About us.
We are a communications consultancy helping people and businesses advance their reputations and agendas through intentional stakeholder engagement.
Acumen provides meaningful counsel and connects business priorities to strategic communications levers to move clients forward.
Our approach is direct and methodical.
Our work starts with answering a simple but often overlooked question: What are you trying to achieve? From there we work with you to create a bespoke communication strategy and plan to engage stakeholders critical to your success.
We are based in Oklahoma City with partners coast to coast.
MANAGING PARTNER
Matt Burns
Matt Burns has managed high-stakes communications for more than 20 years.
Most recently, Matt led communications or corporate affairs functions for rapid-growth biotechnology companies, Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH), GRAIL (Nasdaq: GRAL), and Scipher Medicine.
Previously, he was chief communications officer for Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the largest member-owned U.S. health insurer, during a period of unprecedented transformation for the company. His work included counseling the company through the departures of several senior leaders, including the CEO, in rapid succession.
Prior to HCSC, Matt was vice president of corporate communications for UnitedHealth Group, leading the Fortune 5 company’s external communications.
Earlier, Matt was a member of the U.S. leadership team and a managing director in the public affairs and crisis practice at Burson-Marsteller, where he counseled the first U.S. healthcare system to diagnose Ebola, among other companies facing complex business challenges.
Prior to his corporate career, Matt held government and political communications leadership roles in Washington, D.C. and New York.
Matt is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, the world’s leading professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives.