Kitty Kurth

Kitty Kurth, the President of Kurth Lampe Worldwide, is a public relations and political strategist with Chicago know how and global reach. She travels across the country and around the world providing strategic communications and political guidance for human rights and environmental causes, political candidates, corporations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Kurth has worked on the last 8 American Presidential campaigns in roles of press secretary, campaign manager and communications adviser and every four years works with speakers at the Democratic National Convention. In 2012, she directed the team of Speaker Trackers as part of the Convention Podium Operations. 

Kurth provides clients with wide ranging services including strategy, communications planning, media training, message development, crisis communications and reputation management. She has worked in more than 45 states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia, as well as the countries of Egypt, France, Russia, Uganda, Mexico, Rwanda, Greece, Croatia, Romania, India, Indonesia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands and many others. She has been sent by the U.S. State Department to Uganda, Indonesia and India to conduct campaign-training and communications workshops for Members of Parliament, candidates, students and activists.

Che “Rhymefest” Smith, the Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe winning social justice rapper, pulled Kurth back to Chicago to guide his maiden voyage in to electoral politics. 

As the Senior Communications and Strategy Advisor for the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation, Kurth has been instrumental in guiding the message and activities of the foundation, helping it become a leading voice globally for truth and reconciliation in Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region of Africa. The foundation was created by Paul Rusesabagina, the real life hero depicted in “Hotel Rwanda,” the Academy Award nominated film based on his efforts to save fellow citizens from the Rwandan Genocide. 

Kurth is also the architect of successful grassroots advocacy campaigns to educate various governments to adjust their positions on human rights and social justice issues, and has also educated and influenced major media outlets on their coverage of important international issues. 

Earlier in her career, Kurth founded The Concord Coalition for Paul Tsongas and Warren Rudman building 50 chapters and recruiting 250,000 members in 6 weeks before the days of Internet organizing. She also worked at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee where she trained the Congressional Press Secretaries and advised the top tier congressional campaigns on communications and fundraising. 

A seasoned speaker, Kurth has given talks on American politics, Swedish politics, communications, democracy building, organizing, and communications for many groups and institutions including the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the University of Akron Bliss Institute of Politics and Columbia College. She regularly appears as a guest on radio and television programs around the world and is quoted extensively on political topics. 

Kurth is in demand as a political communications trainer for groups including the Civic Lab, Illinois Democratic Women, the New Leaders Council, Chicago Votes, DCCC, DNC, Emily’s List National Women’s Political Caucus, Women’s Campaign Fund and many political parties internationally. 

Kurth is a graduate of the University of Virginia and lives in Chicago with her husband and partner Kevin Lampe.