Dan Cruz is a strategic advisor and leader with more than two decades of experience in public affairs, policy, crisis management, and organizational strategy. As the founder of Cruz Communications, he helps mission-driven leaders and organizations navigate complex challenges and communicate with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Most recently, Dan served as Chief of Staff at the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), one of the nation’s largest housing assistance agencies. He led executive operations and cross-agency initiatives, advising the CEO and senior leadership on crisis response, public affairs, and key policy priorities. His work at CHA builds on a career spent at the intersection of public policy, stakeholder engagement, and community leadership—bringing together strategy, storytelling, and a values-driven approach.

Dan’s background includes consulting roles for public relations firms and national nonprofits, as well as in-house positions at a start-up telecommunications provider, the U.S. Treasury Department, the General Services Administration, and the Massachusetts state government.

Whether supporting clients through moments of crisis, refining their message, or helping shape long-term strategy, Dan brings sharp instincts, political fluency, and a steady, collaborative hand.

Based in Chicago, Dan holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Northeastern University. Outside the office, he’s an amateur chef, traveler, runner, and CrossFitter.