West Palm Beach, Florida, May 2024 – Taniel Koushakjian has been appointed as the new Chief Communications & Public Policy Officer at the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). In his new role, Taniel will oversee the district’s communication strategies and public policy initiatives to support its mission of managing and protecting water resources.
Career Journey: Taniel Koushakjian brings over 15 years of political communications experience to his new role. Prior to joining SFWMD, he served as Senior Vice President at Potomac International Partners, Inc. (October 2022 – April 2024), where he collaborated with the firm’s executive team to enhance client services and grow firm operations. His responsibilities included managing a portfolio of business clients across various industries and developing strategies to achieve client goals.
From January 2017 to April 2024, Taniel was the CEO and Founder of BreakThru Strategies, a government affairs and strategic public relations firm with offices in West Palm Beach, FL, and Washington, D.C. He led successful lobbying campaigns for clients across multiple states and developed tailored strategies for lobbying campaigns and public involvement projects.
Taniel also held the position of Director of Government Affairs at Offensive Security (January 2022 – October 2022), where he implemented a government relations strategic plan for legislative, regulatory issues, grants, and other special initiatives at various government levels.
At the Hindu American Foundation, Taniel was the Director of Government Relations & Policy (May 2019 – December 2021). He developed and maintained relationships with federal agencies and Congress, focusing on strengthening U.S.-India relations and several state capitals.
Earlier in his career, Taniel served as the Communications Director at the Armenian Assembly of America (February 2013 – May 2016), creating and overseeing the organization’s communication program both in the United States and internationally. He also advanced the organization’s legislative priorities at local, state, and federal levels as a Senior Lobbyist (February 2007 – March 2012).
About South Florida Water Management District: The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is a regional government agency based in West Palm Beach, Florida. Its core mission is to manage and protect water resources in 16 counties from Orlando to the Florida Keys by balancing and improving flood control, water quality, natural systems, and water supply. As the oldest and largest of the state’s five water management districts, SFWMD manages and protects water resources on behalf of over 9.2 million South Floridians. The district is also the lead agency in restoring America’s Everglades, the largest environmental project in the nation’s history.
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