Strategic Communication Leadership Network

Doug Badger

Partner and Co-Founder, Quinn Thomas

Douglas Quinn Badger is co-founder and partner at Quinn Thomas and DHM Research, a marketing communications agency that just celebrated its 15th anniversary. He is also 50% owner of DHM Research, a public opinion and market research firm with a 40-year history in the Pacific Northwest. The two companies co-locate in Seattle and Portland offices and have 40 professionals between them. 

Doug started his career in politics, spending 15 years as a legislative director and chief of staff on Capitol Hill for the late U.S. Representative Jennifer Dunn and U.S. Rep. Bob Smith; a political appointee in the Executive Office of the President under U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick; as executive director of the 2004 Oregon Bush-Cheney re-election campaign; and as a Pacific Northwest political consultant. Ready to leave politics, Doug transitioned into public affairs and public relations, first as a sole proprietor and then as co-founder of Quinn Thomas and DHM Research. 

Gail Baker

Principal and Strategist, Three Peaks Strategy

Prior to founding Three Peaks Strategy in 2021, Gail served as senior vice president of strategic communications at Cambia Health Solutions since 2012. She had a track record of measurable results as she supported Cambia’s vision of creating a consumer-centric health care system for all.

Before joining Cambia, Gail was director of corporate communication and community affairs at Portland General Electric, where she led branding, advertising, community engagement, public relations, social and interactive media, as well as customer, employee, and financial communications. Prior to joining PGE in 1996, Gail held marketing and communications positions at Banc One Corporation, Stephens Advertising, and the California Association for Health Services at Home.

Gail is an active member of the community and passionate about helping children and has served on various nonprofit boards and committees over the years, including CASA, The Leadership Roundtable, and YWCA of Greater Portland. Gail has won the Cambia Values Award for Trust as well as various Spotlight awards through the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Gail earned bachelor's and master's degrees in communications from the University of North Dakota.

Lindsey Bastani

General Manager and senior vice president, WE Communications

As a key executive at WE Communications, Lindsey serves as the North America lead for the agency’s global Intel client and is responsible for the development of talent, culture, new business, and operations of WE’s Portland office.

During nearly two decades in communications, Lindsey has helped global brands connect authentically with audiences through award-winning integrated campaigns and storytelling spanning earned, social and digital, employee communications, and executive communications. Her focus on finding new ways into the cultural conversation has delivered impact for clients including Intel, Microsoft, Volvo, McDonald’s, LEGO, and Rover. Lindsey served as a lead on WE’s Microsoft account for 10+ years, across corporate global integration, consumer campaigns, retail, product teams, and executive communications. Prior to WE, Lindsey worked at DeVries Global in New York, managing integrated campaigns for Procter & Gamble brands including Crest, Scope, and Glide.

Lindsey earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications from Loyola University Chicago. At home in Northeast Portland, Lindsey spends time with her husband and two children, trying new recipes and sinking into a good book whenever possible.

Sara Blasing

Head of Communications, General Motors, Cadillac

Sara Blasing is a communications leader and brand strategist with a career helping some of the world’s most iconic brands find their voice and navigate change. Today, she leads global communications for Cadillac at General Motors. Previously, she spent more than a decade at Nike in senior leadership roles, counseling executives and shaping some of the company’s biggest moments in sport, culture, and innovation. She has also led communications for Jordan Brand and worked with global brands including Microsoft. Sara brings a deep belief that communications can do more than tell a story—it can build trust, shift perception, and move people. A proud University of Oregon graduate, she is passionate about helping the next generation of leaders find their voice and make an impact.

Ryan Cudney

Vice President of External Communications & Analytics, Boeing Communications

As vice president of external communications and analytics, Ryan Cudney leads a team that integrates Boeing Communications’ expertise across media relations, social media, analytics, and tools. The team leverages data-driven insights to amplify Boeing’s voice and strategically advance its business priorities within a dynamic and evolving media landscape.

