Silver Oak Political is a boutique sales and marketing consultancy that helps companies compete more effectively in the political advertising marketplace. With deep bipartisan connections, a robust media network, and decades of niche expertise, Silver Oak will benefit media firms looking to sell and market their products "inside the Beltway." Our proven, repeatable practices afford better positioning against competitors and power more efficient and effective selling of political and advocacy advertising. 

Silver Oak is led by political ad expert Steve Passwaiter. Steve brings a unique blend of media sales, political/media research, consulting experience, and a lifelong fascination with politics to his role as President. (He is well known for talking politics for hours on end with no provocation.)

Steve started his career as a radio personality in college and became a media seller and sales leader in Cleveland, OH and later, Washington, D.C. Following his media days, he served as VP, Business Development for BIA/Kelsey where he led the sales effort for the firm’s advisory services and consulting offers focused on local media.  

He then moved to Kantar Media, leading its political advertising intelligence unit, Kantar/CMAG, for five years. He led CMAG to its largest billing years in the company’s history and expanded the CMAG’s offer into new verticals at a time when the growth in political advertising was accelerating. Steve has also been a guest of and often quoted in media outlets such as CNBC, CNN, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, NPR, PBS, Forbes, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. He has been a frequent panelist at media conferences including the Television Bureau of Advertising’s Forward Conference, the Radio Advertising Bureau, Kagan, the 4A’s, MediaPost’s Political Conference, and many other events where political advertising was on the agenda.