Najma Roberts is the Senior Director, Communications and Equity at Democracy Fund. She develops communications strategies to support Democracy Fund’s four programmatic priority areas to expand its reach, influence and increase engagement. She joined Democracy Fund in 2018, bringing over 13 years of experience in developing fully integrated communications programs, campaign development, supporting social responsibility and diversity and inclusion platforms. She has extensive experience in positioning thought leadership programming to elevate policy, business and CSR objectives. She has spent a significant portion of her career developing public relations campaigns targeting diverse communities, re-branding organizations and implementing strategic communications plans.
Most recently she served as Director of Communications and Patient Advocacy for AstraZeneca, overseeing external communications, including traditional media, social media, brand milestones, cross-functional corporate initiatives and developing external strategies to highlight the intersection of patient advocacy and commercial objectives.
Previously she worked for the global public affairs agency APCO Worldwide, where she managed multi-service consulting assignments including Hyundai Hope on Wheels, GlaxoSmithKline, and Johnson & Johnson, where she developed reputation management campaigns designed to support and elevate diversity engagement. Najma also served as a communications director and spokesperson for the DC Department of Health under Mayor Vincent Gray where she led a team of communications professionals to promote public health in Washington DC. She has experience working with leading non-profits such as the Truth Initiative (formerly known as the American Legacy Foundation), and creators of the award-winning teen smoking prevention campaign, truth®, where she led diversity communications efforts to reach priority populations with innovative public health messaging.
Najma holds a B.A. in public relations from Hampton University.