Firm Voice Authors

• Aaron Kwittken

  Aaron Kwittken is CEO and Managing Partner of Kwittken + Company Worldwide (KCO). Aaron is also an adjunct professor with New York University’s (NYU) School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) where he teaches a class to masters degree candidates in public relations consulting. Under Aaron’s leadership, KCO has been one of the fastest growing, award winning PR agencies in the United States, experiencing double-digit growth nearly every year since its inception in 2005. In 2011 KCO was named Boutique Agency of the Year by PRWeek, Multi-specialist Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report and Agency of the Year by the American Business Awards.

• Aedhmar Hynes

  Aedhmar Hynes is the CEO of Text 100, a digital global communications consultancy that counsels companies using technology as a competitive advantage in 30 countries worldwide. Based in New York, she is a Trustee of the Arthur W. Page Society and a member of the Aspen Institute Roundtable on Technology. In 2011, Aedhmar received the Global Technology Award for Communications.

• Andy Polansky

  Andy Polansky is president of Weber Shandwick and 2011 Chair of the Council of Public Relations Firms. Andy has been with his agency for more than 20 years and was named to his current global role in March 2004, after leading the firm’s North American business. Andy has extensive experience in a broad range of communications disciplines, including business-to-business and consumer product marketing, corporate communications and issues management. He serves as a senior strategist on a number of client engagements. He sits on the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Public Relations (IPR), the Board of Directors of the Business Marketing Association and is a member of the McCann WorldGroup board and sits on the executive committee of Interpublic's Constituency Management Group.

• Anne Green

  Anne is COO and President of Cooper Katz. Across 18 years in public relations, Anne Green has supported clients across multiple industry sectors – from technology and telecommunications to consumer goods and financial services. At CooperKatz, she is responsible for the agency’s operations and allocation of resources and serves as the strategic lead of several account teams. Anne heads the Cogence® practice, which offers clients intelligence on social and consumer-generated media, and has extensive experience leading executive communications training. Anne is often asked to speak on topics related to the digital landscape and, in 2010, she was named to PR Week’s annual list of “40 Under 40” rising stars.

• Ashley Welde

  Ashley Welde is a research and measurement expert who has pioneered data-driven approaches for marketing and communications programs at Burson-Marsteller, MasterCard, Dynamic Logic and I.B.M. She is currently serving on the Council of PR Firms’ measurement committee, working on an initiative to better define drive the development and adoption of industry standards for PR measurement.

• Barry Reicherter

  Barry Reicherter is Senior Vice President, Digital Strategy & Ideas for Widmeyer Communications, a strategic communications firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and New York. Barry posts regularly via @barryreich on Twitter and +Barry Reicherter on Google Plus.

• Betsy Neville

  Betsy Neville is senior managing director corporate communications practice leader at FD, a strategic communications division of FTI Consulting. Betsy has guided many of the world’s leading companies to position, enhance and protect their brands; attain market leadership; and sell their products and services. While Betsy has worked across industries, she has maintained a focus on professional services, including the development of branding, executive visibility and thought leadership strategies for clients. Prior to joining FD, Betsy was MD and head of Ogilvy PR Worldwide’s Chicago office. Betsy started her career at the Chicago Tribune and holds a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

• Bill Holtz

  Bill Holtz is a Managing Partner with Catalyst Public Relations, which focuses on consumer-facing campaigns within sports, entertainment and active lifestyle. Holtz has directed marketing communications programs for a variety of consumer brands, including leveraging sponsorships surrounding the NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, college football and the Olympic Games.

• BrentHodgins

  Brent Hodgins, Partner and Director of Client Services at Mirren Business Development, plays a leading role in the firm's new business training and recruitment specialization for agencies. Along with business conferences, Brent regularly guest lectures at Harvard, MIT, Wharton and Columbia business schools. Previously Brent has worked for agencies that include TBWAChiatDay, Wieden + Kennedy, Leo Burnett and McCann-Erickson. Brent will be leading a new business workshop for the Council of PR Firms on March 11th.

• Bryan Harris

  Bryan Harris has spent nearly 30 years in the public relations industry. He joined Taylor in 1989, managing a wide variety of accounts for category leading consumer brands before assuming the role of COO & Managing Partner in 2004. During Taylor’s period of significant growth and transformation over the past eight years, he has overseen the development of the agency’s core operating functions, including finance, IT, and HR as well as the agency’s marketing initiatives. He is the longtime public relations chair of the annual March of Dimes sports luncheon and is the founder and Chair of the Council of Public Relations Firms’ COO Community.

• Crystalyn Stuart

  For the past 12 years, Crystalyn Stuart has been leading innovative social media campaigns, programs and enterprise social media portfolios for the world's largest brands. As President of 5Loom powered by IMRE, she connects brands and consumers around the world in a way that's relevant and meaningful to them ‹ when, where, and how it matters most. For more information, contact Crystalyn at 877-365-6669 or info@5Loom.com.

• Dave Senay

  Dave Senay was named president and CEO of Fleishman-Hillard in July 2006 and is the 2013 Council of Public Relations Firms Chariman. Since joining Fleishman-HIllard in 1984, Senay has taken on increasingly broader responsibilities, serving at various times as a group leader and as general manager of the firm’s St. Louis headquarters office; and then as regional president for the Midwest, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, and Africa.

• David Geddes

  Dr. David Geddes is chair of the Coalition for Public Relations Research Standards and immediate past-chair of the Institute for Public Relations Measurement Commission. He is founder of Geddes Analytics LLC, business analytics and consulting firm helping organizations to understand and predict how communications drives changes in brand, reputation, critical issues, and risk. Previously, David was vice president of research and development at evolve24 and Senior Vice President and Partner at Fleishman-Hillard. He has a BA from Harvard, and MBA from the University of Kansas, and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a frequent speaker and writer about research and measurement.

• David Rehr

  Washingtonian Life named David Rehr one of the “Power 100” in Washington, DC. He was the former CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters and the National Beer Wholesalers Association. He holds a PhD in economics and is an Adjunct Professor at the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University. Rehr is also the President and CEO of TransparaGov, Inc., You can reach him at davidrehr@gwu.edu.

• Doug Spong

  Doug Spong is the founder and president of Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch Spong, a four-time “PR Agency of the Year” by PRWeek, PR News and Holmes Report. The firm is one of America’s most admired creative agencies offering award-winning PR to such envied clients as American Standard, Calphalon, Cargill, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, Levolor, Rapala, Rubbermaid, Schlage, Sherwin-Williams, SUPERVALU and Trane.

• Elise Mitchell

  Elise Mitchell is President and CEO of Mitchell Communications Group, which was recently named 2011 PRWeek Small PR Agency of the Year. Her company’s portfolio of clients includes a “Who’s Who” of national brands including: Walmart, Sam’s Club, Tyson Foods, J.B. Hunt, Southwestern Energy and others. Over the past 15 years, Elise has expanded the company’s capabilities and established a team of communications experts from across the country serving clients in the retail, food, transportation, energy, education, nonprofit and travel and tourism sectors. Under her leadership, the company has grown exponentially in recent years, tripling revenue and employee growth just since 2008.

• Erica Carnevale

  Erica Carnevale, senior account manager and social media strategist, is one of Text 100’s leading North American consultants, specializing in helping companies understand how effective social media supports business goals, integrates with a larger communications strategy, and provides a channel for direct engagement with audiences. She has led social media trainings and provided counsel for clients such as Xerox Corporation, MTV and Carestream Health. Erica can be found on Text 100’s blog, HYPERtext, and on Twitter.

• Gail Heimann

  Gail Heimann is Vice Chair of Weber Shandwick. Her focus is on innovation around brand strategy and consumer engagement. Gail oversees the firm's digital and analytics operations in addition to providing creative leadership for key clients in the personal care, food and beverage, QSR, finance and technology categories. She currently oversees creative for PepsiCo, Unilever and Electrolux among other agency clients. Gail's creative leadership has been recognized in numerous PR industry awards. Gail has been named an Advertising Age Woman to Watch.

• Gary Kibel

  Gary A. Kibel is a partner in the Technology, Digital Media & Privacy; Intellectual Property and Advertising, Marketing & Promotions Practice Groups of Davis & Gilbert. Mr. Kibel regularly counsels clients with respect to new media/advertising law; privacy and data security; and information technology matters. Mr. Kibel advises interactive companies, advertising agencies, media providers and other commercial entities regarding transactions for interactive advertising, behavioral advertising, social media, usergenerated content, viral marketing, mobile marketing, affiliate marketing, gaming and other emerging products and services. He also serves as General Counsel to the Performance Marketing Association.

• Gary Stockman

  As CEO, Gary Stockman is charged with ensuring the overall success of Porter Novelli and its clients. As a practitioner, he leverages his breadth of experience and strategic insight to guide and counsel the agency's clients, especially those focused on establishing new markets and growing product categories. He also offers commanding expertise in corporate life cycle events, including management succession and crisis mitigation. Stockman's experience through his career has encompassed fields as diverse as digital imaging, telecommunications, printing and publishing, industrial finishing, solid waste, mining and politics. Gary is also on the Council’s Board of Directors and heads up its procurement initiative.

• Jeff Davis

  Jeffrey has spent the last 15 years covering technology’s overhaul of business and media — as a founding editor of Business 2.0 magazine, executive editor of CBS Interactive’s BNET, and now as editorial director at Original9, helping brands tap into the power of great content. Whenever time permits as husband and dad, he sails a 31-foot sloop on San Francisco Bay.

• Jen Prosek

  Jennifer Prosek is the founder and CEO of Prosek Partners. With more than 70 professionals, the firm ranks among the top 35 independent public relations firms in the US, and among the top five financial communications consultancies in the US and UK. Jennifer is a former board member of the Council of PR Firms and a member of the Arthur Page Society. She is a graduate of Columbia Business School, and author of the book, “Army of Entrepreneurs: Create an Engaged and Empowered Workforce for Exceptional Business Growth.”

• Jerry Schwartz

  Jerry Schwartz, CEO of both G.S. Schwartz & Co. Inc., and Digital Power and Light, has over 35 years of experience in public relations, investor relations and marketing communications. He began his career at the American Stock Exchange, where he worked on a wide range of news events, promotions, publications and speeches. He then worked for 10 years at a large global public relations agency, rising to executive vice president. G.S. Schwartz & Co. Inc. was founded in 1981.

• Jerry Swerling

  Jerry Swerling has more than 40 years of experience as a consultant, educator, policy advisor, and communicator. He is a frequent speaker on trends in public relations and the state of the profession. He serves as Professor and Director of Public Relations Studies at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. In addition, he serves as Director of the USC Annenberg Strategic Communication and Public Relations Center, the mission of which is to “advance the study, practice and value of public relations by means of practical, applied research.” The Center’s best-known project is the biennial Communication and Public Relations Generally Accepted Practices (GAP) Study, which is widely recognized as an important source of management-related information for the profession.

• Jim Joseph

  Jim Joseph serves as the President of Cohn & Wolfe North America, the agency’s largest region. With over 25 years of integrated marketing, public relations and branding experience, Jim provides strategic oversight, client service and drives new business across all offices in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. He has created seamless brand experiences for clients such as Kellogg’s, Kraft, Ikea, Cadillac, Tylenol, Johnson & Johnson, Clean & Clear, American Express and WalMart.

• Karen Doyne

  Karen Doyne is an acknowledged industry leader in crisis management, with more than 25 years’ experience at global public relations agencies, on Capitol Hill and in the media world. From the tragedy at Virginia Tech to the largest-ever consumer electronics recall, she has managed crises in a wide range of in industries such as food, chemicals, healthcare, higher education, energy and consumer products. Ms. Doyne was named by PRWeek magazine as one of the nation’s 22 top crisis counselors and honored by Washington Women in Public Relations as one of the leading practitioners in the Nation’s Capitol.

• Karine Jegard

  Karine Jegard provides strategic consultancy at Litmus Medical Marketing and Education, a Chandler Chicco Company. Over the course of her 18 year career in healthcare communications she has lead global, regional and country communications programmes for a wide range of blue chip pharma, biotech and medical devices companies. She has particular interest in stakeholder relations working with patient organisations, healthcare professionals and health policy makers to focus attention on finding solutions that improve the lives of patients.

• Kathy Baughman

  Kathy Baughman is a principal at Comblu, a Chicago-based firm specializing in community marketing and influencer programs. Kathy has over 30 years experience of marketing thought leadership with projects spanning from strategy, word-of-mouth marketing programs, customer experience, influencer marketing, c-suite thought leadership programs and more. Her experience across a variety of industries includes consumer products, software, hardware, telecommunications, travel, financial services, healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, retail, online communities, food, and publishing just to name a few.

• Kathy Cripps

  As President of the Council of Public Relations Firms, the trade association that represents the interests of public relations firms operating in the U.S., Kathy's primary role is to advocate on behalf of member firms, the professional and the profession. Kathy brings to the Council a comprehensive understanding of the needs of public relation firms. Before joining the Council, she was responsible for growing the U.S. healthcare business for a multinational PR firm, and earlier founded a healthcare-focused public relations firm. Kathy also holds an MBA in marketing.

• Lisa Poulson

  Lisa Poulson, Chair, Burson-Marsteller’s Global Technology Practice, brings a deep understanding of the processes of persuasion to her work – helping her clients understand and use communications to build credibility and relationships to make provocative contributions to the public discourse. Lisa launched the Java technology -- taking it from a lab project to an international force in software. During more than fifteen years in two tenures at Burson-Marsteller, Lisa has served clients as diverse as HP, for whom she built and ran a 75 country communications network, the US Postal Service and Hydro-Quebec.

• Margery Kraus

  Margery Kraus is founder and chief executive officer of APCO Worldwide, and the 2010 Council of Public Relations Firms Chair. Ms. Kraus founded APCO in 1984 and transformed it from a company with one small Washington office to a multinational consulting firm in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In September 2004 Ms. Kraus led a management buy-out of her firm, making APCO one of the largest privately owned communication and public affairs firms in the world.

• Marian Salzman

  Named one of the world’s top five trendspotters, Marian was just inducted into PR News’ PR People Hall of Fame. Before heading Havas PR, she was CMO at Porter Novelli, CMO at JWT Worldwide and CSO at Euro RSCG Worldwide. Since she took over at @havaspr in late 2009, the agency has become one of the most awarded of its size. Among Marian’s many personal awards, the series on the brain that she wrote for the Huffington Post won a 2011 Bronze SABRE for Speech or Bylined Article and other blogging awards, and she was PRWeek’s PR Professional of the Year in 2011.

• Matt Shaw

  As Director of Communications, Matt’s responsibilities are primarily to manage all facets of internal/external communications for the association, whose stakeholders include Council members, the media, corporate communicators, educators, researchers and other industry organizations. Prior to joining the Council, Matt worked for several leading PR firms across the country. His career also includes stints as a reporter for a chain of weekly newspapers and a feature writer for a business magazine. He not so recently graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in political science.

• Matthew Soriano

  As the Manager of Online & Member Services for the Council of Public Relations Firms, Matthew Soriano is instrumental in the development and execution of many Council programs as well as the management of the Council's online presence across multiple social media platforms. Another primary role he plays is in the aggregation and posting of the top member blog posts each day for "Firm Thinking." Soriano is also responsible for the development and maintenance of the Council's website.

• Melissa Waggener Zorkin

  As CEO, President and Founder of Waggener Edstrom, Melissa makes it her mission to keep a sense of purpose pulsing through the agency that she and her business partner, Pam Edstrom, founded in 1983. Her skill at turning vision into action has helped a two-person agency become one of the world’s largest independent communications company with a talented work force more than 800 strong. Regularly connecting with her employees and developing future agency leaders are among her top priorities.

• Michael Lasky

  Michael Lasky, senior partner at Davis & Gilbert and head of the law firm’s PR Law practice and litigation department co-chair, frequently advises public relations firms throughout the country on legal issues affecting their business. He has served as general outside counsel for the Council of PR Firms since its inception.

• Mike Rozenbajgier

  Mike Rozembajgier is Vice President of Recalls for ExpertRECALL™. Mike is responsible for all aspects of recall service offerings, including development of strategic recall business initiatives, product enhancements, pricing and contracts, and marketing. An authority on food, drug, consumer-product and medical device recalls, Mike has more than a decade of experience in the healthcare industry. Mike speaks around the United States at trade shows, corporate events and symposiums about recall event management and about government regulation.

