Spitfire Spotlight: Adam Bink

Convincing the NFL to revise its player personnel policy after Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice committed domestic violence. Defending Planned Parenthood and the Affordable Care Act. Achieving progress at all levels on issues, including climate change, LGBTQ rights, investment in schools and helping those harmed by the 2007–2010 foreclosure and mortgage crisis.

Those are among the many successful campaigns Adam Bink helped advocates win before joining Spitfire’s San Francisco office (“Spitfire West”) this year.

One of the biggest reasons he chose to join Spitfire is because he thinks the need is greater than ever to develop excellent messaging that persuades decision-makers, voters and the general public to take action on important issues.  

“Spitfire is first-in-class when it comes to messaging,” Adam says. “The trainings we provide are instrumental in ensuring a more progressive, livable world — and I want to help guide the next generation of folks who are looking to create that world.”

Having spent many years working in a rapid-response campaign environment, Adam knows there’s often a need to craft messaging on the fly — sometimes literally on the back of an envelope. But even when time is of the essence, it’s important to apply strategic planning principles to every campaign.

Adam is already well versed in Spitfire’s Planning to Win campaign guide, which he used while leading campaigns with UltraViolet and Courage Campaign, among others. Now in his role as a Vice President at Spitfire, he’s eager to bring these strategies and tools to more organizations.

Adam has already been assigned as a senior trainer at Spitfire’s Executive Training Program. For 16 years, Spitfire has led this year-long program, which helps leaders hone their skills as communicators and implement those principles at their organizations.

Since joining Spitfire in February 2019, Adam has become aware of a world of nonprofits he’d never heard of before — and he’s eager to learn more. Adam considers himself a generalist and enjoys diving deep into new topics and then coming up for air knowing a lot more about the subject matter. His natural curiosity is a valuable asset, considering the variety of clients in his portfolio at Spitfire so far.

Adam is currently working with the Global Commission on Adaptation, commissioned by 17 countries to develop compelling messages to persuade audiences – ranging from finance ministers to business leaders to farmers – to accelerate the adaptation necessary to confront the climate crisis, from better irrigation to drought-resistant crops to improving sea walls. Adam’s client portfolio also includes the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the Mozilla Foundation.

Right now, he is most proud to be helping a survivor of sexual harassment in the Bay Area tell her story and encourage other survivors to speak out, on behalf of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.

“It’s a humbling experience to hear that story and also a real privilege as a male feminist and ally to work with survivors when they come into a powerful moment of being able to articulate their experience and demand accountability,” Adam says.

In all of his work at Spitfire — whether it’s helping clients develop compelling, actionable narratives or providing world-class training — Adam’s primary goal is to shape future generations of advocates and activists.

“It’s like that old adage about leading a person to fish versus teaching them how to fish, and doing that with training and communications is really important,” he says. “If everyone in the progressive world had the tools and the mindset to step back and think about the best way to write this press release in response to an attack or create a game plan targeting corporations, it would be better for the whole world.”