howe street group
Meet our Consultants
We are passionate about the work of our local civic, non-profit and business communities and are here to help amplify the impact of those organizations.
Maggie Collins
Founder & Managing Principal
Maggie Collins, founder of the Howe Street Group, specializes in government and legislative affairs, policy analysis and development, political and campaign strategy, major-gift fundraising and annual giving program development.
Maggie Collins, Founder and Managing Principal
Maggie Collins is the Founder and Managing Principal of the Howe Street Group, LLC offering a range of public affairs, communication and nonprofit consulting services. In this capacity Maggie provides client-specialized services including government and legislative affairs, policy analysis, content writing, political and campaign consulting, major-gift fundraising and annual giving program development.
Maggie began her career as a Legislative Assistant in the United States Senate covering transportation, agriculture and space science issues.
After the terror attacks of September 11th, Maggie became the Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs for Border and Transportation Security, helping develop the initial operations for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She worked directly with Secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff and represented the Transportation Security Administration in matters before Congress.
In 2005, Maggie was asked to serve at The White House under President George W. Bush on the Homeland Security Council. As the Director of Aviation Security, Maggie was responsible for coordinating the implementation of aviation security policy across the US Government, working closely with DHS, the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency. Maggie drafted National Security Presidential Directive 47/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 16 on Aviation Security signed by President George W. Bush on June 22, 2006. Additional accomplishments at the White House include serving as lead policy expert on aviation security within the Executive Office of the President, representing the interests of The White House in decisions regarding security of the US aviation system, and contributing to the President’s public remarks, including the State of the Union Address.
After leaving the White House, Maggie joined Cerner Corporation as the Manager of Federal Government and Industry Relations. At Cerner, she was responsible for developing the corporation’s thought leadership and government relations policies. She was the primary representative of the company to Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House. Maggie also managed the interactions between Cerner’s CEO and senior leadership and government officials.
Maggie has also served as Development Director for the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas Endowment Association. In her time with the Dole Institute, she worked with Senator Bob Dole and the Director of the Institute to execute major-gift fundraising, including prospecting, cultivation and donor stewardship.
Maggie holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College and a B.A. in Political Science and Communication Studies at the University of Kansas.
Maggie lives in Kansas City with her husband Tom and their three children.
Robin Smith
Partner
Robin Smith, partner at the Howe Street Group, is a public relations, marketing, and change management consultant who helps organizations elevate their brand, engage their audiences and empower their employees.
Robin Smith, Partner
Robin Smith, partner at the Howe Street Group, is a marketing, communication and change management consultant who helps organizations elevate their brand, engage their audiences and empower their employees.
With more than 20 years of cross-sector experience spanning Fortune 1000 companies, political campaigns, and nonprofit organizations, Robin is a trusted advisor to senior leaders who are navigating communication challenges. Her expertise includes brand positioning, executive communication, employee engagement, change management, media relations, and digital strategy. She is known for her ability to turn big ideas into actionable workstreams that meaningfully engage stakeholders and deliver desired results.
At Howe Street Group, Robin has led clients through a variety of strategic initiatives, from brand development and thought leadership positioning to executive ghostwriting, media strategy, web content development, event marketing and more. She also specializes in supporting organizations through change, advising on industry best practices, employee engagement, leadership communication, and project management optimization.
Before joining Howe Street Group, Robin held leadership roles at Hallmark, Inc. and Cerner Corporation. At Hallmark, she spearheaded employment branding, employee experience, and corporate communication efforts, advising C-level executives, overseeing company-wide change initiatives, and leading the company’s internal communication program. She supported the company’s top leaders with communication and crisis management consulting during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping them manage significant business and workforce impacts.
At Cerner, she was responsible for building a recruitment marketing program to attract top engineering talent; supported the company’s thought leadership brand through an executive event series; and managed corporate community investment efforts—including working with city officials and community stakeholders to develop Cerner’s $8M Super TIF agreement with the city of Kansas City and the state of Missouri.
Robin’s expertise also includes political campaign strategy, having served as Finance Director for a successful federal congressional campaign and volunteering on other races throughout the Kansas City region.
She holds a B.A. in English and Communication from William Jewell College and a professional certification in Graphic Design from the Kansas City Art Institute. A proud Kansas City resident, she lives there with her husband and two children.