Kenna O’Neill is the External Affairs & Member Relations Manager at the American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA). After several years as a member of AEMA and representing various member companies in a previous role as a public affairs associate, Kenna O’Neill officially joined AEMA in 2019. More recently, Kenna also took on the role of member relations for the association in 2024.
During her time at AEMA, Kenna played a key role in establishing an active public outreach committee, launching a new website with enhanced member tools, and increasing the association’s social media following by 200 percent. She also helped lead the launch of AEMA’s national public relations campaign, “I Am Mining.” Additionally, Kenna is an engaged member of the Women’s Mining Coalition and its public outreach committee.
Before this, Kenna was the Communications Manager for the Pend Oreille Public Utility District, where she collaborated with and advocated for public power alongside the Washington Public Utility District Association, Northwest Public Power Association, and the American Public Power Association. Prior to that, she worked as an Associate at Gallatin Public Affairs, handling media relations, community relations, and strategic and crisis communications for clients in natural resources, education, and more across the Northwest.
In addition to her extensive experience in strategic communications and advocacy, Kenna has a background in journalism, having written for Eastern Washington University’s newspaper and worked as a reporting intern at the local NBC affiliate, KHQ.
