KRG's team members bring years of experience from senior in-house roles within corporate & public affairs and financial communications, political campaigns, management consulting, government foreign service, military intelligence, NGOs, research & measurement, TV & film production and leadership positions at advisories including Teneo, Edelman,
Burson and FTI.

Chris Deri

Founder & Managing Partner

Chris is the founder of KRG Advisors.

For over two decades, Chris has advised public and private sector leaders around the world at the intersection of business strategy, societal expectations and reputation.  

His particular areas of expertise include executive positioning campaigns, U.S.-China relations, environmental and social issues as well as making enterprises more tech-enabled.

He has launched, led and scaled new businesses, practices and markets at Teneo, Burson, Weber Shandwick and Edelman. Earlier in his career he worked in campaign politics, AIDS advocacy and international education.  

Some of Chris' current and past select clients include Amnesty International, The Coca-Cola Company, the Government of Abu Dhabi, Liquid.ai, Huawei, J&J, FIFA, HSBC, IBM and Qualcomm.  

Chris was a WEF Young Global Leader and a Council on Foreign Relations Term Member. He is currently a Senior Advisor to Business Insider’s Workforce Innovation Board, CUNY’s Office of Diplomatic Engagement and Training as well as University of Southern California’s Institute of Public Relations. He received his B.A. from Washington College.

David Bloomgren

Energy & Climate
Public Affairs
Strategic Communications

David’s expertise in energy and sustainability stems from his role at the intersection of climate change, renewable energy, and air quality in the private and government sectors. For the Obama Administration, David served as senior advisor to two U.S. EPA Administrators, developing public affairs campaigns and outreach programs and leading rapid response and crisis communications efforts. David’s U.S. EPA experience also includes time served in the 2000s as the Communications Director for the Office of Air and Radiation and the Communications Director for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

In the private sector, David has led communications for companies focused on building advanced nuclear reactors, securing public and government approval for renewable energy projects and addressing the global challenge of plastic waste pollution. He has also worked for strategic communications firms in Washington, D.C., leading energy and sustainability campaigns for clients in the renewable, retail, non-profit, and oil and gas sectors.

A native of Minnesota, David attended the University of Wisconsin and lives in Falls Church, VA with his family.

Henry Cho

Creative Director
Developer
Animation

Henry is the Creative Director of KRG Advisors.  

For over 30 years, Henry has been designing and developing award-winning digital experiences for some of the world’s most recognized brands.

He has extensive agency experience as both design lead as well as programming lead, and enjoys working where those competencies meet. Early in his career, he was Senior Developer at atmosphereBBDO (now Atmosphere Proximity) and Associate Creative Director at Enjoy User Experience. He went on to become Senior Programmer at Stanley.ai, an early generative AI project. He also co-founded Prayerfish, a social network with the mission of creating a space for non-denominational spiritual expression, and Spoken.ly, a quote sharing platform with a generative design component.

His clients have included GE, AT&T, Microsoft, Honeywell, Verizon, Hewlett-Packard, Toyota, Volkswagen, Citicorp, Chase, MasterCard, USPS, GSK and Cisco Systems. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including Cannes Lions, ONE Show and Clios.

He studied Technical Writing at Polytechnic University, and Film at NYU.

Madyson Epplin

Crisis Preparedness Planning
Societal Issues Messaging

Madyson spent three years on Weber Shandwick's Global Crisis and Issues team in New York, where she supported companies across the pharmaceutical, technology and consumer goods industries.

As a Manager at Weber, she supported high-stakes work with clients during live incidents such as layoffs, cybersecurity breaches, litigation and operational failures. She specialized in proactive risk mitigation, delivering insights through AI-backed social listening tools like Blackbird.AI.

Her team was recognized with a 2024 SABRE Award for excellence in crisis management for their response to the Norfolk Southern train derailment. She also co-founded Compass for the Chaos, the Crisis team's monthly publication designed to help business leaders and reputation managers navigate today's rapidly shifting landscape.

Some of her most recent work includes strategic counsel for national trade groups in the cosmetics and confectionery industries. Prior, she worked mostly with top technology brands, including the world's largest video streaming platform and a leading professional networking service.

Earlier in her career, she worked on political campaigns across Illinois at the State House, Senate, and Governor levels. Madyson holds a degree in public relations and political science from The University of Alabama.

James Fisfis

Political and Public Affairs Crisis Communications
Public Opinion Research

For over thirty years, James has advised political leaders, diplomats, human rights activists, democratic dissidents, business coalitions and advocacy organizations—offering strategic counsel in high-stakes political and public affairs campaigns in the U.S. and abroad.  

His core areas of expertise include strategic and crisis communications, political positioning as well as managing reputational risk for clients in politically charged environments, emerging markets and conflict-affected regions. He has extensive experience conducting and interpreting both quantitative and qualitative opinion research to help clients successfully navigate complex and dynamic public opinion landscapes.  

James also specializes in producing creative, high-impact public affairs and issue advocacy advertising campaigns. He is a recipient of thirteen Pollie Awards from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC), recognized for excellence and innovation in political and public affairs advertising.  

He currently serves as an elected member of the AAPC Board of Directors. James holds a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame, a B.A. from Connecticut College and is a member of the Maryland Bar.

Anabelle Greene

Digital & Social Media Marketing

Anabelle is a public relations professional and social media manager, assisting marketing organizations and consumer facing companies with securing impactful media placements and establishing digital presence.    

She has experience in various fields, specializing in brand building, digital marketing and strategic copywriting.  

She has managed brand voices across social platforms and coordinated digital campaigns for both start-up businesses and established brands. Beginning her career with a focus on earned media, she’s represented destination marketing organizations and alcoholic beverage brands. Her most recent agency and freelance affiliations include Praytell Agency and BBDO, among stand-alone clients.  

Anabelle has previously worked with travel brands and leading beverage producers such as Destination Canada, Bombay Sapphire, Air New Zealand, MARTINI and local start-ups in the food and agriculture industry.    

Anabelle graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. Some of her career highlights include being a part of a team awarded a Skift Travel Award and coordinating a feature campaign study in PR Week.

Aidan Harte

Geopolitical Risk
Public Diplomacy
Strategic Communications

Aidan Harte is a strategic communications expert and geopolitical analyst with a proven track record counseling senior political party leaders, government ministers, civil society activists, and business leaders to develop winning campaigns and counter malign narratives.

For more than 13 years, he advanced U.S. national security objectives in contested environments. He previously served as USAID Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) Country Representative in Moldova, managing counter-influence programs against Kremlin hybrid warfare, and implemented stabilization programs in Armenia, Iraq, and Syria.

He has extensive experience leveraging AI, OSINT, and public opinion research to counter malign narratives and execute integrated influence campaigns across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He currently serves as an adviser to the Irregular Warfare Initiative’s Emerging Technology Cohort.

He holds an M.A. in Violence, Terrorism, and Security from Queen’s University Belfast and a B.A. from Emory University.

Vivienne Hsu

Growth Strategy
Growth Marketing
Communications Strategy

Vivienne is a Non-Executive Board Member of KRG Advisors.  

For more than 20 years, Vivienne has been driving the growth of a range of organizations from publicly traded companies to start-ups. Working with C-suite leaders and boards to develop strategies, teams and to drive sales and marketing. Client experience includes the likes of BNYM, S&P, SWIFT, Nestle, Mattel, FIS, Sokin, Meniga, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, Volkswagon and InvestCloud.  

She has worked on a wide range of issues across many sectors including, FMCG, Health, Automotive but specializes in the Finance and Technology sectors.  

Vivienne has led new teams in both agency and in-house roles and has developed new practice areas with a focus on innovation to create new revenue streams.  

She is a board member of Optise, Bloomful, the Kozakov foundation as well as a council member of the HFS One Council, Boardwave, TechAngels and BarclaysRise. Vivienne holds a Political Science and English degree from the University of Western Ontario and Hass Business School–UC Berkeley–Women in Tech program.

Sam Huxley

Digital Public Affairs & Reputation Management
Crisis and Risk Monitoring

Sam helps corporate leadership teams build and protect their digital reputation while maintaining situational awareness of emerging threats and opportunities in complex stakeholder environments.

With over 25 years of experience, Sam has developed digital reputation strategies and risk assessment frameworks for Fortune 50 corporations, technology companies, and energy sector clients across international markets. He has designed real-time monitoring systems that provide early warning capabilities for leadership teams and has led digital public affairs campaigns for organizations including Samsung, Saudi Aramco, HP, and AT&T. His work has spanned complex geopolitical environments in the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. Past clients have included US and foreign government agencies, multinational corporations, and emerging technology companies.

Sam previously chaired the Risk & Business Strategy Practice at LEVICK, where he led crisis management and reputation solutions for clients facing international challenges. Before that, he served as Global Lead, Digital Crisis for FleishmanHillard, managing high-profile issue management efforts involving product recalls, data breaches, and public health. Earlier, he created the Strategy & Insights team at New Media Strategies, developing social media strategy products for NBC, Chrysler, Sony Pictures, and Honda. He also served as Director for Creative Strategy at Young & Rubicam Brands Team Microsoft.

Sam combines strategic communications expertise with technical capabilities AI-driven analytics, creating custom monitoring and assessment systems for clients navigating today's digital environment.

Ross Kleinrock

Growth & Go-to-Market Strategy
B2B Marketing

For nearly a decade, Ross has advised leading Fortune 100 companies on business strategy, product development, marketing, and operations—helping some of the world’s most recognized organizations improve internal processes and bring new offerings to market more effectively.  

His particular areas of expertise include growth and business development, go-to-market strategy and B2B marketing.  

He has consulted across sectors including telecom, media, technology, and food & beverage—first at EY and later at Weber Shandwick, where he helped launch a corporate advisory group and the firm’s strategy consultancy, Myriant. In that role, he contributed to the group’s business strategy, core offerings, marketing approach, and operational infrastructure. He also founded a fantasy sports startup, managing product development and go-to-market execution. Most recently, Ross has served as Principal, Account Success at COJHO, a boutique food & beverage consultancy, where he leads business development and client relationship growth.  

Some of Ross’ past and current clients include a top telecom provider, a leading food company, one of the world’s largest PR agencies, and one of the largest global media publishers—spanning Fortune 100 firms, private companies, and early-stage ventures alike.  

Ross holds an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Cornell Tech and a BBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

Bob Knott

Corporate Positioning
Branding
Social & Environmental Issues

For more than 25 years, Bob Knott has helped Fortune 500, middle market and startup companies, as well as an array of non-profits, achieve their business and social objectives through integrated communications strategies.  

An expert in branding, reputation and issues management, thought leadership, crisis communications and public affairs, he previously served as Global Practice Chair and Global Client Relationship Manager for Edelman, as well as Senior Managing Director and Americas Chair for FTI Consulting (NYSE: FCN).  

Bob managed the global launch of GE’s ecomagination and played a leadership role in heightening Walmart’s profile as a worldwide leader in corporate sustainability.

Some of Bob’s current and past clients include Allstate, DuPont, Exelon, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Johns Hopkins University, Nature Conservancy and United Way of America. He has managed crisis communications for the American Red Cross, Fannie Mae and Wells Fargo, as well as public affairs campaigns for Airlines for America, American Clean Energy Association and Financial Services Forum.    

Bob has worked directly with the CEOs of both corporations and non-profits to clarify and promote their thought leadership perspectives on pressing societal matters. He has garnered the industry’s top honors, including the PRWeek Award for Corporate Branding Campaign of the Year, Golden Sabre for Corporate Image, PRSA Thoth Award for Public Affairs, Edelman’s Chairman’s Award for Client Service and FTI Consulting’s Excellence Award.  

An active volunteer, Bob has served on the boards of directors of Audubon Maryland-DC, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Bon Secours Baltimore Health System Foundation and Wheeling Jesuit University.

Noah Lerner

Creative Director
TV and Video Production

For over three decades, Noah has been a leader as both a Content Creator, Filmmaker and Executive Producer in the Television, Advertising and Streaming landscape.    

His particular areas of expertise include 360 Marketing Campaigns, Sports Content and Production, Social Media Strategy and Brand Marketing.  

Noah has worked on some of the biggest television shows on the globe as a Creative, including The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, House of Dragon and has led Marketing teams at HBO, Showtime and ESPN.  

Some of Noah's current and past clients include HBO, Major League Pickleball, HULU, Disney, Ford, Liquid.ai, FIFA, Citibank, NFL Films, ESPN, Moderna, 7 Bucks Entertainment, Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures and Lebenthal Global Advisors.  

He is a five-time Emmy Winner and the recipient of over 50 Promax, Mark and NY Festival Awards.  

He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Pomona and his MFA from Columbia University. Currently, Noah is the proud steward of two semi-obedient teenagers and lives in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island with his wife, 3 dogs and two cats.

Richard Mahony

Financial Communications
Special Situations
Risk Management Strategy

Richard Mahony pioneered the concept of risk communications to help leaders and their organizations achieve ambitious goals and manage unexpected challenges.

A former investment banker and past president of the Public Relations Society of New York, he works with firms on their most critical issues – a financial institution in the crosshairs of a regulatory inquiry, a manufacturer unveiling a major restructuring, a CEO preparing for an activist investor or a new fund manager embarking on a capital raise.

Richard began his career as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan and later held senior communications and marketing roles in New York and London, where he served on the firm’s Operating Committee. He has been a senior executive at leading communications firms and has twice won the annual award for the industry’s top financial/investor relations program.

Richard is often called upon to develop strategies for clients facing challenges from competitive pressures, regulatory developments and changing stakeholder expectations. He has advised clients on communications for strategic transactions, as well as corporate governance, executive compensation and climate and sustainability disclosures.

A native of Minnesota, Richard is a graduate of Macalester College, where he was a Truman Foundation Scholar. He holds a Masters Degree from Harvard University and was a research associate in the Harvard Energy & Environmental Policy Center.  Early in his career Richard led a nationally recognized economic development program for the City of St. Paul as a member of the mayor’s senior staff.

Richard holds dual US-Ireland citizenship and lives in Connecticut.

Nicco Mele

Technology and Media Innovation

For over two decades, Nicco Mele has advised leaders and institutions navigating the intersection of media, technology, and politics—helping them adapt to disruption, engage the public and build sustainable models for impact.

His areas of expertise include building technical teams to scale successful products, establishing financial management best practices and building high-functioning boards and executive teams. He leverages technical knowledge, media expertise and an entrepreneurial mindset to help social innovators solve pressing global challenges. Nicco is passionate about empowering people and communities through technology, media and civic engagement.  

Nicco has launched and led digital and media ventures in both the private and nonprofit sectors. He was Faculty Director of the Shorenstein Center at the Harvard Kennedy School, SVP and Deputy Publisher of the Los Angeles Times and founder of the digital consultancy Echo & Co. He is currently a partner at Copper Sky and co-founder of Data Management and Compliance, a software company supporting financial and regulatory infrastructure for political and nonprofit organizations. He was most recently Managing Director at Draper Richards Kaplan.

Nicco serves on the boards of the National Trust for Local News, Define American, and the Massachusetts Poetry Festival. He is a co-founder of The Lexington Observer. He has published widely, including the international bestseller “The End of Big: How The Digital Revolution Makes David The New Goliath” published in 2013 by St. Martin’s Press. He received his B.A. from the College of William and Mary.

David Michaelson, Ph.D.

Brand Strategy & Positioning
Qualitative & Quantitative Research
Measurement & Evaluation

David Michaelson, Ph.D. has over four decades of experience in communication research, branding, measurement, and evaluation. He has worked with numerous Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies as well as leading non-profits and universities. These clients include Coca-Cola, Citigroup, AT&T, McDonalds, Nissan, IBM and J&J.  

Dr. Michaelson has led research globally at Teneo, Echo Research and Ogilvy Public Relations. Before joining Ogilvy, he was a managing director at GCI Group, a principal of David Michaelson & Associates, Inc., and director of research at Burson-Marsteller.  

Dr. Michaelson is a research fellow of the Institute for Public Relations, recipient of the Jackson, Jackson & Wagner Behavioral Science Prize awarded for outstanding contributions to the research body of knowledge, Measurement/Research Expert of the Year (2009) and was inducted into the Measurement Hall of Fame in 2013. He has also received two Silver Anvils from PRSA and serves as a research fellow at the Annenberg School for Journalism and Communications at the University of Southern California.  

He is the co-author of the award winning "A Professional and Practitioner's Guide to Public Relations Research, Measurement, and Evaluation" (Business Expert Press), as well as three other books and various academic articles on communication research.  

Dr. Michaelson is an emeritus member of the Commission on Public Relations Evaluation and Measurement and is a frequent speaker on measurement issues facing the public relations industry. He holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science of the New School for Social Research and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Massachusetts.

Isabella Moss

Social Media Strategy

Isabella Moss is a strategic communications and growth-focused marketing professional specializing in business strategy, brand positioning, and digital execution for organizations and founders preparing to launch, grow, or scale. She translates strategic priorities into clear narrative frameworks and a highly credible digital presence.

In her corporate role, Isabella leads B2B LinkedIn strategy and content programming aligned with business development priorities, supporting executive messaging, sales enablement, and integrated campaign initiatives. She manages digital content across web and social platforms, ensuring thought leadership and online presence reinforce broader strategic priorities across channels.

As the founder of Jolie Creative, she partners with early-stage founders and operators to refine positioning, architect core messaging, and build go-to-market digital ecosystems — including website strategy, content development, and brand identity systems. Her work combines strategic thinking with polished execution, helping businesses establish credibility from inception.

Isabella holds a B.S. in Business (Marketing & Digital Technology Management) from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University Bloomington.

Chris Nelson

Crisis & Issues Management
Data Security
Litigation Communications

Chris Nelson helps corporate executive teams anticipate, prepare for, and manage crisis situations, high-profile litigation and contentious public issues.

With over 30 years of experience, Chris has guided clients through hundreds of complex crises, including data breaches, chemical spills, workplace violence, product recalls and regulatory investigations. He has developed crisis plans and international training programs to enhance corporate resilience and has advised on communications related to high-stakes litigation in areas such as intellectual property, employment, and product liability. He has also designed issues management programs to help clients navigate activist campaigns and avoid emerging flashpoints.

He served as senior external advisor to McKinsey & Co.’s crisis response and resilience team and previously led FleishmanHillard’s crisis practice in the Americas. There, he co-founded the firm’s Data Privacy & Security capability, managing nearly 200 data incidents between 2015 and 2019. Prior to FleishmanHillard, he held senior crisis leadership roles at Ketchum and Burson-Marsteller.

Chris has lectured on crisis communications at Columbia, Wharton, NYU and the University of Maryland. He has also served on the board of the Public Affairs Council. Chris holds a journalism degree from The Ohio State University.

Alexander Palmer

Geopolitical Analysis
Security & Humanitarian Operations
AI-Driven Risk Assessment

Alexander Palmer is a security and geopolitical risk analyst with experience advising governments and humanitarian organizations on four continents.

His past work has focused on the risks associated with armed conflict and the activities of non-state armed groups. His current areas of interest include leveraging AI for data-driven assessments of political and security change. A believer in community service, Alexander has also volunteered on the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline since 2022.

