Association of Consultants to Nonprofits

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Ryan Arnold

DeSoto & State Communications, Inc.

Member profile details

First Name

Ryan

Last Name

Arnold

Organization

DeSoto & State Communications, Inc.

Title

President

ryan@desotostate.com

Phone

7737899782

Address Line 1

7301 W. 25th St - Ste 256

City

North Riverside

County

Cook

State/Province

Zip Code

60546

Headshot

Website / Social Platforms

Website

https://www.desotostate.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanarnold/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/DeSotoStateComm

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/desotostatecomm/

Organization Profile

Organization Overview

We are a strategic communications and public relations firm dedicated to building lasting growth and recognition for our clients. Our services include public relations, media outreach, crisis communications, and social media strategy to ensure effective messaging and brand credibility. We also specialize in governance strategy, capacity building, and workflow optimization to strengthen leadership, streamline operations, and enhance team collaboration. Through creative storytelling, targeted outreach, and strategic planning, we help organizations refine their messaging, engage key audiences, and achieve sustainable success.

In short, we help nonprofits raise money and make every client more effective.

Logo

Services

Beyond the media relations and story development services you'd expect from a public relations firm, as we begin our 11th year, we're expanding our offerings to include Governance Strategy to strengthen leadership and improve accountability, Crisis Communications to help organizations navigate challenges with confidence, and Capacity Building to support fundraising and board development. We're also enhancing Social Media Marketing & Media Buying to ensure a strong online presence and effective ad placements, along with Workflow Optimization to streamline operations and improve collaboration.

Clients also gain access to a team of Principal Consultants - experts in their fields who step in when needed and step away when they’re not, ensuring you only pay for specialized expertise when it matters most.

Practice Areas (select top 3)

Board Support (Development, Governance, Retreats, Training)
Communications, Marketing & Public Relations (including Research and Strategy)
Writing/Editing

Client List

Testimonial 1

"Ryan knows his stuff, gets the media landscape of Chicago, and always has a compelling story to share for our viewers. I've had the pleasure to work with Ryan over the years, he always delivers with professionalism and integrity. He's top-notch."
Tom Barnas - Producer / WBBM-TV (CBS)

Testimonial 2

"Ryan is a superb public relations professional. He works closely with clients to determine their ultimate goals and develop an innovative, multi-faceted communications plan that gets them where they want to go. Two words: hire him." Mark Rosati - Founder / Strategic Communications

Testimonial 3

"Ryan is a media wiz with an extremely cogent understanding of the market. He's always been a force multiplier for any and all of our efforts." Jimmy Chamberlin - CEO / Blue J Strategies

Publications & Articles

Article 1

H.R. 9495 Is a Silent Threat to Art, Education, and Advocacy (Crain's Chicago Business - 12/11/2024)

URL for Article 1

https://www.desotostate.com/l/house-bill-threatens-nonprofits-opinion/

Article 2

Consequences and AI (Chicago Tribune)

URL for Article 2

https://www.desotostate.com/l/chicago-tribune-consequences-and-ai/

Speaker's Bureau Information

Speaker Bio

Ryan Arnold is the founder and principal of DeSoto & State Communications, a Chicago-area firm that advises nonprofits, civic organizations, and mission-driven businesses on public communication and reputation.

His work focuses on a practical question many organizations struggle with: how to explain their work clearly to the people who matter most. Arnold helps leaders turn complicated programs, policies, and missions into messages that donors, partners, and the public can understand.

He regularly advises executive directors, boards, and leadership teams on media strategy, public positioning, and communications that support fundraising and organizational growth. His approach is direct and practical, grounded in how journalists, donors, and communities actually evaluate organizations.

Arnold speaks with nonprofit leaders, boards, and institutional teams about reputation, messaging, and the role clear communication plays in building trust and support. His presentations focus on practical frameworks leaders can use immediately inside their organizations.

Topic 1

Building Organizational Reputation in a Distrustful Environment

Topic 1 Description

Public trust in institutions is fragile. Organizations that rely on public support, donors, customers, or community goodwill must actively manage how they are understood.
This talk explains how reputation is actually formed and how leaders can shape it intentionally.
Key areas covered include:
• Why reputation is built through consistent signals, not occasional publicity
• How leadership behavior influences organizational credibility
• The difference between visibility and reputation
• Practical steps organizations can take to strengthen trust with stakeholders
• How communications strategy supports long-term credibility
The session provides a clear framework leaders can use to evaluate how their organization is currently perceived and where improvements can be made.

Topic 2

Turning Mission Into Message: Communicating Complex Work Clearly

Topic 2 Description

Many organizations do important work that is difficult to explain. Programs, services, and outcomes often become buried under internal language or technical detail.
This session helps organizations translate complex work into language that outside audiences immediately understand.
Topics include:
• Identifying the real story behind an organization’s work
• Distinguishing between internal language and public messaging
• Structuring clear explanations of programs and impact
• Helping spokespeople communicate with confidence
• Avoiding jargon that weakens public understanding
Participants leave with practical tools for improving website language, donor communications, media interviews, and everyday conversations about their work.

Topic 3

When Public Relations Actually Works and When It Does Not

Topic 3 Description

Many organizations assume media attention will solve communications problems. In practice, public relations only works when the underlying story, operations, and positioning are strong.
This session explains when communications efforts are likely to succeed and when organizations should address other issues first.
Key ideas include:
• How journalists evaluate whether something is newsworthy
• The difference between a story and a marketing message
• Organizational factors that make PR efforts effective
• Situations where operational improvements must come first
• How to recognize real communications opportunities
The presentation helps leaders develop realistic expectations about communications strategy and identify the work that produces meaningful results.

The Association of Consultants to Nonprofits | 400 E. Randolph St., #3115 | Chicago, IL 60601

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