• 

  Annika Abdella

  Annika graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Political Science and Business Administration, along with minors in Psychology and Public Health. Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding complex global systems and advocating for social equity, culminating in a senior thesis researching the intersection of sexual violence and genocide through the lens of wartime rape. She brings hands-on experience across both the financial and nonprofit sectors, having completed co-ops at an asset management firm and a grassroots grant-giving organization. At Northeastern, Annika was actively involved in the university’s impact investing fund, helping to align capital with purpose to drive sustainable change. She was also an engaged member of her sorority, contributing to community-building and leadership initiatives. Outside of work, Annika is an avid reader, museum enthusiast, and passionate traveler. She’s a collector of crafting hobbies, a recent half-marathon finisher (with hopefully more to come), and a die-hard Red Sox fan.

  Associate,
  Capital Markets

  annika@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Annika graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Political Science and Business Administration, along with minors in Psychology and Public Health. Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding complex global systems and advocating for social equity, culminating in a senior thesis researching the intersection of sexual violence and genocide through the lens of wartime rape.

  She brings hands-on experience across both the financial and nonprofit sectors, having completed co-ops at an asset management firm and a grassroots grant-giving organization. At Northeastern, Annika was actively involved in the university’s impact investing fund, helping to align capital with purpose to drive sustainable change. She was also an engaged member of her sorority, contributing to community-building and leadership initiatives.

  Outside of work, Annika is an avid reader, museum enthusiast, and passionate traveler. She’s a collector of crafting hobbies, a recent half-marathon finisher (with hopefully more to come), and a die-hard Red Sox fan.

• 

  Shea Agnew

  Shea Agnew is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, where he leads the firm’s earned media strategy and executive positioning work. A storyteller by nature, clients turn to Shea for creative ideation, speechwriting, byline composition and placement, and corporate narrative development.  Shea joined Breakwater after spending four years in Suva, Fiji, where he headed communications for the Fijian government. As speechwriter to the Prime Minister and advisor to the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, he projected the voice of Fiji and other Small Island Developing States on the global stage, amplifying the stories of the world’s most climate-vulnerable populations.  Of note, Shea’s portfolio includes remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, the UNFCCC Conference of Parties climate summits (COP23, 24, and 25), World Bank Group Annual Meetings and Small States Forums, the Asian Development Bank Annual Meetings, the inaugural UN Habitat Assembly, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the World Urban Forum, and the Pacific Islands Forum. His audiences have included some of the world’s most influential figures –– various heads of state and government, royalty, secretaries-general, and major corporate leaders.  Shea’s experience covers issues of immense geopolitical significance and complex intercultural sensitivity, from climate change to interfaith healing. He worked on the ground in the wake of the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand and Easter bombings in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He represented Fiji in the planning of its country exhibition at EXPO 2020 Dubai, and was a member of the Fijian delegation at landmark international climate negotiations in both Tuvalu and Spain.  His career in strategic communications began at Edelman, where he specialized in executive positioning, C-suite thought leadership, and corporate branding. He worked to publicize the creation of the Star in Frisco, the multi-billion-dollar headquarters and practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys, from groundbreaking to ribbon-cutting.  Shea majored in international studies and government at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. While there, he studied marine biology in Culebra, Puerto Rico, Eastern culture in Beijing, China, and ancient history in Greece. He now splits his time between the U.S. and Brazil. 

  Vice
  President

  shea@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Shea Agnew is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, where he leads the firm’s earned media strategy and executive positioning work. A storyteller by nature, clients turn to Shea for creative ideation, speechwriting, byline composition and placement, and corporate narrative development. 

  Shea joined Breakwater after spending four years in Suva, Fiji, where he headed communications for the Fijian government. As speechwriter to the Prime Minister and advisor to the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, he projected the voice of Fiji and other Small Island Developing States on the global stage, amplifying the stories of the world’s most climate-vulnerable populations. 

  Of note, Shea’s portfolio includes remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, the UNFCCC Conference of Parties climate summits (COP23, 24, and 25), World Bank Group Annual Meetings and Small States Forums, the Asian Development Bank Annual Meetings, the inaugural UN Habitat Assembly, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the World Urban Forum, and the Pacific Islands Forum. His audiences have included some of the world’s most influential figures –– various heads of state and government, royalty, secretaries-general, and major corporate leaders. 

  Shea’s experience covers issues of immense geopolitical significance and complex intercultural sensitivity, from climate change to interfaith healing. He worked on the ground in the wake of the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand and Easter bombings in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He represented Fiji in the planning of its country exhibition at EXPO 2020 Dubai, and was a member of the Fijian delegation at landmark international climate negotiations in both Tuvalu and Spain. 

  His career in strategic communications began at Edelman, where he specialized in executive positioning, C-suite thought leadership, and corporate branding. He worked to publicize the creation of the Star in Frisco, the multi-billion-dollar headquarters and practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys, from groundbreaking to ribbon-cutting. 

  Shea majored in international studies and government at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. While there, he studied marine biology in Culebra, Puerto Rico, Eastern culture in Beijing, China, and ancient history in Greece. He now splits his time between the U.S. and Brazil. 

• 

  Anurag Andra

  Anurag serves as a Director within Breakwater Strategy’s Research and Insights team. He develops and manages strategic quantitative and qualitative research projects to mine valuable insights for clients looking to navigate the vast landscape of public opinion. He is experienced and adept at producing research proposals, surveys and discussion guides, data infrastructure and analysis materials, and insights reports in a wide variety of mediums and styles.  Prior to joining Breakwater Strategy, Anurag worked for several years in the market research and analytics space, at firms such as GfK, Greenwald Research, and IRi, where he oversaw and supported a plethora of diverse research projects and initiatives. He also spent four years in the creative writing and publishing space. While earning his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Colorado, Anurag served as a graduate research assistant with the Ritual Arts and Pedagogy Lab, as well as a graduate teaching assistant with the English Department. During his three-year tenure at the university, he published multiple short stories and wrote his first book, Submarine (Split/Lip Press, 2022).  Anurag holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. He was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Bridgewater, NJ. He is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan, still clinging (tenuously) to the glory of Superbowl LII. In his spare time, Anurag enjoys watching and talking about football, writing fiction, and spending time with his wife, friends, and family. 

  Director
  

  anurag@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Anurag serves as a Director within Breakwater Strategy’s Research and Insights team. He develops and manages strategic quantitative and qualitative research projects to mine valuable insights for clients looking to navigate the vast landscape of public opinion. He is experienced and adept at producing research proposals, surveys and discussion guides, data infrastructure and analysis materials, and insights reports in a wide variety of mediums and styles. 

  Prior to joining Breakwater Strategy, Anurag worked for several years in the market research and analytics space, at firms such as GfK, Greenwald Research, and IRi, where he oversaw and supported a plethora of diverse research projects and initiatives. He also spent four years in the creative writing and publishing space. While earning his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Colorado, Anurag served as a graduate research assistant with the Ritual Arts and Pedagogy Lab, as well as a graduate teaching assistant with the English Department. During his three-year tenure at the university, he published multiple short stories and wrote his first book, Submarine (Split/Lip Press, 2022). 

  Anurag holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. He was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Bridgewater, NJ. He is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan, still clinging (tenuously) to the glory of Superbowl LII. In his spare time, Anurag enjoys watching and talking about football, writing fiction, and spending time with his wife, friends, and family. 

• 

  Rob Bartnichak

  Rob is a Director at Breakwater Strategy. He brings experience in corporate communications, advocacy, and issue management. Throughout his career, he has helped advocacy organizations, government agencies, and corporations find effective messages and deliver them to key audiences. Prior to Breakwater, Rob was an Account Director at CLYDE, a communications and public affairs agency based in Washington, DC. At CLYDE, he worked in the healthcare space alongside Fortune 500 companies and a government initiative and spearheaded an agency podcast. Before CLYDE, Rob served as a Senior Manager, Digital Media and Communications at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform. He earned an M.A. in Media and Strategic Communication and a double major B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication/Political Science, both from George Washington University. When not in the office, you can find him watching the New Jersey Devils, New York Yankees, and New York Giants, reading the latest history book, or looking for his golf ball in the woods.

  Director
  

  rob@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Rob is a Director at Breakwater Strategy. He brings experience in corporate communications, advocacy, and issue management. Throughout his career, he has helped advocacy organizations, government agencies, and corporations find effective messages and deliver them to key audiences.

  Prior to Breakwater, Rob was an Account Director at CLYDE, a communications and public affairs agency based in Washington, DC. At CLYDE, he worked in the healthcare space alongside Fortune 500 companies and a government initiative and spearheaded an agency podcast. Before CLYDE, Rob served as a Senior Manager, Digital Media and Communications at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform. He earned an M.A. in Media and Strategic Communication and a double major B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication/Political Science, both from George Washington University.

  When not in the office, you can find him watching the New Jersey Devils, New York Yankees, and New York Giants, reading the latest history book, or looking for his golf ball in the woods.

• 

  Carly Bell

  As an Associate Director at Breakwater, Carly assists staff in the development and execution of strategic communications campaigns for a broad array of clients. Her main responsibilities include content development, media monitoring, research, and analysis.  Prior to joining the Breakwater team, Carly worked as a legal writing and revision specialist at Hudson Business Immigration, an employment-based immigration law firm, where she prepared legal documents for clients’ green card applications. She has experience communicating around technical scientific research in a variety of industries, including energy, medicine, technology, and more.  Carly graduated from Carleton College with distinction in Religion. While at Carleton, Carly worked at the Center for Community and Civic Engagement, interned with an environmental non-profit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and studied global security and religious pluralism in Dakar, Senegal. Originally from Chapel Hill, NC, she is a Tarheel, born and bred. 

  Associate
  Director

  carly@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As an Associate Director at Breakwater, Carly assists staff in the development and execution of strategic communications campaigns for a broad array of clients. Her main responsibilities include content development, media monitoring, research, and analysis. 

  Prior to joining the Breakwater team, Carly worked as a legal writing and revision specialist at Hudson Business Immigration, an employment-based immigration law firm, where she prepared legal documents for clients’ green card applications. She has experience communicating around technical scientific research in a variety of industries, including energy, medicine, technology, and more. 

  Carly graduated from Carleton College with distinction in Religion. While at Carleton, Carly worked at the Center for Community and Civic Engagement, interned with an environmental non-profit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and studied global security and religious pluralism in Dakar, Senegal. Originally from Chapel Hill, NC, she is a Tarheel, born and bred. 

• 

  Kim Belval

  Leveraging her keen analytical acumen and diverse experience in business strategy, Kim is focused on delivering impactful solutions to our Capital Market clients’ most critical challenges. Kim joined Breakwater with extensive experience in financial services where she has held roles advising senior executives across Strategy, Business Intelligence, Finance, Product, and Market Intelligence. Over her career, Kim has developed multiyear business strategies for divisions ranging from $5B to $50B in AUA. She is adept at identifying growth opportunities and designing business plans to capitalize on those opportunities through redefining target segments, product offerings and distribution channels that have stronger market fit. She understands the tradeoffs ever present in the business environment and has designed mathematical and financial models to understand the most efficient use of capital to achieve desired results. Kim graduated summa cum laude from the University of Connecticut, with a B.S. in Marketing and a B.A. in English. In recognition of her academic success and professional experiences, she was a student inductee to the School of Business Hall of Fame. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut School of Business with concentrations in Management and Marketing. Expertise: Market Research & Competitive Intelligence Business Strategy Financial Planning & Analysis Product and Business Development

  Vice
  President, Capital Markets

  kim@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Leveraging her keen analytical acumen and diverse experience in business strategy, Kim is focused on delivering impactful solutions to our Capital Market clients’ most critical challenges.

  Kim joined Breakwater with extensive experience in financial services where she has held roles advising senior executives across Strategy, Business Intelligence, Finance, Product, and Market Intelligence. Over her career, Kim has developed multiyear business strategies for divisions ranging from $5B to $50B in AUA. She is adept at identifying growth opportunities and designing business plans to capitalize on those opportunities through redefining target segments, product offerings and distribution channels that have stronger market fit. She understands the tradeoffs ever present in the business environment and has designed mathematical and financial models to understand the most efficient use of capital to achieve desired results.

  Kim graduated summa cum laude from the University of Connecticut, with a B.S. in Marketing and a B.A. in English. In recognition of her academic success and professional experiences, she was a student inductee to the School of Business Hall of Fame. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut School of Business with concentrations in Management and Marketing.

  Expertise:

  • Market Research & Competitive Intelligence
  • Business Strategy
  • Financial Planning & Analysis
  • Product and Business Development

• 

  Arik Ben-Zvi

  Arik is the President, CEO and founder of Breakwater Strategy, a boutique strategic communications firm specializing in helping clients navigate the complex conversations of today’s turbulent environment.  An experienced strategic advisor, Arik partners with client’s leadership teams and boards to solve critical business challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities. That work includes developing and communicating compelling enterprise-level narratives, managing complex issues and crises, and building strong two-way relationships and coalitions with diverse stakeholders.  Formerly, Arik was an Executive Managing Director and a member of the founding team at The Glover Park Group (GPG). Arik’s clients included some of the world’s largest and most dynamic businesses as they undergo periods of historic change in their industries, markets and regulatory environments. Past and current clients include Disney, Anheuser-Busch, USAA, Verizon, Ford Motor Company, UnitedHealthcare and 21st Century Fox.  Over the course of a his nearly twenty years of professional experience, Arik has helped dozens of clients secure key business objectives, including landmark legislative and regulatory outcomes, successful navigation of potentially damaging crises, and measurable improvements to reputation among consumers, opinion leaders, investors and employees.  In addition to his client-facing responsibilities, as President and CEO, Arik is responsible for developing the firm’s growth strategy with a focus on innovation, new business partnerships, knowledge management, and continuous improvement of client service.  Prior to founding Breakwater, Arik worked on domestic and international political campaigns, including the Gore-Lieberman campaign and Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s 2001 campaign in Israel. Arik holds a BA in History and Political Science from Tel Aviv University. Arik serves on the board of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Victoria, and three children. 