He advised humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan on managing risks to their staff, assets, and operations before and after the fall of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government. In Afghanistan, he provided situational awareness and analysis of more than 200 security incidents, provided bespoke risk assessments to humanitarians, and negotiated safe passage agreements with Taliban authorities.

He holds a B.A. from Columbia University and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Naveena Ponnusamy

Nonprofit & Higher Education Leadership
Social Impact
Philanthropy

Naveena Ponnusamy drives growth, revenue and community impact for mission-driven organizations. In her 20 plus year career, Naveena has directed a broad portfolio of integrated external affairs programs, working with philanthropic partners to advance shared goals through smart strategy, compelling storytelling, and meaningful stakeholder engagement.

Most recently Naveena directed external affairs and significantly grew private fundraising at Venice Family Clinic, a $100 million nonprofit community health center that serves more than 45,000 people across Los Angeles.

Before that, she was the chief development strategist at the RAND Corporation, managing donor relations and the philanthropic brand of the public policy think tank based in Santa Monica, CA; and for the USC Marshall School of Business, as an Assistant Dean, she led a team in building the infrastructure and case for support driving a major fundraising campaign.

Naveena began her career with Edelman Public Relations in New York, creating media and social responsibility campaigns for clients across the corporate, higher education and nonprofit sectors. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Columbia University and an M.A. in Media Ecology from New York University.

Srikant "Sri" Ramaswami

Healthcare & Biosciences Communications
Corporate Affairs
Investor Relations

Sri Ramaswami recently served as the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations at Galapagos N.V., a global biotechnology company.  

Prior to Galapagos, Sri was Vice President and Head of U.S. Commercial Communications for GSK. He was also a member of the GSK U.S. Country Executive Board, the U.S. Commercial leadership team, and the Chairman of the GSK U.S. Charitable Contributions Committee. At GSK, he led teams responsible for oncology, respiratory, specialty and vaccines communication, employee engagement, as well as philanthropic partnerships.  

Before joining GSK, Sri was Vice President, Chief Communications Officer for Caris Life Sciences as well as Executive Vice President, Global and Emerging Markets, Healthcare at rbb Communications.  

Prior to his appointment at rbb, he was the global leader for stakeholder activation at Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices. During his twelve years at J&J, he held senior positions in Communication & Public Affairs across the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Device segments including head of neuroscience communication, head of R&D communication and head of the pharmaceuticals business of Johnson & Johnson in China. Sri was also Vice President of corporate communications for the Asia-Pacific region of J&J based in Singapore. Throughout his pharmaceuticals career, Sri also held key communication positions at Pfizer, Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc.  

Sri has worked in global, local and regional roles in the world's largest markets, including the U.S., Japan, China, and India. He holds a J.D. from Buffalo Law School, an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, and a B.A. in politics and economics with a minor in Philosophy from Brandeis University.

Olivia Rekus

Public Sector Advocacy

Olivia Rekus is a legal and client relations professional with experience in data-driven operations and CRM management across public and private sectors. She specializes in client data strategy, stakeholder engagement, and legal support, with hands-on experience in real estate transactions and felony litigation. Olivia holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Florida and is a certified Florida Notary Public.

Kasia Reterska

Corporate Communications
Sustainability
Social Impact and Crisis Management

For over two decades, Kasia has been a trusted advisor to leaders across industries, bridging the gap between business strategy, sustainability, and societal impact. Her particular areas of expertise include corporate communications, sustainability strategies, social impact initiatives, crisis and reputation management as well as stakeholder engagement.  

She has launched, led, and scaled corporate affairs and sustainability practices at Burson, Weber Shandwick, Fenton, and Edelman. Earlier in her career, she worked in human rights, public health advocacy, and international development for the International Rescue Committee, Save the Children and USAID.  

