Gary Larson

Gary Larson, founding principal, offers expertise in non-profit, government, corporate and political-sector affairs. Seasoned in crisis communications and strategic positioning, Gary spent six years leading the California charter school movement’s efforts to raise public awareness and support. He worked to help the charter school community tell its story through the media and to educate the public about the benefits of such schools. During his tenure, support for charter schools increased dramatically and enrollment doubled.

Larson served for three years as vice president for the California Charter Schools Association. Highlights include:

• Spearheading numerous media campaigns covered by every major news outlet in the state as well as national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today.
• Launching the ‘My School!’ public awareness campaign aimed at reaching 300,000 new parents.
• Leading the public awareness efforts supporting two major lawsuits against school districts that were not making facilities available. The public pressure brought through these media campaigns forced the districts into making space available to the charter schools.

Larson previously served as the director of communications for the California Network of Educational Charters (CANEC). In this role, he oversaw all public and media relations during one of the charter school movement’s most tumultuous periods.

Prior to CANEC, Gary advised numerous corporate, political, and non-profit clients on their public relations strategies and counseled county and federal governments through communications challenges. A writing specialist, Gary has authored several editorials that have appeared in newspapers throughout California.

An avid swimmer and water enthusiast, Larson also has both a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.

Susan Wolf

Susan Wolf joins Larson Communications as Senior Media Consultant. Susan specializes in media relations, grassroots outreach, and strategic messaging in non-profit and policy affairs.

Susan previously led marketing and media operations at the California-based Pacific Research Institute, a free-market public policy think tank. She was instrumental in more than doubling the Institute’s press audience reach and securing high level placements in national, California and trade media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, FOX News, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Education Week, and Education Next.

A passionate advocate for education reform, Susan also launched successful media campaigns for the following scholarly publications: Free to Learn: Lessons from Model Charter Schools, Not As Good As You Think: Why the Middle Class Needs School Choice, and the California Education Report Card.

Susan has a B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University in science with a concentration in journalism.

Naush Boghossian

Naush Boghossian serves Larson Communications as Senior Media Consultant bringing to the job an extensive background in journalism. She specializes in communications, media relations and strategic messaging in the nonprofit and policy arena.

Naush worked for the past seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News, focusing the last three years on education, and Los Angeles Unified in particular. Through her work, she provoked positive educational reform by calling out elected officials when they engaged in rhetoric rather than action.
She led the education coverage at the Daily News, helping give the newspaper a strong editorial voice by developing stories on the booming charter movement as well as reporting on the academic and policy struggles of the school district. She covered Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's efforts to gain a greater role in the school district and highlighted the many reform efforts proposed at Los Angeles Unified.

Prior to working at the Daily News, Naush reported for the New York Daily News, the New York Observer and City Limits, a New York City-based public policy magazine.

Naush has a B.A. from UCLA in English, with a concentration in public policy and an M.A. from NYU in journalism.