Referendum Communication Online Module

Clear, transparent, and community-centered communication is essential to a successfully run referendum campaign.  


This roundtable-style discussion explores real-world strategies, lessons learned, and tools that support effective engagement throughout a referendum campaign.

This discussion features:
  • Dr. Lori Mueller, Donovan Group Partner and former school district superintendent
  • Jerry Gallagher, Donovan Group Partner
  • Joe Donovan, Donovan Group's Founding Partner

An online presentation 
Approximately 1 hour of professional learning designed for district administrators, board members, and school communication professionals.

Valuable insights grounded in experience and collaboration

$300

Meet the instructors

—

Jerry Gallagher

Donovan Group Partner
Before he joined the Donovan Group in 2018, Jerry spent 19 years as a broadcast journalist.

His experience in covering stories benefits today's schools as they tell theirs in the buildup to a referendum vote. He has successfully led dozens of referendum campaigns in recent years including an engagement effort that was named "Best in State" by the Iowa School Public Relations Association in 2024. 

Jerry.Gallagher@Donovan-Group.com


Dr. Lori Mueller

Donovan Group Partner
Dr. Mueller is an experienced educational leader and superintendent who has been nationally recognized for her work in school communication. She leads the Donovan Group’s efforts in Florida.

For six years, Dr. Mueller served as district administrator of the School District of Baraboo in central Wisconsin. In that time, she led significant continuous school improvement through district strategic planning processes. She also led efforts to engage community members in successfully passing the two largest capital referendums in her district’s history, totaling $63.65 million.

In addition to her experience as a superintendent, Dr. Mueller has served as a teacher and a director of curriculum and instruction. She has presented at regional, state and national conferences on topics related to grading for communicating student learning, developing assessment literacy, gifted and talented services, implementing a Response to Intervention framework, continuous school improvement, strategic planning, crisis response and engaging the community in advance of a facilities referendum.

Dr. Mueller holds an Ed.D. from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. She also received a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor’s degree in French and health education from UW-Whitewater.

Lori.Mueller@Donovan-Group.com


Joe Donovan

Donovan Group Founding Partner
In addition to working with hundreds of schools and districts on their communications efforts, Joe has advised state superintendents, state legislators, mayors, and members of Congress.

Prior to founding the Donovan Group, Joe was a partner in and the vice president of an education research firm. He was also the spokesperson at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and worked as a director in the office of US Senator Herb Kohl.

Joe earned a BS degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and an MA degree in educational policy studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison..

Joe.Donovan@Donovan-Group.com

District & Division Administrators

Gain practical insights into proven communication strategies, community engagement tactics, and lessons learned from successful (and unsuccessful) referendum campaigns to help guide your own planning and execution.

School
Communication Professionals

Walk away with actionable strategies for message development, media engagement, and campaign coordination—drawn from real-world referendum experiences and communication best practices.

Our Courses

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Testimonials

What our learners say

My interactions with the Donovan Group have been exceptional and this service has been incredibly helpful in times of crisis.

While I cannot say that I will look forward to our next engagement during a crisis, it does bring me peace to know that this service is available to the school districts in Delaware.

Ben Wells, Capital School District, Delaware

Thank you for the quick response. We haven't gotten any pushback from the email or social media post. It seems our plan for handling the situation was “just the right amount” of information.

Thank you for this critical service. This is such a comfort to me and I’m sure other directors. 

Sarai Pierce, Sequatchie County Schools,Tennessee