As one of Crosswind’s senior advisors, Chris Talley offers client and account staff leadership and support, drawing on 35 years of vast communication and PR experience in leading roles inside of FORTUNE 100 companies and at one of the world’s most prestigious public relations firms, FleishmanHillard (FH).
Chris has led communication programs, provided CEO/C-suite and counsel, and delivered results from the front row, heading teams at USAA, AT&T, Lockheed Martin, and dozens of other top brands. Chris’s corporate career culminated as SVP & Chief Communications Officer for USAA, America’s leading financial services company focused on the U.S. military community.
Today, he leads Talley Communication Strategies and provides senior communication and expert counsel for Crosswind Media & Public Relations, Integral Communications, and Hawksbill Group. He also is a senior advisor for Encore Leadership Advisors.
For these clients and through his career Chris has been responsible for communications strategy, media and community relations, reputation management, board of directors and regulatory communications, military and sponsorship communications, crisis planning, and engagement with employees and external stakeholders.
The vast majority of Chris’s work has been anchored throughout the Texas Hill Country and Houston. Rising to FH senior partner and SVP, Chris served as general manager of three separate offices, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. He joined FH from Houston’s Churchill Group and before spent five years in public affairs at Lockheed Martin.
Highly active in giving back, volunteering in the community and devoting time speaking at colleges across the country, supporting students seeking careers in communication.
Chris is chair and board member of the Hemisfair Conservancy. He serves on several other boards including, Alamo Area Council (Boy Scouts), Endeavors, San Antonio Medical Foundation, and for Baylor University Journalism, PR & New Media. He is a trustee for the Institute for Public Relations and was a member of PAGE, the world’s leading association for senior communicators.
Chris earned a journalism degree from Baylor University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
