Rachel Needham
Director

Rachel Needham is a communications director with Be Clear. In the three years since she has been with the firm, Rachel has advised clients in political organizing, abortion rights, civil rights, grassroots media, clean energy, and education. She especially enjoys working with clients on communications strategy, media relations, policy communications, and crisis preparation and response.

Rachel was previously the editor-in-chief of the Rappahannock News, a weekly newspaper where she started as a Report for America fellow. Her reporting on the COVID-19 public health crisis and state funding for rural education earned her two first-place awards from the Virginia Press Association (VPA). The newspaper also received over half a dozen VPA awards for photography, news writing, and features while she was editor.

Rachel lives with her partner Ryan, dog George, and cat Phurba in Richmond, Virginia. In her free time, you’ll find Rachel making pottery, volunteering with an adaptive rock climbing program for athletes with disabilities, and aspiring to be the first American on the Great British Baking Show. Rachel holds a B.A. in Environmental Humanities from Whitman College.