The Importance of Engaging with Stakeholders

By Brooke Bushart, Senior Account Executive, FSB Public Affairs

Clients in any given situation will most likely always need to activate their supporters, this could be in a crisis management situation, an educational push, or general advocacy. Stakeholder engagement lets the public within your circle and those outside know the importance of whatever message you are trying to convey; they are also key in helping emphasize a point to decision makers.

Below are the top tips on stakeholder engagement:

Who is your stakeholder?

  • This is key! Who is going to care about what you have to say? You need to identify those directly impacted by your situation first. These are your tier one advocates; they are your main source of influence.
  • These stakeholders can be decision makers (city council, county supervisors, other elected officials, or regulators), those impacted by the service you provide, or those in your same industry.
  • After identifying your top stakeholders or tier one, continue to build out the surrounding circles to create a larger and more organic reach.

 

How to engage?

  • After identifying who your targets are, it is time to activate and engage. This is where you need to decide what you will be asking these stakeholders to do.
  • Ideally, you know your top stakeholders at some level and can make the easy ask. If not, educating the individual on what you are asking and why it is important to them is imperative. Proper education of stakeholders will also naturally lead to organic community engagement.
  • You can engage your stakeholders by email, phone calls, meetings, and marketing campaigns as a few examples.

Why is this important?

  • Having support in your corner builds trust and creates credibility in your message.
  • A larger cultivated voice is a whole lot stronger than a singular voice saying the same thing. This will also create a cohesive message across each of the stakeholders.

 

Stakeholder engagement is not only important but necessary. It may be what sets you apart from your opposition or what makes your side be the strongest voice.

Our team is skilled in building and activating stakeholders of 5 to 5,000. To hear more about our firm’s capabilities, please reach out to info@fsbpublicaffairs.com.

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Mayra Vega

Senior Account Supervisor

Mayra Vega is a Senior Account Supervisor with more than eight years of experience in community outreach and multicultural communications. She has strategically led and managed campaigns and programs for nonprofit, private, public and local government organizations. Her experience spans across a variety of industries including automotive, transportation, utility, tourism, hospitality, and food and beverage. Through research and strategic planning, she has helped her clients make an impact on their communities while building long-lasting relationships with those they serve.

Previously, Mayra was a Communications Specialist at the City of Anaheim in the Public Utilities department where she was responsible for developing community outreach and internal communications plans through traditional media, newsletters, annual reports, events and marketing materials. She also managed the department’s website and social media pages. 

Experience:

  • Five years with FSB Public Affairs (Previously FSB Core Strategies)
  • Combined four years of experience in public relations and public affairs with Anaheim Public Utilities, Bloggers of Health and the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art.
  • Areas of expertise include multicultural communications, event management, community outreach, media relations, ballot initiative campaigns and internal communications.

Community Involvement:

  • Orange County Public Relations Society of America
  • Orange County Hispanic Public Relations Association
  • California Public Information Officials
  • National Latina Business Women Association

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Communications – Public Relations, California State University San Bernardino

Frank Rizzo

President

Frank Rizzo is President of FSB Public Affairs. He has over twenty-five years of political and public affairs experience and has led grassroots public affairs campaigns in over forty states and Canada. He is an expert at developing and managing grassroots campaigns to influence legislative, regulatory, and policy decisions at the federal, state, and local level for corporate and trade association clients. Frank has also managed various ballot and independent expenditure campaigns around the country. Frank has worked some of the country’s largest companies on wind and solar energy projects, cannabis issues, waste facilities, and mixed-use and commercial developments. His experience with community outreach extends to projects involving NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act), FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission), and CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act), as well as many state and local environmental regulations around the country.

Experience:

Frank spent fifteen years working on political campaigns throughout the country at all levels including presidential campaigns, congressional races, legislative and county races. He has also worked for some of the country’s leading political consulting firms producing television, radio, and direct mail advertisements.

  • Founding Partner at Five Corners Strategies
  • Division Manager at Saint Consulting
  • Service Employees International Union
  • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
  • White House Office of Management and Budget

Community Involvement:

  • East Bay Leadership Council

  • Impact Diablo Valley, Founding Member

  • Public Affairs Council

Education:

  • Harvard Business School’s “Leading Professional Services Firms” program
  • University of California-Davis CEQA CLE land-use program
  • MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program “Deal with an Angry Public”
  • Masters in Public Policy, The Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University of Albany in New York
  • Bachelor of Science, History, and Politics from Drexel University in Pennsylvania

John Hooper

Senior vice president

Over the past 20 years, John has played important roles on political, public affairs and corporate social responsibility campaigns across the country and internationally including helping to pioneer domestic and international digital advocacy strategies for foreign governments, Fortune 100 companies and international nonprofit organizations. Most recently, John was a managing director leading the public affairs practice for Group SJR, a New York digital strategy firm owned by WPP.  Previously, he ran the Washington D.C. office for the California Department of Education, advised legislative leadership on policy and political strategy and lobbied for the California Chamber of Commerce.

Experience:

 

  • 15 years in several key roles at the California State Capitol. 
  • Housing & Land Use, Banking & Finance, Education lobbyist for the California Chamber of Commerce representing the California business community.
  • Ran select field operations and special projects for two Speakers of the California State Assembly
  • Managed federal affairs for the California Department of Education under Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson
  • Managing Director at a leading NYC digital strategy firm Group SJR (owned by WPP) and led corporate communications and digital content strategy efforts for Fortune 100 companies, foreign governments and international nonprofits. 

Nancy Eldred

SENIOR Account Executive

Nancy is an Account Executive based in our Sacramento office. She assists with campaigns, media relations, PAC administration, event production and various public affairs projects. Nancy also assists with the firm’s marketing efforts. 

Experience:

  • 2 years with FSB PA
  • Public Affairs Coordinator- The Core Management Company
  • Intern- FSB Core Strategies
  • Marketing and Communications Intern- Sacramento Metro Chamber

Community Involvement:

  • Member, Metro Edge

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies- Public Relations Emphasis, California State University, Sacramento

Julie Cogert

Assistant Account Executive

Julie is an Assistant Account Executive with FSB in our southern California office, predominantly working within our Public Relations and Public Affairs Practice Areas. She assists with communication efforts, content production and general public relations projects, as well as assists with the firm’s marketing efforts.

Experience:

  • Intern – FSB Core Strategies
  • Freelance Content Producer – Tender Loving Coffee
  • Editorial Director – Tehama Group Communications
  • Editorial Lead – Tehama Group Communications
  • Web Designer – Gamma Phi Beta, Epsilon Kappa Chapter
  • Event Specialist – Gamma Phi Beta Epsilon Kappa Chapter
  • Vice President of Public Relations – Panhellenic Council, California State University, Chico

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Journalism -Public Relations, California State University, Chico
  • Minor in Music

Betty Martinez

Account Executive

Betty has six years of combined experience working with the Latino community in a variety of projects ranging from news production, grass roots and community outreach, campaign awareness, and social media management. She has been an essential connection between companies and the community, and often times, Betty has served as the official Spanish language spokesperson for in-camera interviews. Betty has also created communications’ plans for OCTA to reach diverse audiences and has collaborated on their outreach efforts.


Prior to her work with FSB, Betty worked at VPE Public Relations with the LA County Department of Public Health on their campaign “Champions for Change,” an initiative to create awareness about healthier food options, and La CLAVE, a mental health outreach campaign founded by the University of Southern California (USC).


Relevant Experience
• Ford Latino- Communications Manager for the LA region
• OCTA I-5 Central Improvement Project- Diversity outreach coordinator
• OCTA Express Lanes- Communications specialist
• Champions for Change- Account Coordinator
• La Clave- Assistant Account Executive
• Telemundo 52- Associate Producer Internship

Community Involvement
• Treasurer and Founding Board Member, Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)/Orange County Chapter
• Member, National Latina Business Women Association-Los Angeles (NLBWA-LA)
• Member, Latino Communications Institute at Cal State Fullerton

Education
• Bachelor of Arts, Communications/Public Relations, California State University, Fullerton
• Minor, Human Communications

Alex Burrola

SENIOR ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR

Alex Burrola possesses over 20 years of experience in political campaigns, government relations and public affairs. Based in the firm’s Southern California office, Alex is an integral member of FSB’s Public Affairs practice. Serving in a leadership capacity for many of the firm’s key public affairs and political clients, Alex’s coalition building, grassroots mobilization, and communications strategies have been essential to the success of FSB’s clients.

Experience:

  • Seven years with FSB
  • Two years at Cerrell Associates

Community Involvement:

  • Board Member, North Orange County Chamber of Commerce
  • Chairman, North Orange County Chamber PAC
  • Member, Orange County Public Affairs Association
  • Former Member, Fullerton Transportation Commission

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, History and Bachelor of Arts, Political Science – Whittier College
  • Graduate, Public Policy Making Academy – University of California, Irvine

Bill Romanelli

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT , PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Bill has more than 25 years’ experience representing companies, trade associations, industry coalitions and nonprofits seeking to tell their side of the story on a variety of local, state and federal issues. He specializes in helping clients develop the right messages and strategies to identify and recruit allies, speak credibly and persuasively to a variety of stakeholder audiences and work productively with the media. His expertise in strategic communications, issues management, digital advocacy, stakeholder engagement and advocacy, community outreach and media relations makes him a valuable addition to the FSB Public Affairs team.

