Aiko Ballantyne

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Aiko discovered her passion for storytelling early on while attending the Manhattan Early College School for Advertising (MECA), where she interned for Soledad O’Brien at Starfish Media Group. There, she saw firsthand how compelling narratives can shape public discourse and drive meaningful change.

After moving to Washington, D.C. to study communications as an undergraduate, Aiko developed a strong interest in politics and quickly realized that her passion for storytelling translated naturally into strategic communications and public affairs.

Before joining Global Strategy Group as an Associate on the Communications and Public Affairs team, Aiko gained experience across Capitol Hill, public affairs, and strategic communications roles. She held positions at Invariant and FGS Global, where she supported media relations, stakeholder engagement, and executive visibility efforts across regulated industries.

During her time in the office of Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, Aiko also helped with her campaign for Congressional Black Caucus Chair and was directly involved with drafting messaging and marketing materials that resonated with constituents.

Aiko holds both a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.A. in Political Communication from American University.