Mike Ricci

Mike Ricci is one of Washington’s leading voices on communications, crisis management, and public affairs. With deep experience in both federal and state government, he has been at the center of some of the most consequential moments of the last two decades—helping advise leaders and guide institutions through challenge and change. His expertise is in distilling complex narratives, identifying emerging trends, and translating lessons from history into actionable strategies. He regularly speaks to audiences across sectors on communications, leadership, and the evolving intersection of politics and public trust.

Mike is currently a partner at Seven Letter, a bipartisan strategic communications and public affairs firm based in Washington. He advises corporate and nonprofit leaders on strategy, storytelling, and reputation, drawing on direct experience in message development, organizational leadership, and navigating high-stakes crises.

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Mike spent nearly 15 years on Capitol Hill, most of that time in senior communications roles under House Speakers John Boehner as deputy communications director and Paul Ryan as communicators director, helping steer messaging during the landmark tax, trade, and budget debates of the 2010s. He was also a speechwriter for the two speakers, and collaborated with both on major speeches, including their farewell addresses.  Prior to that, he held similar roles at the National Republican Congressional Committee under Chairman Tom Reynolds (R-NY) and the House Republican Conference under Chairman Adam Putnam (R-FL).

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Following his time in Congress, Mike served as communications director for Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, where he led the state’s public relations response to the COVID-19 pandemic and helped maintain one of the highest approval ratings in the country. His team’s work was described by CNN’s Doug Heye as a “master class in crisis communications” and by The Capital Gazette as “consistent, objective, and almost omnipresent.” In 2022, The Daily Record named him an Influential Marylander.

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In addition to his work at Seven Letter, Mike teaches a seminar on crisis communications at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. He was a fellow at Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service in spring 2023 and a practitioner-in-residence at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics in fall 2025. He writes The Professor’s Cut, a Substack newsletter exploring lessons in public communications and leadership, and has provided political analysis for CBS News, C-SPAN, MSNBC, NPR, and BBC.

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In his community, Mike serves as chair of the Montgomery County Recreation and Parks Advisory Board and is a lector at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church. Previously, he served on the University of Maryland Medical System Board of Directors. A Long Island native, Mike is a graduate of Columbia University.