Some of Kasia's current and past select clients include AB InBev, the Bezos Family Foundation, the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, Dell Technologies, Ford Motor Company, General Mills, Haleon, HP, IBM, J&J, Kate Spade, Mazda, Microsoft, Nestlé, Participant Media, Pfizer, Perdue Farms, Samsung, Tiffany & Co., Trane Technologies, UNDP, UNEP, CDC, WHO, WaitWhat, and Warner Bros.  

Kasia is recognized for her leadership and expertise in aligning business objectives with positive societal impact. She has been featured as a thought leader at Global Power Women, NY Climate Week, and Fast Company Ideas Festival. She is often called upon for strategic counsel at the intersection of business and social impact.

She received her M.S. in international affairs from New School University. She has lectured on the future of sustainability and responsible business practices at schools including NYU, Parsons School of Design and City University of New York.

Brett San Pietro

Public Affairs
Geopolitical Analysis
Narrative Intelligence

For over 15 years, Brett has leveraged his military and civilian intelligence background to work with and advise C-suite leaders across government, non-profit, and corporate sectors.  

As a career generalist, his past areas of expertise range from negotiating overseas military base renewals to assessing and countering online narrative campaigns. His most recent work focuses on marrying AI advances in data analytics with human intelligence tradecraft to improve crisis communications efforts.  

Before entering the communications field, Brett served for nearly a decade as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, including overseas postings in East Africa and South-Central Asia as well as domestic postings in counterintelligence and counter terrorism bureaus.  

Brett has advised clients across government and corporate sectors including Norfolk Southern, multiple Fortune 100 CPG brands, major research hospitals, private equity firms as well as various national and international not-for-profit organizations.  

Brett has held commissions as both a Human Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army and an Information Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He received his B.A. in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and holds an MBA from George Washington University.

Awa Seck

Political Economy

Awa Seck is a political economy and marketing professional with experience in strategic analysis and campaign optimization across public and private sectors. She specializes in campaign performance analysis, market sizing, and geopolitical risk assessment, with hands-on experience in luxury brand strategy and automotive marketing. Awa holds a B.A. in Political Economy from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in Politics and Government from Sciences Po Paris.

Thomas Shea

Public Affairs
Strategic Communications
Executive Positioning

Tom Shea advises senior public, private, and nonprofit leaders on high‑stakes communications, reputation, and public‑affairs challenges, drawing on more than three decades of experience across the White House, U.S. foreign service, Capitol Hill, state government, and global CEO advisory work.

He has counseled governors, U.S. senators, cabinet officials, ambassadors, and Fortune 100 leaders on strategy, narrative, and stakeholder engagement, with particular experience in leadership transitions, complex policy environments, and contested media and political landscapes.

Tom served in two White House roles, including Special Assistant to the President, and held senior diplomatic and communications posts at the U.S. Embassy in Paris and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, where he was Minister‑Counselor and Director of Communications and Spokesman. He later served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Jon Corzine and then Chief of Staff to the Governor of New Jersey, overseeing policy, operations, and intergovernmental affairs during a period of significant fiscal and political challenge.

In the private sector, Tom was a founding member and Managing Director at Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm, advising multinational companies, financial institutions, major philanthropies, and mission‑driven organizations on communications strategy and global engagement.

More recently, Tom served as a senior adviser for public affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice and continues to advise leaders on complex communications and public‑policy issues. A native New Jerseyan, he is an honors graduate of The College of New Jersey.

Nathan Strauss

Corporate Communications
Responsible AI
GEO Strategy

For nearly two decades, Nathan has served as a trusted communications advisor to some of the world's most admired brands, specializing in corporate and executive communications, reputation management, issues management and messaging development.

His particular areas of expertise include responsible AI communications, retail and luxury brand positioning, sustainability storytelling and third-party marketplace dynamics.

He has held senior communications leadership roles at Amazon, where he led global teams responsible for communicating with and about 2M+ sellers (who generate 60% of Amazon's sales), and at AWS where he led cross-company responsible AI PR. Previously, he served at Tiffany & Co., managing high-profile communications through its acrimonious acquisition by LVMH.

