CASE STUDY
MEDIA RELATIONS & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
The Challenge
The American Psychological Foundation (APF) is a grant-making organization that provides psychologists across the country with funding opportunities for projects aimed at generating positive social impact around mental health. APF engaged The TASC Group for messaging support, a comprehensive media strategy and extensive media training for key organizational spokespeople to establish the foundation’s own distinct identity in the public sphere. In addition, APF needed to increase the thought leadership footprint of its CEO, Dr. Michelle Quist Ryder, to bolster the organization’s credibility in the nonprofit, fundraising and psychology spaces.
The Challenge
The American Psychological Foundation (APF) is a grant-making organization that provides psychologists across the country with funding opportunities for projects aimed at generating positive social impact around mental health. APF engaged The TASC Group for messaging support, a comprehensive media strategy and extensive media training for key organizational spokespeople to establish the foundation’s own distinct identity in the public sphere. In addition, APF needed to increase the thought leadership footprint of its CEO, Dr. Michelle Quist Ryder, to bolster the organization’s credibility in the nonprofit, fundraising and psychology spaces.
The Strategy
TASC worked collaboratively with APF’s leadership to create institutional messaging including its boilerplate and mission, vision and values statements.
TASC also conducted a thought leadership landscape survey to identify how and where to best promote Dr. Quist Ryder’s expertise, both as a social psychologist with a background in organizational psychology and as the CEO of a foundation. Following an extensive audit, TASC pursued a strategic combination of proactive and reactive media outreach around topics including, but not limited to, effective organizational leadership, workplace mental health and inclusivity, intergenerational challenges in the workplace and the importance of evidence-based healthcare policies.
The Results
TASC secured a total of 22 media placements for APF and Dr. Quist Ryder, helping the organization and its leadership establish a clear, compelling and authoritative identity in the public sphere. Collectively, these placements earned an estimated 812 million media impressions.
Standouts among these include articles in The Associated Press and CNN featuring Dr. Quist Ryder’s commentary on the importance of evidence-based healthcare policy for members of the transgender community, numerous podcast appearances, an article in Business Insider about how to improve workplace mental health — including for Gen Z employees specifically — and a bylined article in Philanthropy News Digest about the “deep and lasting implications of funding cuts for psychological research.” TASC also helped APF secure numerous awards and recognitions for having cultivated a positive work environment, including a spot on Inc.’s 2025 Best Workplace List and a 2025 North America Inspiring Workplaces Award
MEDIA COVERAGE
