning at WHTM abc27 in his hometown of Harrisburg, PA, producing a film festival-featured documentary, and directing NCAA Division I athletics for OwlsTV and the American Digital Network. Joe also interned full-time with the audience engagement department with The Philadelphia Inquirer. There he spearheaded a Snapchat campaign for the 2016 DNC in Philadelphia, and helped transform a legacy news outlet into a digital-first operation.  

When he’s not advocating for change, you can find Joe exploring the world in pursuit of the perfect plate of nachos with his wife Erin, daughter Maria, and their pup Bella.