The Network
Jeff Faught, Brand Specialist
Jeff Faught is an award-winning brand strategist and designer with over 15 years experience in building brands and communications programs. In 2010, Jeff’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to a partnership with long-time colleague, Dean Trevelino, where they saw an opportunity to leverage his successful brand communications platform, BCHORD, that he has implemented for brands such as Aldata Solution, Webmedx, GEICC, Predictix and EnerTech Environmental. As a brand specialist with Trevelino/Keller, Jeff completes the fully integrated methodology that brings public relations, social marketing and brand communications together. As a result, the firm has successfully worked with companies including Lehigh Technologies, Eco-Path, Game Day Rugs and WellCentive. Contact: jfaught@trevelinokeller.com.
Nancy Davis, Financial Specialist
With an extensive background in investor relations and financial consulting services, Nancy Davis is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 20 years of experience as a financial specialist. Nancy started her IR career with BellSouth Corporation as the vice president of Investor Relations. Throughout her six-year tenure, she successfully led the BellSouth investor relations organization during a period of significant change and competitive market transformation in the telecom industry. As a seasoned Investor Relations executive, Nancy works closely with corporate management to maximize the impact of investor communications. Nancy has extensive experience developing strategic and financial messaging for major corporate transactions and events as well as long-term investor relations programs. Nancy is also proficient in SEC reporting and corporate governance. Nancy also has experience in consolidating operational results, forecasting, developing executive compensation plans and has a diversified tax background in private industry and public accounting. Nancy is a member of the National Investor Relations Institute and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Contact: nanjdavis@yahoo.com.
Malissa Ladd, Marketing Specialist
Malissa Ladd brings over 20 years of marketing experience including brand development, marketing planning, media strategy and implementation, and creative development. Her experience in a multitude of retail environments and diverse industries allows her to bring unique solutions to marketing challenges and the customer experiences sought by her clients. Her particular niche is working with companies in transition—companies developing and launching new brands and concepts, poised for high growth or reviving existing brands. She has worked with companies such as: The Home Depot, Masco, 3 Day Blinds, Southern Foodservice Management, Tile Outlets of America, Naterra Land—Sharp Mountain community, Cover-All Flooring and U.S. Installation Group (both consumer and b2b flooring companies), The Intersect Group, PointClear, Atlanta School of Massage and Federated Department Stores. Contact: mladd@madisonmktg.net.
Helen Bioty Grebe, Media and Crisis Specialist
Helen Bioty Grebe’s diverse career spans 15 years working with Fortune 500 companies, successful businesses and national magazines, launching products to market through strategic public relations. Grebe has a BA in Journalism from UGA (with honors) and has spent her career focused on B2B,, technology , food and beverage and the consumer markets. Grebe’s specialties include launching new products to market, branding, media relations and crisis communications. Grebe gained national recognition within the journalism field as spokesperson for Zoo Atlanta and specializes in advising local and national businesses on branding, publicity and growth strategies. In 2009 Grebe formed her own PR Firm and has helped numerous clients increase audience awareness and product coverage. In her spare time she enjoys freelance writing for several online and print media that have included Atlanta Woman, PINK, ICON (NYC), InStyle, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine, Jezebel, INTown Papers, Atlanta Home Improvement, Birmingham Business Journal, Birmingham Magazine and Portico Magazine. Grebe is married with two children and resides in Atlanta, GA. Contact: helengrebe@yahoo.com.
Mary Frances Jones, Communication Strategist
Mary Frances is a communication strategist with more than 15 years experience in marketing, communication and user experience strategy, including go-to-market planning, content strategy, user requirements gathering, heuristics, persona development and usability research. Regardless of the project, Mary Frances approaches every communication challenge with a singular goal: to deeply understand user needs and deliver interactive, on-brand experiences that meet them. Her clients have included Intercontinental Hotels Group, SunTrust, PGi, Centers for Disease Control, VF Jeanswear, User Insight, Scoutmob, The Rocket Science Group (MailChimp) and several Internet technology start-ups. Mary Frances currently owns and manages Two Way Dialogue, a collective of writers, designers and technologists that creates engaging, interactive communication tools. Prior to Two Way, Mary Frances served as User Experience Researcher at The Open University of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain, where she explored a variety of user research methods, including galvanic skin sensors, facial scanning and affect-tagging. Mary Frances was also a Principal and Lead Researcher for Fuzzy Logic Toys, a technology start-up that developed a patent-pending, e-learning system for deaf preschool children. Contact: maryfrances@twowaydialogue.com.
Ellen Bookman, Media Relations Specialist
Ellen Bookman is a 20+ PR veteran with expertise in areas, including media relations, franchise recruitment, strategic consulting, and event management. Over the years, Bookman has specialized in Consumer Products: The Athlete’s Foot, Delta Airlines; Amdro Fire Ant Bait; Russell Corporation; and Jerzees American Active Wear; Franchises: Dunkin’ Donuts; Mr. Clean Car Wash; Edible Arrangements; Shane’s Rib Shack and Planet Smoothie; Travel Destinations: Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa and Beaches of South Walton; Consumer Healthcare: Northside Hospital and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; and Non-profits: The Rosalyn Carter Institute for Caregivers; The Marcus Institute; All About Developmental Disabilities; United Way and the American Red Cross. A career built on working in Miami and Atlanta’s elite PR firms, Ellen has now formed her own company, Bookman Public Relations where she continues to focus on the development and implementation of brand building opportunities for consumer clients with a specialty in franchise recruitment. Contact: ellenbookman@att.net.
Stephanie Armstead, Sustainability Specialist
With over 19 years of experience in media relations, publicity and event planning, Melanie Pope has serviced a variety of clients in the consumer, entertainment, sports, education and non-profit industries.
