Benjamin J. Kirby, Communications Manager

Benjamin J. Kirby is the Communications Manager and has been with JWB since February 2007.  His job is to work with every JWB Department to ensure we effectively communicate our message of helping children and families throughout Pinellas County.  He has been instrumental in developing new media technology for JWB, including setup of the JWB Facebook Fan Page, the JWB Twitter feed, and the JWB YouTube page.  He also oversaw the re-design of the JWB website, and is in the process of helping integrate JWB data with PinellasIndicators.org. 

He was appointed by the Executive Director to serve as an ex officio member of the Personnel Diversity Committee (PDC). In this capacity, he provides input and guidance on a range of organization-wide issues developed by the PDC. Benjamin was also a team leader in analyzing the "climate survey" for JWB, designed to gauge and improve staff morale.

Benjamin worked for several months with the Strategic Alignment Team, an inter-agency group charged with evaluating programs and determining criteria for budget recommendations.

He serves on the Board of the National Association of Planning Councils (NAPC), and is a member of NAPC Forward, a group of young leaders working to promote the work of NAPC for the future.  Benjamin helped develop the NAPC Forward YouTube Channel, is a contributor to the NAPC blog, the NAPC Twitter feed (@N_A_P_C), and the NAPC page on Facebook.

Prior to joining JWB, he worked for the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), a healthcare education organization serving the needs of kidney patients and their families.  From 2003 through 2006, he served as the Communications Director for the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN), an advocacy group dedicated to finding better treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

From 1993 through 2001, Benjamin held a variety of positions in the Clinton Administration, including serving as the first Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. DOJ’s United States Parole Commission.  He also served on the staff of the First Lady’s White House Millennium Council.  He served in staff capacities at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of Presidential Personnel.

Benjamin lives in Gulfport, Florida with his wife, Duncan Warner Kirby, and their daughter, Emeline.  He received an undergraduate degree in Political Communication from George Mason University.

Email Benjamin: bkirby@jwbpinellas.org

Call Benjamin: 727-547-5677

Cell: 727-647-1711