Houston, Texas-based communication leader Shea Sullivan, SCMP®, is today’s #WeLeadComms honoree.
Shea is the CEO and founder of Comms at Work, an internal communications consultancy that helps companies connect with their workforces in creative and data-driven ways that elevate performance, manage change and risk, and foster safety cultures. She also performs comprehensive audits to help organizations assess their current state, identify gaps and opportunities, and develop strategic, actionable communication programs.
A proud “TV news quitter,” Shea has 28 years in corporate communications and media, including 11 years with engineering and construction giant Bechtel and five years as a consultant. During her tenure at Bechtel, she managed communications for major capital projects, such as the Washington, D.C. Metro Silver Line (Phase 1) and the largest refinery expansion in the U.S. in over 30 years. Later, as part of futureAlign Incorporated, she helped lead safety communications for several refinery and LNG projects in the US Gulf Coast. This work in the field — and with the people building this massive infrastructure — shaped her appreciation for frontline workforces and their communication needs.
She recently rebranded her consultancy as Comms at Work to more clearly reflect this frontline focus and address full internal communication ecosystems. Two of her recent communication audits earned IABC Houston Bronze Quill Awards of Excellence and Best of Division in Communication Research. Her teams have also guided and supported clients’ internal teams through mergers, digital implementations, strategic planning and staffing, and process improvements.
She is a certified Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP®) and holds an MBA from the University of Tulsa and a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas. She is the past president of IABC Houston and a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals, Women’s Energy Network, and the Longhorn Business Network for University of Texas alumni entrepreneurs.
As a 23-year member of IABC, Shea is dedicated to advancing the profession and working across corporate functions, advocating for communications as a strategic business partner, especially in operational environments where clarity and alignment can directly influence safety and performance. She has spoken at several conferences, with more to come in 2026, and frequently contributes to industry discussions on the value of communication, frontline engagement, safety and change leadership.
Outside of work, Shea is a rabid sports follower checking events off her “bucket list” (next up: World Cup 2026). She is a lifelong fan of Houston Astros baseball and disappears every autumn weekend following her college football team around the US.
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