Nora Wahlbrink is a Director 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. 

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. 

Marilyn Olson draws upon her robust background in corporate, internal, and crisis communications, as well as change management and M&A, to help clients educate, engage, and inspire their most critical audiences. She has extensive experience advising companies through the process of transforming their organization and audiences’ perceptions, including post-M&A integrations, complex financial transactions, and pivotal cultural change.

In both in-house and consulting roles, Marilyn has deep experience working with major global technology and financial services companies, including Dell Technologies, Visa Inc., and The Charles Schwab Corporation. She has led complex, integrated campaigns reaching multiple audiences across various industry sectors. She has driven successful internal communications programs and high-profile events, reinforcing her ability to influence corporate culture and enhance employee engagement.

A graduate of UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in History, Marilyn is an award-winning communicator recognized by the International Association of Business Communicators and co-founded a nonprofit focused on community development. She lives in her native San Diego with her husband, three children, and a very loved dog.