Drea Braxmeier is a communications professional with nearly 20 years working in the nonprofit and agency settings. Drea specializes in media relations, thought leadership, and executive positioning. Prior to her work at the Milken Institute, Drea spent four years at Edelman, one of the world's leading PR agencies. She worked on numerous Fortune 100 clients, helping to elevate their brand positioning, cement consumer trust, and navigate crisis issues. Drea worked across industries including healthcare, agriculture, finance, and CPG. She led positioning plans for executives at companies such as John Deere, Butterball, Foot Locker, and more. Drea also spent more than seven years with DKC, a boutique PR firm, where she specialized in healthcare and wellness, working closely with clients including NYU Langone Health and New York Road Runners/NYC Marathon. Drea started her career in-house at multiple nonprofits, including New York Road Runners and the Children's Health Fund, leading media relations efforts. Drea earned her MPH from NYU Langone and her BS from the University of South Carolina. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two active sons.