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 Global Business Alliance, the Representative of German Industry and Trade, the Software and Information Industry Association, the Space Foundation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Coalition of Service Industries.
Data. Statistics. Information. Research.
These are what motivate and excite Christopher Novak. Developing data and research, particularly for the public policy community is a common thread throughout his career that led him to be the managing partner at Content First. He has witnessed first-hand the enormous power that pertinent facts and data have to persuade and make informed, fact-based decisions. He works with leading national trade associations, international organizations, the public affairs community, and corporations, providing them with the latest and most relevant data and research on their industries.
Fresh out of college, Christopher managed the rush orders for Information on Demand, a document retrieval company. The company’s clients were Fortune 500 companies, and he provided scientists, engineers, and others with articles on the latest developments in their respective fields for R&D and to advance their products and services. Managing an international network of “runners,” Christopher was able to quickly fulfill clients’ requests, whether they be engineering conference proceedings or articles on the newest advances in physics or medicine.
As a research analyst in the Europe department at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, he worked with Content First founder Michaela Platzer. During his tenure there, Christopher was the liaison with 25 American Chambers of Commerce in Europe and several bilateral business councils with Central and East European countries. He kept them informed with weekly news summaries and analyses on pertinent U.S.-European trade policy developments on issues such as the Transatlantic Business Dialogue, the Generalized System of Preferences, and World Trade Organization issues.
At a high-tech trade association, Christopher and Michaela worked together to produce a number of nationally recognized data-based reports that demonstrated the impact of the U.S. technology industry at the city, state, national, and international level. Additionally, they produced reports on the importance of the education system as it supplied high-tech companies with well-trained talent. Working across departments, Christopher helped educate Members of Congress, Administration officials, the press, and association members on the importance of this industry using reliable facts.
As the executive director for a state health care association, Christopher used fact-based analyses as he advocated on behalf of the association members at the state and federal level. Today, he arms Content First clients with the latest and analyses, which they use to educating their constituents, whether they be Members of Congress, the Administration, or the press, which in turn, recognizes them as the go-to experts in the industry they represent.
Christopher’s areas of expertise include employment, international trade, and foreign direct investment.