I graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Business and a minor in Political Science. After discovering the excitement of government and politics (seriously) during my studies in college, I decided to move to Washington, DC, to try my hand at the political game. I arrived in Washington with no job, no connections, and only what could fit in my car. It was sometimes hard to be so far away from my family, but moving to the east coast was an easy decision for me because fear of regret drives me much more than fear of failure.
Through luck and good timing I ended up realizing my vision and got a job working as a Policy Advisor for Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho. I fit in right away and felt so proud to represent the Senator and the people of Idaho. I often couldn’t believe that I was actually getting paid to have a first-hand look into our nation’s political process and gain invaluable writing experience as a part of my job.
Working for the Senator gave me the writing and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in communication and advocacy. Since then my career has taken many positive turns, including working for a Congresswoman from Illinois, running a small non-profit educational foundation, managing the government affairs operations for OCC, a financial services company, and working as an Associate for Gallatin Public Affairs, a premier Northwest public affairs firm.
The ability to explain complicated issues in simple terms to a variety of audiences has been central to my professional development. By quickly learning, understanding, and explaining new issues to a variety of stakeholder audiences, I have grown into a strategic and insightful communicator. Telling the story of the organizations for which I have worked has been the most rewarding aspect of my career.
Continuing the journey
My current position continues my career in digital media, combining my love of sports with my years of experience in SEO copywriting, research, and content management. In May 2025 I joined Third Planet Media (TPM) as an Evergreen Content Manager. TPM is a startup digital media company focused on publishing news and features on the latest developments and trending topics within the gaming, sports betting, and lottery sectors. I am happy to be a part of this growing company and look forward to continuing to edit, optimize, and create engaging SEO-optimized content on a variety of topics.
Building a foundation
From 2021 to late 2024 I held a total of five different positions at Better Collective, a global digital media company. I worked across multiple BC-owned properties as a Content Manager to project manage and implement content updates where the business need was greatest. Specific responsibilities included editing WordPress-based websites; implementing best practices to increase impressions, clicks, and conversions; and tracking progress using several SEO tools, including Marfeel, Semrush, Ahrefs, Surfer SEO, and Google Analytics.
I started out at BC as a Marketing Content Writer, creating keyword-targeted articles and long-form evergreen content for a variety of popular BC-owned websites. I was thrilled to join BC and was excited to have “gone pro” by becoming a writer, content manager, and SEO strategist working in an industry that I have always been passionate about. Turning my hobby of writing about the NFL into a profession as a published writer and content manager is something I am very proud of and will carry with me for the rest of my career.
Working at Better Collective allowed me to build a foundation of knowledge, learning about every part of digital media and content strategy, including how to incorporate AI into content development. It was a great experience that provided me with many skills that I will use for years to come.
Telling a better story
Effective communication skills, including clear writing, insightful research, and strategic messaging, are the most important aspects of success in writing, public affairs, and advocacy. That realization has driven me to continually improve my writing and communication abilities in order to help organizations of all types tell a better story.
In order to broaden my base of knowledge and fulfill a long-time personal goal, in 2019 I completed the Communication and Leadership Studies (COML) graduate program at Gonzaga University. I am proud to have grown as a scholar over my two years in the program. My COML degree has given me an in-depth understanding of writing, research, message development, and project management that will allow me to excel in any career field I choose.
Ted F. Dahlstrom 