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 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

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 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. 

Patrick is an Associate on Breakwater Strategy’s Capital Markets team, based in Washington, DC. He advises clients with a rigorous, research-driven approach, drawing on experience in quantitative analysis, qualitative research, and the social sciences.

Before joining Breakwater, Patrick worked at a market research firm, where he analyzed demographic and labor market data to identify disparities in educational and workforce outcomes. He previously supported research at Brown University’s Annenberg Institute, evaluating educational programs through longitudinal survey analysis, and at the Brown Language and Thought Lab, where he coordinated experimental design, participant recruitment, and data collection. He also conducted student opinion research for Brown’s Undergraduate Council of Students to inform campus initiatives.

Patrick graduated from Brown University with degrees in Social Analysis and Research and Education Studies. Outside of work, Patrick enjoys running, pickup basketball, and playing the saxophone. A Connecticut native, he is also a committed advocate for New Haven–style pizza.

Rebecca designs and leads primary research that helps organizations answer critical strategic questions and make high-confidence business decisions. Drawing on deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, she synthesizes complex data from multiple sources into clear, actionable insights that inform strategy, innovation, and growth. She is skilled at identifying meaningful patterns across research and market intelligence, enabling leaders to evaluate opportunities, prioritize investments, and navigate uncertainty.

Prior to joining Breakwater, Rebecca built and led Banza’s consumer insights function, serving as a strategic partner to executive and cross-functional leaders to inform business strategy, innovation, portfolio decisions, and commercial growth. She integrated primary research with competitive and market intelligence to deliver recommendations that guided key decisions across the organization.

Previously, Rebecca led global consumer research at Mondelez International across brands including Oreo, Ritz, and Triscuit. She partnered with brand and innovation teams to uncover consumer needs, identify growth opportunities, and inform brand strategy and product innovation. She also advanced agile learning approaches that enabled teams to generate insights more quickly and make faster, better-informed decisions.

Rebecca began her career at MMR Research Worldwide, where she advised clients across the food, beverage, personal care, and household care industries to address product, brand, and business challenges through customized research and analysis.

Rebecca holds a B.A. in Psychology and French and Francophone Studies from Brandeis University.

Expertise:

• Qualitative & Quantitative Research
• Strategic Insights
• Business & Growth Strategy
• Market Research & Competitive Intelligence
• Research Design & Methodology

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 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 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 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.