Earlier in his career, Ryan spent more than 12 years at Edelman, where he most recently led the firm’s offices in the Pacific Northwest and previously served as global chief of staff to CEO Richard Edelman. He counseled many of the firm’s largest clients, including Samsung, HP, Starbucks, and Cigna. He also helped build the firm’s aviation sector expertise with clients such as United Airlines, Alaska Air Group, Etihad Airways, and Boeing, among others.

Ryan serves on the advisory board of the Anti-Defamation League PNW. Previously, he was a member of the Seattle Community Development Roundtable and co-chaired the communications committee for Portland’s post-pandemic recovery task force.

A graduate of Wheaton College, Ryan went on to earn a certificate of training from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for managing communications following a major transportation accident. 

J. Cory Curtis

Vice president of Corporate Communications, The Omidyar Group

Cory leads a group of communication and marketing professionals who provide counsel and service across The Omidyar Group portfolio of work. Founded by Pierre and Pam Omidyar, The Omidyar Group is a diverse collection of companies, organizations, and initiatives working to catalyze social impact.

Most recently, Cory served as vice president of communications at Intellectual Ventures, where he led the invention company’s global communication team. Prior to that, he served as managing director for the Seattle office of global public relations firm Porter Novelli. As communications director for Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, Cory served on the governor’s executive staff and advised the governor and cabinet on daily communications efforts, including key policy initiatives and critical crisis responses.

Cory has served in a variety of marketing, communications, and spokesperson roles with Porter Novelli, Waggener Edstrom, Human Rights Campaign, the Seattle City Council, and Lifelong AIDS Alliance. He has represented a diverse list of clients, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Microsoft Corp., Puget Sound Energy, Challenge Seattle, Safeco, and many more and has helped guide those teams as they overcame complex, contentious, and sensitive issues.

Cory is originally from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland.

Corey duBrowa

Chief Executive Officer, Burson

Corey duBrowa is the global CEO of Burson, the global communications leader purpose-built to create value for clients through reputation. He is also a member of the executive committee of Burson’s parent company WPP plc, the creative transformation company.

Corey brings a 30-year career at brands, technology companies, and agencies to his role leading the flagship Burson and Burson Group of companies, which includes Axicom, earned-first global communications agency for tech brands and brands with a tech story; Burson Buchanan, the financial communications and capital markets advisory firm; GCI Health, the global healthcare specialty communications agency inspired by people; and Hill & Knowlton, the full-service global firm and proven partner for business and brand transformation, providing strategic communication, marketing, and corporate affairs solutions.

Before Burson, Corey was global CEO of BCW and the BCW Group of companies. He has extensive agency experience from his time at Waggener Edstrom and Ketchum Public Relations, after having begun his career in employee communications at Nike.

Jamie Fish

Executive Vice President and Market Lead, Edelman Pacific Northwest

Jamie Fish is an executive leader and advisor who works at the intersection of people, culture, and business transformation. As an EVP in workplace advisory and market lead at Edelman, she partners with senior leaders during moments of change—when strategy, structure, and leadership behaviors must move together. Jamie is known for bringing clarity to complexity, grounding decisions in human behavior and data, and helping organizations build cultures that are resilient, inclusive, and built to perform over time.

Jamie’s approach is shaped by a career spanning organizational transformation, employee experience, and brand and culture leadership, giving her a rare perspective on how belief, behavior, and operating models intersect. She works closely with C-suite and board leaders to navigate workforce evolution, leadership transitions, and large-scale change, balancing rigor with empathy and long-term value creation with near-term realities.

As a market leader, Jamie is equally focused on building high-performing teams and healthy cultures, believing that leadership capability and organizational health are inseparable from business results. Her work is guided by a human-centered philosophy: that trust, clarity, and accountability are the foundations of sustainable growth—for organizations, leaders, and the people they serve.

Recognized for her diplomacy and insight-driven approach, Jamie brings together diverse stakeholders to foster trust, build alignment, and shape solutions that are both practical and future-ready. Jamie’s portfolio spans leading global companies including AbbVie, Ajinomoto, Amgen, Boeing, Chanel, Chevron, Comcast, LinkedIn, LG Electronics, Merck, Meta, Microsoft, Nestlé, Nordstrom, and Yum!, to name a few.

Jennifer Gehrt

Co-Founder of Communiqué Public Relations

Jennifer is a co-founder of Communiqué PR and co-author of Strategic Public Relations: 10 Principles to Harness the Power of PR.

Jennifer has more than 25 years of PR experience, developing and managing corporate and consumer campaigns for a wide variety of companies, from Fortune 500 giants to nimble startups. She is also a frequent speaker on the topics of social media and public relations.

Prior to founding Communiqué PR, Jennifer was with Waggener Edstrom, where she held positions such as account director and director of business development. Before joining Waggener Edstrom, she was director of marketing communications for Tegic Communications, and then was with AOL after Tegic was acquired in December 1999.

Erin Hart

Founder, Hart Strategies

Erin is a strategist, storyteller and​ professor putting strategic ​communication to work for good at Hart Strategies. She’s helped launch and build social movements, safeguard fragile habitats, grow and diversify California’s healthcare workforce, reduce the number of U.S. smokers, and get more philanthropic dollars into communities to spend on what they know matters most. She’s built learning experiences that resulted in more effective science communicators, stronger LGBTQIA+ storytelling, teams committed to learning opportunities after high school, everyday behaviors protecting natural environments, and better-prepared advocates advancing health policy.

Erin is a first-generation college graduate who appreciates what education and mentoring opportunities have made possible in her life. She loves partnering with universities and the Center for Public Interest Communications, and she continues work with frank. She’s received honors including the PRSA Silver Anvil, Women in Corporate Social Responsibility, and University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Hall of Fame.

To accomplish and scale her work, she collaborates with a network of practitioners and specialists who share her commitment to making positive social change happen. Erin and her family call California home.

Melissa Havel

Chief Communications Officer, Turnitin

With 30 years of communications experience across agency and corporate settings in technology and regulated industries, Melissa Havel has advised executives in high-stakes environments. She is currently the chief communications officer at Turnitin, the leading education technology in academic integrity.

Before Turnitin, Melissa held roles as an independent consultant and in-house as the senior communications leader at Portland General Electric. Melissa started her career at global public relations agencies, serving as an executive vice president in the technology sector at WE Communications and, before that, in account roles at Fleishman-Hillard Worldwide. Beyond her corporate work, Melissa has taught courses in brand reputation management and The Art and Science of Influence for the University of Oregon’s Strategic Communications Master’s program.

Carol Keese

Vice President for University Communications, University of Oregon

Carol Keese is the vice president for university communications and the chief marketing officer at the University of Oregon. 

Before joining the UO in December 2023, she previously worked at the University of Virginia as the associate vice president for marketing and brand strategy. Prior to that, Carol was the vice president of marketing for Children's National Health System. Her experience also includes leadership roles at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Virginia Health System.

She earned her bachelor's at the University of Virginia, holds a master's in business administration in marketing from the University of Phoenix, and is a graduate of the Executive Leadership program at UVA's Darden School of Business.

Nicole Leverich

Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, LinkedIn

Nicole Leverich is senior vice president and chief communications officer at LinkedIn. In her current role she oversees the Communications and Social Impact organization. Her teams are responsible for ensuring that the world understands how LinkedIn is creating economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.

Previously, Nicole served as the vice president of global communications at LinkedIn, where she was responsible for leading the company’s external communications strategy. Prior to joining LinkedIn in 2014, Nicole held leadership positions in communications and marketing at Google, Yahoo!, and start-ups including AdMob. Nicole holds a BA in journalism from the University of Oregon.

Cynara Lilly

Chief Communications Officer, Hippocratic AI

Cynara Lilly is chief communications officer at Hippocratic AI, where she oversees communications strategy, media relations, and public affairs. She previously served as executive director of communications and policy at Ballmer Group and held senior roles at RALLY, where she led major communications and policy campaigns. Her background spans philanthropy, technology, public policy, and advocacy efforts that drive large-scale impact.

