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DeShana Forney
Senior Director of Government & Community Relations at WEC Energy Group
Professional Background
DeShana Forney is a highly accomplished professional with a robust background in political studies and a wealth of experience in government and community relations. As the Senior Director of Government & Community Relations at WEC Energy Group, DeShana plays a pivotal role in managing the organization’s governmental affairs and fostering positive relationships within the community. Her extensive experience equips her with the necessary expertise to navigate complex regulatory environments and advocate effectively on behalf of her organization.
Prior to her current role, DeShana served as the Associate Director of Governmental Relations at the University of Illinois, where she was responsible for developing and implementing strategies to enhance the institution's engagement with governmental entities. Her insights into the unique challenges faced by educational institutions have provided her with a strong foundation in governmental advocacy and public policy.
DeShana’s diverse career also includes her time as a Political/Legislative Consultant. In this capacity, she served various clients, offering strategic guidance on legislative matters, political strategy, and community outreach. DeShana's consulting work showcased her deep understanding of political dynamics and demonstrated her commitment to empowering organizations through informed advocacy and engagement.
Earlier in her career, DeShana was the Executive Director at the Illinois Housing Development Authority, where she effectively managed housing policy initiatives aimed at improving access to affordable housing in Illinois. Her leadership in this role focused on enhancing community development and addressing the housing needs of diverse populations across the state.
Education and Achievements
DeShana Forney's educational journey has been instrumental in shaping her career path. She earned her Master’s degree in Political Studies from the University of Illinois Springfield, where she honed her analytical skills and gained a comprehensive understanding of political systems and their impact on society. Her research and academic accomplishments have laid the groundwork for her career in governmental relations.
Earlier in her educational pursuits, DeShana received her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Howard University, a prestigious institution known for its emphasis on social justice and community empowerment. Her studies there not only provided her with a strong educational foundation but also instilled in her a deep commitment to public service and advocacy.
Achievements
Throughout her professional career, DeShana has achieved numerous milestones that reflect her dedication and impact in her field. As the Senior Director at WEC Energy Group, she has initiated and led various community engagement programs that bridge the gap between the organization and local communities, ensuring that the voices and needs of residents are heard and addressed.
Her leadership as Executive Director at the Illinois Housing Development Authority was marked by innovative policy initiatives designed to promote affordable housing solutions. DeShana's work in this area has positively influenced policies that uplift communities and provide essential resources for individuals seeking housing stability.
DeShana Forney's career is characterized by her unwavering commitment to public service and her ability to effect positive change within her community and beyond. Her educational and professional experiences uniquely position her to continue making significant contributions to governmental relations and community advocacy.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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