Experience:

  • More than 25 years’ experience in public affairs, communications and marketing, including 21+ years with a major, international public affairs firm operating in Sacramento and northern California.
  • Multiple communication and outreach campaigns to educate and influence decision makers, reporters and local communities on issues such as environmental regulations and investigations, toxic contamination and cleanup, permitting, and litigation.
  • Experienced in energy and natural resources, conservation, environmental contamination, flood control, civil justice reform, health care, land use, and public safety.
  • Expertise in advising and training executives, CEOs and company spokespeople on how to work with the media on controversial issues, and frequent on-the-record media spokesperson on behalf of clients.
  • Direct experience in numerous campaigns to build, organize, and mobilize coalitions for and against proposed legislation, regulations and ballot issues.
  • Multiple communication and outreach strategies to educate and influence decision makers, reporters and local communities on issues such as environmental regulations and investigations, toxic contamination and cleanup, permitting, and litigation.

Community Involvement:

  • Volunteer Educator, Break Free
  • Board Member and graduate of Leadership Sacramento, Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
  • Board member and president, Sacramento Public Relations Association
  • Commanding Officer, The West Coast Avengers
  • Volunteer – Communications, California Game Wardens Foundation
  • Parent Volunteer – Boy Scout Troop 94

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, Communications Studies—Public Relations Emphasis, California State University, Sacramento

Jerry Amante

Senior Vice President & General Counsel

Jerry serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the firm. Based in Orange County, Jerry serves as General Manager of the Orange County office and leads business development efforts throughout the southern California region.  Jerry possesses nearly 40 years of real estate and land use law, business and corporate law, political and government experience.

Experience:

  • Seven years at FSB
  • Ten years in public office, including Council Member, Mayor and as a Board Member and Chairman of several regional government agencies
  • Nearly 40 years of practicing law in complex transactions and litigation in California; Admitted to all California State and Federal courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Community Involvement:

  • Former Mayor, City of Tustin
  • Former Chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors
  • Former Chairman of the Transportation Corridor Authority (TCA) Board of Directors
  • Former Member of LOSSAN Board of Directors
  • Past President, California League of Cities, Orange County Division
  • Past President, Association of California Cities, Orange County
  • Former Chair/Past Chair/Board Member of multiple Boards, the Irvine Chamber of Commerce, The Irvine and Tustin Exchange Clubs and the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, among others
  • Instructor / Lecturer on Public Policy at various So. Cal Universities & Colleges
  • Former member of the Association of California Cities Emeritus Council
  • Current Chair of Heroes and Healthy Families
  • Former Host, The City Square radio show on OC Talk Radio
  • Current Host, Java with Jerry Radio Show / Podcast

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, UCLA
  • Juris Doctor, Southwestern University School of Law

Salwa Mikbel

Finance and Administrative Specialist

Salwa brings with her experience working in supervisory accounting positions for both non-profit and for-profit organizations.  Based in our Sacramento office, Salwa is responsible for the day-to-day financial and administrative functions within our Association Management Practice.

Experience:

  • Accounting Internal Auditor and Accounting Specialist at Nelson & Kennard, Attorneys at Law
  • Accounting Assistant at Union WELL, Inc. at California State University, Sacramento

Community Involvement:

  • Alumni Representative Member of the Union WELL Inc. AuditCommittee
  • Professional Development Committee Member, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners

Education:

  • Bachelor of Science, Business Administration- Concentration in Accountancy, California State University, Sacramento

Cherri Spriggs

PRINCIPAL & CHIEF CLIENT SERVICE OFFICER

Just named #1 public relations firms by fee income on the Sacramento Business Journal’s Top Public Relations List, Cherri has been one of the firm’s three owners since 2012. She has managed day-to-day efforts and multi-million dollar budgets on behalf of a number of statewide and local initiative and referendum campaigns, Fortune 500 companies, local government agencies, non-profit organizations and associations.

Since 2012 she has lead the firm’s Latino Outreach and Spanish-Language team. Assimilating to the language and culture through study and living abroad, Cherri has spent much of her career developing and implementing culturally appropriate strategies for her clients. Her extensive experience and sage counsel makes her the go-to choice for clients seeking to deliver their messages to the Latino community.

Her record of success coupled with her unique collaborative approach to ballot initiative campaigns and traditional corporate public affairs programs has earned her a national reputation for being an intentional, strategic leader and a masterful tactical implementor. Cherri’s passion, dedication and vivacious spirit makes her a client favorite.

Experience:

  • Seven years with FSB Core Strategies
  • 20 years in public relations, public affairs, multicultural communications and ballot initiative campaigns with Porter Novelli, Edelman, VSP and California State University, Chico
  • Experienced in health care, education, transportation, insurance, tort reform, land use and patient advocacy issues
  • Served as Campaign Manager or Deputy Campaign Manager for 15 Statewide, Regional, and Local Ballot Initiatives in Transportation, Education, Land Use, Public Safety, Health Care and Tort Reform

Community Involvement:

  • Commissioner, Economic Development Commission, City of Lincoln
  • President, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
  • Board Member, Visit Placer
  • Board Member, Lighthouse Counseling & Family Resource Center
  • Director at Large, CSU Chico Department of Public Relations & Journalism Advisory Board
  • Sustaining Member, Junior League of Sacramento
  • Member, California Women’s Leadership Association
  • Member, California State Railroad Museum Foundation
  • Member, Crocker Art Museum

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, California State University, Chico
  • Minor, Spanish
  • Minor, Art History

Jeff Flint

CEO

Jeff is the CEO of FSB Public Affairs and the Senior Partner in the firm. He oversees all aspects of the firm, including client services, project management, business development, and managing the business. Jeff has extensive experience in public relations and political campaigns.