Pope was instrumental in launching a publicity campaign for Stone Mountain Park’s newest attraction in 25 years, Crossroads, supervising a successful satellite media tour in over ten markets. Pope’s film background includes a feature film for New Line Cinema. She served as unit publicist handling all press visits and talent interviews including E! Television, Entertainment Weekly and SPIN magazine. She also supervised the gallery photography shoot, behind-the-scenes shoots and wrote the press kit copy. Additionally, Pope has worked with the writer/director/producer Joe Camp (For the Love of Benji, Benji the Hunted) in his national search for Benji #4 and handled all press opportunities surrounding his stop in Atlanta. National and local press hits included FOX’s Good Day Atlanta, Daily Variety, Associated Press and The Atlanta Journal.
Before starting her own consulting business in September 2000, Pope was director of publicity and unit publicist for TBS Superstation overseeing unit publicity, media relations, talent relations and event planning for the network’s original movie franchise. During her time in this position, Pope oversaw publicity campaigns for such television films as High Noon, First Daughter, Fatal Error, On Hostile Ground and First Target. She worked directly with national media, talent and producers, as well as serving as a liaison between the production and the network. Pope also planned, executed and coordinated industry screenings in the New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Nashville markets.
Prior to working with the original movie franchise, Pope was manager of publicity for TBS’s award-winning documentaries and specials. Such shows included Dying to Tell the Story, The Hidden Zoo, Nascar at 50 and the company’s annual Trumpet Awards event. Contact: mtpope@mindspring.com.
Jeff Withem, Planning & Messaging Specialist
Jeff Withem enables businesses to unlock value by creating clarity from chaos. Jeff provides clients with strategic planning services that align the organization and its resources toward well-defined goals. He ensures focus by developing key messages for deployment across all platforms and stakeholders. Jeff brings to Trevelino/Keller and X/Pert Net more than two decades of business success as an entrepreneur, as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 firm, and as both client and consultant for hundreds of PR, marketing, communications, and planning engagements. Jeff can be found at jeffwithem.com.
Caran Smith, Public Relations Specialist
Bringing more than 15 years of corporate and agency experience, Caran Smith is a seasoned communications professional. Her experience ranges from working with Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and everything in between. Caran brings a wealth of knowledge and ability to create and execute strategic, results-oriented communications programs. She brings a proven track record and skill set in strategic public relations and media outreach as well as a solid foundation in brand positioning, executive visibility, analyst relations, crisis communication and community outreach. With almost ten years of her time in the telecommunications/wireless industry, Caran most recently served on the senior leadership team for Verizon Wireless’ Georgia/Alabama Region where she led the public relations efforts for the two-state area. From launching new service to a new product line, she was responsible for the development and execution of comprehensive communications programs focused on increasing awareness of the company’s network, products, service, customer service and more. She was consistently recognized as one of the company’s top PR professionals nationwide for her efforts that focused on driving media coverage, consumer awareness and overall sales growth. In addition, she developed and oversaw the PR practice at Knowlagent, an innovative software company that delivers solutions for today’s complex customer call center environments. While there, she spearheaded a robust analyst relations program that resulted in the company inclusion in two Gartner Magic Quadrant reports. In addition, she served as an Senior Account Manager at Socket Public Relations where her clients included a wireless equipment provider, an aggregated billing solution for the telecom industry and an entrepreneurial computer developer. Caran has served in various corporate communications roles where she has launched new service markets, new product lines, business-to-business specific initiatives and special events. As a part of this work, she launched more than 12 new service markets across the Southeast for Sprint PCS. Caran can be found at caran.smithpr@gmail.com
Christy Douglas, New Technology Web Specialist
Christy Douglas’ is an Internet Technology Specialist with over 13 years of experience. She strives to know the latest technologies and is a breakthrough trend observer. Her online initiatives are designed to synchronize with your desired brand communication, with special attention to your target audience in mind. Using a combination of high-quality presentation and high value features, she develops world-class websites. Her specific code skillset includes: Facebook App Development, Javascript, Ajax, jQuery, Flash, HTML5 and CSS3. Her web design and development process begins by gathering information about your organization. She’ll then look at your mission, goals, user needs, and technical requirements to design a website that is a custom fit. Over the years she has developed her own brand of usability testing that helps ensure your visitors find what they need on your website and have an experience that compels them to return. Christy has worked with large and small companies alike. Some of her recent accomplishments include BMW, Baylor University, Georgia Tech, Earthlink, Idearc and Verizon. Whether it is a complete website redesign, new logo, usability studies, or all of these. Regardless of your choice, the end result will be a visually pleasing, easy to navigate, feature-rich website that returns results.
Contact: c.douglas@digitalshake.com
John Otto, CMS and Mobile Strategist, Developer
John Otto has over 15 years of experience in interactive design and programming, specializing in websites with a mobile focus and content management. He is a CMS solutions expert, mobile technology developer and website framework architect. He specializes in custom PHP, MySQL, XML, jQuery and CSS/XHTML development as well as ASP/.NET. He employs advanced experience applying these skills to various CMS platforms such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and Ektron400 as well as the mobile environment for iOS and Android. He focuses primarily on the user experience and the “immediate action” nature of mobile site functionality in every framework assesment and mobile design. John has worked with Fortune 500s, mid-sized enterprises and start-up companies in industries spanning technology, media, mobile, retail and professional services. His projects include work with UPS, Darden, Bluechip Recruiting, ACGO, ESPN and Nakajima USA, among others.
In order to convey your business more effectively and reach larger audiences, John aims to understand your needs, both technical and organizational. He will empower you with a website solution and CMS tools that are easy to maintain and use. His ultimate goal is to increase your income, attract and retain visitors, build stronger relationships online and reduce operating costs.
Contact: j.otto@digitalshake.com