  PRESIDENT,
  CEO & FOUnder

  arik@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Arik is the President, CEO and founder of Breakwater Strategy, a boutique strategic communications firm specializing in helping clients navigate the complex conversations of today’s turbulent environment. 

  An experienced strategic advisor, Arik partners with client’s leadership teams and boards to solve critical business challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities. That work includes developing and communicating compelling enterprise-level narratives, managing complex issues and crises, and building strong two-way relationships and coalitions with diverse stakeholders. 

  Formerly, Arik was an Executive Managing Director and a member of the founding team at The Glover Park Group (GPG). Arik’s clients included some of the world’s largest and most dynamic businesses as they undergo periods of historic change in their industries, markets and regulatory environments. Past and current clients include Disney, Anheuser-Busch, USAA, Verizon, Ford Motor Company, UnitedHealthcare and 21st Century Fox. 

  Over the course of a his nearly twenty years of professional experience, Arik has helped dozens of clients secure key business objectives, including landmark legislative and regulatory outcomes, successful navigation of potentially damaging crises, and measurable improvements to reputation among consumers, opinion leaders, investors and employees. 

  In addition to his client-facing responsibilities, as President and CEO, Arik is responsible for developing the firm’s growth strategy with a focus on innovation, new business partnerships, knowledge management, and continuous improvement of client service. 

  Prior to founding Breakwater, Arik worked on domestic and international political campaigns, including the Gore-Lieberman campaign and Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s 2001 campaign in Israel. Arik holds a BA in History and Political Science from Tel Aviv University. Arik serves on the board of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Victoria, and three children. 

• 

  Tina Bernardi

  Tina Bernardi is Vice President, Capital Markets at Breakwater Capital Markets and a global leader in investor perception research. She has worked on hundreds of engagements across domestic and international markets, advising companies across sectors, market capitalizations, and stages of growth. Tina helps boards, executive teams, and investor relations leaders understand how the market views their strategy, performance, leadership, and long-term value creation. Through rigorous research and stakeholder intelligence, she identifies the perceptions, opportunities, and risks that shape investor decision-making and translates those insights into clear, actionable recommendations. Her work supports organizations through critical moments, including strategy refinement, investor positioning, leadership transitions, periods of market dislocation, and significant corporate change. Known for her analytical rigor and ability to surface the issues that matter most, Tina brings a global perspective and a deep understanding of the factors that influence credibility, engagement, and valuation in the capital markets. Prior to joining Breakwater, Tina held senior roles in investor research and data-driven advisory, where she helped lead complex perception studies and supported the development of research programs for public companies. Her professional foundation in investigative research and librarianship continues to shape her approach to uncovering meaningful insights, evaluating complex information, and connecting disparate perspectives with precision and intellectual rigor. Tina holds a Master of Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Cinema Studies from Northeastern University Expertise: Capital Markets Investor Relations Sell Side & Buy Side Perception/Shareholder Research Process Excellence All Sectors and Market Capitalizations

  Vice
  President, Capital Markets

  Tina@Breakwaterstrategy.com

  Tina Bernardi is Vice President, Capital Markets at Breakwater Capital Markets and a global leader in investor perception research. She has worked on hundreds of engagements across domestic and international markets, advising companies across sectors, market capitalizations, and stages of growth.

  Tina helps boards, executive teams, and investor relations leaders understand how the market views their strategy, performance, leadership, and long-term value creation. Through rigorous research and stakeholder intelligence, she identifies the perceptions, opportunities, and risks that shape investor decision-making and translates those insights into clear, actionable recommendations.

  Her work supports organizations through critical moments, including strategy refinement, investor positioning, leadership transitions, periods of market dislocation, and significant corporate change. Known for her analytical rigor and ability to surface the issues that matter most, Tina brings a global perspective and a deep understanding of the factors that influence credibility, engagement, and valuation in the capital markets.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Tina held senior roles in investor research and data-driven advisory, where she helped lead complex perception studies and supported the development of research programs for public companies. Her professional foundation in investigative research and librarianship continues to shape her approach to uncovering meaningful insights, evaluating complex information, and connecting disparate perspectives with precision and intellectual rigor.

  Tina holds a Master of Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Cinema Studies from Northeastern University

  Expertise:

  • Capital Markets
  • Investor Relations
  • Sell Side & Buy Side
  • Perception/Shareholder Research
  • Process Excellence
  • All Sectors and Market Capitalizations

• 

  Riley Burke

  Riley Burke is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy. Based in San Francisco, she leverages her extensive background in writing, public relations, and content creation to support senior staff and clients in meeting daily and long-term goals by way of media monitoring and analysis, research, and administrative work. In June 2024, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from UC Santa Barbara where she earned a bachelor’s in communication with a minor in professional writing and journalism. During her time in college, she served as a staff writer with the Daily Nexus, UCSB’s student-run publication, and as an arts & entertainment reporter with the Santa Barbara Independent, the city’s leading newspaper. She also worked as a publicity assistant with UCSB Arts & Lectures, the largest live entertainment organization located between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Prior to joining Breakwater, Riley held multiple internships across entertainment, politics, and retail spaces. As a media relations intern with HBO and Max she supported high level campaigns for tentpole series including “The Last of Us” and “House of the Dragon.” She also spent time as a publicity assistant with HJ-PR, a boutique PR agency, and as a press intern with the Speaker of the California State Assembly’s office. In her free time, Riley can be found writing nonfiction essays on pop culture, reading Joan Didion, trying her best to learn to cook, and waiting very patiently for the day her hometown team, the Sacramento Kings, finally wins a championship.

  Associate
  

  riley@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Riley Burke is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy. Based in San Francisco, she leverages her extensive background in writing, public relations, and content creation to support senior staff and clients in meeting daily and long-term goals by way of media monitoring and analysis, research, and administrative work.

  In June 2024, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from UC Santa Barbara where she earned a bachelor’s in communication with a minor in professional writing and journalism. During her time in college, she served as a staff writer with the Daily Nexus, UCSB’s student-run publication, and as an arts & entertainment reporter with the Santa Barbara Independent, the city’s leading newspaper. She also worked as a publicity assistant with UCSB Arts & Lectures, the largest live entertainment organization located between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Riley held multiple internships across entertainment, politics, and retail spaces. As a media relations intern with HBO and Max she supported high level campaigns for tentpole series including “The Last of Us” and “House of the Dragon.” She also spent time as a publicity assistant with HJ-PR, a boutique PR agency, and as a press intern with the Speaker of the California State Assembly’s office.

  In her free time, Riley can be found writing nonfiction essays on pop culture, reading Joan Didion, trying her best to learn to cook, and waiting very patiently for the day her hometown team, the Sacramento Kings, finally wins a championship.

• 

  Chris Byrne

  Chris Byrne is a Managing Director at Breakwater Strategy with two decades of experience working at the highest levels of government, politics and cable news. Chris is an expert in crisis communications, media training, speechwriting and brand development.  For eight years, Chris held various roles at the Fox News Channel and was the Senior Producer of the network’s highest-rated primetime show during his tenure. In this position, he was the principal advisor to the host, produced live broadcasts and developed content for thousands of hours of programming during the most consequential news events of the 21st century. Chris also worked with network executives to relaunch Fox’s weekend primetime lineup, produced shows on-location at Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles and secured exclusive interviews with high-profile figures from former presidents to some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment.   Throughout the 2016 Presidential Campaign, Chris was a trusted communications advisor to Donald J. Trump and the Trump family.  Chris also spearheaded the campaign’s groundbreaking efforts to strategically engage with local and regional media outlets to reach critical swing state voters. In addition, he helped develop and manage the live remote television studio inside the campaign’s headquarters at Trump Tower in New York City. Following Trump’s historic victory, Chris was a key member of the Presidential Transition Team where he served as a national spokesman and led rapid response efforts for major cabinet nominees.  Later in his career, as a Vice President at Prosek Partners, Chris established the firm’s first public affairs and government relations advisory services for clients. He also directed executive visibility programs and led media training sessions, enhancing the public profiles of several prominent global financial services leaders.  He is also the founder of West Wing Strategies, a strategic communications firm that provided earned media opportunities, speechwriting services and innovative thought leadership initiatives to clients across various industries.  Chris began his career in Washington, serving four years in the George W. Bush Administration as a White House Spokesman and Special Assistant to the White House Press Secretary. As the top aide to Dana Perino, Chris played a pivotal role in providing counsel to Dana prior to her daily televised press briefings. Prior to this, the President appointed Chris as Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Presidential Personnel.  A proud graduate of the University of Delaware, Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He resides outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

  Managing
  Director

  chris@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Chris Byrne is a Managing Director at Breakwater Strategy with two decades of experience working at the highest levels of government, politics and cable news. Chris is an expert in crisis communications, media training, speechwriting and brand development. 

  For eight years, Chris held various roles at the Fox News Channel and was the Senior Producer of the network’s highest-rated primetime show during his tenure. In this position, he was the principal advisor to the host, produced live broadcasts and developed content for thousands of hours of programming during the most consequential news events of the 21st century. Chris also worked with network executives to relaunch Fox’s weekend primetime lineup, produced shows on-location at Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles and secured exclusive interviews with high-profile figures from former presidents to some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment.  

  Throughout the 2016 Presidential Campaign, Chris was a trusted communications advisor to Donald J. Trump and the Trump family.  Chris also spearheaded the campaign’s groundbreaking efforts to strategically engage with local and regional media outlets to reach critical swing state voters. In addition, he helped develop and manage the live remote television studio inside the campaign’s headquarters at Trump Tower in New York City. Following Trump’s historic victory, Chris was a key member of the Presidential Transition Team where he served as a national spokesman and led rapid response efforts for major cabinet nominees. 

  Later in his career, as a Vice President at Prosek Partners, Chris established the firm’s first public affairs and government relations advisory services for clients. He also directed executive visibility programs and led media training sessions, enhancing the public profiles of several prominent global financial services leaders. 

  He is also the founder of West Wing Strategies, a strategic communications firm that provided earned media opportunities, speechwriting services and innovative thought leadership initiatives to clients across various industries. 

  Chris began his career in Washington, serving four years in the George W. Bush Administration as a White House Spokesman and Special Assistant to the White House Press Secretary. As the top aide to Dana Perino, Chris played a pivotal role in providing counsel to Dana prior to her daily televised press briefings. Prior to this, the President appointed Chris as Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Presidential Personnel. 

  A proud graduate of the University of Delaware, Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He resides outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

• 

  Michael Colton

  A senior associate with Breakwater, Michael supports clients with day-to-day media and communications needs, including content development, coverage monitoring, and ad-hoc research requests. Michael joined the Breakwater team in February of 2024. Prior to coming aboard, he worked as a Corporate Communications intern with the Zeno Group, where he helped identify and articulate thought leadership and media relations strategies for clients ranging from leading biotech firms to top skincare brands. In addition to PR and communications experience, Michael has a variety of experience in content marketing and social media strategy. In 2023, he spearheaded social media strategy for the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, a professional association of over 15,000 members; while in college, Michael worked as a content development specialist for Credibly Retail Capital, where he developed and executed organic social content and thought leadership pieces on behalf of the mid-sized credit firm. Michael graduated from Columbia University in 2022 with a major in History and a concentration in Economics. While in school, Michael served as an editor for the Blue & White, Columbia’s oldest literary magazine as well as a content supervisor for the Columbia Journal of Politics and Society. Additionally, he worked as a research and tech assistant in Columbia’s library system, where he connected students and faculty with scholarship resources in support of their academic work. Raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Michael is a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, in spite of their long history of mediocrity.

  Senior
  Associate

  michael@breakwaterstrategy.com

  A senior associate with Breakwater, Michael supports clients with day-to-day media and communications needs, including content development, coverage monitoring, and ad-hoc research requests.

  Michael joined the Breakwater team in February of 2024. Prior to coming aboard, he worked as a Corporate Communications intern with the Zeno Group, where he helped identify and articulate thought leadership and media relations strategies for clients ranging from leading biotech firms to top skincare brands.

  In addition to PR and communications experience, Michael has a variety of experience in content marketing and social media strategy. In 2023, he spearheaded social media strategy for the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, a professional association of over 15,000 members; while in college, Michael worked as a content development specialist for Credibly Retail Capital, where he developed and executed organic social content and thought leadership pieces on behalf of the mid-sized credit firm.

  Michael graduated from Columbia University in 2022 with a major in History and a concentration in Economics. While in school, Michael served as an editor for the Blue & White, Columbia’s oldest literary magazine as well as a content supervisor for the Columbia Journal of Politics and Society. Additionally, he worked as a research and tech assistant in Columbia’s library system, where he connected students and faculty with scholarship resources in support of their academic work.

  Raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Michael is a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, in spite of their long history of mediocrity.

• 

  Patrick Conley

  Patrick is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy, where he works with clients on stakeholder engagement, organizational strategy and reputation management. He brings experience across emerging technologies, international markets, and consumer brands, helping organizations navigate complex policy and business challenges from strategy to execution. Before joining Breakwater, Patrick completed internships with non-profits working in anti-corruption and conflict prevention, and worked on democracy and governance organization IRI’s Southern Africa team. In the latter role, he attended and helped organize political party trainings ahead of Angola’s 2022 General Elections and a regional party summit in Johannesburg. Patrick was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in Political Science and African Diaspora studies. He spent four months studying in Accra, Ghana and travelled to Togo, Kenya and Tanzania after finishing his semester. He enjoys following Wisconsin sports teams, professional tennis and Brighton & Hove Albion.

  Associate
  Director

  patrick@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Patrick is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy, where he works with clients on stakeholder engagement, organizational strategy and reputation management. He brings experience across emerging technologies, international markets, and consumer brands, helping organizations navigate complex policy and business challenges from strategy to execution.

  Before joining Breakwater, Patrick completed internships with non-profits working in anti-corruption and conflict prevention, and worked on democracy and governance organization IRI’s Southern Africa team. In the latter role, he attended and helped organize political party trainings ahead of Angola’s 2022 General Elections and a regional party summit in Johannesburg.

  Patrick was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in Political Science and African Diaspora studies. He spent four months studying in Accra, Ghana and travelled to Togo, Kenya and Tanzania after finishing his semester. He enjoys following Wisconsin sports teams, professional tennis and Brighton & Hove Albion.

• 

  Austin Cook

  Austin Cook is a Director at Breakwater Strategy, where he draws on a decade of experience in public affairs, crisis communications, and media strategy. He has led high-stakes communications efforts for political campaigns, elected officials, and businesses, helping clients navigate complex reputational challenges in fast-moving environments.  Before joining Breakwater, Austin served as Communications Director for Elissa Slotkin’s successful 2024 U.S. Senate campaign, where he oversaw all media engagement, rapid response, and messaging strategy in one of the most competitive elections in the country. He previously served as Slotkin’s Communications Director in the U.S. House of Representatives, managing press strategy on national security, emerging technology, and defense policy. He also helped Slotkin prepare for her response to President Donald Trump’s 2025 Joint Address to Congress. Earlier in his career, Austin was Communications Director for the North Carolina Democratic Party during the 2020 election cycle and held key communications roles on Senator Amy Klobuchar’s presidential campaign. He also has agency-side experience advising Fortune 500 companies and advocacy groups on strategic messaging and reputation management.  Austin holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and international Affairs from Wake Forest University, where he served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, and a master’s degree in national security policy from Duke University. He lives in Brooklyn with his girlfriend and their dog.

  Director
  

  austin@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Austin Cook is a Director at Breakwater Strategy, where he draws on a decade of experience in public affairs, crisis communications, and media strategy. He has led high-stakes communications efforts for political campaigns, elected officials, and businesses, helping clients navigate complex reputational challenges in fast-moving environments. 

  Before joining Breakwater, Austin served as Communications Director for Elissa Slotkin’s successful 2024 U.S. Senate campaign, where he oversaw all media engagement, rapid response, and messaging strategy in one of the most competitive elections in the country. He previously served as Slotkin’s Communications Director in the U.S. House of Representatives, managing press strategy on national security, emerging technology, and defense policy. He also helped Slotkin prepare for her response to President Donald Trump’s 2025 Joint Address to Congress.

  Earlier in his career, Austin was Communications Director for the North Carolina Democratic Party during the 2020 election cycle and held key communications roles on Senator Amy Klobuchar’s presidential campaign. He also has agency-side experience advising Fortune 500 companies and advocacy groups on strategic messaging and reputation management. 

  Austin holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and international Affairs from Wake Forest University, where he served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, and a master’s degree in national security policy from Duke University. He lives in Brooklyn with his girlfriend and their dog.

• 

  Sam Fossum

  Sam is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy. As a former journalist, Sam works with clients to help them build insightful communications strategies and manage reputational risks. Sam has a deep interest and understanding of the media landscape and is passionate about helping prepare clients for high-stakes appearances. He is particularly focused on the intersection of financial services, emerging technologies and policymaking.    Prior to Breakwater, Sam was an Emmy-award-winning producer/reporter who covered the White House and Capitol Hill for CNN. He regularly filed stories for digital and worked with the network’s top correspondents and anchors. His stories spanned the intersection of politics and public policy, from debt ceiling negotiations and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster to the 2024 presidential campaign.   After being born in Anchorage, Alaska, Sam spent his childhood in Russia before later moving to the UK. He then returned to the U.S. for university, graduating from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore with a bachelor’s degree in History and Writing Seminars. He first got involved in communications and journalism while writing for the undergraduate newspaper.   When not in the office, you can often find Sam tinkering with his sourdough starter, exploring a new museum or finding a quiet place to enjoy a good book.  

  Associate
  Director

  sam@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Sam is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy. As a former journalist, Sam works with clients to help them build insightful communications strategies and manage reputational risks. Sam has a deep interest and understanding of the media landscape and is passionate about helping prepare clients for high-stakes appearances. He is particularly focused on the intersection of financial services, emerging technologies and policymaking.   

  Prior to Breakwater, Sam was an Emmy-award-winning producer/reporter who covered the White House and Capitol Hill for CNN. He regularly filed stories for digital and worked with the network’s top correspondents and anchors. His stories spanned the intersection of politics and public policy, from debt ceiling negotiations and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster to the 2024 presidential campaign.  

  After being born in Anchorage, Alaska, Sam spent his childhood in Russia before later moving to the UK. He then returned to the U.S. for university, graduating from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore with a bachelor’s degree in History and Writing Seminars. He first got involved in communications and journalism while writing for the undergraduate newspaper.  

  When not in the office, you can often find Sam tinkering with his sourdough starter, exploring a new museum or finding a quiet place to enjoy a good book.  

• 

  Emi Groth

  Emi Groth is a Senior Associate at Breakwater Strategy. Based in San Francisco, she collaborates with colleagues across the BWS firm to support clients on announcement planning, research asks, media relations, and communications strategy. Prior to Breakwater, Emi worked at a boutique PR agency focused on early-stage tech companies and startups. While there, she developed strategic communications plans, managed media outreach campaigns, drafted messaging materials, and helped emerging companies shape their narratives.Emi graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Art History. While attending undergrad, she played on UCSB’s collegiate D1 women’s soccer team for three years. Later, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, interning as an art gallery assistant. As a California native, you'll find Emi outside hiking coastal trails or local parks, though she's just as content at home trying out new recipes or getting hooked on the latest TV show or movie.

  Senior
  Associate

  emi@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Emi Groth is a Senior Associate at Breakwater Strategy. Based in San Francisco, she collaborates with colleagues across the BWS firm to support clients on announcement planning, research asks, media relations, and communications strategy.

  Prior to Breakwater, Emi worked at a boutique PR agency focused on early-stage tech companies and startups. While there, she developed strategic communications plans, managed media outreach campaigns, drafted messaging materials, and helped emerging companies shape their narratives.Emi graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Art History. While attending undergrad, she played on UCSB’s collegiate D1 women’s soccer team for three years. Later, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, interning as an art gallery assistant.

  As a California native, you’ll find Emi outside hiking coastal trails or local parks, though she’s just as content at home trying out new recipes or getting hooked on the latest TV show or movie.

• 

  Mark Hayes

  Mark is the Founding Partner of Breakwater Capital Markets, the capital markets advisory practice of Breakwater Strategy. He advises boards, chief executive officers, chief financial officers, Investor Relations Officers and senior leadership teams on consequential decisions affecting enterprise value, investor confidence, and access to capital. Across hundreds of engagements spanning North America, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Asia, and Australia, Mark has advised public companies, pre-IPO, IPO and venture-backed businesses, private equity sponsors, investment partnerships and family offices. His experience extends across sectors and the full market-capitalization spectrum, from small-cap and emerging-growth companies to complex, mega-cap global enterprises. Mark advises clients at moments when strategic judgment, investor understanding, and market credibility are especially important. His experience includes IPO readiness, capital raising, investor and capital markets days, non-deal roadshows, strategic repositioning, leadership transitions, transactions, market dislocation, activist campaigns, short-seller situations, and other complex or high-stakes matters. In these situations, he helps boards and management teams understand how investors are likely to assess a company’s strategy, performance, capital allocation, leadership, competitive position, and long-term prospects. His work focuses on identifying the issues that most influence investor judgment, strengthening the enterprise-value narrative, aligning strategic and financial communications, prioritizing the investors who matter most, and supporting better-informed capital markets decisions. Here he has pioneered the application of next-generation technologies to enable capital markets strategy and investor relations. Mark developed the Valuation Operating System™, Breakwater’s proprietary framework for helping companies understand, manage, and influence valuation. The framework integrates business strategy, operating performance, capital allocation, investor intelligence, investor engagement, and communications into a disciplined system for value creation. It gives boards and management teams a practical way to assess how valuation is formed, strengthened, defended, and accelerated across the investor ecosystem, particularly during periods of growth, transformation, transactions, market dislocation, and structural change. His advisory work is supported by the globally leading platform for proprietary analytics and enabling capabilities that translate complex investor, market, financial, and valuation information into actionable intelligence to build, defend and accelerate value creation. Through these capabilities, leadership teams can identify emerging risks and opportunities, evaluate investor perspectives, prioritize engagement, test strategic positioning, and anticipate how consequential decisions may be interpreted by the market. Mark’s perspectives on valuation formation, investor relations, and capital markets strategy have been published and presented internationally and shared through media interviews, including with the Financial Times. He helps companies and investors interpret market dynamics, sharpen strategic narratives, strengthen institutional credibility, and make decisions in complex or high-stakes situations. He also contributes to the advancement of investor relations as a global strategic discipline through Elevating IR: A Global Perspective, a series examining the forces reshaping the role of the investor relations officer across international markets. Mark is also the host of The IR 10: Judgement that Shapes Measurable Value, Breakwater Capital Markets’ weekly 10-minute podcast offering concise, decision-grade perspectives for global investor relations leaders. His experience includes investor relations strategy and execution; investor intelligence and perception research; equity-story and enterprise-value narrative development; valuation strategy; investor and capital markets days; non-deal roadshows; strategic, transaction, and financial communications; capital-structure strategy, including private credit; and special-situations advisory, including activism, short-seller defense, hostile and friendly transactions, management transitions, and crisis environments. Before founding Breakwater Capital Markets, Mark served as Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer of a global investor relations advisory firm. He played a central role in building the business from an emerging platform into a recognized international advisory firm, helping shape its strategy, client model, capabilities, and market positioning through a period of accelerated growth. Earlier in his career, Mark held senior leadership roles across strategy, finance, operations, technology, marketing, communications, commercial development, product development, and organizational design. His corporate experience includes leadership within a Fortune 15 company, where he led initiatives that improved operating performance, P&L results, employee engagement, and innovation. That operating experience informs his advisory approach and his conviction that lasting investor confidence must be grounded in sound strategy, disciplined execution, credible leadership, and measurable performance. Mark has been active in the nonprofit community for more than three decades. He served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and held leadership roles in governance, finance, and development. He is also a former Executive Board Member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Juvenile Diabetes of Greater Hartford. Areas of Expertise: Board, CEO, CFO, and senior leadership advisory Capital markets and investor relations strategy Enterprise-value positioning and valuation strategy The Valuation Operating System™ Investor intelligence and perception research Proprietary analytics and decision technology Equity-story and enterprise-value narrative development Strategic, transaction, financial, and reputation communications Global institutional, sell-side, and individual-investor engagement Investor days, capital markets days, and non-deal roadshows IPO readiness, capital raising, and capital-structure strategy Activism, short-seller defense, transactions, and crisis situations Business transformation and operating strategy Global capital markets dynamics Cross-sector advisory from small-cap to mega-cap enterprises

  Partner,
  Head of Breakwater Capital Markets

  mark@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Mark is the Founding Partner of Breakwater Capital Markets, the capital markets advisory practice of Breakwater Strategy. He advises boards, chief executive officers, chief financial officers, Investor Relations Officers and senior leadership teams on consequential decisions affecting enterprise value, investor confidence, and access to capital.

  Across hundreds of engagements spanning North America, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Asia, and Australia, Mark has advised public companies, pre-IPO, IPO and venture-backed businesses, private equity sponsors, investment partnerships and family offices. His experience extends across sectors and the full market-capitalization spectrum, from small-cap and emerging-growth companies to complex, mega-cap global enterprises.

  Mark advises clients at moments when strategic judgment, investor understanding, and market credibility are especially important. His experience includes IPO readiness, capital raising, investor and capital markets days, non-deal roadshows, strategic repositioning, leadership transitions, transactions, market dislocation, activist campaigns, short-seller situations, and other complex or high-stakes matters.

  In these situations, he helps boards and management teams understand how investors are likely to assess a company’s strategy, performance, capital allocation, leadership, competitive position, and long-term prospects. His work focuses on identifying the issues that most influence investor judgment, strengthening the enterprise-value narrative, aligning strategic and financial communications, prioritizing the investors who matter most, and supporting better-informed capital markets decisions. Here he has pioneered the application of next-generation technologies to enable capital markets strategy and investor relations.

  Mark developed the Valuation Operating System™, Breakwater’s proprietary framework for helping companies understand, manage, and influence valuation. The framework integrates business strategy, operating performance, capital allocation, investor intelligence, investor engagement, and communications into a disciplined system for value creation. It gives boards and management teams a practical way to assess how valuation is formed, strengthened, defended, and accelerated across the investor ecosystem, particularly during periods of growth, transformation, transactions, market dislocation, and structural change.

  His advisory work is supported by the globally leading platform for proprietary analytics and enabling capabilities that translate complex investor, market, financial, and valuation information into actionable intelligence to build, defend and accelerate value creation. Through these capabilities, leadership teams can identify emerging risks and opportunities, evaluate investor perspectives, prioritize engagement, test strategic positioning, and anticipate how consequential decisions may be interpreted by the market.

