About

Our judgement, your influence.

Sway doesn’t sell information by the pound. We bring judgement earned through experience, relationships, pattern recognition and accountability for what happens next.

About Us

We build audiences,
advocates and assets.

Sway Strategies is a women-owned consulting and public affairs firm helping clients navigate the political landscape and turn their advocacy strategy into meaningful change and equitable economic and community development.

At its heart are co-founders Clair Whitmer and L.A. Plax.

Clair is a connector who believes the people closest to a problem are closest to its solution, while L.A. puts community voices first, turning data into stories and ideas into solutions built to last.

For a long time, expertise meant knowing more. Knowing the statute. Knowing the statistics. But access to information is no longer scarce.

Judgement is.

Sway doesn’t sell research. We sell the judgement of two people who know how California works. That doesn’t get replaced. It gets operationalized.

Fill the gaps. Fill the room. Make your point.

Make Shift Happen.

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Who Is Sway

L.A. brings the message, relationships and public engagement. Clair brings program strategy, operational structure and systems thinking. Both bring data storytelling and an understanding of the entrepreneurial economy.

L.A. and Clair with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom at the California Innovation Showcase
L.A. & Clair pictured with California’s First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom at the first California Innovation Showcase in Napa, CA on September 16, 2026.The event brought together more than 30 women founders with investors and state policymakers to network, learn and pitch their businesses.
L.A. Plax

L.A. Plax

Co-founder — Communications, relationships and equitable economic development

  • Strategic messaging: Turns complex programs and policy issues into clear, persuasive messages.
  • Data storytelling and brand positioning: Connects an organization’s purpose with stories people understand and care about.
  • Public relations and visibility: Identifies media opportunities and develops compelling outreach.
  • Advocacy and coalition building: Aligns partners around shared priorities and actionable requests.
  • California relationships: Connects business, government, nonprofit, media and community networks.
  • Integrated campaigns: Brings together marketing, content, partnerships and events.
  • Event production and execution: Translates ideas into coordinated experiences while managing details, teams and deadlines.
  • Audience insight: Adapts language and tactics to the people a campaign needs to reach.
Clair Whitmer

Clair Whitmer

Co-founder — Strategy, systems and equitable economic development

  • Organizational strategy and operations: Connects big-picture goals with structures and processes that support delivery.
  • Program and product development: Brings experience leading product and content teams and launching new offerings.
  • Economic development: Understands entrepreneurship, regional economies and small-business support systems.
  • Government navigation: Brings experience working within state and local government.
  • Stakeholder coordination: Understands how to align organizations with different roles and priorities.
  • Customer experience: Approaches programs and digital services through the needs of the people using them.
  • Editorial and digital media expertise: Combines journalism, content leadership and technology-sector experience. These assessments draw on her background at CalOSBA, City of Fresno, Maker Media, Slashdot Media and CNET.
Projects

Project Examples

Strategy Story Influence Experiences Marketing Hub
Featured · Program Launch, Brand Strategy & Integrated Marketing

Made in California: California Makes What’s Next

Watch the Made in California program overview video on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

California’s manufacturers needed a stronger platform to showcase their products and connect with the state’s reputation for quality, creativity and innovation. On the state side, Clair led the initiative’s statutory and regulatory work, IT infrastructure, application development and user experience; through the awarded marketing contract, L.A. developed the brand, marketing assets, manufacturer data storytelling, media outreach and partner engagement. Since its August 2026 launch, the program has received applications every day from manufacturers across industries, backgrounds and regions.

Daily manufacturer applications—and the spark for Sway Strategies.

Working together on behalf of California’s manufacturers inspired Clair and L.A. to build something of their own. A launch that led to a launch.

STRATEGY

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SCALE

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Save Our Small Businesses and City of Fresno Save Our Non-Profits program logos

Save Our Small Businesses

City of Fresno · 2020

In late March 2020, the Fresno City Council approved Save Our Small Businesses (SOSB): a zero-interest loan program, later converted to grants funded by the CARES Act. Clair wrote the eligibility guidelines for all three SOSB rounds—adjusting the parameters each time to sharpen who the money reached—and the requirements for Save Our Non-Profits.

$4.65M to 735 small businesses representing 3,273 jobs—plus $500K to 37 non-profits, all by year’s end.

STORY

Outsmart Disaster poster: Navigate any roadblock. Create a resiliency roadmap for your small business.

Outsmart Disaster

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Kiva Financing Hub

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CNET at 25

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INFLUENCE

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Getting Out the Vote

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WBC Success Stories

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[THIRD PROJECT]

[Client] · [Year]

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EXPERIENCES

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Maker Faire

[Client] · [Year]

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FULL-SERVICE MARKETING HUB

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[PROJECT NAME]

[Client] · [Year]

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[Client] · [Year]

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How We Work

It starts with a conversation.

We are not interested in being the smartest people in the room. We are interested in making the room smarter.

Asking better questions.

We help you sort the urgent from the important, the interesting from the useful, and the possible from the improbable.

Listening before prescribing.

Understanding who has power, who needs power and who has been inexplicably left off the calendar invite.

Building dashboards that show off your impact.

From a single consultation to a multi-year embed, every project is built around you. We work collaboratively with you, your team and your stakeholders to leave you stronger and sharper.

Book a Free Consultation