Shaped by a love of storytelling and politics, Hope Derrick has enjoyed a 30+ year communications career since her graduation with a journalism degree from Boston University. A Birmingham native who has spent most of her life in South Carolina, Hope transitioned from her early work as a radio and television reporter to a prominent role as a political communicator beginning as the South Carolina Democratic Party’s first Communications Director.
Hope is most well-known for the 23 years she spent leading communications for U.S. Congressman James E. Clyburn, including four years in Washington, D.C. as the Communications Director for the House Majority Whip’s office from 2019-2022. These experiences made her well-versed in the national and South Carolina media landscape and adept at dealing with frenetic news cycles and crisis communication. Writing has always been Hope’s strong suit, and she has crafted countless press releases, op-eds, and speeches. Before becoming a Senior Advisor at NP Strategy, she most recently collaborated with Congressman Clyburn on his forthcoming book, The First Eight, a unique blend of history and memoir about the eight African American Congressmen from South Carolina who served in the Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction eras.
Adding to her communications expertise, Hope has experience working in higher education, serving in strategic communications for former University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides and later overseeing special projects at USC Libraries. Earning a master’s degree in library and information science while working at the university, Hope is also an expert researcher and project manager and event planner who prides herself on keeping “the trains running on time.” Additionally, she has always relished the opportunity to mentor young professionals to help them grow in their communications careers.
Outside of work, Hope is an active member of the community having served on the Leadership Columbia Executive Committee, the Columbia Housing Authority Development Board, the Historic Columbia Foundation Marketing Committee, and the James E. Clyburn Research & Scholarship Foundation Board. She and her husband live in Columbia with their two dogs and enjoy traveling and spending time with their two adult children and their partners.
