BURNESS - Key Persons
Since joining Burness at the start of 2014, Abby has provided strategic communications support and counsel to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and its grantees to help drive a movement around their childhood obesity prevention efforts. Her main areas of focus are media relations and editorial/digital content development. Abby also contributes to the team's more targeted public health projects.
Prior to coming to Burness, Abby served as the healthy schools program marketing and communications manager with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association. At the Alliance, Abby developed and implemented national and regional communications campaigns to highlight the work of schools around the country that excelled in their efforts to promote healthy eating and physical activity.
Previously, Abby worked at an international humanitarian aid organization where she led digital communications efforts and a domestic foundation for the blind where she assisted on a broad range of communications projects. She received a Bachelor of Science in communication from Boston University.
Abby is a native New Yorker and currently resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Abubakr joined Burness in July 2023 as a senior coordinator for the global practice, where he supports agriculture, environmental and other projects.
Before Burness, Abubakr worked as an editorial associate at the Children's Defense Fund, where he drafted and organized media and communications materials for national audiences; collected stories from children, youth and families within marginalized communities; and managed a call-to-action platform and the organization's extensive digital and communications archive.
He graduated with a B.A. in global studies from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain, where he was the elected class delegate and became fluent in Spanish. He had an exchange semester in Singapore, where he researched and wrote his senior dissertation on the country's food insecurity after COVID-19.
Outside of work, you can find Abubakr in the kitchen. At age 12, Abubakr started experimenting with food and eventually founded his own catering business, where he baked over 100 pies for his clients during the busy holiday seasons. Today, Abubakr still calls the kitchen home as he attempts to master at least one dish from each country he's visited.
Based in the Washington, D.C., area, Alec Caso is a Senior Associate at Burness, focusing on agricultural science and development, ocean health and protection, and sustainability in how we eat, move and power our lives.
Drawing on six years of experience in the communications sector on national and international campaigns, Alec works with foundations and nonprofits to deliver high-quality, researched-based messaging and social media strategies, creative content, and earned media.
Before working with Burness, Alec developed his advocacy and communications skills with Growth Energy, where he pushed for greater engagement on renewable energy from lawmakers and regulators. Prior to that role, he worked at DCLRS, a lobbying firm focused on agriculture, energy and immigration issues.
He holds an MSc in International Relations from the University of Edinburgh, where he researched sustainable energy solutions for refugees living in conflict areas, including access to renewable fuel sources and solar ovens.
He resides in Northern Virginia, where he spends time playing with his son Atticus, bakes, tends his garden and practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Alisa O'Brien, associate vice president, uses her experience from working on Capitol Hill and in state government to develop creative and effective communications and policy strategies to build support for causes and achieve success for her clients. She has designed campaigns, events and communications products, including synthesizing technical and complex information, to raise awareness and spur policy change. At Burness, Alisa has worked in the areas of maternal and infant health, violence prevention, aging, global health, child health and poverty, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Childhood Obesity Initiative.
Prior to joining Burness, Alisa spent five years working as an adviser to Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) on chronic disease prevention, wellness, children and family issues. She then went on to serve as public policy and government affairs liaison for the Iowa Department of Human Services. Most recently, Alisa was the chief for community wellness and obesity prevention at the Ohio Department of Health.
She holds a bachelor's degree in political science and sociology from St. Bonaventure University.
Amy joined Burness in March 2022. In her role as associate, Amy primarily works on a variety of projects with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on issues related to health equity, healthy children and families, and research and evaluation.
Since earning her Master of Public Health in epidemiology and a certificate in injury and violence prevention from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in May 2019, Amy has become increasingly interested in the important role that communications can play in improving public health outcomes.
Prior to joining Burness, Amy worked as a project coordinator at the CDC-funded University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center on a variety of opioid overdose prevention and violence prevention projects and as a communications specialist for Michigan CEAL (Community Engagement Alliance), an NIH-funded initiative to reduce COVID-19-related health inequities among medically underserved communities of color.
