Holly Sydnor is a strategic operations and communications leader focused on government modernization and
institutional trust. She co-founded and served as COO of AWL Strategies and previously led communications
and marketing efforts supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs, Food and Drug Administration, Grant
Thornton, and other public-sector organizations. Sydnor has been recognized with a Gold Effie for advertising
effectiveness, Ragan’s Top Women in Communications honor, and as a 40 Under 40 honoree from the Washington
Business Journal. She holds an M.A. in Global Marketing, Communications and Advertising from Emerson
College and a B.A. in History and Political Theory from the University of Virginia.