He helps organizations navigate the complexities of the AI era. Nathan's current clients include publicly traded small-cap and mid-cap retailers, private equity-owned luxury brands and VC-funded Series A/B technology startups.

Nathan graduated cum laude from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism & Communication with a concentration in public relations and a minor in business administration.

Michael Turner

Geopolitical Analysis
Crisis Communications
US-China Relations

For over two decades, Michael has led at the intersection of high-profile national security, geopolitics and strategic communications across diplomatic, military, intelligence, legislative and policy environments.  

His particular areas of focus include geopolitics, market entry, crisis and contingency communications, China and the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, U.S. foreign policy, disinformation and propaganda countermeasures as well as executive media training.  

He served as a U.S. diplomat, Navy JAG Corps officer, senior advisor on Capitol Hill, and in the U.S. intelligence community. He most recently served as spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, leading crisis response campaigns and overseeing high-impact media platforms to advance U.S. interests in China and globally. He is the founder of Turner Global Solutions, a strategic advisory firm.  

Some of Michael’s clients and collaborators include Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, major universities, U.S. government agencies and nonprofits.  

Michael is a Harvard Business School alumnus, holds a law degree from the University of Baltimore, and a B.A. from The George Washington University. He is a recipient of multiple awards from the Department of State and Department of Defense. He is the author of two children’s books, connecting dads, daughters, and sports.  

Jonathan Wootliff

NGO Engagement
Social & Environmental Issues

Jonathan advises companies on sustainability issues, with a focus on building bridges with NGOs and designing effective corporate social responsibility programs. He helps companies navigate complex stakeholder landscapes including environmental and human rights groups, local communities and labor organizations. He also advises on philanthropic strategy and community outreach in the Developing World. His work often includes conflict resolution in reputationally sensitive or high-risk situations.  

Jonathan’s areas of expertise include stakeholder mapping and engagement, conflict resolution, community outreach as well as designing GRI-compliant sustainability reports. Jonathan also works extensively on conservation, public health and poverty alleviation in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and South Africa.  

Earlier in his career, Jonathan served as Communications Director for Greenpeace International, where he led global outreach across 35 countries and oversaw communications at the Kyoto climate summit. He later worked at the World Resources Institute, contributing to the launch of Global Forest Watch, and has held senior roles at Hill & Knowlton, Fleishman-Hillard and Edelman, where he founded the Trust Barometer.  

Some of Jonathan’s clients have included McDonald’s Latin America (Arcos Dorado), Asia Pacific Resources International, Bunge, BP, Colgate-Palmolive, Eastman Chemicals, Jardine Matteson, Kraft Foods (Mondelez), Owens Corning, Procter and Gamble, Subway, Tata Steel, Unocal and Whirlpool.  

Jonathan has lived in Amsterdam, Brussels, Delhi, New York and Washington DC, and has worked in 38 countries during his career. Jonathan’s home is in Prague where he is Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Czech Business Council for Sustainable Development. He now straddles his time between the United States, Europe and Asia.

Greg Young

Media Analytics
Counter-Influence Strategy
Communications Planning

Greg is a Non-Executive Board Member of KRG Advisors.  

Greg is currently the SVP of Commercial Strategy and Delivery at Blackbird.AI, driving the evolution of digital media threat intelligence and strategy at the intersection of analytics, media, and technology

Before joining Blackbird.AI, he worked for a significant media investment firm and helped overhaul a top media publisher, driving them to profitability for the first time in their history. He previously helped establish the advanced analytics and media security offerings at Weber Shandwick, a leading global communications agency, pioneering using AI, NLP and OSINT to guide communications strategies. He also oversaw Integrated Media Strategy for North America, building leading marketing and communications programs for Fortune 500 and government clients.  

His career spans roles at various agencies, where he’s led nine-figure media strategies and integrated analytics into marketing and communications solutions. A strong advocate for the democratization of data, Greg empowers organizations to use technology and insights to drive decision-making.  

He is a cum laude graduate of the University of Lynchburg with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing.