About
Beth Leytham is the principal and owner of The Leytham Group, a strategic communications and issues management practice. TLG advises and manages public-facing issues on behalf of a broad base of private and public sector clients in the Tampa Bay area, including extensive work with Zayo (5G network permitting and construction), Covanta (Waste to Energy), The Tampa and Orlando Housing Authorities, Suffolk (construction management), Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties, American Traffic Solutions (Red Light Cameras), Homes by WestBay, Wade Trim (engineering design), and Newland Communities.
Along with traditional public relations, we have developed a significant niche in public affairs and issues/crisis management, advising on high-profile and politically charged matters, often construction related, such as securing underlying rights for 5G network builds, a desalination water plant, the foundation collapse and subsequent opening of a reversible lane bridge, the revitalization of inner-city public housing, and county task forces on affordable housing, economic development and transportation. Beth has been “crowned” locally as the Queen of Damage Control by The Maddux Report and Florida Trend named her among “30 Must-Know Contacts in Tampa Bay.” She was recently included among the “Top 100 Powerful People in Tampa Bay” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
“Beth has developed a niche in public affairs and crisis/issues management, advising on high-profile and politically charged matters.”
Transitioning to her own firm evolved naturally, as Beth spent several years as vice president of public affairs for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. In this role, Beth oversaw all external communications and public policy advocacy, including public information and community outreach efforts, the development and implementation of the chamber’s local and legislative agenda, all media relations efforts and the creation and production of communications materials mailed and distributed by the chamber.
She graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, IN, with a bachelor’s of science degree in political science and completed Northwestern University School of Communication’s Executive Education in Managing Complexity and Crisis Communications. She is active in the Tampa Bay community and has or is serving on the board of directors of Metropolitan Ministries and Lowry Park Zoo as well as the executive board of The Tampa Riverwalk. Beth has been appointed twice to the Charter Review Board of Hillsborough County, is a Class of ‘99 alumna of Leadership Tampa and a former Guardian Ad Litem.
Gillian Leytham serves as the Vice President of Public Affairs for The Leytham Group. In this role, she leverages her legal expertise and keen analytical skills on numerous strategic communications and advocacy matters. Her focus includes clients with interests in small cell technology, energy, transportation, and healthcare, as well as other companies working at the intersection of public and private business.
Before transitioning to the private sector, Gillian spent five years with the Florida Attorney General’s Office. While interning and passing the bar, she worked on the “pill mill” cases at the AG’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. She then evolved to become an Assistant Attorney General (within two years promoted to a senior level AAG) with the AG’s Criminal Appeals Division, where she represented the State of Florida in its criminal prosecutions at the appellate level, including various white collar crime and “pill mill” litigations.
A Tampa native, Gillian holds a J.D. and a B.S. from the University of Florida and is fluent in French. She is a former law school student government Senator, Gillian is active in the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, and an active member in good standing with the Florida Bar.