Bio for Anthony Hayes
Anthony Hayes is President and Founder of The Hayes Initiative (THI) and has spent more than 18 years in communications, crisis and issue management, and political and legislative campaigns.
Episode highlight
Listen in on how Anthony Hayes developed a niche in extreme crisis management by applying his own personal discretion to sensitive national and international crises.
Links
Email: Anthony@hayesinitiative.com
Website: https://hayesinitiative.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjhayesnyc/
Quotes
“It was certainly a place of extreme torment because what was coming through from the pope was hellfire and brimstone and especially words like abomination if you are gay aren’t really the best things to… wrestle with.”
“A lot of New Yorkers don’t understand that the rest of the world doesn’t live the way we live and have all the privileges and things we have.”
Takeaways
Childhood Incidents
Anthony grew up in Enid, Oklahoma at a time when he couldn’t talk about having a crush on his male classmate. He claims that he became skilled at storytelling in order to distract the people in his life from his truth.
Despite being funny and popular in school, Anthony turned to alcohol and cigarettes to numb his pain at age 13 and went to rehab at 16. He drank again between the ages of 18 and 30, but has been sober ever since.
Influential Groups
Anthony learned a strong work ethic from his parents, who were also part of the Church of Christ, where “being gay” was not allowed. Anthony developed insight, vulnerability, and camaraderie at Alcoholics Anonymous.
Moving to New York City in his 20s helped him become an active part of advocacy groups like GMHC, an AIDS-service organization of which he is proud to be a part.
Temperament and Personality Influences
Looking back on his life, Anthony describes himself as optimistic. As an adult, he focuses on being aware of the present moment and living with wisdom.
Cultural Epiphanies
Being a New Yorker, Anthony understands that the city can be a bubble of lived experience and political opinion, making residents oblivious to differences outside of it.
Advice to an Employer
Anthony enjoys working with clients who respect his expertise and are willing to be vulnerable and transparent about the gaps that he needs to fill.
More Great Insights!
Reach out to Anthony on LinkedIn or through his website to connect!