Rina Shah

Rina Shah is a political strategist and public affairs executive with more than a decade of experience in maximizing impact for campaigns, causes, and corporate brands.

Named by Business Insider as one of 20 “Women to Watch Ahead of 2022,” Shah is the Founder of Rilax Strategies -- a boutique consultancy specializing in legislative intelligence and strategic communications which also empowers issue-advocacy organizations, corporations, and community groups to shift toward data-driven tactics to maximize audience engagement. After serving as a senior aide to two Republican members of U.S. Congress, Shah focused her skills on speechwriting and message development training, with the goal of helping clients develop a narrative that conveys their core values and prepares them to effectively deliver tailored messages. She has written for and conducted workshops as well as one-on-one training for a wide range of public figures including CEOs, political candidates and office holders at state and federal levels, nonprofit leaders, and foreign dignitaries. As an advisor, Shah enjoys coalition-building with activists, issue advocates, and business leaders in and around the political ecosystem. 

Shah currently serves on the Meridian International Center's Global Leadership Council as well as on the Board of Directors of Represent Women and the Women's Congressional Staff Foundation. She is an active advisory board member of the Renew Democracy Initiative and VoteRunLead. Shah is also the Co-Founder and a Board Member Emeritus of Women's Public Leadership Network, a non-profit organization aimed at increasing the number of American women in elected office and government appointments.

Each week, Rina Shah appears as a political analyst/commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and/or PBS -- she is also a frequent expert guest on international outlets such as the BBC and Al Jazeera Media Network. Shah is regularly quoted in national publications and her writing has appeared in the form of a column at The Week magazine as well as opinion editorials in publications ranging from The Washington Post to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She has given standalone talks and appeared on panels in dozens of venues to speak on geopolitical issues, strategic communications best practices, as well as what the current political landscape means for the leading campaigns, advocacy organizations, associations, and brands.

A graduate of West Virginia University and Cornell University, Shah has also guest lectured on numerous university campuses ranging from Coker University to Columbia University and remains an active and engaged mentor to many younger Americans -- especially those hailing from underserved and rural communities like the one she was raised in. A former classical dancer, Shah remains an avid choreographer but has since traded in her dance shoes for weekend strolls around the National Mall with her children.