Outside of work, Amy loves to water ski. She has been competing nationally since 2005 and is actively involved in the American Water Ski Association.
Andrea joined Burness in July 2022 as an associate for the global practice, bringing experience in media relations, case management, customer service, research and social strategy. She provides communications support through research, media analysis, strategy and content development and pitches evidence-based stories to news outlets around the world. Her work supports the missions of several clients including the Rights and Resources Initiative and the Ford Foundation and its grantees.
Andrea graduated with honors from Towson University with a B.A. in mass communication and foreign languages, where she was president of Lambda Pi Eta National Communication Association. While at Towson, she spent time studying in Costa Rica and spent a semester as an ambassador in Model UN, where she participated in debates on a number of global issues, including gender equality, climate action and global health.
Prior to joining Burness, Andrea worked at an immigration law firm supporting asylum cases. She also worked for J&L Marketing and Weber Shandwick, where she gained experience in event marketing, media relations and content management.
In her spare time, Andrea enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, dancing and spending time outdoors.
Andy Burness is founder and president of Burness, a mission-driven global communications firm supporting nonprofits and the people they serve. The company has partnered with more than 600 nonprofit and governmental organizations over its more than 35 years.
Andy and his colleagues showcase solutions to the problems that cause poverty, hunger, disease and environmental degradation, often taking little-known ideas that can benefit humanity and developing communications strategies and tactics for taking these ideas to scale. Burness' unwavering mission is to help extraordinary people share their research and tell their stories for the good of the world.
His company has been named five times by Washington-area media as one of the best places to work in the region.
He is currently on the faculty of the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University and The George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs. He has also been an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
He has published articles and blogs related to the field of public interest communications, and is co-editor of the book "Roses for the Soul: Celebrating the Life and Achievements of Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook," a series of essays on the pioneering Black scholar and distinguished political scientist.
In 2014, Andy was selected as a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Resident Fellow, joining 15 other policymakers, nonprofit leaders, artists and public advocates from around the world. And, he is currently an appointed member of the International Race and Health Experts Group, convened by the British National Health Service to highlight solutions to entrenched racism in health systems the world over. He also directs the Karel Fellowship, managed out of Burness offices, that introduces first-generation and minority college students to the field of public interest communications.
A fluent Spanish speaker, Andy's international work has taken him to more than 20 countries on four continents, where he has provided training and counsel on agricultural research, vaccine development and public health interventions to control diseases of the developing world.
In his civic life, he is an active leader in Montgomery County, Maryland, where he lives. He co-founded Business Leaders Fighting Hunger, and serves on the board of advisors for the Universities at Shady Grove. He and his wife, Hope Gleicher, were named the county's Philanthropists of the Year in 2019.
Before starting his firm, he was liaison with the public and primary spokesperson for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest health philanthropy in the United States. Prior to that, he served as public information officer for the President's Commission on Medical Ethics. He was also a legislative assistant for health and education policy in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Andy has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Maryland. He is the father of two children, Alex and Molly, is the very lucky grandfather of Oscar and is a caretaker for Zion, the dog.
Angela joined Burness in February 2021, bringing experience in project management, strategic communications, media relations, and research and policy analysis. She provides communications support through research, media pitching, content creation and event production for several clients, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other clients in the firm's domestic practice.
Prior to working at Burness, Angela served as a communications specialist at the Wilson Center, a think tank dedicated to tackling global issues, working with their Mexico Institute. In this role, she developed and executed communication plans, provided strategic communications support, developed key partnerships, and organized and executed high-level meetings and events. She also served as the program's primary media contact and was responsible for expanding the program's online presence.
In addition to this work, she has also conducted research and provided support for the Wilson Center's Latin American Program, the Washington Office on Latin America and FLACSO-Chile.
Angela graduated from American University with a Master of Public Administration and Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies.
Outside of work, Angela loves attending concerts, traveling and reading a good book.
Anna has worked at Burness since 2017. During her time, she has supported a wide range of topics and Burness partners, including The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Gene Editing Institute, The Mayday Fund and Kavli Foundation. Some of her most gratifying work has been helping scientists, researchers and advocates tell their stories to create change and providing fun, educational communications training workshops.
Her first job at the Environmental Protection Agency grew her passion for understanding the health impacts of climate change and the environments we live in. As that passion has evolved, she is set on ensuring that strategic climate change communications help us build a healthier, more equitable world.
Anna believes all people are creatives. Tuesday nights, you can find her making perfectly imperfect dishes, mugs and vases at Hinckley Pottery. On the weekends, she enjoys walking with her husband and dog along the National Mall, catching a concert in D.C., and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
Ash joined Burness as a graphic designer in January 2021. Ash is knowledgeable about both print and digital design and enthusiastic about illustration.
Ash received their bachelor of fine arts in graphic design from Louisiana State University in 2014 but has endeavored to keep learning long after graduation. For six years, Ash worked at a design agency in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, producing print and digital materials from initial concept to final product for a variety of clients and industries. Ash has also freelanced extensively, primarily for nonprofit organizations and community initiatives.
Passionate about the ways in which the arts can enrich the human experience and inspire progressive change, Ash is always seeking to use design as a tool to uplift and advocate for causes contributing to a more compassionate world.
In their free time, Ash enjoys reading, exploring nature, attending art events and concerts, baking, and discovering interesting new music.
Ashley joined Burness in 2017 and has since provided strategic communications support and counsel to clients such as CityHealth, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute's County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Prize and Afterschool Alliance.
Prior to joining Burness, Ashley was the communications and youth engagement director at the Global Campaign for Education-U.S., an advocacy organization working to ensure that all children have access to a quality education. There, she supported and trained youth advocates around the U.S. to use their voices to share the power of education and drove all the communication efforts for the organization. In addition to this work, she has been an elementary school teacher and a Capitol Hill staffer in press and legislative capacities.
Ashley graduated from Dillard University with a Bachelor of Arts in communications and from Boston University with a Master of Science in public relations.
Ashley loves to write and strongly believes in the potential of personal stories to change the world.
Ben Milder, principal, joined Burness in 1999. He directs a number of major projects and advises clients across a range of issues in health and health care, from spreading new models of knowledge-sharing in medical education to looking beyond U.S. borders for ideas from abroad to improve health and well-being. He leads the company's work in the policy space, developing and implementing strategies to advance clients' ideas in the policy world. His work involves regular contact with government, media, philanthropy and interest groups.
Internally, Ben guides the company's organizational learning strategy. He also sits on the steering committee of frank, a community of public interest communications practitioners and researchers focused on elevating the science of communications to drive social change.
Prior to joining Burness, Ben spent two years with the Washington, D.C., firm of Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds and served as an aide to U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
A northern California native and father of two daughters, Ben is a lifetime San Francisco Giants fan and a more recent rock climbing enthusiast. His self-professed claim to fame is that he spent part of his childhood living in a yurt.
Job Titles:
- Business Backs Low - Carbon USA
Burness joins 700 companies in asking President Trump to commit to a low-carbon economy and implement the Paris Climate Agreement.
Job Titles:
- Principal and Co - Director, Training Programs
Carol Schadelbauer has had an extensive career in science and health public relations working for and consulting with nonprofit organizations with a focus on the fields of science, health and education. Carol leads strategic communications projects, campaigns and messaging, as well as directs media and presentation training for the company.
Her passion for helping medical professionals, researchers and leaders become effective advocates for their research and policy agendas with the public, policymakers and the media led to the formalization of training services at Burness. Carol and team continuously develop a variety of specialized media and policy trainings and seminars, working with organizations such as Duke University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, The National Institutes of Health (NIH), among others. Carol is an occasional lecturer on communications and advocacy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.
Carol's prior experience includes leadership positions with the American Hospital Association, the National Academy of Sciences, the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, and Carnegie Mellon University.
She combined her love of science with her interest in writing and communications early on and ultimately landed happily in public interest communications at Burness.
Job Titles:
- Graphic Designer
- Senior Digital Strategist, Video
Catalina Velez is a filmmaker and graphic designer. She is a leader of all things video at Burness, handling pre-production, post-production, project management, and relationships with vendors and freelancers. She brings a wealth of creative and cross-cultural communications experience, having served as a branding consultant for the World Bank, campaign ad designer at think tank Win Climate and as an associate producer of multiple productions for Smithsonian Channel, VICE, Netflix, UK's Channel 4 and Discovery Channel. With a degree in design from Central Saint Martins, she strives to bring clarity, engagement and visual flair to the film, video and design projects she takes on.
Before joining Burness, she forged a career as a freelance documentary producer in London's bustling factual filmmaking industry. With over eight years of experience in the industry, she developed series ideas and set up complex film shoots across Latin America, the U.S. and Europe. Subjects she has covered include shifting dynamics in the international narco-trafficking networks, mental health in the skateboarding community, European toxic waste-smuggling mafias and the story of the Osage Indian Murders of the 1930s. She has also developed her own series ideas, embedding with Brazilian special operations police forces and demobilized FARC rebels in Colombia.
Outside of work, Catalina enjoys playing strategy games, dancing salsa and cumbia, and planning trips with friends.
Job Titles:
- Principal and Managing Director, U.S
Chuck oversees management and staffing across Burness' domestic practice. He joined the firm in 1999 and helps lead a talented group of colleagues to provide comprehensive communications support to numerous nonprofits. Chuck works with some of the nation's most prominent health organizations, like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Heart Association, and a host of other nonprofits also focused on improving people's lives. He has led efforts around a multitude of issues, from creating healthy communities to preventing tobacco use, to encouraging postsecondary education among young women and men. Chuck is also a skilled and experienced communications strategist and media and message trainer.
Prior to joining Burness, Chuck worked for National Public Radio, where he managed national outreach campaigns and promoted NPR programs.
A native of eastern Tennessee, Chuck moved to Washington, D.C., in 1989 after graduating from Emory & Henry College. He holds an M.A. in public communication from the District's American University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Coordinator
- Senior Coordinator, Nairobi Office, Global
Clare is a senior communications coordinator in the Nairobi office. She joined Burness in 2021, bringing a mix of strategic thinking and execution, as well as great media relations skills.
She provides communications support to a range of global projects, from global health and agriculture to digital identity and rights.
Prior to joining Burness, Clare provided strategic communications and public relations support for a variety of global organizations, including Facebook/Meta, Mastercard and SOS Children Villages, among others. She holds a Master of Arts in business administration from the University of Nairobi.
Clare is passionate about public speaking and enjoys dancing salsa and outdoor activities.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Global
Coimbra has been with Burness for 25 years and leads the Latin America practice with a team that crisscrosses the region, organizing site visits in the Amazon, press events in the major cities, and regular direct contact with bellwether foreign and national journalists.
She leads the firm's grant with the Ford Foundation to elevate the visibility of land rights of Indigenous peoples as a conservation solution and serve Indigenous leaders and their organizations by helping them to connect their stories to the growing body of compelling research that supports their advocacy goals.
As a research communicator, she has arranged and staffed international press events on every continent but Antarctica. Coimbra speaks four languages (English, Spanish, French and Portuguese) and is conversant in Italian and Portuguese Creole.
A former journalist, Coimbra once covered crime, politics and HIV. She served as a science writer and communications officer at the American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Coimbra graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in languages and linguistics.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- in 2021 As a Senior Associate
Corinne Pickus joined Burness in 2021 as a senior associate. She brings experience working on Capitol Hill, in nonprofit advocacy and on political campaigns to her work supporting clients' strategic policy and communications objectives.
Prior to joining Burness, