Andrew Smith  |  Principal

Andrew has 18 years of experience in public relations, focusing on non-profits and the healthcare industry. He has held a number of leadership positions including director of public relations for a major East Coast health system with five hospitals, 8,000 employees and $1 billion in revenue. He is experienced in directing, developing and supporting internal and external communication initiatives that enhance a clients' image, long-term market position and financial performance. A creative thinker and top-notch writer and editor, Andrew can produce anything from a brochure to a news release to a feature-length article. He has won a dozen awards for a wide variety of public relations projects and publications. A media relations expert with many local and national media placements to his credit, Andrew is experienced in all aspects of public relations, including event planning, crisis communications, speech writing and internal communications.

Gwendolyn Coverdale  |  Principal

A wide range of experience is what Gwen brings to the team. In her seven years as a public relations and marketing expert she has worked with a broad array of clients that include school districts, small and large corporations, trade associations, healthcare organizations and wineries. Gwen is skilled at working with senior-level managers to help them communicate pertinent information to both their internal and external audiences. This means that on any given day she's writing letters, memos, news releases and presentations (both with and without PowerPoint).

Her knack for organization and shrewd eye for detail ensures that projects are done correctly and on-time. It also makes her the perfect person to bring her partner's creative ideas to life. Andrew likes to say that he's the idea guy, and Gwen is the one that makes the ideas work. Of course this isn't to say that Gwen lacks creativity or ideas. Her tenacious spirit and ability to spot a unique story angle – or create news when there is none - has earned her placements in prominent publications across the country as well as television and radio interviews.

Jennifer McGowan Smith

Jennifer has more than 10 years of experience in healthcare public relations. A media relations pro, Jennifer knows that the key to garnering media attention starts with cultivating relationships with reporters and digging up great stories to pitch. Her regional and national contacts are well established, and she is skilled at matching what her media contacts are looking for with what her clients have to offer. Jennifer has implemented media relations strategies for several hospitals and her accomplishments include many local and national placements. A skilled “internal reporter” for her clients, she can communicate key messages and generate publicity through multiple PR vehicles, including news releases,  features articles, photo captions, public service announcements and calendar listings.

Carolyn Thorng

Carolyn’s extensive experience in public relations includes more than 10 years of agency work with global Fortune 100 brands. She has developed and implemented innovative communication strategies and programs for her clients that have encompassed media relations, speaker and tradeshow management, customer programs, crisis management, internal communications, product launches and event management. Her broad range of experience, creativity and proficient public relations skills have been instrumental in positioning her clients and their brands among the top in their respective industries. Carolyn has collaborated with senior-level executives and their teams to create winning strategies and materials to communicate with internal and external audiences. She is a skilled professional writer with a keen perspective on creating effective written materials. Her attention to detail and ability to speak to a particular audience makes her an ideal writer for a wide array of projects. 

Elaine Paxson

A graphic designer since 1981, Elaine has worked for a number of large agencies, corporations and publications. Her experience, coupled with her ability to listen and understand what each client needs, is the key to her success with new and existing clients. She believes that creating a fresh, unique approach and a professional representation for a business is an absolute necessity in today’s highly competitive market place.