Michelle Maggs

Vice President, Corporate Marketing, D-Wave Quantum

Michelle Maggs is the vice president of corporate marketing, leading D-Wave’s global communications, public relations, events, and branding initiatives. She brings more than 20 years of communications experience in the technology sector, having worked with clients across a myriad of innovations, including cloud-based services, aerospace solutions, e-commerce, enterprise software, and connected entertainment products. Her expertise spans communications strategy, thought leadership, brand positioning, and strategic storytelling. 

Prior to D-Wave, Maggs was executive vice president and global technology practice lead at Current Global, a global PR firm that is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. She also worked at sister PR agency Weber Shandwick, most recently serving as executive vice president and general manager of the Seattle office.

Tina McCorkindale, PhD, APR

President and CEO, Institute of Public Relations

Tina McCorkindale, PhD, APR, is the president and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations. Previously, she taught as a full-time professor and worked in corporate communication and analytics.

She is a member of the Arthur Page Society, The Seminar, the Commission for Public Relations Education Steering Committee, the Diversity Action Alliance Steering Committee, the AMEC Academic Advisory Board, and the University of Florida School of Journalism and Communications Public Relations Advisory Council. She frequently publishes in academic journals and industry publications about the current and future state of the public relations and communication industry.

Tina is the recipient of the 2017 PRSA David Ferguson Award and the 2020 PRSA Puget Sound Professional of the Year award. She was inducted in the PR News Measurement Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2019, she was selected as one of 40 national leaders to participate in the 91st Joint Civilian Orientation Conference hosted by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Tina received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, a master’s degree in corporate communication from the University of South Alabama, and her PhD in communication from the University of Miami. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Andy Nordhoff

Director of Communications, Columbia Sportswear

Andy Nordhoff leads communications and media relations for Columbia Sportswear, where he is focused on helping people around the world spend more time outside. At Columbia, he leads multinational brand campaigns and seasonal product marketing launches, and he directs media outreach on Columbia’s latest outdoor technologies and partnerships. Experienced in developing nuanced communications strategies in markets around the world, Andy has managed key brand moments in Japan, Colombia, and Sweden, among several other countries. He especially enjoys driving media interest around Columbia’s unexpected partnerships that have recently ranged from NASCAR to NASA.

A seasoned communicator for more than 25 years, Andy worked at WE Communications, where he served several Microsoft teams prior to joining Columbia 12 years ago. Andy also led media relations at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine in New Hampshire and worked at Burson’s London office driving campaigns during the World Cup Soccer tournament. He also spent several years as managing editor of a book publisher in Flagstaff, Arizona. Andy is currently an active member of the board of directors at Pacific Forest Trust, a nonprofit focused on protecting forests and wildlife habitat throughout the Northwest.

Andy holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Bucknell University and a master's in communications from Boston University. He’s lived in several places across the globe, but his favorite spot is in Portland, Oregon, where he can be found playing outside with his wife, two teenage boys, and dogs.

Elle O’Casey

Director of Communications, City of Eugene

Elle O’Casey is the communications director for the City of Eugene. In this role, she leads citywide strategic communications and works closely with the city manager, executive team, and city council to keep the city’s messages consistent, coordinated, and relatable. Elle has spent her career leading community engagement, marketing, and communications efforts for federal, state, and municipal governments, including the National Park Service, State of Vermont, and City of Eugene. She is passionate about building trust between government and local communities, ensuring transparency, accessibility, and meaningful public engagement.

Collin Romer

Chief Communications Officer, Portland Timbers

Collin Romer is an experienced communications professional with a focus on sports and events. He serves as chief communications officer for the Portland Timbers, where he oversees communications, public affairs, and broadcast functions for the team and Providence Park. Prior to joining the Portland Timbers in 2019, he was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers communications staff for 14 years. A graduate of the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, Collin is a Portland native who lives with his family in North Portland. Collin enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors with friends and family in his free time.

Melanni Rosales

Director of Communications, Port of Portland

Melanni Rosales is the communications director for the Port of Portland, where she oversees communications strategy for both the Port and Portland International Airport (PDX). In addition to driving communications strategy and narrative development, she works closely with executive leadership and provides strategic counsel across multiple areas of the port’s business. Melanni shaped communications strategy for the opening of the new PDX, and brand refreshes for both the Port and the airport.  Believing that how you work matters as much as what you deliver, she sees strong team culture and well-designed systems as essential to high-quality work. 

Melanni studied sociology and communications at Portland State University and has spent her career working on causes to improve the lives of Oregonians. Before joining the port in 2022, she was communications director at Family Forward, where she helped pass a statewide paid family and medical leave policy; at Our Oregon, where she helped raise the state’s minimum wage; and at the Oregon Employment Department, where she overhauled its communications program at the height of the pandemic. 

Frank X. Shaw

Corporate Vice President of Communications, Microsoft Corporation

As corporate VP of communications, Frank X. Shaw is responsible for defining and managing Microsoft’s communications strategies worldwide and company-wide storytelling, including planning and execution, product PR, consumer marketing, media relations, executive communications, employee communications, global agency management, and military affairs. Frank is an avid technologist and digital conversationalist with an X (formerly Twitter) following of more than 33,000 (@fxshaw).

In 2016 Frank was recognized by Business Insider as #1 on a listing of the 50 best PR people in Tech and was awarded a SABRE Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in 2016. 

With more than 20 years of experience in communications, Frank has led diverse teams representing government, entertainment, food, and retail. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2009, he was president of the Microsoft account worldwide at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, where he held key responsibilities for all global PR, communications, and influence efforts.

Frank proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a graduate of the Department of Defense Information School. He holds a bachelor of science degree in journalism from the University of Oregon and is a current board member of the Seattle YMCA.

Melissa Tizon

VP, National Communication, Providence

Melissa Tizon is the VP of national communication for Providence, a not-for-profit health system serving the Western United States. Prior to joining Providence in 2012, she served as the director of marketing communications for Swedish Health Services in Seattle. Melissa began her career as a print journalist, working at the Seattle Times, Seattle Magazine, the Bremerton Sun, and the Mercer Island Reporter. She received a bachelor’s degree from Rockhurst University in Kansas City and attended the University of Missouri Graduate School of Journalism. 

Donna Z. Davis

Professor; Director, Strategic Communication Master’s Program

Donna Z. Davis directs the Strategic Communication Master's program and founded the Immersive Media Communication Master’s program at the SOJC. She also founded and served as the inaugural director of the Oregon Reality (OR) Lab and the Immersive Media Communication Master's. Before life in academia, she worked for more than 25 years experience in public relations, fundraising, and nonprofit communication, bringing that combination of research and practice to the classroom.

Davis earned her Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Florida, where she studied relationship formation in 3D immersive virtual environments. Her ethnographic research continues to focus on the potential uses of XR technologies and the spatial web including immersive media, virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, gamification, and other emerging social media, with a special interest in marginalized and vulnerable populations. 

Regina Lawrence

Edwin L. Artzt Dean

Regina Lawrence is the Edwin L. Artzt Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication. She is a nationally recognized authority on political communication, civic engagement, gender and politics, and the role of media in public discourse about politics and policy. Her two latest books are Hillary Clinton’s Race for the White House: Gender Politics and the Media on the Campaign Trail and When the Press Fails: Political Power and the News Media from Iraq to Katrina, winner of the Doris A. Graber Outstanding Book Award from the Political Communication section of the American Political Science Association.

From 2015 to 2026, Lawrence served as associate dean of SOJC Portland and research director of the Agora Journalism Center. From 2011 to 2015, she directed the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the University of Texas-Austin. She has served as chair of the political communication section of the American Political Science Association and as a research fellow at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and as editor of the journal Political Communication.