Carinne Wheedan

Carinne Wheedan is a seasoned communications strategist and storyteller with deep experience turning research into action. As Director of Communications at FrameWorks, she brings the organization’s research-backed insights on narrative and culture change to the advocates, scholars, organizers, and storytellers who can put them into practice. In this role Carinne oversees FrameWorks’ digital and multimedia projects, editorial strategy, media relations, and brand.

Prior to joining FrameWorks Carinne served at America’s Promise Alliance, first as Director of Content and later as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships. In these roles, she turned the organization’s youth-driven research into multi-stakeholder advocacy efforts and narrative change campaigns to build power and progress for young people. While at America’s Promise, Carinne spearheaded and served as the editor-in-chief of Race and Belonging at Work: a sustained partnership with Forbes.com highlighting young employees’ perspectives on how race and identity shape belonging at work.

As a communications practitioner and collaborator, Carinne draws on her deep and unique experience training policymakers on youth-centered research, designing and building programs, and—her favorite—strategic planning. In 2018, Carinne led a year-long, collaborative process to develop a cross-sector, citywide roadmap for building families’ economic power in Austin, Texas. She previously held positions at American Youth Policy Forum (now Children’s Defense Fund), the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources, and as an educator in school and out-of-school settings.

Carinne holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School at The University of Texas at Austin.