Libby Post brings a wide range of communications experience, advocacy and political campaign expertise to her clients. Her interest in assisting libraries, health care organizations, advocacy groups and not-for-profits with her marketing, development and public relations expertise led her to starting Communication Services in 1984. 2004 marked the 20th anniversary of the firm.

A political consultant by training, she managed the successful campaigns of Albany City Comptroller Nancy Burton (1993) and Albany Common Council President Helen Desfosses (1997/2001) and has developed message content and voter contact materials for countless other candidates.

She now uses her political communication skills to help libraries throughout New York State wage successful building referendum, charter change and budget votes. Hired in 2005 by the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS), Post developed a 4-part Library Campaign Training Institute which enabled 28 out of 30 MHLS member libraries to wage successful campaigns.

Post recently helmed a successful library building referendum campaign for the Saugerties Public Library. When the voting machines were opened and all the ballots counted, the Library won its $6.9 million referendum with 64% of the vote.

She is also a sought after trainer/speaker for libraries and library systems. Post is the go-to trainer for the New York Library Association and a number of the state’s library systems on campaign training and marketing. She also presented her campaign planning workshop as a pre-convention institute for the New Jersey Library Association in April 2008.

Post has also spoken at numerous conferences and workshops on the marketing, public relations and development needs of not-for-profit organizations. Among the groups she has spoken to are the New England Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, the Capital District chapter of Women in Development, the Capital District chapter of the American Marketing Association, the Council of Community Services of New York State, the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce’s Tech Valley Non-Profit Business Council and the Institute for Nonprofit Leadership and Management/Orange County Community College

Post is also a political commentator on lesbian and gay issues for WAMC/Northeast Public Radio and has recently been named Political Editor of GayWired.com, one of the leading LGBT news and entertainment sites on the Web. GayWired is the exclusive LGBT outlet for her weekly commentary entitled ProudlyOut. She is also a contributor to Advocate.com, the website of the nation’s lesbian and gay news magazine. Her work has appeared on PageOneQ, 365gay.com and she wrote the bi-weekly Lesbian Notions column for Q Syndicate from 2004-2008.

Libby Post has received numerous honors. In June 2005, she received Community Service Award from the University at Albany Alumni Association. In October 2004, she received the Council Leadership/Lifetime Achievement Award from the Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Council. In addition to this honor, the Council Leadership Award was named in her honor. In 2000, she was named one of the 100 Women of Excellence by the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce. She completed the Chamber’s 2003 Capital Leadership Program and her business recently received the Chamber’s Small Business Council Community Service Award. In addition, she received the 1997 Council Leadership Award from the Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Council, Inc., the 1995 Jim

Perry Progressive Leadership Award from Capital District Citizen Action, the 1994 Making Waves Award from the Albany Area N.O.W, the 1992 National Association of Social Workers Public Citizen of the Year award, and the 1989 Tribute to Women Award from the YWCA.

From 1999-2004, Post served as President of the Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Council. During her tenure, she provided insightful leadership that enabled the organization to grow in ways never thought possible. The Council’s budget tripled, its board of directors understood its role as policy makers and fund raisers, it was seen as a resource for the greater community and it greatly expanded its program offerings. As President, Post put her professional skills to work and shepherded the Council through a rebranding process that has been well received in the local community.

In 1991, Post became the founding Chair of the Empire State Pride Agenda, New York’s statewide lesbian and gay political organization. Since its inception, the Pride Agenda has become one of the most powerful and influential lobbying and political action committee organizations in the state. In June 1993, Post received a public citation from Governor Cuomo for her work on behalf of the lesbian and gay community.

Post holds a Master’s Degree in Political Communications from the University at Albany/SUNY. She lives in Menands, NY with her partner of 13 years, Lynn Dunning-Vaughn, their son Alex Vaughn, 5 cats and a golden retriever named Bailey.