About Content First

Michaela Platzer
Michaela Platzer, President and Founder

Michaela Platzer has a sleeves-rolled-up approach to developing objective, concise, and well-presented public policy research, industry statistics, and advocacy data which resonate with policymakers, the media, and the public. She works with leading national trade associations, the public affairs community, and corporations.  With more than three decades of public policy research experience, Michaela is determined, effective, skilled, and experienced.   She understands how to bring data to life.

Michaela’s expertise in formulating clearly presented and unbiased research based on objective analysis, facts, and figures was developed during her tenure with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  As Manager for European Affairs she conceived and developed a series of acclaimed public policy reports for the transatlantic business community. These reports were used by government officials and industry leaders on both sides of the Atlantic as key documents in the formulation of their policy agendas.
 
From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Michaela went on to establish and implement a high-profile research group for the high-technology industry.  There she examined key industry trends ranging from the global competitiveness of the U.S. high-technology industry to an annual assessment of technology employment at the national, state, and local level.  Michaela developed one of the most commonly accepted definitions of the high-technology industry based on the U.S. government’s industry classification coding system.

For more than a decade, Michaela was a business and industry specialist at the Congressional Research Service, where she advised Members of Congress and their staff on various industrial sectors, several services industries, Buy America(n) policies, the Berry and Kissell Amendments, and international trade developments. Her areas of expertise included semiconductors, textiles and apparel, solar and wind manufacturing as well as travel and tourism and gambling.

Michaela is the founder and President of Content First, LLC, and the hands-on researcher for the firm.  Working with prominent international, business, and industry trade associations, public affairs firms, corporations, and presidential commissions she strives to identify the research her clients need to promote their public policy activities.  The goal?  Good, well-presented, and objective data to support her clients public advocacy activities, public relations work, and to meet her client’s internal and external research and information needs.

Content First’s diverse clients include the Aerospace Industries Association, the American Society of Association Executives, the Confederation of British Industries, the National Venture Capital Association, the Organization for International Investment, the Representative of German Industry and Trade, the Software and Information Industry Association, the Space Foundation, the Transatlantic Business Dialogue, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Coalition of Service Industries, the U.S.-India Business Council, and the U.S.-Korea Business Council.

Christopher Novak
Christopher Novak, Managing Partner and Co-Founder

Christopher Novak has a sleeves-rolled-up approach to developing objective, concise, and well-presented public policy research, industry statistics, and advocacy data which resonate with policymakers, the media, and the public. He works with leading national trade associations, the public affairs community, and corporations. With more than three decades of public policy research experience, Michaela is determined, effective, skilled, and experienced. She understands how to bring data to life.

Christopher’s expertise is in presenting unbiased research based on objective analysis, facts, and figures was developed during her tenure with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As Manager for European Affairs she conceived and developed a series of acclaimed public policy reports for the transatlantic business community. These reports were used by government officials and industry leaders on both sides of the Atlantic as key documents in the formulation of their policy agendas.

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