Experience:

  • 12 years with FSB (including predecessor company)
  • 30 years public relations/public affairs/political campaign/government experience
  • 11 years in the State Legislature, managing campaigns including those of the Chief of Staff and Political Director at Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle’s office
  • Former Vice President at Russo, Marsh+Rogers, Inc.
  • Former CEO of Flint Communications

Community Involvement:

  • President and Board Chairman, Placer United Soccer Club (2013-Present), Board member since 2010
  • Husband to an amazing wife and dad to five wonderful kids

Education:

Bachelor of Science, Political Science, Caltech

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Coalition / Grassroots

In public affairs, public relations, and political arenas, strength in numbers isn’t just a goal. Many times it’s the difference between success and failure. FSB Core Strategies excels in developing large, diverse coalitions of people and groups who sometimes don’t have anything in common except for a specific issue.

We have perfected a way in which our coalition partners can serve their interests while serving the interests of our clients. We help them communicate their message to a broad section of the electorate and engage them in the campaign. Our team can help you identify common goals among otherwise disparate groups and, from there, manage coalitions and grassroots campaigns that deliver credible, effective third-party advocacy.

Building starts long before the shovel hits the earth. Local, state, and many times federal permits are needed, and gaining early community support is crucial.

FSB EXPERTS

Jeff Flint

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Cherri Spriggs

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Alex Burrola

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Branding

Whether you’re laying the foundation for your brand, maintaining a brand, or rebranding, FSB Core Strategies has the right experience and the right approach to navigate this process for you. We have successfully helped numerous organizations – public and private – communicate the ideals of their respective cultures.

Branding is more than just an eye-catching logo; it’s your promise. It’s everything about the way an organization thinks, operates, and interacts with the public. It’s the feeling a consumer gets when he’s connecting with your product. It’s not enough to just develop these values – they must also be communicated.

FSB has had the pleasure of working with Fortune 500 companies such as Ford Motor Company and Coca-Cola, as well as government agencies like the Cosumnes Community Services District and the Orange County Transportation Authority. We’ve also worked with trade associations like the California Association of Licensed Security Agencies, Guards and Associates, on different phases of their respective branding campaigns.

FSB EXPERTS

Cherri Spriggs

Executive Vice President

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Ballot & Referendum Campaigns

Many people know us for our ballot issue campaigns in California and across the country. FSB Core Strategies is extremely proud of what we’ve helped our clients achieve. Having won 15 of 17 statewide and regional ballot measure campaigns, our record is second to none.

Our approach to ballot issue campaigns begins with a seasoned campaign manager assigned to every effort. An FSB partner will always lead the campaign team, with a senior staff member assisting and other skilled team members rounding out the group. We intensely manage every aspect of the campaign, incorporating all communication disciplines to create an effective campaign strategy and win for our clients.

We don’t just manage and win statewide campaigns, we help clients fight and win the toughest local ballot challenges as well. From transportation funding measures to land use campaigns and more, FSB Core Strategies has been called upon again and again to achieve victory in the toughest of fights.

FSB EXPERTS

Jeff Flint

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Bill Romanelli

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Cherri Spriggs

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Alex Burrola

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Miranda Pinto

CONTROLLER

Miranda Pinto joined the FSB team as our Administrative Services Director. Miranda brings nearly 15 years of experience in administrative management which includes finances, human resources, employee development, and office management.

Experience:

  • 13 years as Administrative Accounting Assistant/Office Manager for private educators
  • Two years as Office Manager for a mergers and acquisitions firm

Education:

  • Obtaining a degree in Business Administration

Caitlin Perkins

FINANCE & OFFICE ASSISTANT

Based in our Sacramento office, Caitlin serves as a Finance and Office Assistant. In that capacity she helps with various financial services support functions as well as general administrative duties.

Experience:

  • 12 years of customer service experience in health club and retail industries
  • 4 years of administrative experience for health club executives
  • 4 years of experience assisting health club finance department

Education:

  • AA in Business Administration from Sierra College
  • AA in Accounting from Sierra College

Kailey Gaffikin

Account Coordinator

Kailey Gaffikin is an Account Coordinator in the FSB Public Affairs Orange County office where she provides support to various client teams and FSBPA employees. Alongside her Account Coordinator role, Kailey serves as Membership Coordinator for the Anaheim Hotel and Lodging Association. Her experience includes event planning and execution, media relations, internal PR content creation, media monitoring, research, and any other projects that come her way. Kailey graduated with a degree in journalism with a focus on public relations and a minor in marketing. Upon graduating, she received the Outstanding Student Leader for Public Relations award. During her time in college, she held 3 leadership positions at Tehama Group Communications, a student-led public relations firm.

Experience:

  • Solar Art Window Tinting and Graphics – Sales Representative (2020)
  • Tehama Group Communications Student Internship Program – General Manager (2020)
  • Tehama Group Communications Student Internship Program – Public Relations Director (2019)
  • Tehama Group Communications Student Internship Program – Account Executive (2018)

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, Journalism and Public Relations (California State University, Chico)
  • Marketing Minor, College of Business (California State University, Chico)

Kylie Nishite

Account coordinator

Kylie is a recent graduate with a background in public relations and marketing. She has experience in social media outreach campaigns, event coordination and content development. Kylie provides general account support to various FSBPA clients and assists with media monitoring, email marketing, coalition building, and grassroots and stakeholder mapping.

Experience:

  • Tehama Group Communications Student Internship Program – Assistant Public Relations Director
  • CSU, Chico Study Abroad & Exchange office – Marketing and Outreach Intern
  • CSU, Chico Study Abroad & Exchange office – Buddy Mentor Intern

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, Communications/Public Relations & Minor, Marketing, California State University, Chico
  • International Study – Istituto Universitario Salesiano Venezia (Verona, Italy)

Crystal Patterson

Senior vice president & Managing Director

Crystal is a senior level communications and political professional with extensive experience in strategic communications, including earned and paid media, new media, social networking, rapid response and crisis communications. She has also led work focused on fundraising and development, polling, research and activist engagement. She spent 71/2 years on the public policy team at Facebook, in several roles that focused on digital strategy, elections, policy development, and lobbying. Prior to her years with Facebook, Crystal focused on Immigration and Diversity Policy at the Center for American Progress, was a Communications Director for the U.S. Representative Tim Ryan, managing director with Petel & Co., a political consulting firm, and a strategic communications specialist with the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees. On Hillary Clinton’s historic run for president in 2008, she led digital strategy and content creation for the campaign website and digital engagement with affinity groups. Prior to that, she launched Sen. Edward Kennedy’s first campaign website and digital program to drive message and raise money; in this role, she helped Sen. Kennedy build support around three Supreme Court nominations, the response to Hurricane Katrina, immigration reform and oversight of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She also was part of the team that built out the first digital strategy program at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Originally from northeast Ohio, she currently resides in the Washington, D.C. area.

Experience:

  • Head of Global Civic Partnerships and Government & Politics Outreach Manager, Facebook
  • Communications Director, Center for American Progress
  • Communications Director, Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-17) and Tim Ryan for Congress
  • Managing Director, Petel & Co.
  • Strategic Communications Specialist, American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees
  • Digital Strategist, Hillary for President

Community Involvement:

  • Current Board Chair, VoteRunLead
  • Current Board Member Chesapeake Bay Foundation
  • Board Member, The Campaign School at Yale

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Government, Northwestern University

Brian Boeckman

Director of Digital content

Brian Boeckman is an advertising creative and storytelling specialist. His experience includes creating print and digital advertising campaigns, commercial photography, marketing and branding, web design, podcasting, social media video campaigns, as well as television and film production work.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Science, Communications (Radio-TV-Film), University of Texas at Austin
  • MBA, Bauer College of Business, University of Houston

Gregory Vistica

Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Washington, D.C.

Gregory Vistica is Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the FSB Public Affairs’ Washington, D.C. office.

Mr. Vistica provides discreet communication services to Fortune 100, startups, multi-national corporations, and non-profit clients worldwide. A respected crisis management and media turn-around expert, he has led integrated communication campaigns to support and protect public policy goals and corporate and individual reputations that have saved his clients millions of dollars. He advises C-suite executives, general counsels and regulatory officials in leading defense, financial, environmental, water and energy companies. 

He was previously Chairman and CEO of Washington Media Group, Inc., an award-winning communications, advocacy, advertising and research firm. A founding member of the firm, Mr. Vistica shaped WMG into one of Washington, D.C.’s most trusted communications companies.

He is an author and former award-winning investigative journalist focusing on national security and the intelligence community. He has worked as a correspondent for Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Post, as a producer for 60 Minutes, and a staff writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune. With nearly 20 years of journalism experience, he understands the media and is close to the nation’s top editors, reporters, and producers.

The New York Times, in nominating Mr. Vistica for a Pulitzer Prize for exposing Senator Bob Kerrey’s role in a Vietnam massacre, called his work “enterprising reporting at its finest.” In addition to being selected as a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the national reporting category, he has won a Peabody, and a George Polk award for breaking the Tailhook scandal, which led to historic reforms in the military. Polk jurors said his ground-breaking coverage of the Navy made “Tailhook almost as recognizable a code word as Watergate or Teapot Dome.” He was part of the Newsweek team that won a National Magazine Award, was nominated for an Emmy by CBS, received a Heywood Broun honorable mention, and was a finalist in the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists competition. Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) also selected his work for finalist honors in its journalism awards. Brill’s Content described his journalism as “nuanced and meticulous.”

He has written extensively about C.I.A. culture and covert operations in Afghanistan, Haiti, Yugoslavia, and the Middle East, and covered a range of topics from counter-terrorism, transportation and the FBI, to campaign finance irregularities, war crimes, and street gangs in the U.S. military.

He is the author of “The Education of Lieutenant Kerrey,” a book about Senator Kerrey and Vietnam, and “Fall From Glory: The Men Who Sank the U.S. Navy,” a contemporary history. A New York Times review said Fall From Glory was “full of revelations at even the highest levels of power.” The Washington Post said his Kerrey book was a “sobering reminder” about the fog of war, with the Seattle Times saying it “deserves to be read for the valuable lesson it tells about how public-service journalism is crafted.” Michael Ignatieff, the director of Harvard’s program in human rights, said Mr. Vistica’s coverage of Kerrey would be studied in university seminars for years to come.

Mr. Vistica received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations with an emphasis on the intelligence community from San Francisco State University in 1987. He completed Masters course work there in journalism and international relations in 1988.

He was also a staff assistant to Rep. Tom Lantos, (D-CA). A native of the San Francisco Peninsula, Mr. Vistica lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family.

 

Kate Lilly

Account Executive

Kate Lilly is an Account Executive based in the Austin, Texas office of FSB Public Affairs. Kate assists with campaigns, polling, media relations, legislative research, and government relations. Prior to joining the FSB Team, Kate interned in the U.S. Senate for Senator John Boozman out of Arkansas. Kate has a B.A. in Political Science with minors in History and Legal Studies from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. 

Andrew Fields

Senior Vice President

For more than 20 years, Andrew has been at the forefront of political affairs, campaign strategy and outreach; following a string of learning experiences on behalf of Democratic U.S. Senate candidates in the deep red South – and peppered with a stint working labor relations and small business policy for Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C. – Andrew was instrumental in Claire McCaskill’s (D-MO) successful 2006 senatorial campaign.  When subsequently asked by the DCCC to help lead a Northern California congressional race, he fell in love with California and made it his home. 

Over the next 12 years working both with his own political advisory firm AMF Strategies and with the California Alliance for Jobs – a labor-management coalition of Laborers, Operating Engineers and Carpenters unions as well heavy infrastructure contractors – Andrew has overseen every part of the political process involved in realizing a successful ballot measure.  While specializing in county- and city-wide ballot initiatives, Andrew also helped lead the successful state-wide efforts to pass Prop 1&2 (2014) and defeat Prop 6 (2018).

Experience:

  • 14 years in California politics including federal and local candidate campaigns and state-wide and local ballot initiatives.

  • 10+ years with the California Alliance for Jobs, a labor-management construction industry partnership, directing legislative policy and local and state-wide campaign oversight.

  • Led efforts for successful transportation ballot measures totaling more than $25 billion in primary funding since 2014, including:

    • Alameda County (Measure BB)

    • Sacramento County (Measure B)

    • Santa Cruz County (Measure D)

    • Stanislaus County (Measure L)

    • Monterey County (Measure X)

    • Santa Clara County (Measure B)

    • Placer County (Measure M)

    • Contra Costa Co. (Measure X)

    • City of San Jose (Measure T)

    • San Mateo County (Measure W)

    • Marin County (Measure AA)

    • BART (Measure RR)

  • Led successful legislative strategy to pass the state-wide water bond and rainy-day fund and subsequent state-wide campaigns (2014 Prop 1&2).

  • Advisory board member for a number of business start-ups including Chilean skincare line, SLC-based tech and Silicon Valley delivery service expansion.

  • Directed labor relations and health care legislative strategy for Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C.

  • Helped lead three Democratic U.S. Senate campaigns and one House race in deep red territory.

Education:

  • BA, Mass Communication (University of South Carolina)
  • CPP, Public Policy (Georgetown University)
  • MBA, General Management and Corporate Communications (UCLA)

Ruben Gonzalez

senior vice president and Managing Director, Los Angeles Office

Ruben Gonzalez is Senior Vice President and Managing Director for the FSB Public Affairs Los Angeles office.  Prior to joining forces with FSBPA Ruben led strategic consulting firm based in Southern California and serving the entire state of California providing government affairs/advocacy, media relations, crisis communications and political/campaign consulting services.

Ruben’s past and current clients include the DocuSign, United Way of Los Angeles, Delta Airlines, RAI Services, Workday, Sierra Cedar, ESI Development, Information Council of North America, Southern California Gas Company, Parking Company of America, the California Association of Realtors & the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce where Ruben served as Senior Advisor for Strategic Affairs.

Prior to returning to the Consulting world, Ruben served as the Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Political Affairs for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, which is the oldest and largest business association in Southern California. In this role he led all public policy issue development and advocacy for the Chamber. As Senior Advisor Ruben still served as chief advisor to the Chamber’s President & CEO, Board of Directors and senior staff on setting and implementing the organization’s political strategy, and as a spokesperson and chief strategist for general and crisis communications for the organization. Ruben also direct the Chamber sponsored L.A. Jobs PAC scoring an over 80% success record in endorsed races and spending over 4 million in independent expenditure campaigns.

Ruben formerly served as Senior Vice President of External Affairs for The Meruelo Group, a multibillion-dollar consortium of companies involved in hospitality, banking, restaurants and real estate. In this capacity, he was responsible for government affairs, media relations, community outreach, brand management; as well as, political and charitable engagement.

Prior to The Meruelo Group, Ruben was with a LA’s top public affairs firm where he served multiple clients as a lobbyist and ran political and issue campaigns. He also provided media strategy and served as a spokesperson for firm clients. His client portfolio at the firm included Motorola, Westfield, IBM, and many others across all business sectors.

In addition to this private sector experience, Gonzalez has made his mark in the public sector, serving as Deputy City Controller under Los Angeles City Controller Laura Chick and he has held positions with the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Governing Board, California Transit Association, former California Assemblyman Lou Correa and former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Ruth Galanter.

He received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and political science from Loyola Marymount University (LMU) where he served as student body president. Gonzalez served as Chair of the board for Helping Young People Excel (HYPE), and is currently on the Board of Directors at LMU’s Center for the Study of Los Angeles and LA’s Best. He was also appointed in 2015 to the California State Controller Council of Economic Advisors and currently serves as Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas’s appointee to the Los Angeles County Local Government Affairs Commission.

 

Citlalli Vazquez

account coordinator

Citlalli Vazquez is an Account Coordinator based in our Southern California office. She works with our Public Relations and Public Affairs practices assisting with various communication and research efforts. As a Criminology, Law, and Society major her areas of interest include socio-legal studies. Ms. Vazquez’s passions include community building, problem solving, and skill building.

Community Involvement:

  • Peer Advisor, The Hispanic 100 Foundation
  • Events Coordinator, The Rock Christian Fellowship

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Criminology, Law, and Society – University of California, Irvine

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Brief description.

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Community Involvement:

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Education:

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John Hooper

Senior Vice President

Over the past 20 years, John has played important roles on political, public affairs and corporate social responsibility campaigns across the country and internationally including helping to pioneer domestic and international digital advocacy strategies for foreign governments, fortune 100 companies and international nonprofit organizations. Most recently, John was a managing director leading the public affairs practice for Group SJR, a New York digital strategy firm owned by WPP.   Previously, he ran the Washington D.C. office for the California Department of Education, advised legislative leadership on policy and political strategy and lobbied for the California Chamber of Commerce.

Experience:

    • 15 years in several key roles at the California State Capitol. 
    • Housing & Land Use, Banking & Finance, Education lobbyist for the California Chamber of Commerce representing the California business community.
    • Ran select field operations and special projects for two Speakers of the California State Assembly
    • Managed federal affairs for the California Department of Education under Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson
    • Managing Director at a leading NYC digital strategy firm Group SJR (owned by WPP) and led corporate communications and digital content strategy efforts for fortune 100 companies, foreign governments and international nonprofits. 

Ryan Hawkins

Senior Vice President

Originally from Oklahoma, Ryan has worked on behalf of some of the toughest political and public affairs campaigns throughout the country. His experience in moving the needle is invaluable for anyone looking to win in today’s tough political climate.

In 2004, Ryan was a regional political and financial services director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee helping to go 4/4 with special elections. That work in 2004 helped lay the groundwork for the House to turn Democratic in 2006. After two successful cycles at Democratic voter contact firms, Ryan founded and was the President of the AAPC Pollie Award Winding Creek Group from 2009-2020. His work with the Democratic National Committee Analytics team and the Obama for America 2012 Analytics Team revolutionized political calling leading Caroline Grey, OFA Director of Operations for Analytics to say, “Their work on our tracking polls and modeling ID’s was integral to our success on Election Day. We’ve worked with them through vocabulary changes in ‘data’, ‘targeting’ and ‘analytics’ and will continue our relationship with them wherever we go.” Very few people bring the depth of knowledge and value-added approach Ryan will bring to your project.

In addition to his political resume, Ryan is an expert at land-use project management as well as corporate communications. Whether it’s gaining approval for wind turbines in Oklahoma, fighting to block a coal plant in South Dakota or helping navigate out of a media crisis in Missouri, Ryan has the expertise along with the experience to back it up to solve all of your corporate communication needs.

Along with his daughter and her dog, Ryan lives in St. Louis, Missouri where they both enjoy attending Cardinals baseball games even though he is a die-hard Dodgers fan but he has finally given up on her being one as well.

Experience

  • Founder and President, Winding Creek Group
  • Principal, Hilltop Public Strategies
  • Senior Advisor, Mike Bloomberg for President
  • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, Community Education Alliance of Missouri
  • Board Member, De La Salle, Inc
  • Board Member, Country Club of St Albans
  • Presenter, Public Affairs Council of Canada
  • Presenter, Latin American Political Consultants Association

Education

  • Northeastern State University

Richard Hernandez

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Richard Hernandez provides strategic communications and field consulting services to clients in politics. His expertise includes content creation; strategic writing; research and analysis; field operations administration; media relations; and social media management. 

A veteran of political campaigns, Richard has previously worked as a Campaign Manager, Communications Director, Deputy Communications

A native of Temecula, CA, he now resides in Las Vegas, NV. He is an avid foodie, musician, and collector of vintage campaign paraphernalia.

Education:

BA in Political Science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Chasen Bullock

VICE PRESIDENT

Chasen Bullock is Vice President for Public Affairs and Campaigns at FSB Core Strategies. Chasen has worked in 29 states and has managed winning political campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. Along with managing political campaigns, Chasen has expertise in nonprofit management, strategic communications, media relations, grassroots organizing, and issue advocacy. He has significant experience working on the following issues: health care, small business, and conservative causes. Bullock is in the United States Congressional Record for his work with Congressman Luke Messer (IN-06).

Experience:

  • Congressional Leadership Fund, Political Director
  • National Republican Congressional Committee, Regional Political Director
  • Rand Paul for U.S. Senate, Campaign Manger
  • United States House of Representatives, Committee on Small Business
  • Medical Society, Charleston South Carolina

Community Involvement:

  • City Dogs Rescue, Washington DC 
  • St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Capitol Hill

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Economics – California State University, San Marcos

Brooke Bushart

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Brooke is an Account Executive in the FSB Orange County office. She assists with coalition building, community outreach, and legislative and political support for several clients. She currently serves as the Legislative Director for the Anaheim / Orange County Hotel and Lodging Association and is the lead legislative researcher for the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. She also provides support in matters of Land Use Policy, Development, Energy and Environmental Policy.

Before joining FSB, Brooke served two legislative sessions as a lobbyist in Arizona, spending most of her time working on legislation to benefit first responders and public safety. She also worked at a nonprofit specializing in management of their grassroots teams.

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Business (Law) – Arizona State University

Ash Wright

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Ash Wright, is a nationally recognized political strategist. His long and successful career has led him to serve as the chief strategist for campaigns in fifteen states, and Puerto Rico. Wright is also a frequent contributor on the Fox News Chanel, Fox Business Network, and MSNBC. Wright gained national notoriety in 2016 by playing a significant role in winning re-election for Senator Pat Toomey and running the grassroots effort for the Republican National Committee/President Trump’s campaign in Pennsylvania.

 

In 2017, Wright was nominated for four Reed Awards for Campaign & Elections, winning Best Paid Grassroots Program for his efforts in winning Pennsylvania for Republicans. During the 2018 elections, he managed campaigns in eight states, including six highly contested congressional campaigns. In addition, Wright was named to the 2019 40 under 40 class by the National Association of Political Consultants.

 

In addition, Wright serves as the Senior Political Advisor to George P. Bush (son of Gov. Jeb Bush, nephew of President George W. Bush and Grandson of President George H.W. Bush). He has led Bush’s campaign since 2014, including the recent 2018 re-election campaign for Texas Land Commissioner.

 

Wright has been instrumental in growing the Republican Party’s diverse slate of candidates, including the historical campaign to Elect Susana Martinez as the first Hispanic female Governor in our nation’s history.

 

Industry Awards:

Class of 2019 American Association of Political Consultants ‘Top 40 under 40’

Reed Awards: Best Use of Paid Field Program (2016 cycle)

Reed Awards: Best Grassroots Project (2018 cycle)

Nominated for Reed Awards: Best Use of Paid Field Program (2018 cycle)

Experience:

  • Senior Political Advisor, Commissioner George P. Bush

  • Deputy Director of Government Relations, Texas General Land Office

  • Political Director, Republican Party of Texas

  • Victory Director, New Mexico Republican Party

  • Managing Director, Grassroots Program for Senator Pat Toomie

  • Texas Director, Jeb Bush for President

  • Executive Director, Texas Republican County Chairman’s Association

Education:

Master of Arts, Management and Leadership, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia                                                             

Bachelor of Science, Political Science and Church Ministry, Hardin-Simmons University

Advertising

Successful advertising can win campaigns. We’ll help influence public opinion, promote regulatory and legislative initiatives, position debates, build reputations, and manage issues. FSB Core Strategies is a full-service advertising firm with experience across all media.

With an in-house media buyer and planner, we’re involved at every phase. We’ll manage the entire process from initial conceptualization and creative development, to production, post-production, and placement services. We’ve won countless awards and have been recognized on numerous occasions by the American Association of Political Consultants, the Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet, and the Silver Telly Council for our political and public affairs advertising. In addition to winning awards for our English-language advertising, we’ve also won top industry awards for bilingual and multilingual radio and television advertising.

FSB EXPERTS

Bill Romanelli

Senior Vice President

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Cherri Spriggs

Executive Vice President

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