About Us
For almost three decades, trade associations, corporations, government agencies and nonprofits have turned to Tobin Communications, Inc. (TCI) for our expertise and strategic guidance.
Our two principals, Maury Tobin and Debra Zimmerman Murphey, have more than a 60-year track record in PR, journalism and multimedia initiatives. That experience includes managing grassroots advocacy campaigns, marketing and branding, telling organic stories, media relations, and producing content for websites and social media.
Clients of Tobin Communications have included the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM) Coalition, Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC), Edward Jones, March of Dimes, National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Novartis, Pfizer, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), The Tower Companies, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
While other PR agencies may overpromise, underperform or lean heavily on junior-level staff, we believe that’s an approach that isn’t effective or fair to clients.
Get more from a pr firm. Contact the experts at Tobin Communications.
Staff
MAURY TOBIN, President
Maury Tobin is the President of Tobin Communications and has worked with numerous clients in the corporate, trade association, non-profit and government sectors.
The roots of Tobin Communications go back to Tobin’s experience working as a political consultant during the 1990s. He briefly made the move to trade association PR in 1995, then made an impact in the world of broadcast media relations.
In 1996, he launched his firm with an initial focus on Radio Media Tours and media training. Coinciding with the growth of new media and having experts on board who broadened our capabilities, Tobin relaunched the company in 2008 as a full-service PR agency specializing in content and strategy services, including audio podcasts, videos, communications audits, e-mail newsletters, website design, and integrated PR and social media.
Tobin earned both a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master’s Degree in Public Communication at American University.
DEBRA Zimmerman MURPHEY, VP, Content Development
Debra Zimmerman Murphey has been a professional writer and communications professional for nearly 39 years. She has a broad and varied background in the newspaper, magazine and trade newsletter industries, but transitioned her career to become an expert in digital media. Currently, she provides public relations (PR), content and strategic communications insight and development — including grassroots outreach, feature writing, social media, videos and creative podcasting — for clients of Tobin Communications. She also works on a freelance basis, and on independent writing, website, branding and organizational endeavors.
Her personal website contains many examples of her writing.
Murphey is both a former editor and publisher of Publications Management and senior editor of the leading trade publication PR NEWS. She understands that for writing and content to be effective in PR, marketing and advocacy, they must resonate in the way that news stories do and build credibility and transparency. That means offering information that is accurate, compelling, relevant, well-researched and addresses various audiences’ information and lifestyle needs.
An award-winning reporter and editor who began her journalism career in 1985, she has written for a range of publications and organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, McMurry Publishing, the Custom Publishing Council, Phillips Publishing, New Media Report, AmericanStyle and Niche magazines, The Washington Post, The Maryland Independent, Southern Maryland This is Living magazine and the Charles County Economic Development Commission.
Murphey also has extensive healthcare, nonprofit, political campaign and grassroots education expertise and has provided PR/marketing insight, content-development input and writing for environmental organizations and animal-advocacy initiatives.
She has also spoken at, and moderated, industry conferences, and taken on assignments which garnered regional and national media attention and/or recognition (e.g., the story of a Holocaust survivor who endured life at three concentration camps, the use of apitherapy in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, and investigative/in-depth articles on the criminal and juvenile justice systems, and people living without indoor plumbing). She has won numerous professional awards, including a Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association (MDDC) “Best in Show.”
As a child, and the daughter of a career Foreign Service Officer, Murphey was schooled abroad and lived in Lagos, Nigeria; Bangkok, Thailand; Vienna, Austria; Seoul, Korea; and Athens, Greece. She is a published poet.
Murphey earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Communications from George Mason University and a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Journalism (with a concentration in new media) from American University.
Partial Client List
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American Road & Transportation Builders Association
Associated General Contractors of America
Association of American Railroads
Center to Advance Palliative Care
Edward Jones
National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities
National Student Clearinghouse
National Wildlife Federation
Pfizer
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Client Feedback
Ed Mortimer, former Executive Director, Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM) Coalition
“Tobin Communications had an indispensable role with our coalition. The strategic advice they provided, as well as the organic and digital advertising content they created, helped drive a narrative that increased awareness about our nation’s broken transportation system. That content was crucial to our lobbying activities, and, in late 2021, the coalition achieved its ultimate goal when landmark infrastructure legislation was passed by Congress and signed by President Biden.”
Dana Gandsman, Senior Director, Reputation Communications, life sciences industry
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Tobin Communications on many occasions. Tobin Communications stands out from other vendors because they deliver solid results consistently and do it at a reasonable price. Finding good partners in the public relations industry is not always easy, but it’s extremely important. If your team is looking for a vendor that will help make your campaign shine, I highly recommend Tobin Communications.”
brian turmail, vice president of public affairs & strategic initiatives, associated General contractors of america
“Tobin Communications does a great job. They have delivered excellent Radio Media Tours on key issues, do great video development work, and are one of our main go-to’s when we need something done well, and done quickly.”
Chris Krese, Senior Vice President, National Association of Chain Drugstores
“I’ve worked with Tobin Communications on several Radio Media Tours and they have been simply fantastic. They’ve been integral parts of our public affairs campaigns. And the thing we like best was that he can target geographically, which means our messages are reaching their intended recipients. Tobin Communications delivers timely results, which makes it very possible for us to talk with our stakeholders about the value that we’re delivering on their behalf. And most importantly, Tobin Communications has always met or exceeded our very high expectations.”