• Nick Sarillo

  As the founder and CEO of the sixth busiest independent pizza company in per-store sales in the United States, Nick Sarillo of Nick’s Pizza & Pub has garnered national media attention for the impetus behind his business’ success—an inventive, purpose- and values-driven approach to training and leadership. Under Sarillo’s direction, Nick’s Pizza & Pub, located in Crystal Lake and Elgin, IL, boasts an 80 percent employee retention rate in an industry in which the average annual turnover is close to 150 percent. Sarillo’s forthcoming book (Portfolio, 2012) will highlight his “on purpose” principles for building an inspiring, high-performance organization from the bottom up.

• Paul Taaffe

  Paul Taaffe, Chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton, has spent over 20 years consulting on transnational communications and as an advisor to companies and leaders facing complex and difficult issues. Hill & Knowlton is a founding member of the Council of Public Relations Firms. Paul recently served on the Council's Board of Directors.

• Renee Wilson

  Renee Wilson is the president of the NE Hub (NY, Boston & PCPR) and managing director of MSLGROUP New York. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the firm’s flagship office including client service, business development and talent. She is also the global account director for P&G, responsible for the firm’s work across P&G’s diverse portfolio, including the global brand building programs.

• Rob Flaherty

  Rob Flaherty is senior partner and president of Ketchum, the global communications firm that serves clients through a network of more than 100 offices and affiliates worldwide. He chaired the 2010 Critical Issues Forum and serves on the Council’s Agency Management Committee. He is on the board of trustees of the Institute for Public Relations and serves as a senior judge for the annual PRSA Silver Anvil Awards.

• Robert Schooling

  Robert Schooling, president, Americas & chair, global practices, is based in APCO Worldwide’s Washington, D.C., office. He brings to clients two decades of experience advising corporations, nongovernmental organizations and trade associations on communication strategies to optimize their businesses, reputations and public policy environment. Mr. Schooling specializes in helping clients find ways to reframe complex policy debates and build sustainable corporate and industry reputations. At APCO, Mr. Schooling led the creation of the firm’s proprietary Champion Brand methodology – a unique way of looking at brands that recognizes the role of technology and the emergence of new stakeholders that shape product, corporate and industry brand value. @APCORobert

• Ron Culp

  Ron Culp launched Culp & Co. public relations consultancy this summer after eight years at Sard Verbinnen and Ketchum. Prior to his agency career, Ron was Senior Vice President of PR and Government Affairs at Sears and Executive Director of PR at Sara Lee. He blogs on PR careers at www.culpwrit.com.

• Seth Schulman

  Seth Schulman is a novelist and professional ghostwriter, editor, and coach specializing in business, memoir, public affairs, how-to books, and fiction of all kinds. He has worked as a Research Associate at the Harvard Business School and as consumer trends consultant to several leading national advertising agencies. Seth earned his Ph. D. in cultural history from Brown University and has spent years thinking about media, culture, and communications. He regularly contributes research and writing to the Firm Voice website. More information about Seth and his work is available at www.providenceword.com.

• Steve DiFillippo

  Steve DiFillippo is the consummate restaurateur. With his award-winning Davio’s brand firmly established in Boston, Philadelphia and Foxborough, DiFillippo has tackled the modern Italian restaurant. DiFillippo’s reach continues to expand as his locations continue to garner critical acclaim and destination status.

• Tim Marklein

  Tim Marklein leads the global technology practice and analytics business for WCG, one of the world’s fastest-growing independent PR agencies. Tim is an award-winning communications innovator with 20 years experience helping clients launch businesses, create market categories, build reputations, win proxy fights and grow revenues. As an agency and in-house manager, Tim has worked closely with pioneers and leaders across technology, healthcare, consumer and B2B industries. A frequent speaker and writer, Tim also actively contributes to PR industry standards and best practices, serving as co-chair of the Council of PR Firms’ measurement committee and as an elected member of the Institute for Public Relations Measurement Commission. In 2011, Tim was named to the “Measurement Hall of Fame” by PR News to “Measurement Hall of Fame” by PR News in 2011.