Gretchen founded Buoy in 2019 after 15 years of leading and supporting mission-driven communications teams. What began as a one-person operation quickly grew into a full-fledged social impact agency, now supported by a talented roster of strategy, design, and content consulting partners.

In previous chapters of her career, Gretchen supported marketing and communications efforts at an education place-based partnership in Washington, DC, a national clean energy and climate action group, a New Orleans post-Katrina rebuilding organization, two higher education institutions, and a Chicago-based communications agency.

She earned a master's degree in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from the George Washington University, a master’s certification in integrated marketing communications from the University of Chicago, and dual bachelor’s degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Kansas.

Gretchen currently splits her time between Denver, Colorado, and western Europe. She finds joy in discovering new mountain views, giggling at cheesy puns, and perfecting her French macaron recipe.