Tucker Barry has served as the Communications Director for the Illinois Environmental Council since early 2019, where he directs the organization’s traditional and digital communications strategy. Tucker knows that, like the sound of a falling tree in an old wood forest, people can’t know about the good work nonprofits do if they don’t hear about it or, even better, see it in action. He believes that it’s up to communicators to bridge that gap between organizations and their audiences if we are to successfully confront the climate crisis.
In his time at IEC, Tucker has led the growth of IEC’s communications team from a one-person operation to a team of five, exponentially increased the might of IEC’s advocacy engagement, which has been recognized during legislative debate on the floor of both the Illinois General Assembly and Chicago City Council, and spearheaded the development of IEC’s Policy Platform allyship plank, among many other contributions at the organization. He also serves on the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition Communications Committee and coordinates collaborative communications work within multiple coalition spaces across Illinois’ environmental movement.
Before moving to Illinois in 2019, Tucker served as Press Secretary to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D-Louisiana) and led communications and operations strategies at a handful of progressive advocacy nonprofits in Louisiana. He graduated from Louisiana State University with a Master’s in Mass Communication and a Bachelor’s in English, Writing, and Culture. Tucker enjoys spending time with his dog, Elio, interior design, and daydreaming about his next big hiking trip.