  Mark’s perspectives on valuation formation, investor relations, and capital markets strategy have been published and presented internationally and shared through media interviews, including with the Financial Times. He helps companies and investors interpret market dynamics, sharpen strategic narratives, strengthen institutional credibility, and make decisions in complex or high-stakes situations.

  He also contributes to the advancement of investor relations as a global strategic discipline through Elevating IR: A Global Perspective, a series examining the forces reshaping the role of the investor relations officer across international markets. Mark is also the host of The IR 10: Judgement that Shapes Measurable Value, Breakwater Capital Markets’ weekly 10-minute podcast offering concise, decision-grade perspectives for global investor relations leaders.

  His experience includes investor relations strategy and execution; investor intelligence and perception research; equity-story and enterprise-value narrative development; valuation strategy; investor and capital markets days; non-deal roadshows; strategic, transaction, and financial communications; capital-structure strategy, including private credit; and special-situations advisory, including activism, short-seller defense, hostile and friendly transactions, management transitions, and crisis environments.

  Before founding Breakwater Capital Markets, Mark served as Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer of a global investor relations advisory firm. He played a central role in building the business from an emerging platform into a recognized international advisory firm, helping shape its strategy, client model, capabilities, and market positioning through a period of accelerated growth.

  Earlier in his career, Mark held senior leadership roles across strategy, finance, operations, technology, marketing, communications, commercial development, product development, and organizational design. His corporate experience includes leadership within a Fortune 15 company, where he led initiatives that improved operating performance, P&L results, employee engagement, and innovation.

  That operating experience informs his advisory approach and his conviction that lasting investor confidence must be grounded in sound strategy, disciplined execution, credible leadership, and measurable performance.

  Mark has been active in the nonprofit community for more than three decades. He served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and held leadership roles in governance, finance, and development. He is also a former Executive Board Member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Juvenile Diabetes of Greater Hartford.

  Areas of Expertise:

  • Board, CEO, CFO, and senior leadership advisory

  • Capital markets and investor relations strategy

  • Enterprise-value positioning and valuation strategy

  • The Valuation Operating System™

  • Investor intelligence and perception research

  • Proprietary analytics and decision technology

  • Equity-story and enterprise-value narrative development

  • Strategic, transaction, financial, and reputation communications

  • Global institutional, sell-side, and individual-investor engagement

  • Investor days, capital markets days, and non-deal roadshows

  • IPO readiness, capital raising, and capital-structure strategy

  • Activism, short-seller defense, transactions, and crisis situations

  • Business transformation and operating strategy

  • Global capital markets dynamics

  • Cross-sector advisory from small-cap to mega-cap enterprises

• 

  Elayna Herrera

  Elayna Herrera is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy based in Washington D.C. Elayna utilizes her experience in corporate communications, research, and writing to support her teams and aid clients in achieving their goals. As an associate, her day-to-day includes media monitoring, research, administrative work, and crafting communication deliverables. Elayna graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism and political science. During her time in college, Elayna was a campus tour guide where she leveraged her storytelling ability to attract prospective students from all over the country to come to Carolina. It served as a rewarding role that polished her communication skills and allowed her to build special connections with the individuals on her tours. If she wasn’t giving tours, Elayna was helping craft new packages for her school’s student-run broadcast, Carolina Week, while also contributing to her sorority's judicial and DEI committee. Before joining Breakwater in October 2025, Elayna held a variety of internship roles working across different industries, including energy and renewables, philanthropy, biotech, and higher education. As a corporate communications intern at Duke Energy, Elayna published two stories on Duke Energy’s Illumination site highlighting the company’s philanthropic contributions to the environment. She also worked as a consumer troubleshooter intern at ABC11, a newsroom in Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as a public affairs intern at SKDK, a public affairs and political consulting firm. Outside of work, Elayna enjoys running, trying new food, reading, and travelling. Her favorite international destination is Granada, Spain, a small town in the southern region of the country that offers delicious tapas and scenic architecture.

  Associate
  

  elayna@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Elayna Herrera is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy based in Washington D.C. Elayna utilizes her experience in corporate communications, research, and writing to support her teams and aid clients in achieving their goals. As an associate, her day-to-day includes media monitoring, research, administrative work, and crafting communication deliverables.

  Elayna graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism and political science. During her time in college, Elayna was a campus tour guide where she leveraged her storytelling ability to attract prospective students from all over the country to come to Carolina. It served as a rewarding role that polished her communication skills and allowed her to build special connections with the individuals on her tours. If she wasn’t giving tours, Elayna was helping craft new packages for her school’s student-run broadcast, Carolina Week, while also contributing to her sorority’s judicial and DEI committee.

  Before joining Breakwater in October 2025, Elayna held a variety of internship roles working across different industries, including energy and renewables, philanthropy, biotech, and higher education. As a corporate communications intern at Duke Energy, Elayna published two stories on Duke Energy’s Illumination site highlighting the company’s philanthropic contributions to the environment. She also worked as a consumer troubleshooter intern at ABC11, a newsroom in Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as a public affairs intern at SKDK, a public affairs and political consulting firm.

  Outside of work, Elayna enjoys running, trying new food, reading, and travelling. Her favorite international destination is Granada, Spain, a small town in the southern region of the country that offers delicious tapas and scenic architecture.

• 

  Simone Jackenthal

  Simone Jackenthal is a Director at Breakwater Strategy. She brings a passion for strategic communications, crisis support, and reputation management. Simone has substantial experience leading and executing public relations, public affairs, and other strategic communications campaigns for high-profile clients in highly regulated sectors. Her work includes media relations, thought leadership, crisis management, internal and external communications strategies. Simone’s experience spans several industries including political advocacy, technology, consumer products, health, nutrition, fintech, fashion, entertainment, and crypto, among others. Most recently, Simone was a Director at Trident DMG where she largely advised clients on crisis communications and reputation management. She organized strategic communications campaigns for clients across various sectors, advised Fortune 500 companies on media trainings, and recommended approaches to C-suite executives for crisis mitigation. Simone led various funding announcements for technology startups, securing media coverage in top-tier national outlets, local media, and trades. She also coordinated with legal teams when necessary to create cohesive media strategies for clients engaged in litigation. Previously, Simone served as an Associate at Weber Shandwick where she supported the Public Affairs team with government relations, marketing, internal communications, media relations, and social media. In this role, Simone organized events on the Hill to engage various clients with Members of Congress, drafted press releases for distribution, and secured media coverage with reporters. She also assisted with health and nutrition clients and supported the paid media and digital advertising team. Simone earned a Master of Arts in Media and Strategic Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Communications from The George Washington University. Her published thesis focuses on media framing effects of the Black Lives Matter movement, and she currently lives in Potomac, Maryland with her wife and two dogs.

  Director
  

  simone@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Simone Jackenthal is a Director at Breakwater Strategy. She brings a passion for strategic communications, crisis support, and reputation management. Simone has substantial experience leading and executing public relations, public affairs, and other strategic communications campaigns for high–profile clients in highly regulated sectors. Her work includes media relations, thought leadership, crisis management, internal and external communications strategies. Simone’s experience spans several industries including political advocacy, technology, consumer products, health, nutrition, fintech, fashion, entertainment, and crypto, among others.

  Most recently, Simone was a Director at Trident DMG where she largely advised clients on crisis communications and reputation management. She organized strategic communications campaigns for clients across various sectors, advised Fortune 500 companies on media trainings, and recommended approaches to C–suite executives for crisis mitigation. Simone led various funding announcements for technology startups, securing media coverage in top–tier national outlets, local media, and trades. She also coordinated with legal teams when necessary to create cohesive media strategies for clients engaged in litigation.

  Previously, Simone served as an Associate at Weber Shandwick where she supported the Public Affairs team with government relations, marketing, internal communications, media relations, and social media. In this role, Simone organized events on the Hill to engage various clients with Members of Congress, drafted press releases for distribution, and secured media coverage with reporters. She also assisted with health and nutrition clients and supported the paid media and digital advertising team.
  

  Simone earned a Master of Arts in Media and Strategic Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Communications from The George Washington University. Her published thesis focuses on media framing effects of the Black Lives Matter movement, and she currently lives in Potomac, Maryland with her wife and two dogs.

• 

  Jin Kang

  As an Associate Director on the Research and Insights team, Jin works on all things research, from custom quantitative survey development to qualitative focus group execution and beyond. He is particularly passionate about public opinion research and considering viewpoints that challenge his own opinions.    Before joining the Breakwater team, Jin was a Director at Accelerant Research, where he led the quantitative research function and designed custom market research surveys for clients to help them better understand their brand perceptions. Prior to that, Jin worked with fellow Breakwater team member Ben Williams at High Lantern Group, where he gained an appreciation for strategic communications and the scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Asheville, NC office.   Jin is a graduate of the UNC Chapel Hill, where he majored in Economics and Psychology and minored in Business Administration. As a Chapel Hill native and UNC-alum, Jin remains a die-hard Tar Heel fan, and is known for annoying his co-workers with his hot takes and bold claims about all things Carolina sports.

  Associate
  Director

  jin@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As an Associate Director on the Research and Insights team, Jin works on all things research, from custom quantitative survey development to qualitative focus group execution and beyond. He is particularly passionate about public opinion research and considering viewpoints that challenge his own opinions.   

  Before joining the Breakwater team, Jin was a Director at Accelerant Research, where he led the quantitative research function and designed custom market research surveys for clients to help them better understand their brand perceptions. Prior to that, Jin worked with fellow Breakwater team member Ben Williams at High Lantern Group, where he gained an appreciation for strategic communications and the scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Asheville, NC office.  

  Jin is a graduate of the UNC Chapel Hill, where he majored in Economics and Psychology and minored in Business Administration. As a Chapel Hill native and UNC-alum, Jin remains a die-hard Tar Heel fan, and is known for annoying his co-workers with his hot takes and bold claims about all things Carolina sports.

• 

  Caryn Leahy

  Caryn Leahy is a Managing Director at Breakwater Strategy. A passionate, trusted client leader, Caryn is in a state of flow when helping clients creatively solve problems and navigate complex, challenging, and rapidly evolving situations. At Breakwater, she leads results-driven corporate reputation, public affairs, and issues campaigns for Fortune 500 companies and cutting-edge leaders in tech, food, healthcare and more. She leverages her background in broadcast journalism to help clients develop, sharpen, and amplify their voices with the power of earned media.  Most recently, Caryn was a Vice President at Ketchum where she oversaw comprehensive communications programs, including strategic planning, earned media, digital and third-party partnership strategies to move key stakeholders and the general public. In this role, she managed multimillion-dollar budgets and acted as a rapid-response public affairs, issues and crisis counselor for clients across all 14 Ketchum sectors in the agency’s global network.  Previously, Caryn served as Senior Director at Rational 360, a full-service public affairs firm, and was an associate producer for Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Caryn received her Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Bates College.  When Caryn isn’t supporting her clients through a crisis or challenge, she’s probably spending time with friends and family or running on one of the DMV’s finest trails. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband Kevin and son Julian. 

  Managing
  Director

  caryn@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Caryn Leahy is a Managing Director at Breakwater Strategy. A passionate, trusted client leader, Caryn is in a state of flow when helping clients creatively solve problems and navigate complex, challenging, and rapidly evolving situations. At Breakwater, she leads results-driven corporate reputation, public affairs, and issues campaigns for Fortune 500 companies and cutting-edge leaders in tech, food, healthcare and more. She leverages her background in broadcast journalism to help clients develop, sharpen, and amplify their voices with the power of earned media. 

  Most recently, Caryn was a Vice President at Ketchum where she oversaw comprehensive communications programs, including strategic planning, earned media, digital and third-party partnership strategies to move key stakeholders and the general public. In this role, she managed multimillion-dollar budgets and acted as a rapid-response public affairs, issues and crisis counselor for clients across all 14 Ketchum sectors in the agency’s global network. 

  Previously, Caryn served as Senior Director at Rational 360, a full-service public affairs firm, and was an associate producer for Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Caryn received her Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Bates College. 

  When Caryn isn’t supporting her clients through a crisis or challenge, she’s probably spending time with friends and family or running on one of the DMV’s finest trails. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband Kevin and son Julian. 

• 

  Ben Levine

  Ben is a Senior Associate at Breakwater Strategy, where he supports client teams in developing strategic communications and media recommendations. Based out of Washington D.C., he is a strategic communications professional with strong experience in research, writing, and media outreach. Prior to joining Breakwater, Ben worked as an Associate The Fratelli Group, where he helped to develop and implement communications strategies for a variety of clients, including prominent business coalitions, trade groups, and a climate finance nonprofit. He conducted in-depth policy and sector research, coordinated press outreach and interview opportunities, and assisted with social media strategy, monitoring, and content creation. Ben graduated from Carleton College, where he majored in political science and international relations with a focus in leadership, peace, and security. During his time at Carleton, he was a member of the varsity football team, served as the editor of a satire publication, and studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Sevilla, Spain. His undergraduate thesis was an analysis of the intersection of sport, nationalism, and racism in Europe through a qualitative study about racism and foreign-born players in the English Premier League. Hailing from Portland, Maine, Ben can be found loudly cheering for the Patriots and other New England sports teams, reviewing movies on Letterboxd, and cooking in his free time.

  Senior
  Associate

  Ben@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Ben is a Senior Associate at Breakwater Strategy, where he supports client teams in developing strategic communications and media recommendations. Based out of Washington D.C., he is a strategic communications professional with strong experience in research, writing, and media outreach.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Ben worked as an Associate The Fratelli Group, where he helped to develop and implement communications strategies for a variety of clients, including prominent business coalitions, trade groups, and a climate finance nonprofit. He conducted in-depth policy and sector research, coordinated press outreach and interview opportunities, and assisted with social media strategy, monitoring, and content creation.

  Ben graduated from Carleton College, where he majored in political science and international relations with a focus in leadership, peace, and security. During his time at Carleton, he was a member of the varsity football team, served as the editor of a satire publication, and studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Sevilla, Spain. His undergraduate thesis was an analysis of the intersection of sport, nationalism, and racism in Europe through a qualitative study about racism and foreign-born players in the English Premier League.

  Hailing from Portland, Maine, Ben can be found loudly cheering for the Patriots and other New England sports teams, reviewing movies on Letterboxd, and cooking in his free time.

• 

  Kate Lochner

  Kate is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy based in Washington, D.C. She works closely with the team to assist in all client needs, including drafting messaging, coordinating communications campaigns, researching client-specific policy and media opportunities, and providing additional support as needed. Prior to Breakwater, Kate worked at Allison+Partners on the Global Reputation Risk + Public Affairs team. In this role she specialized in supporting clients through proactive and reactive crisis and reputation management, in addition to designing and executing national, state, and local level public affairs campaigns. Her work included conducting media landscape monitoring and analysis, background research, message development, and proactive and reactive media outreach. She brings a breadth of experience working for some of the biggest brands across various industries, including consumer tech, commercial real estate, health and health tech, nonprofit and government agencies, defense, aerospace and more. Kate graduated with honors from East Carolina University with Bachelor of Science in Communication, concentrating in public relations and media studies. She is currently working towards a Master of Science in Strategic Communication from Columbia University. In her free time, she can typically be found exploring new restaurants in DC, cheering on the Capitals, or visiting parks around the DMV with her dog Nox.

  Associate
  Director

  Kate@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Kate is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy based in Washington, D.C. She works closely with the team to assist in all client needs, including drafting messaging, coordinating communications campaigns, researching client-specific policy and media opportunities, and providing additional support as needed.

  Prior to Breakwater, Kate worked at Allison+Partners on the Global Reputation Risk + Public Affairs team. In this role she specialized in supporting clients through proactive and reactive crisis and reputation management, in addition to designing and executing national, state, and local level public affairs campaigns. Her work included conducting media landscape monitoring and analysis, background research, message development, and proactive and reactive media outreach. She brings a breadth of experience working for some of the biggest brands across various industries, including consumer tech, commercial real estate, health and health tech, nonprofit and government agencies, defense, aerospace and more.

  Kate graduated with honors from East Carolina University with Bachelor of Science in Communication, concentrating in public relations and media studies. She is currently working towards a Master of Science in Strategic Communication from Columbia University. In her free time, she can typically be found exploring new restaurants in DC, cheering on the Capitals, or visiting parks around the DMV with her dog Nox.

• 

  Bryn Luedde

  Bryn is a Senior Associate on the Research and Insights team, where she supports quantitative and qualitative research and analysis that powers client solutions. Prior to joining Breakwater, Bryn served as a Research Associate in the Executive Office of the President, where she vetted individuals and organizations seeking presidential engagement, tracked global media trends, and fact-checked high-level communications materials. Working alongside policy, national security, and communications professionals, she developed expertise in delivering precise messaging and identifying strategic opportunities on complex policy matters. Bryn graduated summa cum laude from Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She was awarded a competitive research fellowship from the Lampert Institute for Civic and Global Affairs and spent time as a visiting student in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. Her senior thesis examined the role of mediator states like the US in peace settlements in Sudan and South Sudan. Research is at the heart of Bryn's work. She has a passion for uncovering insights that drive informed decision-making and crafting compelling narratives based on rigorous analysis. A Pittsburgh native and long-suffering Pirates fan now based in D.C., Bryn enjoys reading, hiking, and exploring local flea markets and vintage shops in her free time.

  Senior
  Associate

  bryn@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Bryn is a Senior Associate on the Research and Insights team, where she supports quantitative and qualitative research and analysis that powers client solutions.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Bryn served as a Research Associate in the Executive Office of the President, where she vetted individuals and organizations seeking presidential engagement, tracked global media trends, and fact-checked high-level communications materials. Working alongside policy, national security, and communications professionals, she developed expertise in delivering precise messaging and identifying strategic opportunities on complex policy matters.

  Bryn graduated summa cum laude from Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She was awarded a competitive research fellowship from the Lampert Institute for Civic and Global Affairs and spent time as a visiting student in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. Her senior thesis examined the role of mediator states like the US in peace settlements in Sudan and South Sudan.

  Research is at the heart of Bryn’s work. She has a passion for uncovering insights that drive informed decision-making and crafting compelling narratives based on rigorous analysis.

  A Pittsburgh native and long-suffering Pirates fan now based in D.C., Bryn enjoys reading, hiking, and exploring local flea markets and vintage shops in her free time.

• 

  Jack Magargee

  Jack is an Associate at Breakwater based in Washington, D.C., where he works across client teams on communications advisory, executive positioning, and policy research. Before joining Breakwater, Jack reported for the Santa Barbara Independent, investigating and covering criminal and civil proceedings in Santa Barbara County as part of a newsroom committed to independent local journalism. Jack graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in History of Public Policy and Law, earning Distinction for his senior thesis on the politicization of the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Roberts. At UCSB, he served as an Editor of the Undergraduate Law Journal and Vice President of both his fraternity and the university's chapter of Best Buddies International, an organization dedicated to ending the isolation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Outside the office, Jack lives and dies with his beloved Philadelphia sports teams – likely with a cheesesteak in hand – or is untangling his fly-line on a riverbank.

  Associate
  

  jack@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Jack is an Associate at Breakwater based in Washington, D.C., where he works across client teams on communications advisory, executive positioning, and policy research. Before joining Breakwater, Jack reported for the Santa Barbara Independent, investigating and covering criminal and civil proceedings in Santa Barbara County as part of a newsroom committed to independent local journalism.

  Jack graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in History of Public Policy and Law, earning Distinction for his senior thesis on the politicization of the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Roberts. At UCSB, he served as an Editor of the Undergraduate Law Journal and Vice President of both his fraternity and the university’s chapter of Best Buddies International, an organization dedicated to ending the isolation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

  Outside the office, Jack lives and dies with his beloved Philadelphia sports teams – likely with a cheesesteak in hand – or is untangling his fly-line on a riverbank.

• 

  Chelsea Magnant

  Chelsea Magnant is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, where she brings deep expertise in risk analysis and public policy to the complex challenges facing organizations at the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and regulation. Chelsea joined Breakwater from Brunswick Group, where she advised leading technology companies on AI, geopolitical risk, and the policy and communications dynamics shaping the industry. Before that, Chelsea spent five years at Google across its geopolitical risk, global affairs strategy, and public policy functions. She advised senior leaders on how to navigate a rapidly shifting regulatory and geopolitical landscape—including leading scenario planning to help the company successfully transition into a more regulated state—and engaged directly with governments on technology policy challenges and opportunities. Prior to her time in the private sector, Chelsea spent nearly a decade at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she produced geopolitical analysis for senior U.S. government leaders on emerging threats and regional instability, with a focus on Latin America. In addition to her client work, Chelsea teaches a graduate course on emerging technologies and the developing world at NYU's Center for Global Affairs. She holds a Master of Public Affairs from UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy and a B.A. from Emory University.

  Vice
  President

  chelsea@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Chelsea Magnant is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, where she brings deep expertise in risk analysis and public policy to the complex challenges facing organizations at the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and regulation.

  Chelsea joined Breakwater from Brunswick Group, where she advised leading technology companies on AI, geopolitical risk, and the policy and communications dynamics shaping the industry. Before that, Chelsea spent five years at Google across its geopolitical risk, global affairs strategy, and public policy functions. She advised senior leaders on how to navigate a rapidly shifting regulatory and geopolitical landscape—including leading scenario planning to help the company successfully transition into a more regulated state—and engaged directly with governments on technology policy challenges and opportunities.

  Prior to her time in the private sector, Chelsea spent nearly a decade at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she produced geopolitical analysis for senior U.S. government leaders on emerging threats and regional instability, with a focus on Latin America.

  In addition to her client work, Chelsea teaches a graduate course on emerging technologies and the developing world at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs. She holds a Master of Public Affairs from UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and a B.A. from Emory University.

• 

  Lydie Neill

  As a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, Lydie works with a range of clients across industries including tech, financial services, education, media and entertainment on strategic communications challenges and initiatives.  Since 2019, Lydie has worked on Breakwater Strategy’s strategic communications accounts, supporting clients in crisis and reputation management, corporate and executive communications, and media campaigns. Her work includes conducting media landscape analysis, background research, content analysis, message development and proactive media outreach. As just the second employee at Breakwater, she plays a central role both in overseeing the firm's day-to-day operations and in safeguarding its culture.  Prior to Breakwater, Lydie worked as a Strategic Communications Associate at FGS Global (legacy Glover Park Group) where she supported client teams with background research, media monitoring and client deliverables.  Originally from North Carolina and currently based out of Raleigh, Lydie is a graduate from UNC Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in Media and Journalism and a minor in Hispanic Studies. She can typically be found reading the latest book between commercial breaks of UNC Basketball games or walking around the triangle with her dog Mack. 

  Vice
  President

  lydie@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, Lydie works with a range of clients across industries including tech, financial services, education, media and entertainment on strategic communications challenges and initiatives. 

  Since 2019, Lydie has worked on Breakwater Strategy’s strategic communications accounts, supporting clients in crisis and reputation management, corporate and executive communications, and media campaigns. Her work includes conducting media landscape analysis, background research, content analysis, message development and proactive media outreach. As just the second employee at Breakwater, she plays a central role both in overseeing the firm’s day-to-day operations and in safeguarding its culture. 

  Prior to Breakwater, Lydie worked as a Strategic Communications Associate at FGS Global (legacy Glover Park Group) where she supported client teams with background research, media monitoring and client deliverables. 

  Originally from North Carolina and currently based out of Raleigh, Lydie is a graduate from UNC Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in Media and Journalism and a minor in Hispanic Studies. She can typically be found reading the latest book between commercial breaks of UNC Basketball games or walking around the triangle with her dog Mack. 

• 

  Lauren Nixon

  Lauren Nixon is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy, where she combines her expertise in journalistic writing and strategic communication to support clients through media analysis and research. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she grew up, Lauren is passionate about exploring the intersection of advocacy and communication across various industries and mediums. Prior to her return to California in June 2025, Lauren earned both her BA and MA degrees from George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs in Washington, DC. During her studies, she held multiple policy and communications-focused roles at organizations including the Smithsonian Institution and an affordable housing trade association, as well as at several PR agencies. Most recently, she served as a communications fellow at Scott Circle Communications, a boutique PR agency serving nonprofit and mission-driven clients. In her free time, Lauren can be found playing with her two dogs, enjoying good food with her best friends, attending pilates classes, reading historical fiction novels, and dancing to her favorite music.

  Associate
  

  lauren@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Lauren Nixon is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy, where she combines her expertise in journalistic writing and strategic communication to support clients through media analysis and research. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she grew up, Lauren is passionate about exploring the intersection of advocacy and communication across various industries and mediums.

  Prior to her return to California in June 2025, Lauren earned both her BA and MA degrees from George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs in Washington, DC. During her studies, she held multiple policy and communications-focused roles at organizations including the Smithsonian Institution and an affordable housing trade association, as well as at several PR agencies. Most recently, she served as a communications fellow at Scott Circle Communications, a boutique PR agency serving nonprofit and mission-driven clients.

  In her free time, Lauren can be found playing with her two dogs, enjoying good food with her best friends, attending pilates classes, reading historical fiction novels, and dancing to her favorite music.

• 

  Jennifer Parmelee Witt

  Jennifer focuses on supporting and elevating Breakwater's capital markets strategy, bringing a broad background across strategy, operations, product, marketing, research, and communications. Her career spans Fortune 100 companies in healthcare and financial services, where she has led through turnarounds, accelerated business transformation, driven market entry, and pivoted strategy to unlock growth in existing markets. She has also built new strategic partnerships and supported the integration of acquisitions. Jennifer's work consistently connects strategic positioning to operational execution, from go-to-market design and competitive intelligence to change management and internal communications. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Political Science from Wellesley College, having spent her junior year at Trinity College Dublin. She is active in the Hartford Wellesley Club, serves on the board of the Friends of Simsbury Crew, and chaired the FCC Simsbury Stewardship Committee, where she led the organization's annual fundraising campaign. She will be joining the board of the NIRI Virtual Chapter. Expertise: Market Research & Competitive Intelligence Business Strategy Strategic Marketing & Sales Enablement Internal Communications & Employee Engagement Change Management Program Management

  Managing
  Director, Capital Markets

  Jennifer@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Jennifer focuses on supporting and elevating Breakwater’s capital markets strategy, bringing a broad background across strategy, operations, product, marketing, research, and communications.

  Her career spans Fortune 100 companies in healthcare and financial services, where she has led through turnarounds, accelerated business transformation, driven market entry, and pivoted strategy to unlock growth in existing markets. She has also built new strategic partnerships and supported the integration of acquisitions.

  Jennifer’s work consistently connects strategic positioning to operational execution, from go-to-market design and competitive intelligence to change management and internal communications.

  Jennifer holds a B.A. in Political Science from Wellesley College, having spent her junior year at Trinity College Dublin. She is active in the Hartford Wellesley Club, serves on the board of the Friends of Simsbury Crew, and chaired the FCC Simsbury Stewardship Committee, where she led the organization’s annual fundraising campaign. She will be joining the board of the NIRI Virtual Chapter.

  Expertise:

  • Market Research & Competitive Intelligence
  • Business Strategy
  • Strategic Marketing & Sales Enablement
  • Internal Communications & Employee Engagement
  • Change Management
  • Program Management

• 

  Haley Prince

  As a Senior Associate, Haley supports the Breakwater team in identifying and executing client goals. She supports senior staff on research needs, media analysis, content drafting, and administrative tasks.   Haley began her time at Breakwater as an intern before joining the team permanently as an associate. Prior to that, she interned for Kantar, a leading data, insights, and consulting company. She additionally took part in tech giant Watch Mojo’s media and finance internship.   Haley graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She was granted distinction in the major by the department due to her grade point average and senior thesis. Her passion for politics and women’s rights can be seen through her thesis entitled Sexual Harassment on The Hill: How Partisanship and Polarization Condition Reactions to Sexual Impropriety in Congress. At Yale, she worked for the Office of Development and Alumni Fund. Her work as an Alumni Fund student liaison led her to be selected as the Chair for the Class of 2022. Additionally, Haley co-founded a Students Demand Action chapter at her university to support gun control advocacy work. She also served on the board of the Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative. Throughout her college experience, she was heavily involved in other service initiatives and her sorority.   Born and raised in Washington D.C., Haley found an interest in politics before many other age-appropriate things. When she is not working, she is probably making a new friend out of a local cafe barista or Uber driver. Based in New York City  -- but spends most of her time trying to get out of the city and up to her family's house in New Hampshire. 

  Senior
  Associate

  haley@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As a Senior Associate, Haley supports the Breakwater team in identifying and executing client goals. She supports senior staff on research needs, media analysis, content drafting, and administrative tasks.  

  Haley began her time at Breakwater as an intern before joining the team permanently as an associate. Prior to that, she interned for Kantar, a leading data, insights, and consulting company. She additionally took part in tech giant Watch Mojo’s media and finance internship.  

  Haley graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She was granted distinction in the major by the department due to her grade point average and senior thesis. Her passion for politics and women’s rights can be seen through her thesis entitled Sexual Harassment on The Hill: How Partisanship and Polarization Condition Reactions to Sexual Impropriety in Congress. At Yale, she worked for the Office of Development and Alumni Fund. Her work as an Alumni Fund student liaison led her to be selected as the Chair for the Class of 2022. Additionally, Haley co-founded a Students Demand Action chapter at her university to support gun control advocacy work. She also served on the board of the Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative. Throughout her college experience, she was heavily involved in other service initiatives and her sorority.  

  Born and raised in Washington D.C., Haley found an interest in politics before many other age-appropriate things. When she is not working, she is probably making a new friend out of a local cafe barista or Uber driver. Based in New York City  — but spends most of her time trying to get out of the city and up to her family’s house in New Hampshire. 

• 

  Reagan Putnam

  Reagan Putnam is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy within the Capital Markets practice, based in Washington D.C. She provides ongoing support for the team’s core research functions and helps develop actionable recommendations for stakeholders. With a background in consulting and financial markets, Reagan has experience helping clients navigate the challenging intersection between strategy, finance, and market dynamics to achieve their goals and drive sustainable growth. She joined Breakwater from the Palladium Group, which focused on impact investing projects for developing regions in southern Asia and coastal Africa, with a concentration on healthcare infrastructure and improving access to education for women and girls. Previously, Reagan also acted as an investment fellow with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the USDA, where she worked to advise clients on sustainable investment opportunities in emerging markets. Reagan majored in International Affairs and Business (Finance) at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. She is a member of Kappa Delta and works with their national philanthropies. She also volunteers her time with the Junior League. In her free time, Reagan enjoys staying active through fitness and tennis, indulging her passion for writing, learning languages, and running her book club. Expertise: Market Research Strategic Communications

  Associate
  Director, Capital Markets

  reagan@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Reagan Putnam is an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy within the Capital Markets practice, based in Washington D.C. She provides ongoing support for the team’s core research functions and helps develop actionable recommendations for stakeholders.

  With a background in consulting and financial markets, Reagan has experience helping clients navigate the challenging intersection between strategy, finance, and market dynamics to achieve their goals and drive sustainable growth.

  She joined Breakwater from the Palladium Group, which focused on impact investing projects for developing regions in southern Asia and coastal Africa, with a concentration on healthcare infrastructure and improving access to education for women and girls. Previously, Reagan also acted as an investment fellow with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the USDA, where she worked to advise clients on sustainable investment opportunities in emerging markets.

  Reagan majored in International Affairs and Business (Finance) at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. She is a member of Kappa Delta and works with their national philanthropies. She also volunteers her time with the Junior League. In her free time, Reagan enjoys staying active through fitness and tennis, indulging her passion for writing, learning languages, and running her book club.

  Expertise:

  • Market Research
  • Strategic Communications

• 

  Bobby Ritter

  As an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy, Bobby helps staff and clients develop and execute communications strategies and campaigns. Throughout his career, he has helped corporations, nonprofits, and sports organizations define their message and deliver it to key audiences to advance their business goals and missions. Prior to joining Breakwater, Bobby was a Director at Ari Fleischer Communications, a boutique corporate communications and reputation management firm led by former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. There, he partnered with Fortune 500 companies and CEOs, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and sports organizations on media relations, research, press materials, media training, and communications strategy. Additionally, Bobby spent the fall of 2025 as a Defensive Analyst with the University of California, Berkeley football team. Bobby graduated from Middlebury College with a Bachelor's degree in American Studies and was a member of the football team. Bobby is proudly from Middlebury, Vermont, and outside of work enjoys watching sports, playing golf, skiing, and exploring the Bay Area as a lifelong New Englander.

  Associate
  Director

  bobby@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As an Associate Director at Breakwater Strategy, Bobby helps staff and clients develop and execute communications strategies and campaigns. Throughout his career, he has helped corporations, nonprofits, and sports organizations define their message and deliver it to key audiences to advance their business goals and missions.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Bobby was a Director at Ari Fleischer Communications, a boutique corporate communications and reputation management firm led by former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. There, he partnered with Fortune 500 companies and CEOs, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and sports organizations on media relations, research, press materials, media training, and communications strategy. Additionally, Bobby spent the fall of 2025 as a Defensive Analyst with the University of California, Berkeley football team.

  Bobby graduated from Middlebury College with a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies and was a member of the football team.

  Bobby is proudly from Middlebury, Vermont, and outside of work enjoys watching sports, playing golf, skiing, and exploring the Bay Area as a lifelong New Englander.

• 

  Nick Rosenberg

  Nick leads the Research & Insights team, developing, executing, and analyzing public opinion research to inform Breakwater’s strategic guidance. He crafts integrated research programs that leverage quantitative, qualitative, and digital methodologies to help navigate complex challenges and provide actionable findings. Nick advises wide-ranging strategy initiatives and public affairs campaigns for companies and trade associations across industries.  Prior to joining Breakwater Strategy, Nick worked for several years at PSB Insights, a global research and analytics consultancy and member of the BCW Group. During his time at PSB, Nick managed expansive research engagements including dynamic crisis responses, global mixed-methodology studies, and stakeholder communications efforts for blue-chip corporations, leading non-profits, and prominent government agencies. Nick’s introduction to strategic communications research came as an intern at the Glover Park Group, where he learned to appreciate the value of learning what people think and why.  Nick graduated from Colby College, with distinction in Government and Economics. Nick is a Beltway native. He was born in Glover Park, DC, grew up in Bethesda, MD, and is a long-suffering D.C. sports fan. When he’s not working, he’s probably checking the latest election polling on RealClearPolitics, or listening to his favorite podcasts from the Ringer. 

  Vice
  President

  nick@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Nick leads the Research & Insights team, developing, executing, and analyzing public opinion research to inform Breakwater’s strategic guidance. He crafts integrated research programs that leverage quantitative, qualitative, and digital methodologies to help navigate complex challenges and provide actionable findings. Nick advises wide-ranging strategy initiatives and public affairs campaigns for companies and trade associations across industries. 

  Prior to joining Breakwater Strategy, Nick worked for several years at PSB Insights, a global research and analytics consultancy and member of the BCW Group. During his time at PSB, Nick managed expansive research engagements including dynamic crisis responses, global mixed-methodology studies, and stakeholder communications efforts for blue-chip corporations, leading non-profits, and prominent government agencies. Nick’s introduction to strategic communications research came as an intern at the Glover Park Group, where he learned to appreciate the value of learning what people think and why. 

  Nick graduated from Colby College, with distinction in Government and Economics. Nick is a Beltway native. He was born in Glover Park, DC, grew up in Bethesda, MD, and is a long-suffering D.C. sports fan. When he’s not working, he’s probably checking the latest election polling on RealClearPolitics, or listening to his favorite podcasts from the Ringer. 

• 

  Jessica Schneider

  Jessica Schneider is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, where she draws on more than two decades of experience as a television correspondent and attorney to guide clients through fast-moving and complex communications challenges. Jessica’s unique expertise in the media and legal affairs gives Fortune 500 companies and executives a powerful partner in public affairs, corporate reputation and crisis situations. Prior to joining Breakwater, Jessica was CNN’s Justice Correspondent in Washington, D.C., where she covered the most consequential legal and political developments of the Trump and Biden administrations, and earned a reputation as one of the network’s most trusted on-air voices breaking down complex issues in real time. Before joining CNN, Jessica was a television reporter in New York City and Connecticut.  Earlier in her career, Jessica practiced law in New York, specializing in product liability and insurance coverage defense. Jessica is a proud graduate of Boston University where she earned degrees in Journalism and Political Science.  She also graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law. A native of Connecticut, Jessica is now happy to call Washington, D.C. home where she most enjoys spending time with her husband Adam, and their two sons Lincoln and Carter. While most of her spare time is spent chasing her two young boys around, Jessica loves to travel the globe — with regular trips to family spots in the Finger Lakes and Lake Michigan, run and practice yoga, and search for the best pizza the DC area has to offer (while still longing for the plethora of pizza options in her home state!)

  Vice
  President

  jessica@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Jessica Schneider is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy, where she draws on more than two decades of experience as a television correspondent and attorney to guide clients through fast-moving and complex communications challenges. Jessica’s unique expertise in the media and legal affairs gives Fortune 500 companies and executives a powerful partner in public affairs, corporate reputation and crisis situations.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Jessica was CNN’s Justice Correspondent in Washington, D.C., where she covered the most consequential legal and political developments of the Trump and Biden administrations, and earned a reputation as one of the network’s most trusted on-air voices breaking down complex issues in real time. Before joining CNN, Jessica was a television reporter in New York City and Connecticut.  Earlier in her career, Jessica practiced law in New York, specializing in product liability and insurance coverage defense.

  Jessica is a proud graduate of Boston University where she earned degrees in Journalism and Political Science.  She also graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

  A native of Connecticut, Jessica is now happy to call Washington, D.C. home where she most enjoys spending time with her husband Adam, and their two sons Lincoln and Carter. While most of her spare time is spent chasing her two young boys around, Jessica loves to travel the globe — with regular trips to family spots in the Finger Lakes and Lake Michigan, run and practice yoga, and search for the best pizza the DC area has to offer (while still longing for the plethora of pizza options in her home state!)

• 

  Peyton Shelburne

  Peyton Shelburne is an Associate Director on the Capital Markets team at Breakwater Strategy. She supports the team’s research initiatives by developing actionable insights and tailored recommendations to stakeholders. Peyton’s background includes marketing and content strategy roles at data-driven companies. Before joining Breakwater, she held a marketing position at Akkio, an AI-powered data platform for advertising agencies, where she contributed to ABM strategies and campaign development. Prior to that, she spent over three years at Morning Consult, a global data intelligence company, as part of the content strategy and operations team. In her role, she authored original content, streamlined internal processes, and analyzed survey data to update trend tracker webpages across various sectors, strengthening the company’s insights-driven offerings. Peyton graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a B.A. in linguistics and a minor in Chinese. Outside of work, Peyton enjoys following and playing tennis. She also loves volleyball, curating music playlists, and exploring hiking trails. Expertise: Market Research Marketing

  Associate
  Director, Capital Markets

  peyton@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Peyton Shelburne is an Associate Director on the Capital Markets team at Breakwater Strategy. She supports the team’s research initiatives by developing actionable insights and tailored recommendations to stakeholders.

  Peyton’s background includes marketing and content strategy roles at data-driven companies. Before joining Breakwater, she held a marketing position at Akkio, an AI-powered data platform for advertising agencies, where she contributed to ABM strategies and campaign development. Prior to that, she spent over three years at Morning Consult, a global data intelligence company, as part of the content strategy and operations team. In her role, she authored original content, streamlined internal processes, and analyzed survey data to update trend tracker webpages across various sectors, strengthening the company’s insights-driven offerings.

  Peyton graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a B.A. in linguistics and a minor in Chinese.

  Outside of work, Peyton enjoys following and playing tennis. She also loves volleyball, curating music playlists, and exploring hiking trails.

  Expertise:

  • Market Research
  • Marketing

• 

  Annie Stegall

  Annie Stegall is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy based in Washington, D.C. She draws on her background in academic research, writing, and public relations to support her teams and clients. Annie graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in English and a minor in theology and religious studies. Her academic work reflects a sustained interest in how religious traditions shape and are shaped by cultural forces, culminating in a research fellowship examining how modern Evangelical masculinity has developed in tension with Biblical text. While in college, she also wrote for and served on the editorial board of The Hoya, Georgetown's oldest and largest student newspaper. Prior to joining Breakwater, Annie supported a Georgetown professor with his book on political comedy's impact on democracy, as well as regular op-eds on higher education and television. She also worked in public relations for a record label based in New York City, where she developed hands-on experience in media relations and client communications. Outside of work, Annie can be found trying a new recipe, going to a concert, reading a memoir, or running the Capital Crescent Trail. Every Saturday of the fall, she stays busy cheering on the Auburn Tigers.

  Associate
  

  annie@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Annie Stegall is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy based in Washington, D.C. She draws on her background in academic research, writing, and public relations to support her teams and clients.

  Annie graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in English and a minor in theology and religious studies. Her academic work reflects a sustained interest in how religious traditions shape and are shaped by cultural forces, culminating in a research fellowship examining how modern Evangelical masculinity has developed in tension with Biblical text. While in college, she also wrote for and served on the editorial board of The Hoya, Georgetown’s oldest and largest student newspaper.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Annie supported a Georgetown professor with his book on political comedy’s impact on democracy, as well as regular op-eds on higher education and television. She also worked in public relations for a record label based in New York City, where she developed hands-on experience in media relations and client communications.

  Outside of work, Annie can be found trying a new recipe, going to a concert, reading a memoir, or running the Capital Crescent Trail. Every Saturday of the fall, she stays busy cheering on the Auburn Tigers.

• 

  Annie Stephens

  Annie Stephens is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy, based in Washington, D.C., where she leads marketing strategy and execution for the Capital Markets team, helping strengthen the Breakwater Capital Markets global brand across the full range of marketing activities. Prior to Breakwater, Annie built digital marketing and communications experience at the National Communication Association, where she led marketing for the organization’s annual convention and webinar programming. She previously supported brand development for the University of Virginia’s Media Studies Department, using data-driven insights and stakeholder engagement to enhance its positioning. Annie earned a B.A. in Media Studies with distinction and a minor in Sociology from the University of Virginia in 2024. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, fitness, and exploring new restaurants in the D.C. area.

  Associate,
  Capital Markets

  annie.stephens@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Annie Stephens is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy, based in Washington, D.C., where she leads marketing strategy and execution for the Capital Markets team, helping strengthen the Breakwater Capital Markets global brand across the full range of marketing activities.

  Prior to Breakwater, Annie built digital marketing and communications experience at the National Communication Association, where she led marketing for the organization’s annual convention and webinar programming. She previously supported brand development for the University of Virginia’s Media Studies Department, using data-driven insights and stakeholder engagement to enhance its positioning.

  Annie earned a B.A. in Media Studies with distinction and a minor in Sociology from the University of Virginia in 2024. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, fitness, and exploring new restaurants in the D.C. area.

• 

  Karianna Torres

  Karianna works with senior staff to create strategic communications campaigns and develop impactful messaging materials. Her main responsibilities include planning and producing social content, tracking and analyzing media, sharing insights from qualitative research, and creating written client deliverables. She has experience and knowledge of a wide array of industries including entertainment, tech, financial services, and non-profit.  Prior to joining Breakwater, Karianna was an Education Relations Intern for C-SPAN where she created content for their education website and helped generate press coverage for C-SPAN’s 2019 StudentCam Competition. She also drafted blog post articles as a Community Contributor for SHE Media and managed the daily operations as an intern for DREAM Charter High School in East Harlem.  Karianna graduated from Hamilton College with a bachelor’s degree in Literature and a minor in Mathematics as a HEOP Scholar. While at Hamilton, Karianna worked as a student assistant for Nesbitt-Johnston Writing Center, participated in Hamilton’s Washington D.C. program, and was an active leader of La Vanguardia, Hamilton’s Latinx cultural club.    Karianna was born and raised in the Bronx, so of course she is a die-hard Yankees fan. Growing up she tried to memorize every train and bus route that ran through the Bronx so that she could traverse the whole borough with ease. She loves how the Bronx is full of diverse hard-working people. 

  Senior
  Associate

  karianna@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Karianna works with senior staff to create strategic communications campaigns and develop impactful messaging materials. Her main responsibilities include planning and producing social content, tracking and analyzing media, sharing insights from qualitative research, and creating written client deliverables. She has experience and knowledge of a wide array of industries including entertainment, tech, financial services, and non-profit. 

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Karianna was an Education Relations Intern for C-SPAN where she created content for their education website and helped generate press coverage for C-SPAN’s 2019 StudentCam Competition. She also drafted blog post articles as a Community Contributor for SHE Media and managed the daily operations as an intern for DREAM Charter High School in East Harlem. 

  Karianna graduated from Hamilton College with a bachelor’s degree in Literature and a minor in Mathematics as a HEOP Scholar. While at Hamilton, Karianna worked as a student assistant for Nesbitt-Johnston Writing Center, participated in Hamilton’s Washington D.C. program, and was an active leader of La Vanguardia, Hamilton’s Latinx cultural club.   

  Karianna was born and raised in the Bronx, so of course she is a die-hard Yankees fan. Growing up she tried to memorize every train and bus route that ran through the Bronx so that she could traverse the whole borough with ease. She loves how the Bronx is full of diverse hard-working people. 

• 

  Maggie Tween

  Maggie Tween is an Senior Associate at Breakwater Strategy on the Capital Markets team, based in New York. In her role, she supports senior staff on market research and client interaction. With prior internship experience in financial research, Maggie’s professional foundation lies at the intersection of global markets and client advisory. Maggie graduated from Boston College as an Economics major, where she was involved in volunteer groups, business organizations, and club sports. With minors in Finance and English, she developed her passions for both business and writing during her time at BC. Outside of work, Maggie can be found at the gym or on a run, and cheering on the Mets in the summer and the Rangers in the winter.

  Senior
  Associate, Capital Markets

  maggie.tween@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Maggie Tween is an Senior Associate at Breakwater Strategy on the Capital Markets team, based in New York. In her role, she supports senior staff on market research and client interaction. With prior internship experience in financial research, Maggie’s professional foundation lies at the intersection of global markets and client advisory.

  Maggie graduated from Boston College as an Economics major, where she was involved in volunteer groups, business organizations, and club sports. With minors in Finance and English, she developed her passions for both business and writing during her time at BC.

  Outside of work, Maggie can be found at the gym or on a run, and cheering on the Mets in the summer and the Rangers in the winter.

• 

  Kay Vollmar

  As an Associate at Breakwater, Kay supports clients and senior staff with the development of strategic research and messaging materials. Kay also assists in managing internal operations. Hailing from the University of Michigan, Kay comes to Breakwater with a degree in Public Policy and minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. As part of their degree program, Kay completed an independent study on political communications trends in social media. Outside of their studies, Kay also founded and ran operations for Michigan’s first Undergraduate Law Review. Prior to joining Breakwater as an Associate, Kay interned with the group virtually and in their New York office. In their final year of university, they also worked in Michigan's Executive Office of Communications for Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Along with social media and press relations work, they wrote biweekly talking points for the State of Michigan’s 50,000+ employees on President Trump’s first 100 days in office. When not at the office, Kay can be found trying to unlock all the features on Beli, at way too many book clubs, and proudly wearing Maize and Blue.

  Associate
  

  kay@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As an Associate at Breakwater, Kay supports clients and senior staff with the development of strategic research and messaging materials. Kay also assists in managing internal operations.

  Hailing from the University of Michigan, Kay comes to Breakwater with a degree in Public Policy and minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. As part of their degree program, Kay completed an independent study on political communications trends in social media. Outside of their studies, Kay also founded and ran operations for Michigan’s first Undergraduate Law Review.

  Prior to joining Breakwater as an Associate, Kay interned with the group virtually and in their New York office. In their final year of university, they also worked in Michigan’s Executive Office of Communications for Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Along with social media and press relations work, they wrote biweekly talking points for the State of Michigan’s 50,000+ employees on President Trump’s first 100 days in office.

  When not at the office, Kay can be found trying to unlock all the features on Beli, at way too many book clubs, and proudly wearing Maize and Blue.

• 

  Adi Volosov

  As an Associate Director of Operations at Breakwater, Adi assists with both client advisory and internal operations. She engages her policy-focused background to assist clients and senior staff with the development of strategic communications and messaging materials, including thought leadership pieces, op-eds, policy memos, media analyses, and more. She also manages hiring, internal programming, and day-to-day operations of the firm. Prior to joining Breakwater, Adi held several internships within the US federal government, including the House of Representatives, focusing specifically on criminal justice equity and policy. She graduated with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and History from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is pursuing her Masters in Public Policy at Georgetown University. While at the University of Maryland, she was also part of Global Communities, an Honors living and learning program focused on global policy. As part of this program, she studied abroad in London and Vienna, focusing on the history and policy development of nuclear non-proliferation issues. She is fluent in Russian. Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Adi was raised in Newton, MA, and currently resides in Washington D.C., where she continues to defend her Massachusetts roots—and more importantly, her sports teams—with pride.

  Associate
  Director

  adi@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As an Associate Director of Operations at Breakwater, Adi assists with both client advisory and internal operations. She engages her policy-focused background to assist clients and senior staff with the development of strategic communications and messaging materials, including thought leadership pieces, op-eds, policy memos, media analyses, and more. She also manages hiring, internal programming, and day-to-day operations of the firm.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Adi held several internships within the US federal government, including the House of Representatives, focusing specifically on criminal justice equity and policy. She graduated with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and History from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is pursuing her Masters in Public Policy at Georgetown University. While at the University of Maryland, she was also part of Global Communities, an Honors living and learning program focused on global policy. As part of this program, she studied abroad in London and Vienna, focusing on the history and policy development of nuclear non-proliferation issues. She is fluent in Russian.

  Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Adi was raised in Newton, MA, and currently resides in Washington D.C., where she continues to defend her Massachusetts roots—and more importantly, her sports teams—with pride.

• 

  Nora Wahlbrink

  Nora Wahlbrink is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy. In her role, Nora works directly with clients and senior leadership to manage emerging risks in the marketplace, on the Hill and with all stakeholders. As a skilled writer and communicator, she is responsible for crafting messaging and using it to develop a suite of public deliverables such as press releases, blog posts, and social content. Though she specializes in the entertainment and technology industries, she also has experience in health, telecommunication, financial services, news media and more. She is particularly passionate about the role of the media in public relations and preparing spokespeople for successful high-stakes public appearances and interactions with reporters.  Prior to joining the Breakwater team, Nora worked at Levick, a D.C.-based crisis communications firm, where she addressed rapid response issues. She has experience communicating around high-profile litigation, mergers and acquisitions, executive transitions, data breaches, foreign policy, personal events, and other issues. Originally from Rockville, MD, Nora graduated with honors from the University of Alabama as a presidential scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a minor in Business.  Nora loves to cook and explore the DC food scene. When she’s not working, she’s most likely reading about a new restaurant, searching for weekend reservations, or on a good night – making something delicious at home. If you’re in need of a restaurant recommendation in the DC area, look no further. 

  Vice
  President

  nora@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Nora Wahlbrink is a Vice President at Breakwater Strategy. In her role, Nora works directly with clients and senior leadership to manage emerging risks in the marketplace, on the Hill and with all stakeholders. As a skilled writer and communicator, she is responsible for crafting messaging and using it to develop a suite of public deliverables such as press releases, blog posts, and social content. Though she specializes in the entertainment and technology industries, she also has experience in health, telecommunication, financial services, news media and more. She is particularly passionate about the role of the media in public relations and preparing spokespeople for successful high-stakes public appearances and interactions with reporters. 

  Prior to joining the Breakwater team, Nora worked at Levick, a D.C.-based crisis communications firm, where she addressed rapid response issues. She has experience communicating around high-profile litigation, mergers and acquisitions, executive transitions, data breaches, foreign policy, personal events, and other issues. Originally from Rockville, MD, Nora graduated with honors from the University of Alabama as a presidential scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a minor in Business. 

  Nora loves to cook and explore the DC food scene. When she’s not working, she’s most likely reading about a new restaurant, searching for weekend reservations, or on a good night – making something delicious at home. If you’re in need of a restaurant recommendation in the DC area, look no further. 

• 

  Steve Weber

  As a Partner at Breakwater, Steve brings his core expertise in strategy and decision making to the most complex challenges facing organizations at the intersection of economics, technology, politics, regulation, and human understanding through narrative.  Alongside a thirty-year academic career at the University of California Berkeley (where he has a joint appointment as Professor at the School of Information and in the department of Political Science), Steve has advised global firms, government agencies, and non-profit organizations around the world on risk analysis, strategy, and communications, using a diverse set of qualitative and quantitative methods fit to purpose. Recognized as one of the world’s most expert practitioners of scenario planning, Steve has worked with more than 50 companies and organizations to develop this discipline as a strategy planning tool in uncertain and turbulent business environments. He started his advisory career at the boutique consulting firm Global Business Network in the 1990s and in the 2000s worked with The Monitor Group to help clients navigate transitions in information technology, finance, health care, consumer goods, and other sectors transformed by digital and by evolving global and national political economy.  Steve served as special political advisor to the first president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He was Director of the Institute of International Studies at UC Berkeley from 2003 to 2009, and in 2015 he founded the Center for Long Term Cybersecurity at UC Berkeley, where he directs a multi-disciplinary research program on emerging digital security issues at the intersection of new technologies, human behavior, and risk calculations made by firms and governments. His best-known book, The Success of Open Source, was the first extensive study of how the open source software community works. His most recent book  Bloc by Bloc:  How to Organize a Global Enterprise (2019) explains how economic geography is evolving around machine learning, and the consequences for multinational organizations in the post financial and Covid crises world.  Steve brings a research-based innovation discipline to strategy and communications problems, along with a deep commitment to creative engagement with how people understand their environment, change their minds, and ultimately change the world through narrative. Steve lives in the Hudson River Valley north of New York City with his partner Regina and two Burmese cats named Napoleon and Mrs. Peel.  All four are life-long-suffering fans of the New York Football Giants. 

  Partner
  

  steve@breakwaterstrategy.com

  As a Partner at Breakwater, Steve brings his core expertise in strategy and decision making to the most complex challenges facing organizations at the intersection of economics, technology, politics, regulation, and human understanding through narrative. 

  Alongside a thirty-year academic career at the University of California Berkeley (where he has a joint appointment as Professor at the School of Information and in the department of Political Science), Steve has advised global firms, government agencies, and non-profit organizations around the world on risk analysis, strategy, and communications, using a diverse set of qualitative and quantitative methods fit to purpose. Recognized as one of the world’s most expert practitioners of scenario planning, Steve has worked with more than 50 companies and organizations to develop this discipline as a strategy planning tool in uncertain and turbulent business environments. He started his advisory career at the boutique consulting firm Global Business Network in the 1990s and in the 2000s worked with The Monitor Group to help clients navigate transitions in information technology, finance, health care, consumer goods, and other sectors transformed by digital and by evolving global and national political economy. 

  Steve served as special political advisor to the first president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He was Director of the Institute of International Studies at UC Berkeley from 2003 to 2009, and in 2015 he founded the Center for Long Term Cybersecurity at UC Berkeley, where he directs a multi-disciplinary research program on emerging digital security issues at the intersection of new technologies, human behavior, and risk calculations made by firms and governments. His best-known book, The Success of Open Source, was the first extensive study of how the open source software community works. His most recent book  Bloc by Bloc:  How to Organize a Global Enterprise (2019) explains how economic geography is evolving around machine learning, and the consequences for multinational organizations in the post financial and Covid crises world. 

  Steve brings a research-based innovation discipline to strategy and communications problems, along with a deep commitment to creative engagement with how people understand their environment, change their minds, and ultimately change the world through narrative. Steve lives in the Hudson River Valley north of New York City with his partner Regina and two Burmese cats named Napoleon and Mrs. Peel.  All four are life-long-suffering fans of the New York Football Giants. 

• 

  Ben Williams

  A Director at Breakwater Strategy, Ben brings a passion for brand positioning, leadership and policy to develop strategic communications programs across an array of issues and industries. His main responsibilities include strategic advisory, messaging and content development, media relations and internal and external project management. He has helped advise clients from Fortune 500’s to nonprofits, and collaborated with leaders to develop and execute strategies to position brands within complex political and regulatory environments, elevate profiles, launch new initiatives, successfully navigate crises and more.   Prior to joining Breakwater, Ben got his start in strategic communications in the D.C. office of High Lantern Group, a strategic communications and positioning firm, where he worked on a number of global communications and issues management projects. From 2013-2016, he was on the research team at Correct The Record a part of the coordinated Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, where he helped shape the positive narrative around Secretary Clinton’s service at the State Department.     A Massachusetts native and sometimes Mainer, Ben has a BA in history from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. When he’s not at home in DC with his wife, dog and cat, he can be found supporting his favorite Boston sports teams, relaxing in Maine, skiing or at a Pearl Jam show. 

  Director
  

  ben@breakwaterstrategy.com

  A Director at Breakwater Strategy, Ben brings a passion for brand positioning, leadership and policy to develop strategic communications programs across an array of issues and industries. His main responsibilities include strategic advisory, messaging and content development, media relations and internal and external project management. He has helped advise clients from Fortune 500’s to nonprofits, and collaborated with leaders to develop and execute strategies to position brands within complex political and regulatory environments, elevate profiles, launch new initiatives, successfully navigate crises and more.  

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Ben got his start in strategic communications in the D.C. office of High Lantern Group, a strategic communications and positioning firm, where he worked on a number of global communications and issues management projects. From 2013-2016, he was on the research team at Correct The Record a part of the coordinated Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, where he helped shape the positive narrative around Secretary Clinton’s service at the State Department.    

  A Massachusetts native and sometimes Mainer, Ben has a BA in history from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. When he’s not at home in DC with his wife, dog and cat, he can be found supporting his favorite Boston sports teams, relaxing in Maine, skiing or at a Pearl Jam show. 

• 

  Zoe Wynn

  Zoe is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy, where she conducts policy research and analysis to develop strategic communications and media recommendations for clients. She additionally supports senior staff in scenario planning and strategic messaging. Prior to joining Breakwater, Zoe worked as a Research Associate at the Democratic National Committee (DNC). During the 2024 election cycle, she analyzed policy proposals from Donald Trump's presidential campaign and developed strategic messaging frameworks for the American public. Zoe's passion for policy research, democracy protection, and advocacy led her to her role at the DNC following a post-graduate internship with Ambassador Norman Eisen's Ethics, Rule of Law, and Accountability team at the Brookings Institution. While at Brookings, Zoe co-authored a blog with Ambassador Eisen arguing for specific state legislative protections for female election officials. Zoe also served as the Maine State Director for the Every Voice Coalition, a national organization working to end sexual violence on college campuses through state-based advocacy and legislation. In May of 2022, Maine Governor Janet Mills signed Every Voice's comprehensive campus safety legislation into law. Zoe graduated magna cum laude with Honors from Bates College, earning a Major in Politics and a Minor in Spanish. While at Bates, Zoe was named a Dana Scholar, an award granted to students demonstrating academic excellence, community engagement, and leadership potential. She served as captain of the Women's Club Water Polo Team and studied international policy in Sevilla, Spain. Her undergraduate Honors Politics thesis examined how state election law centralization affects local election officials' resilience to misinformation and threats. A Bay Area native now based in Washington, DC, Zoe spent a year living and working in Latin America and is fluent in Spanish. True to her West Coast roots, she spends her free time running, swimming, hiking, and skiing.

  Associate
  

  zoe@breakwaterstrategy.com

  Zoe is an Associate at Breakwater Strategy, where she conducts policy research and analysis to develop strategic communications and media recommendations for clients. She additionally supports senior staff in scenario planning and strategic messaging.

  Prior to joining Breakwater, Zoe worked as a Research Associate at the Democratic National Committee (DNC). During the 2024 election cycle, she analyzed policy proposals from Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and developed strategic messaging frameworks for the American public. Zoe’s passion for policy research, democracy protection, and advocacy led her to her role at the DNC following a post-graduate internship with Ambassador Norman Eisen’s Ethics, Rule of Law, and Accountability team at the Brookings Institution. While at Brookings, Zoe co-authored a blog with Ambassador Eisen arguing for specific state legislative protections for female election officials. Zoe also served as the Maine State Director for the Every Voice Coalition, a national organization working to end sexual violence on college campuses through state-based advocacy and legislation. In May of 2022, Maine Governor Janet Mills signed Every Voice’s comprehensive campus safety legislation into law.

  Zoe graduated magna cum laude with Honors from Bates College, earning a Major in Politics and a Minor in Spanish. While at Bates, Zoe was named a Dana Scholar, an award granted to students demonstrating academic excellence, community engagement, and leadership potential. She served as captain of the Women’s Club Water Polo Team and studied international policy in Sevilla, Spain. Her undergraduate Honors Politics thesis examined how state election law centralization affects local election officials’ resilience to misinformation and threats.

  A Bay Area native now based in Washington, DC, Zoe spent a year living and working in Latin America and is fluent in Spanish. True to her West Coast roots, she spends her free time running, swimming, hiking, and skiing.

Senior Advisors

• 

  Gary Ginsberg

  Gary Ginsberg is a lawyer, corporate advisor, author and venture fund partner, serving at the intersection of media, politics, investing and philanthropy for more than 25 years. A native of Buffalo, New York, Ginsberg is a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University and the Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.  He began his legal career as an attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. He left the firm in 1992 for a position in the Clinton presidential campaign and later served in the Clinton Administration in the Office of the White House Counsel and at the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1995, Ginsberg became Senior Editor and legal counsel of George, the monthly political magazine started by John F. Kennedy, Jr. Ginsberg spent eleven years at News Corporation as the company’s Executive Vice President of Global Marketing and Corporate Affairs and a member of the Chairman’s seven-person Executive Management Committee. In 2010, he joined Time Warner as the entertainment company’s Executive Vice President for Corporate Marketing and Communications, where he led the company’s integrated sales and marketing division, the Time Warner Foundation and was responsible for evangelizing the company’s major initiatives across the media landscape. After the sale of the company to AT&T in 2018, Ginsberg joined Softbank as the company’s Senior Vice President and Global Chief Communications Officer, where he remained until December 2020. Ginsberg is the author of the New York Times bestseller First Friends: The Powerful, Unsung (And Unelected) People Who Shaped Our Presidents (Twelve). He has published opinion pieces in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and CNN.com, and was a former on-air political contributor to MSNBC. Ginsberg is the chairman of the Board of New Visions for Public Schools, New York City’s premier educational reform organization; he is also a Director of The City, the online not-for-profit news service covering NYC, and Malaria No More.  From 2015-2018, Ginsberg was an adjunct professor at the Columbia University Business School where he co-taught the course Entrepreneurship in Incumbent Media. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Ginsberg is a founding partner of 25Madison, the New York City-based VC firm and start-up studio.  He is also a director of Schrodinger, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDGR) and Townsquare Media, Inc. (NYSE: TSQ). He lives in New York City with his wife Susanna Aaron and two sons.

  Senior
  Advisor

  Gary Ginsberg is a lawyer, corporate advisor, author and venture fund partner, serving at the intersection of media, politics, investing and philanthropy for more than 25 years.

  A native of Buffalo, New York, Ginsberg is a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University and the Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.  He began his legal career as an attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. He left the firm in 1992 for a position in the Clinton presidential campaign and later served in the Clinton Administration in the Office of the White House Counsel and at the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1995, Ginsberg became Senior Editor and legal counsel of George, the monthly political magazine started by John F. Kennedy, Jr.

  Ginsberg spent eleven years at News Corporation as the company’s Executive Vice President of Global Marketing and Corporate Affairs and a member of the Chairman’s seven-person Executive Management Committee. In 2010, he joined Time Warner as the entertainment company’s Executive Vice President for Corporate Marketing and Communications, where he led the company’s integrated sales and marketing division, the Time Warner Foundation and was responsible for evangelizing the company’s major initiatives across the media landscape. After the sale of the company to AT&T in 2018, Ginsberg joined Softbank as the company’s Senior Vice President and Global Chief Communications Officer, where he remained until December 2020.

  Ginsberg is the author of the New York Times bestseller First Friends: The Powerful, Unsung (And Unelected) People Who Shaped Our Presidents (Twelve). He has published opinion pieces in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and CNN.com, and was a former on-air political contributor to MSNBC.

  Ginsberg is the chairman of the Board of New Visions for Public Schools, New York City’s premier educational reform organization; he is also a Director of The City, the online not-for-profit news service covering NYC, and Malaria No More.  From 2015-2018, Ginsberg was an adjunct professor at the Columbia University Business School where he co-taught the course Entrepreneurship in Incumbent Media. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

  Ginsberg is a founding partner of 25Madison, the New York City-based VC firm and start-up studio.  He is also a director of Schrodinger, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDGR) and Townsquare Media, Inc. (NYSE: TSQ).

  He lives in New York City with his wife Susanna Aaron and two sons.

• 

  Terry Wade

  Terry Wade is a strategic communications advisor who helps energy companies navigate complex public affairs challenges, drawing on more than two decades of experience across media, communications, international affairs, and the energy sector. Based in Houston, TX, Wade is the founder of TLW Consulting. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has held senior leadership positions at some of the world's largest energy, public relations, and media companies. He has extensive experience engaging corporate leaders, public officials, and top-tier journalists to manage reputation, mitigate risk, and craft narratives that resonate with diverse stakeholders.  Wade served as Global Head of Media Relations at ExxonMobil from 2024 to 2026, where he directed all top-tier media engagements, crafted earnings scripts for the CFO, and helped launch a retail shareholder voting program. Prior to that, he spent six years as Supervisor of Corporate and Digital Communications at Aramco Americas, overseeing strategy for content creation, media relations, digital channels, and crisis communications. Earlier in his career, Wade was a Senior Vice President at Edelman, where he led the corporate affairs and energy practice in Houston, secured new business, and repositioned corporate narratives for major clients. Before moving into corporate communications, he spent twelve years as a journalist at Reuters News, serving as Bureau Chief, Senior Correspondent, and Correspondent in Houston, Lima, and São Paulo, covering energy, commodities, financial markets, politics, and economics. Wade holds degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California, Berkeley.

  Senior
  Advisor

  Terry Wade is a strategic communications advisor who helps energy companies navigate complex public affairs challenges, drawing on more than two decades of experience across media, communications, international affairs, and the energy sector.

  Based in Houston, TX, Wade is the founder of TLW Consulting. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has held senior leadership positions at some of the world’s largest energy, public relations, and media companies. He has extensive experience engaging corporate leaders, public officials, and top-tier journalists to manage reputation, mitigate risk, and craft narratives that resonate with diverse stakeholders. 

  Wade served as Global Head of Media Relations at ExxonMobil from 2024 to 2026, where he directed all top-tier media engagements, crafted earnings scripts for the CFO, and helped launch a retail shareholder voting program. Prior to that, he spent six years as Supervisor of Corporate and Digital Communications at Aramco Americas, overseeing strategy for content creation, media relations, digital channels, and crisis communications.

  Earlier in his career, Wade was a Senior Vice President at Edelman, where he led the corporate affairs and energy practice in Houston, secured new business, and repositioned corporate narratives for major clients. Before moving into corporate communications, he spent twelve years as a journalist at Reuters News, serving as Bureau Chief, Senior Correspondent, and Correspondent in Houston, Lima, and São Paulo, covering energy, commodities, financial markets, politics, and economics.

  Wade holds degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California, Berkeley.