Guided by values.

Using tools from PR, digital marketing and social media, we craft campaigns that inspire people.

Here’s how we do it.

One team. All in.

Grit, curiosity and empathy drive us all at Mission North. We know how to work hard, have a lot of fun, get things done and stick up for each other. Because there’s nothing more important to us than our people.

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Bill Bourdon

Co-CEO

Bill has 20+ years of experience partnering with technology companies at every stage — from stealth to Fortune 50.
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Talent at work: Turning ideas into impact
Secret weapon: Seeing around corners
Thing you’d never know: You’ll never know

Bill has 20+ years of experience partnering with technology companies at every stage — from stealth to Fortune 50. He serves as chief counsel to clients in our Trust, Growth, Transportation and Logistics, and Venture Capital practices, including BigID, Google, LinkedIn, Skyryse, Scale Venture Partners and Ping Identity. When he’s not advising clients, Bill focuses on developing Mission North’s award-winning culture and experimenting with new storytelling techniques. Bill is a frequent commentator and contributor on the future of technology, media and communications. His articles have been published in Adweek, Harvard Business Review, TechCrunch and VentureBeat.

Prior to joining Mission North, Bill was vice president of marketing for a media startup, where he led all marketing, licensing and distribution strategy around the company’s filmed entertainment properties. Before that, he managed product PR and corporate communications for some of the Internet’s pioneering brands, including AOL and Netscape, while working at A Good Seed Production, Blanc and Otus and Niehaus Ryan Wong.

Bill began his career in public health, directing a federally funded nonprofit program for several years before being appointed to serve as a Special Assistant to San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the San Francisco Education Fund.

Bill lives in San Francisco with his wife, Kate, and their sons Ben and Sebastian.

He graduated from St. Lawrence University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and writing.
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Tyler Perry

Co-CEO

Tyler has more than 20 years of experience providing strategic counsel to startups and larger brands, and still gets irrationally excited telling stories about the companies that are changing how we live, work and play.
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Talent at work: Ideation and activation
Secret weapon: A killer celebrity doppelganger name
Thing you’d never know: I was in a pet fashion show

Tyler has more than 20 years of experience providing strategic counsel to startups and larger brands, and still gets irrationally excited telling stories about the companies that are changing how we live, work and play. She co-leads Mission North as well as the company’s product strategy and integration work. A generalist at heart, Tyler oversees the company’s Fintech, Future of Work and Life Sciences practices, and has worked with a wide range of brands, past and present, including Betterment, Ginkgo Bioworks, L’Oreal, Braintree, Venmo and Flatiron School.

In her previous life, Tyler worked with emerging fashion, lifestyle and retail companies on building brands and driving consumer acquisition. She started her PR career during the dotcom heyday and enjoyed every ridiculous minute of it, leaving only for a few years to moonlight as a hedge fund analyst.

Tyler is the ringleader of the Williams College mafia at Mission North. Her pug Tots is a regular fixture in the New York office, as are the trials and tribulations of her two very spirited boys.
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Shannon Hutto

Partner and General Manager, West Coast

Known for landing fast results and her outstanding client service ethic, Shannon leads the agency’s West Coast operations.
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Talent at work: Team builder
Secret weapon: Really listening to what people say
Thing you’d never know: First job was a high school shop teacher

Known for landing fast results and an outstanding client service ethic, Shannon leads the agency’s West Coast operations. Aligning her clients’ business goals with creative, aggressive campaigns is a strength and passion of hers, and she brings this vigor to all her client and agency work. Shannon enjoys digging into strategic initiatives for her clients, including integrated campaign building, messaging, media training and storyline development.

As the lead of Mission North’s Trust and Future Stack practices, Shannon’s primary areas of expertise lie in IT security, privacy and enterprise tech. Always learning, Shannon enjoys contributing across all our practice areas to offer a fresh perspective and lend her varied experience to all of our teams.

Shannon’s family keeps her on her toes when she’s not in the office. She is a proud Eph from Williams College, where she graduated with a bachelor’s in history.
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Michael Andrews

CFO

Michael’s passion is helping people-centric businesses grow.
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Talent at work: Efficiency and analytics
Secret weapon: Spreadsheet wizardry and cardio
Thing you’d never know: Host of “The All Request Show” radio program in college

Michael’s passion is helping people-centric businesses grow. He provides financial leadership, strategic thinking and an analytical approach to Mission North.

Michael has 25 years of experience with businesses in multiple industries, including advertising, design and retail. And he’s worked with purpose-driven SF Bay Area brands like Fort Beer Company, Smitten Ice Cream, Homeroom Mac & Cheese and Jamba Juice (the latter of which he helped take public).

Michael is a kid at heart and is happiest in a bouncy house with his children or playing ‘Michael Monster’ with his kids’ friends.

He lives in San Rafael with his wife, Alicia, and their two sons and has an MBA from The University of Kansas. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
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Nicole Messier

EVP & General Manager, East Coast

Nicole is a champion for integrated storytelling and building the most creative agency with the happiest team.
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Talent at work: Finding a solution, there’s always a better way
Secret weapon: Learn by doing
Thing you’d never know: I secretly wish to be a chef one day

Nicole is a champion for integrated storytelling and building the most creative agency with the happiest team. Her career spans nearly two decades of work at both agencies and in-house for high-growth startups and corporations, managing brand activations, product launches and navigating critical inflection points from crises to IPOs.

As Executive Vice President and General Manager, Nicole manages a portfolio of fintech and consumer clients. She also oversees the day-to-day operations of our East Coast offices.

Nearly two decades of experience has afforded Nicole a diverse career with agencies like Edelman and PAN Communications, and included eight years in-house at brands like HelloFresh, Radial, Altisource and Apprenda.

