Advancing equity, promoting healthy communities, and creating a more resilient planet through strategic advocacy and political engagement.

Who We Are

Representing a broad range of cultures and perspectives, we share a common commitment to equity, inclusion, mutual respect, and thoughtfulness. We believe that our work can, and should, provide opportunities for individual growth and have a positive impact on our communities, our planet, and our collective future.

Our Services

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

We believe all persuasion is personal, and the power in any campaign comes from our candidate’s core values. While our voter contact is targeted, we connect with voters through the candidate’s story, values, and passion.

PRINTED MATERIALS

With decades of print experience, in every aspect of the process and fantastic vendor partners, we create original and effective pieces in the timeframe you need.

BRANDING

Our team creates complete branding that speaks to our client’s target audience, captures the client’s values, and helps our clients stand out in the crowd. We design for a wide range of intentions, including local advocacy, political campaigns, businesses, and statewide nonprofits.

ADVOCACY, ENGAGEMENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS

With decades of experience in grassroots organizing, training and facilitation, and strategic campaign planning four waters media is uniquely positioned to blend the traditional public relations skill set and pragmatic organizer know-how.

TRAINING

We train on strategic campaign development, political engagement, framing and messaging, and persassion.

DIGITAL TOOLS

Digital communication is no longer optional. At Four Waters Media, we balance storytelling with creative design and analytics to give our clients the best chance to spend their digital dollars effectively.

What our clients say…

  • "I have chosen four as my Social Justice Communications Partner for over 10 years because she wields design and presentation as a hammer to shape how key policy leaders see the world, and accept their responsibility to take action."

    Mark W. Toney, Ph.D
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TURN—THE UTILITY REFORM NETWORK

  • "four waters media helped our community become galvanized, focused, and strategic. We worked collaboratively to create our messaging platform, which was then amplified through mail, a digital campaign, and of course, our community voices. Our campaign was as professionally presented, we remained focused and avoided missteps, and we won…. Sometimes David does beat Goliath."

    Jake Rambo
    PRESIDENT, STONELAKE MASTER ASSOCIATION (ret.)

  • "The four waters media team developed an e-newsletter solution that notably improved analytics, highlighted Chamber events so that they were easily accessed and prominently displayed, and met or exceeded every deadline. They were easy to work with and created a great product."

    Denice Domke
    CEO, WEST SACRAMENTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

  • "four, I wanted to thank you for the great work you did on my campaign. I really believe that the Framing Workshop, and the framework we created, allowed me to break through the noise and be heard by voters. I know the mail was effective because voters told me they loved it. Your ongoing coaching and co-creation helped me to stay on message. So...thank you! And great work."

    Shanti Gonzales
    OAKLAND SCHOOL BOARD

  • "I have worked along side four waters media on many occasions and with many campaigns. It’s really amazing to watch four take a very convoluted sentence, phrase or thought and brilliantly break it down into something that’s concise and exactly what you were trying to convey. The mail she produces is always on point and captures the essence of the candidate or issue she’s framing. And not only that, in the chaos that usually accompanies a campaign, it’s nice to be around someone with her calm and steady demeanor. If you want mail that drives home the message you’re looking for and gets you there in a way that keeps you sane, choose four waters media."

    Maddy Hirshfield
    POLITICAL DIRECTOR, NORTH BAY LABOR COUNCIL, AFL-CIO

  • "The Framing Workshop was especially helpful in finding an effective and authentic message that allowed our team to remain disciplined, resonate, and always came from the heart."

    Lucas Frerichs
    DAVIS CITY COUNCIL

  • "My re-election campaign for Solano County Supervisor was well-run, with consistent, creative, thoughtful messaging across many media—that always reflected my values. four and Paul provided us the guidance to remain focused, disciplined, and on target."

    Erin Hannigan
    SOLANO COUNTY SUPERVISOR

  • "Paul Cohen and four waters were great partners in our hard-fought and successful campaign. The tools, support, and experience were invaluable. They kept our team on track, we were nimble and responsive—and always focused on message discipline. This team has a nice blend of pragmatic strategic understanding and commitment to authenticity and integrity."

    Josh Fryday
    NOVATO CITY COUNCIL

  • "Paul and four’s partnership throughout my successful campaign helped us stay disciplined, on-track, and focused. They were strategic, creative, and always had our back. They helped me to craft a compelling message and delivered it in an effective way to the right audience at the right time. They are a great team and trusted partners."

    Stephanie Moulton-Peters
    MARIN COUNTY SUPERVISOR

  • "Thank you to the four waters media team and Paul Cohen. I deeply appreciate all the advice, the coaching, the long hours, and the excellent work. Despite being considerably outspent, we had the right tools and strategy to be successful."

    Sam Davis
    OAKLAND SCHOOL BOARD

  • "As a first-time candidate, running against an incumbent, it was important to have a knowledgeable team on our side. four and Paul were with us every step of the way, not only producing great product, also making sure that we were taking the right steps at the right time."

    Tom Lopez
    YOLO COUNTY SHERIFF

  • "Thank you to the whole four waters media team and to Paul Cohen, for your partnership, guidance, and responsiveness. I was so proud of our campaign—from our initial branding, to our voter outreach and the targeted Field Program. We were successful, despite strong opposition, while remaining disciplined in our messaging and true to our integrity and values. As a first-time candidate you helped me be comfortable despite a hectic campaign, and provided the supported I needed so I could focus on voters, volunteers, and raising resources."

    Verna Sulpizio Hull
    WEST SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL

  • "The team at four waters media brought our vision for a Visitor’s Guide to life! From project management, design, graphics, and printing—four waters media helped us create a product that showcases the best that West Sacramento has to offer. Their team is professional, timely, artistic, and produced amazing quality work. We were glad to be able to partner with a West Sac-based business and are even happier with how the Visitor’s Guide turned out!"

    Elijah Ortega
    ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING, WEST SACRAMENTO

  • “I learned a great deal about Rural California over the eight years we worked together. Ultimately, she was instrumental in helping to both build a more confident, competent, and capable team of county organizers and expand the Party’s awareness of Rural California.”

    Shawnda Westly
    PRINICIPAL, WESTLY CONSULTING LLC

  • "four waters is a passionate voice for California rural communities and a capable ally for rural families. Through personal experience, study, and local engagement, she has acquired an understanding of the many unique challenges faced by rural residents."

    Joy Anne Sterling
    PARTNER AND CEO, IRON HORSE VINEYARDS
    MEMBER, CALIFORNIA STATE FOOD & AGRICULTURE BOARD
    CHAIR, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY, RURAL CAUCUS

  • “four, Paul and the team were like the North Star of our campaign. Always there, provided reliable direction, and helped us stay focused on a clean campaign even when some of us would go off on the opposition”.

    Brandon Slater
    PRESIDENT, LEED AP, DBIA

  • "I couldn’t imagine hitting the campaign trail without four waters media. We crystallized a winning, warm, simple message through the Framing Workshop, which expressed the “real me.” Because the Frame was based on my values, I was always comfortable with the message, no matter the specific topic, and my sincerity and passion could shine through."

    Maribeth Bushey
    SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL