Dwayne Kratt

Employer: Diageo 

Graduation Year: 1989

Current Position: Senior Director, Northeast State Government Relations

Biography:

Dwayne Kratt is a government affairs and corporate communications professional with a portfolio that has included electoral politics, issue/reputation management, media relations, government affairs, litigation/crisis communications, opinion research, advocacy advertising, grassroots mobilization, and stakeholder relations.

After graduating from Albion College in 1989 with a double major in Political Science and History, Dwayne worked on his first political campaign in Warren, Michigan.  Following another campaign in 1990, his career took him to New Jersey and then Washington, D.C.  During this time period, he worked on several political campaigns, in the NJ Legislature and in Congress for Representative John Boehner.

Following a stint with Powell Tate, a public affairs firm founded by Jody Powell, President Carter's press secretary, and Sheila Tate, press secretary for First Lady Nancy Reagan, Dwayne returned to the Midwest, first to Michigan and then to Wisconsin.  In Wisconsin, he worked for Miller Brewing Company in government relations and also became active in the Milwaukee School Choice program through his service as School Board President at St. Marcus Lutheran School.

Dwayne now works for Diageo, a leading brewer, vintner and distiller of adult beverages, and resides in Milford, CT, with his wife Stacy and daughter Christina.  He also serves on the Board for the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce.

"Albion College, and the Ford Institute in particular, provided an environment that fostered lively political and policy debate among both students and faculty.  This atmosphere nurtured what ultimately became my career track into electoral politics, government relations and community service."