Nicole is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and her happy place is on the ski slopes with her husband and three kids.
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Gillian Davis

Head of People

A believer in a heart and spine-centered approach to human resources, Gillian brings 15 years of experience in technology and digital advertising to Mission North.
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Talent at work: Somehow getting it all done
Secret weapon: Uncanny ability to predict the future
Thing you’d never know: Swedish radio once interviewed me about finding a Viking age memorial stone

A believer in a heart and spine-centered approach to human resources, Gillian brings 15 years of experience in technology and digital advertising to Mission North. She’s held senior positions with Razorfish, Havas Media and Tesla.

She now leads the People function at Mission North, looking after employee engagement, recruiting and HR strategy to support all aspects of the employee lifecycle.

Gillian is an avid champagne and wine taster. Having lived and worked in France for three years, she now thoroughly enjoys the California countryside for her love of amazing, local olive oil, cheese and, of course, wine. A former ski instructor and native of Seattle, she now enjoys the sunnier slopes of Tahoe and Mammoth with her family.

She graduated from the University of Washington with BS degrees in international studies and anthropology.
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Kerry Baker

Senior Vice President

Kerry’s passion is telling meaningful stories about inspiring people.
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Talent at work: Working hard while having fun every day
Secret weapon: Her “let’s try it” attitude
Thing you’d never know: Half marathons are her thing

Kerry’s passion is telling meaningful stories about inspiring people. She has spent her career helping companies connect their voice and style with the right platforms to build awareness and grow mindshare. Kerry co-leads Mission North’s Trust and Future Stack Practices, with experience providing strategic advice and managing global and local campaigns for leading innovators in cybersecurity, quantum computing, AI, enterprise infrastructure, data management and DevOps.

Her media relations campaigns have generated features in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Popular Science and Bloomberg TV.

She is known for developing Mission North’s speakers bureau process, whose infrastructure supports the placement of hundreds of executives at events all over the world.

Previously, Kerry worked at Liaison PR, where she worked with animation and graphics companies like NVIDIA, Kaydara (now Autodesk) and Luxology (now The Foundry), and was instrumental in developing the agency’s enterprise practice.

Kerry graduated from University of Oregon with degrees in communications and journalism. She enjoys running, traveling and a really good cup of coffee.
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Rachael Cassidy

Senior Vice President

An accomplished communications strategist with 15 years of experience in media and public relations, Rachael forged her early career in broadcast journalism in Sydney, Australia.
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Talent at work: Straight-shooting
Secret weapon: Australian accent
Thing you’d never know: Can perform handstand push-ups on demand

An accomplished communications strategist with 15 years of experience in media and public relations, Rachael forged her early career in broadcast journalism in Sydney, Australia. In 2006, after several years as an Australian political reporter she became the Macquarie Radio Network’s youngest and first female news director before pursuing senior public relations roles in Government, sport and non-profit sectors.

Prior to joining Mission North, Rachael was an associate director at Media and Capital Partners, managing PR strategy, media relations, training and crisis communications for a portfolio of Australian startups across consumer technology, fintech and digital health.

Rachael leads Mission North’s Future of Work Practice and her global perspective and passion for unearthing great stories is now helping clients like Google, Gusto, Expensify and Ping Identity reach new heights.

Rachael has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from the University of Western Sydney and a Graduate Diploma in Radio Broadcasting from the Australian Television and Radio School.
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Grace Emery

Senior Vice President

Grace brings her lifelong love of planning to Mission North’s Fintech, Future Stack and Life Sciences practices.
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Talent at work: Mobilizing the dream team
Secret weapon: Obscure grammar knowledge
Thing you’d never know: Mediocre cellist and beer brewer

Grace brings her lifelong love of planning to Mission North’s Fintech and Future of Work practices, driving strategic media campaigns that map back to the goals that matter most for clients. Her current clients include Betterment, Waystar, Policygenius and Ultimate Software.

Grace got her start in healthcare and hospitality PR, and honed her technology skills at Highwire PR’s San Francisco office where she worked on a variety of B2B and digital health accounts.

When she’s not delighting her teams and clients at work, Grace is checking new restaurants off a lengthy excel tracker and embracing all the Brooklyn stereotypes she can, vinyl records and homebrew included.

Grace has a B.A. in Political Science from Whitman College.
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Ben Friedland

Senior Vice President

Ben has over 15 years of PR and marketing experience. He co-leads the Growth and Transportation & Logistics practices.
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Talent at work: Cracking jokes while putting out (figurative) fires
Secret weapon: Ramen
Thing you’d never know: Obsessed with Arsenal Football Club

Ben has over 15 years of PR and marketing experience. He co-leads the Growth and Transportation & Logistics practices, with extensive expertise working with companies in the privacy, retail, data, analytics, marketing and future of work industries. Ben helped launch Mission North’s pro bono program, helping nonprofits like Code2040 and Technovation better define and communicate their vision and impact. Whether it’s launching from stealth or preparing for IPO, Ben specializes in designing corporate narratives and developing high-impact communications strategies.

Ben has two young kids and will show pictures of them to anyone who shows even the slightest interest. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.
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Elinor Mills

Senior Vice President, Content Studio

Elinor’s career path was laid out early. After she wrote a short biographical essay (which not surprisingly, focused on the family dog), her sixth-grade teacher told her she would be a writer.
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Talent at work: Tapping the inner writer in everyone
Secret weapon: Self-effacing enthusiasm
Thing you’d never know: Lover of Hacker culture and long-time Burner

Elinor’s career path was laid out early. After she wrote a short biographical essay (which not surprisingly, focused on the family dog), her sixth-grade teacher told her she would be a writer. And so it came to be; Elinor got a master’s degree in journalism and worked as a professional reporter and editor for 22 years for the Associated Press, Reuters, IDG, The Industry Standard and CNET/CBS Interactive.

In 2012, she joined the Mission North to lead the budding content practice and help with media relations strategy. She has overseen the expansion of the Mission North Content Studio to include a team of full-time writers and content wizards, leads media training for clients, and serves as in-house journalistic filter for all types of communications. Elinor keeps tabs on all things security related as part of her work in the company’s burgeoning Trust practice group. She also continues to write about the tech industry and helps produce panels, parties and other influencer events on behalf of Mission North.

In her spare time, Elinor focuses on communications related to animal protection and rights issues and spends time with dogs.

She graduated from the University of Arizona and was one of the few students who actually made it to the early morning classes.
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Melissa Musiker

Senior Vice President

Melissa Musiker is a Senior Vice President who leads the Life Sciences practice at Mission North.
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Talent at work: Big, bold strategic thinking
Secret weapon: Asking tough and incisive questions
Thing you’d never know: Globetrotting foodie

Melissa Musiker is a Senior Vice President who leads the Life Sciences practice at Mission North. She builds integrated external engagement programs that bring measurable and timely increases in awareness, enhance reputations and have meaningful business impact. Most recently, Melissa led international public affairs and global issues management for McDonald’s Corporation. Prior to that, she spent eight years at APCO Worldwide focused on communications strategy for clients seeking to engage along the continuum of agriculture, food, nutrition, healthcare, wellbeing and sustainability. While at APCO, she led the commercialization of an award winning model for mapping social media thought leadership to inform corporate strategy and campaigns.
Melissa has a bachelor’s in Nutrition Sciences from Cornell University. Prior to working in communications, she was a practicing clinical dietitian. She also has a master’s in public policy, with a concentration in health policy and econometrics, from the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy.
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Lauren Scherr

Senior Vice President of Content Strategy

Lauren is a writer and strategist who combines creativity and the ability to turn big ideas into reality.
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Talent at work: Connecting the dots between big ideas
Secret weapon: An eclectic reading list
Thing you’d never know: Fire on the dance floor

Lauren is a writer, strategist, and champion of equity, diversity, and inclusion. She leads Mission North’s Content Studio with a focus on connecting audiences with great stories and evolving our products to make the greatest possible impact for our clients.

She also drives corporate and product positioning, thought leadership, and content strategy for brands ranging from stealth startups to life sciences innovators to Google and LinkedIn. She specializes in distilling narratives into their simplest form and shaping points of view that influence audiences and move markets.

Lauren’s previous communications experience spans consumer and B2B tech, including Jasper (acquired by Cisco), Slice (acquired by Rakuten), and The Sims (the best-selling franchise from EA).
Lauren calls Brooklyn and Honolulu home and graduated from Georgetown University. She enjoys reading and writing creative nonfiction.
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Courtney Chennells

Vice President

With 10 years of agency experience, Courtney has represented technology and financial services brands big and small in the US and EMEA, specializing in fintech and venture capital.
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Talent at work: Keeping teams and clients focused on the “why”
Secret weapon: An unplaceable but vaguely British-sounding accent
Thing you’d never know: I am eerily good at celebrity sightings

Courtney is an integrated PR and communications strategist guided by big picture impact. With 10 years of agency experience, Courtney has represented technology and financial services brands big and small in the US and EMEA, specializing in fintech and venture capital.

At Mission North, Courtney has brought integrated, audience-driven PR and content programs to life for clients including Albert, Anthemis, Hum Capital, Gemini, Policygenius and Scale Venture Partners. She leads the agency’s VC practice, where she is focused on strengthening the agency’s connectivity to the venture community.

Courtney also leads E3thos, Mission North’s corporate social responsibility program. Courtney is originally from Cape Town, South Africa, and holds a finance degree from the University of Cape Town.
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Victoria Butler

Vice President

Victoria brings over a decade of strategic communications experience to her work at Mission North.
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Talent at work: Helping teams get it all done
Secret weapon: To-do list makeovers
Thing you’d never know: Has a film credit as a stunt double

Victoria brings over a decade of strategic communications experience to her work at Mission North. With a background in both consumer and enterprise technology, Victoria’s passion is bridging the gap between complex technologies and the stories that resonate with media. As a trusted leader, she guides and mentors her teams to think big and learn every day. Her clients include LinkedIn, ThoughtSpot and Invoca.

Victoria joined Mission North from SutherlandGold Group, where she spent five years working with startups like Jaunt Virtual Reality, Xamarin (acquired by Microsoft), Chegg and Sunrun.

A Bay Area local, Victoria graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in English Literature. You can usually find her exploring different parks in the city with her family, sampling new wines or curled up with a good book.
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James Niccolai

Vice President of Content and Media Strategy

With deep knowledge of data center infrastructure, cloud and other enterprise technologies, James helps Mission North clients identify and craft compelling stories that matter to their businesses.
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Talent at work: Crafting stories that people want to read
Secret weapon: Concision
Thing you’d never know: Cycles up mountains for fun

With deep knowledge of cloud infrastructure, data platforms and other enterprise technologies, James helps Mission North clients identify and craft compelling stories that matter to their businesses.

James cut his teeth as a journalist at the Quincy Patriot Ledger newspaper south of Boston, where he bemused locals with his strange English accent while reporting on fires, traffic accidents and local politics. He then spent 20 years as a technology reporter and editor for IDG News Service in San Francisco and Paris.

James joined Mission North in 2016 to help evolve enterprise strategy for the content studio and media teams. With rich experience as a journalist, he identifies newsworthy angles to pitch reporters and produces a range of editorial content including thought leadership articles and blog posts.

Born in London, James graduated from Boston’s Northeastern University with a degree in history and journalism. When he’s not at work, you can often find him on his bicycle riding through the hills in Marin and Oakland.
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Jessie Birkhofer

Senior Account Director

A perfectionist at heart, Jessie leaves no ‘t’ uncrossed and no stone unturned when it comes to designing custom communications programs.
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Talent at work: Holding teams, clients and herself accountable
Secret weapon: Instant acronym generator
Thing you’d never know: Enthusiastic Fleetwood Mac fan

A perfectionist at heart, Jessie leaves no ‘t’ uncrossed and no stone unturned when it comes to designing custom communications programs. She thrives in a fast-paced environment; if she encounters chaos, she won’t be satisfied until every challenge is overcome and every party is happy. At Mission North, she currently leads teams for Trust and Future Stack clients, including Google, Ping Identity, Tessian and ThoughtSpot.

Prior to joining the world of enterprise tech, Jessie represented consumer products and services in food, transportation, architecture and design industries. Earlier in her career, she honed her project and client management skills as a website project manager at Santa Barbara-based software company AppFolio.

Jessie graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she earned a bachelor’s in global and international studies. Outside of work, you can find her reading novels collected at her bi-monthly, White Elephant-style book swap; indulging in San Francisco’s thriving restaurant scene; or adventuring around the Bay Area.
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Chris Heine

Senior Director of Content and Media Strategy

Chris brings a wealth of knowledge to Mission North on the subjects of marketing technology, interactive advertising, digital branding, social media and e-commerce.
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Talent at work: Assembling story ingredients
Secret weapon: Rapid-response content
Thing you’d never know: Great-great-great grandson of pioneer newspaper family

Chris brings a wealth of knowledge to Mission North on the subjects of marketing technology, interactive advertising, digital branding, social media and e-commerce. As a news reporter, he began covering internet businesses right out of college in 1999, breaking into the field at Direct Marketing News while having a front-row seat to the digital economy’s first boom and bust.

Over the years, he broke several big news stories, including Facebook’s introduction of the “Like” button in 2010 and Snapchat’s Ads API in 2016. Leaving Adweek’s post of Technology Editor to join Mission North’s Growth Practice in ’17, Chris delivers high-level strategy and granular tactics for our Content Studio and media teams. He pinpoints newsworthy angles to pitch reporters and creates a breadth of editorial content including thought leadership articles and blog posts.

Hailing from the Great Plains, Chris graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor of Journalism degree. During his free time, he enjoys various Brooklyn activities with his family, general sports fandom, movies, concerts and card games.
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Andre Smith

Senior Director of Digital Strategy

As a Senior Director of Digital Strategy, Andre Smith has over 10 years of experience leveraging a unique mix of digital insights and data analytics to provide actionable insights and strategic pathways forward for clients across a variety of industries.
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Talent at work: I can have 50 tabs open and find exactly what I need
Secret weapon: Making the best chocolate chip cookies, no one can resist!
Thing you’d never know: Rollercoasters scare me

As a Senior Director of Digital Strategy, Andre Smith has over 10 years of experience leveraging a unique mix of digital insights and data analytics to provide actionable insights and strategic pathways forward for clients across a variety of industries.

As an industry-agnostic practitioner, Mr. Smith has leveraged his expertise to advise clients such as Johnson & Johnson, Duke Energy, McDonald’s, P&G and Audi. Most recently, Andre co-developed and spearheaded the Coronavirus Response Index: a real-time measurable tracker of brand communication and subsequent consumer response during the height of the pandemic. This index leveraged both data science and qualitative analysis, and resulted not only in data-driven recommendations, but also provided a sense of reassurance for our clients.

Andre joins us from APCO Worldwide, where he led their proprietary influencer science practice. In addition, Andre sat at the nexus of digital, data science and insight offerings, ensuring cohesion between all practice areas. Mr. Smith is a graduate of Ohio University’s College of Business.
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Laura Wetzel

Senior Account Director

Laura is a word nerd and audience adapter. She brings nine years of communications expertise to Mission North’s Growth and Transportation & Logistics practices.
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Talent at work: Understanding the importance of details
Secret weapon: Avid alliteration aficionado
Thing you’d never know: Has a motorcycle license

Laura is a word nerd and audience adapter. She brings nine years of communications expertise to Mission North’s Growth and Transportation & Logistics practices. Laura uses deep curiosity to uncover storytelling threads, connect them to business goals and frame ideas in a clear way that inspires action.

With a background in consulting for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Laura prefers the wild ride of tech to the public sector pace. Before Mission North, she steered PR strategy for technology clients in the energy, mobility and logistics industries as a director at Antenna Group.

Outside of work, you might find Laura trying to identify the secret ingredients in a dish she’s eating or figuring out the names of all the mesmerizing plants in the Bay Area.

Laura graduated with a B.A. in Biology & Society from Cornell University.
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Allie Carmichael

Director of Content Strategy

Allie uses her love of words and ideas to help tell client stories as a content strategist.
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Talent at work: Slaying writer’s block
Secret weapon: Green tea and list-making
Thing you’d never know: Former jazz musician

Allie uses her love of words and ideas to help tell client stories as a content strategist. She knows how to make even the most technical content shine through a mix of wordsmithing and curiosity.

At Mission North, Allie helps security executives at Google, Armis and Reliaquest distill complex narratives into engaging articles, blog posts and social media content. She also provides strategic guidance on thought leadership and digital strategy for various other clients.

During her five years writing for tech companies, Allie has lent her storytelling abilities to clients like Twilio, Endgame and JustWorks.

Outside of Mission North’s Brooklyn office, Allie can be found consuming as many books, podcasts and news stories as possible or hiking in the Hudson Valley. She earned a BA in English from Binghamton University.
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Danny Casarella

Account Director

Danny is a fintech enthusiast, bringing a big personality and bigger heart to his work. He inspires his teams to apply their full selves to their work and loves creativity.
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Talent at work: Has a meme/gif handy for any reaction
Secret weapon: Infectious enthusiasm
Thing you’d never know: Holds a second degree black belt in Taekwondo; is an Eagle Scout

Danny is a fintech enthusiast, bringing a big personality and bigger heart to his work. He inspires his teams to apply their full selves to their work and loves creativity. At Mission North, he currently leads teams for Fintech, Future of Work and Future Stack clients, including Anthemis, Betterment for Business, DigitalOcean and Expensify.

Prior to joining Mission North, Danny represented investment management and professional services brands across the industry, including Ernst & Young, Lazard Asset Management, Insight Investment and State Street Global Advisors — where he had the chance to contribute to the launch of the Fearless Girl campaign.

Danny graduated from Fordham University with a BA in Communication and Media Studies. Outside of work, you can find him at any and every concert, thrifting for vinyl, or taste-testing pizza throughout NYC.
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Stephanie Leal

Senior Manager, HR and Operations

As a steward of Mission North’s culture, Stephanie ensures our team has a productive, inclusive and supportive place to work.
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Talent at work: Spreading positivity while problem-solving
Secret weapon: Anticipating situations that require chocolate
Thing you’d never know: Pop culture criticism enthusiast

As a steward of Mission North’s culture, Stephanie ensures our team has a productive, inclusive and supportive place to work.

She manages company-wide human resource initiatives including new-hire onboarding and orientation, benefits administration and ongoing employee advocacy. Her biggest motivator is Mission North’s values-driven mission, and she loves being a champion for the invest-in-team culture.

Prior to Mission North, Stephanie worked as an executive assistant in a real estate investment firm, supporting the General Counsel and legal team.

Stephanie is a born-and-raised Brooklynite and is thrilled to flex her operational muscles for a business in her hometown. She spends her free time moonlighting as a singer-songwriter and spreading her love of Coney Island.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in culture and communication from Ithaca College.
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China L. Martens

Director of Content Strategy

China joined Mission North in 2020 to expand the Content Studio and Future Stack practice. She draws on her experience to advise clients on analyst relations and to manage Mission North’s Dispatch blog.
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Talent at work: Crafting creative and compelling content
Secret weapon: Active listening
Thing you’d never know: Dw i’n dysgu Cymraeg — I’m learning Welsh!

China has written about and analyzed business software since the 1990s. She uses her deep knowledge of enterprise apps and her interviewing and writing expertise to help Mission North clients develop and perfect their content strategies.

Her career as a technology journalist and then an industry analyst with 451 Research and Forrester has taken China around the world. She has also worked as a content marketer for NetSuite and ASUG and conducted win/loss analysis research.

China joined Mission North in 2020 to expand the Content Studio and Future Stack practice. She draws on her experience to advise clients on analyst relations and to manage Mission North’s Dispatch blog.

Born in the South of England, China graduated from Leeds University with a degree in Modern Chinese Studies. While procrastinating about writing her first book, China loves to go to concerts in Boston, preferably punk, goth and indie bands.
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Jonathon O’Leary

Account Director

Jonathon is an experienced publicist and project manager who believes in the power of storytelling to make complex ideas come to life.
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Talent at work: Anticipating reporter pushback
Secret weapon: Love of research
Thing you’d never know: Started Irish dancing as a 4-year-old

Jonathon is an experienced publicist and project manager who believes in the power of storytelling to make complex ideas come to life. He’s committed to understanding his clients’ businesses from top to bottom, whether that means diving deep into the latest gene editing technology or learning about new approaches to sustainable design.

Prior to joining Mission North, Jonathon worked at BWK Public Relations, where he advised life sciences startups on media relations and communications strategy and was a PR consultant to the TED Fellows program and MIT’s International Design Center.

Outside of work, Jonathon can be found exploring Brooklyn’s coffee shops and restaurants or trying his hand at the latest baking recipe he finds online. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University.
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Marisa Semensohn

Account Director

Marisa is a director at Mission North, leading client accounts such as Ansys, Scale Venture Partners, Qualified, and more, with over 10 years of diverse communications experience ranging from B2B/B2C tech, public policy, and corporate communications.
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Talent at work: Supporting and mentoring teammates
Secret weapon: Obscure trivia nerd
Thing you’d never know: Grew up wanting to be a cartoonist

Marisa has a passion for mission-driven stories. She has successfully led strategic campaigns and media strategies for clients in high-growth businesses at a variety of stages, from large corporate companies to early-stage startups.

Marisa is a director at Mission North, leading client accounts such as Ansys, Scale Venture Partners, Qualified, and more, with over 10 years of diverse communications experience ranging from B2B/B2C tech, public policy, and corporate communications.

Prior to joining Mission North, Marisa got her start working for a human services advocacy nonprofit where she drove workforce advocacy initiatives on behalf of nonprofits across both New York City and New York State. After transitioning to PR agency life, she worked with early-stage enterprise tech startups at Gravitate PR, working with clients like Traackr, Beddr, and FaceFirst, and larger-scale corporate companies within 5WPR’s corporate practice, including clients such as Docupace, Sedgwick, and NeuroLeadership.

Marisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master of Science in Urban Policy Analysis and Management from The New School.
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Lindsey Shumway

Account Director

Lindsey brings more than 15 years of experience driving integrated public relations, marketing and social media strategy and campaigns for leading B2B and consumer brands in technology, food, nutrition, fashion and retail.
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Talent at work: Adaptability and attention to detail
Secret weapon: Calm under press (and with a smile)
Thing you’d never know: I played college football

Lindsey brings more than 15 years of experience driving integrated public relations, marketing and social media strategy and campaigns for leading B2B and consumer brands in technology, food, nutrition, fashion and retail.

With a love for storytelling, thought leadership and data-mining, Lindsey is passionate about communicating a brand’s story in a way that drives results. Her clients at Mission North have included Freshly, Goosehead, Gemini, Waystar and ServiceLink.

Prior to Mission North, Lindsey drove PR, social and marketing at Altisource and also worked at Cone Communications and Weber Shandwick, executing PR strategy for brands such as General Mills, Lindt, Orvis and Guiding Stars.

Lindsey is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College in Vermont and holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her outside – gardening, hiking with her dog, or reading a book.
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Kwabena Stefan

Director Media Strategy

Kwabena is a media-driven thinker who is always looking for creative and unique ways to secure coverage and reach client goals.
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Talent at work: Stress slayer
Secret weapon: Impromptu media tours
Thing you’d never know: Almost in a Russell Crowe movie

Kwabena is a media-driven thinker who is always looking for creative and unique ways to secure coverage and reach client goals. As a core member of Mission North’s Media Practice, Kwabena finds ways to empower the entire agency in media relations, and his knack for fitting client angles into broader industry trends has led to coverage in Bloomberg, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, Inc., The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, etc.

During his five-plus years at Mission North, Kwabena has worked across a variety of industries, including fintech, enterprise, life sciences and security, with clients including Betterment, Google, Ginkgo Bioworks and Ping Identity.

Kwabena is always searching for another great burger spot, and random facts on just about everything. A D.C. area native, he has taken his sports fandom up and down the east coast. Kwabena has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northeastern University.
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Danielle Stickler

Director Media Strategy

Danielle is a media maven with an eye for results. She is known for synthesizing complex stories, landing results and applying a journalist-first filter to every initiative.
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Talent at work: Positive energy that makes everyone smile
Secret weapon: Her Vans, rock t-shirts, and being the office DJ
Thing you’d never know: Was a NCAA Division-I athlete and swam for 16 years

Danielle is a media maven with an eye for results. She is known for synthesizing complex stories, landing results and applying a journalist-first filter to every initiative. Her ability to connect the dots between major trends, anticipate the next big story, and map her ideas back to client goals has led to coverage in Bloomberg, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and others.

At Mission North, Danielle is a core member of the media practice team. She brings her media chops to all practice groups but specializes in Growth stories and creative campaigns. She is also known for teamwork and willingness to help others hone their media craft.

Danielle attended Saint Louis University where she received her degree in communications with a focus on public relations and a minor in sports business. Outside the office, you can find Danielle spending time with her family or climbing hills in SoulCycle.
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Laura Sweet

Senior Finance Manager

Laura brings a wide range of skills to Mission North and has a knack for streamlining processes that help a business scale.
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Talent at work: Streamlining processes and systems
Secret weapon: A zen workspace
Thing you’d never know: She frequents the farmers market on Sundays

Laura brings a wide range of skills to Mission North and has a knack for streamlining processes that help a business scale. She has a roll-up-the-sleeves mentality and is passionate about supporting company-wide business initiatives with her analytical approach.

Prior to Mission North, Laura worked in finance and operations at a software engineering school for women. There she had the unique experience of managing finance and operations for the entire company, from its early stages as a bootstrapped startup through its acquisition by a major public company.

Laura has worked in the finance field for more than seven years and loves the challenge of juggling multiple projects, analyzing data to understand the fundamental workings of a business, and collaborating across teams. Her passion for data-driven strategy is what drew her to Mission North’s content-forward approach to PR.

In her spare time, you can find her road-tripping to Tahoe, working in her garden, or hiking in Marin with her dog Walter.

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from San Francisco State University.
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Alexis-Brianna Felix

Account Manager

During her Mission North tenure, Alexis has worked with clients across industries including cloud, fintech and quantum encryption. She currently leads teams within Mission North’s Future of Work, Life Sciences and Venture Capital practices.
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Talent at work: Mentoring her colleagues
Secret weapon: Tasty vegan snacks
Thing you’d never know: Once starred in a Blues Clues commercial

Alexis is a focused and strategic thinker with a knack for writing and a dedication to bringing out the best in her teams.

During her Mission North tenure, Alexis has worked with clients across industries including cloud, fintech and quantum encryption. She currently leads teams within Mission North’s Future of Work, Life Sciences and Venture Capital practices.

Alexis has developed thoughtful media and content strategies for a wide range of clients, from Fortune 50 companies to fast-growing startups. She previously worked at North of Nine Communications, supporting clients such as Intel, Tobii Pro and Society for Science & the Public.

Alexis is also co-chair of the Board of Trustees at Summer on the Hill, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that offers year-round academic enrichment for promising low-income public school students from the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.

Alexis is a graduate of Boston University’s College of Communication and trains in dance in her spare time.
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Megan Enright

Account Manager

Megan is a skilled media relations driver, thought leadership strategist and quick-thinker who excels at news-driven outreach to amplify key client messages.
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Talent at work: Organization and planning ahead
Secret weapon: Walking meetings
Thing you’d never know: Peloton enthusiast

Megan Enright is an Account Manager in our Brooklyn office. As part of the Gemini, Notarize and ServiceLink teams, she works closely with clients to learn what makes them unique and uncover new ways to elevate their points of view.

Megan is a skilled media relations driver, thought leadership strategist and quick-thinker who excels at news-driven outreach to amplify key client messages.

Megan started her career as a PR intern at Betterment and remains deeply interested in Fintech along with other practice areas. She’s worked with B2B and B2C clients including UiPath, Evoqua and more.

She graduated from Villanova University with a BA in Communications, with a specialization in Public Relations and minors in Business and Marketing.
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Katy Geguchadze

Account Manager

Over the course of her career, Katy has led programs across a variety of industries, including B2B, healthcare tech, food tech and not-for-profit.
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Talent at work: Media relations ninja
Secret weapon: Chocolate chip cookie connoisseur
Thing you’d never know: English is my second language

Katy’s specialty lies in forging strong relationships with everyone she works with — from national media and event showrunners, to clients and her teams.

Over the course of her career, Katy has led programs across a variety of industries, including B2B, healthcare tech, food tech and not-for-profit. She excels at creative ideation and program execution for thought leadership, media and speaking programs.

Her past and present clients include LifeStance Health, Motif FoodWorks, Freshly, Waystar, SAP, GetWellNetwork and McKesson.

Katy graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in History and Communication. When she’s away from her desk, you’ll likely find her on a bike, doing barre, making some type of pasta dish, or getting her two rambunctious cats out of trouble.
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Riley Gilleland

Account Manager

Riley’s special talent lies in her innovative storytelling, which she combines with a media-first mentality for all her clients and projects.
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Talent at work: Mapping towards big goals
Secret weapon: Office stash of essential oils
Thing you’d never know: Mob movies fangirl

Riley’s special talent lies in her innovative storytelling, which she combines with a media-first mentality for all her clients and projects. She is an executor first and foremost and known for delivering big wins for her clients, including top-tier placements in the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CNBC, Forbes, Fortune, Business Insider and others.

Her past and present clients include Google, ThoughtSpot, Narvar, Ansys, Ping Identity, Portworx, and Shape Security.

Riley joined Mission North from LEWIS Global Communications, where she worked with both industry giants like Infosys and innovative startups like DataScience (acquired by Oracle) and Evergage. Prior to that, Riley supported household consumer brands like Humana and GE Transportation at Edelman.

Riley is a movie buff and outside of work can be found viewing the latest box office hit. She graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in communication studies and marketing.
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Ali Ius

Account Manager

Ali has a love for writing and storytelling, which naturally brought her to PR. She loves every day being different and that she can go from mapping a client strategy to pitching journalists to writing a press release in a single afternoon.
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Talent at work: Calm under pressure
Secret weapon: A to-do list for her to-do list
Thing you’d never know: If not working in PR/comms, she would have been a dentist

Ali has a love for writing and storytelling, which naturally brought her to PR. She loves every day being different and that she can go from mapping a client strategy to pitching journalists to writing a press release in a single afternoon. She has a knack for problem-solving and approaches every client and project with a detail-oriented and thoughtful eye. At Mission North, Ali works across the Growth and Trust practices with clients including ReliaQuest, Google, Airship, Tessian, Orbital Insight, and Scalyr.

Ali joined Mission North from Matter Communications, where she worked with cybersecurity and consumer clients including Sectigo, Auth0, Signal Sciences, La Brea Bakery and Auspect Skincare.

Outside of the office, you can find Ali trying one of Portland’s new restaurants, watching the Food Network or on a run. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s in public relations.
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Julia Kelson

Content Strategist

A curious thinker and a lover of good stories, Julia uses the written word to bring her clients’ work to life as a Content Strategist.
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Talent at work: Equal parts organization and creativity
Secret weapon: Listening more than she talks
Thing you’d never know: Has a Friends reference handy for any situation

A curious thinker and a lover of good stories, Julia uses the written word to bring her clients’ work to life as a Content Strategist. At Mission North, Julia has shed light on small business owners’ experiences with Gusto, told technical hiring tales with HackerRank and explored the future of farming with Enko. She is also a regular contributor to Mission North’s blog, Dispatch.

She spent her early PR years spreading the word about Intel’s Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and the groundbreaking research of teenage scientists working with Society for Science & the Public.

Outside the office, Julia is a viola player, vintage clothing enthusiast and veggie pickler. While she’s a proud USC Trojan, she’ll go blank if you strike up a conversation about how the football season is going!
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Sean Lenehan

Account Manager

Sean surfs the cerebral aqueduct between his right and left brain every day, riding waves of strategic thinking and creativity for each project he undertakes.
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Talent at work: Charting PR ventures toward long-term business goals
Secret weapon: $20 words
Thing you’d never know: I once kissed the Blarney Stone

Sean surfs the cerebral aqueduct between his right and left brain every day, riding waves of strategic thinking and creativity for each project he undertakes.

His experience in communications and background in sociology lend him a broader worldview than most — with work that includes publicizing emerging technologies in mobility and energy, communicating public policy for both government and the private sector, speaking for established technology companies like LinkedIn and HP, and marketing content for entertainment companies like Disney, Sony and DC Comics.

When not attached to his computer or phone, he can often be found biking around Brooklyn or developing photos in his home darkroom.

Sean graduated with a double major in Communication and Science and Technology Studies from U.C. Davis.
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Katie Pesek

Account Manager

She is an Account Manager at Mission North, leading clients focused on security, e-commerce, and more.
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Talent at work: Determination, positivity and transparency
Secret weapon: A sense of humor
Thing you’d never know: Affinity for chain restaurants and SoulCycle

Katie Pesek is a public relations/communications professional with extensive experience in the cybersecurity and technology industries. She is an Account Manager at Mission North, leading clients focused on security, e-commerce, and more.

Katie was previously an Account Manager at Merritt Group, a DC-based integrated communications agency. Throughout her years in the field, she has worked with a variety of organizations spanning the internet of things (IoT), biometrics/authentication, zero trust security, artificial intelligence and more.

Katie stands by the mantra, “work hard, laugh hard.” By prioritizing mental health, she believes teams are able to succeed while feeling good doing so.

A former military brat and current east coaster, Katie graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s in Public Relations. She is based in Arlington, Virginia.
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Danny Pham

Media Strategist

Danny has over seven years of PR experience seeding and fostering years-long relationships with technology media, influencers and stakeholders in Silicon Valley and beyond.
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Talent at work: Tying strategy to trends
Secret weapon: Perseverance and positivity
Thing you’d never know: Side hustle: professional makeup artist

Danny has over seven years of PR experience seeding and fostering years-long relationships with technology media, influencers and stakeholders in Silicon Valley and beyond. At Mission North, Danny has led media efforts and secured impactful coverage for clients including Fetch Robotics, Qubole, Lob, Harness and many more, and is also an expert member of the agency’s Future Stack practice.

Prior to Mission North, Danny worked with major tech players including Salesforce, Autodesk, Intel and YouTube, helping refine product narratives to help these companies bring cutting-edge innovations to market.

Danny is a Bay Area native and graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. in public relations. Before his PR journey began, Danny worked abroad in South Korea teaching English at a high school. He is a full-blown Taurus and tries to enjoy the finer things in life whenever possible.
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Laura Scott

Account Manager

With a passion for all things fintech and healthcare, Laura brings a knack for media, strategic thinking, and team organization to Mission North.
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Talent at work: Acute attention to detail
Secret weapon: Instantly recognizing obscure actors in movies
Thing you’d never know: Can beatbox

With a passion for all things fintech and healthcare, Laura brings a knack for media, strategic thinking, and team organization to Mission North.

Laura loves to tell meaningful stories through creative media and thought leadership campaigns, on anything from America’s retirement crisis to uncovering the reasons behind alarming medical bills. At Mission North, she puts those skills to work leading teams in the Fintech and Life Sciences practices, including Albert, Betterment for Business, Ginkgo Bioworks, and Waystar.

Laura has over four years of experience managing PR campaigns for B2B finance and technology companies including the DTCC, FactSet, UiPath, Publicis Sapient and BAE Systems, as well as working in-house with the IT marketing department at Dell EMC.

Laura graduated from Lafayette College with a B.A. in English and Spanish. Outside of work, you can find her exploring downtown Manhattan, listening to true crime podcasts, and almost always sipping a cup of coffee.
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Chanel Sedeno

Account Manager

Chanel is a creative and entrepreneurial communications leader with proven success in helping companies – from start-ups to global brands – significantly grow awareness in an ever-evolving media landscape.
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Talent at work: Thinking outside the box
Secret weapon: A very contagious laugh
Thing you’d never know: World traveler with chronic case of the travel bug

Chanel is a creative and entrepreneurial communications leader with proven success in helping companies – from start-ups to global brands – significantly grow awareness in an ever-evolving media landscape.

Over the past six years, Chanel has held communications positions across a variety of industries including technology, medicine, finance and nonprofit. As an account manager at Mission North, she works with a number of clients in our Future of Work and Fintech practices.

Chanel previously worked for Clarity PR where she created bespoke campaigns for startups. Her specialties include media relations and strategic thinking, and former clients include Cadillac, Dyson, Brooks Running, and Entrupy.

She started her career at FleishmanHillard — in both their San Francisco and New York offices — working on accounts such as Autodesk, Kaiser Permanente and EA Sports.

Chanel holds a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from American University in Washington D.C.
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Liza Sweeney

Social Media Manager

A lifelong lover of storytelling and strategy, Liza has nine years of experience in the digital marketing and social media sectors.
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Talent at work: Data-driven social media strategy
Secret weapon: Finding the perfect gif for every situation
Thing you’d never know:Toured the UK in a synth-rock band

A lifelong lover of storytelling and strategy, Liza has nine years of experience in the digital marketing and social media sectors. Previously, she held managerial roles at Penguin Random House and 360i, where she developed and executed integrated marketing campaigns for a diverse range of brands and notable figures.

At Mission North, she provides her expertise in social listening, social channel engagement/growth, paid media and content development to a wide range of clients. She also leads company-wide social media learning initiatives and oversees strategy for the Mission North social channels.

In her free time, Liza works pro bono as a fiction editor for American Chordata, an award-winning literary magazine based in Brooklyn. She also loves to travel, particularly to the UK, where she attended graduate school.

Liza graduated from Santa Clara University with a bachelor’s degree in English, and she received her master’s in publishing from the University of the Arts London.
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Kara Yacovone

Account Manager

Kara Yacovone is an idea generator, creative writer, and self-identified member of the grammar police, which makes a career in communications a natural fit.
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Talent at work: Translating confusing jargon into simpler terms
Secret weapon: Detailed lists and continued follow up
Thing you’d never know: Avid skier and tennis player

Kara Yacovone is an idea generator, creative writer, and self-identified member of the grammar police, which makes a career in communications a natural fit.

As an Account Manager, Kara runs day-to-day activities for clients in our Life Science and Future of Work practices. With her go-getter attitude, Kara shares her clients’ stories through exceptional media placements and thoughtful content. She is a planner who is always looking forward and thinking about next steps.

Previously, Kara worked at Kellen Company, handling media relations and marketing strategy for consumer-facing clients in the food, parenting, and lifestyle sectors. She began her PR career at Krupp Kommunications, working with clients in the beauty, fitness, and lifestyle sectors.

When she is not brainstorming new ideas, Kara can be found eating her way through the New York City restaurant scene or planning which Broadway show she wants to see next. She earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in English from Penn State University.
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Creighton Vance

Media Strategist

A newshound with ears on the heartbeat of the industry, Creighton is a media specialist with considerable experience helping companies of all sizes tell stories that matter.
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Talent at work: Strategic narrative ideation and execution
Secret weapon: Ongoing need to remedy ignorance with curiosity
Thing you’d never know: Once DJ’d a rap show and made waffles live on stage

A newshound with ears on the heartbeat of the industry, Creighton is a media specialist with considerable experience helping companies of all sizes tell stories that matter. He cut his teeth defining messaging and market positioning for early stage startups at the most crucial moment in their evolution – debuting from stealth.

Fast-forward to 2019 and he’s a seven-year PR agency veteran with experience in everything from digital fitness and ed-tech to quantum encryption and developer tools. At Mission North, Creighton enjoys getting into the weeds of a company’s technology and working backwards from business goals to create and place stories that move the needle. He’s worked with goTenna, Google, Tile, Quantum Xchange, Zume and Autonomic, among others. A UCSB graduate, in his free time Creighton makes music, follows eSports and enjoys science fiction.

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Introducing Mission North

February 3, 2020

From Senior Associate to Partner & GM: Meet Mission North’s...

August 12, 2019

How Our Team Achieves Their Goals Beyond the Office

August 16, 2019

Hiring Great People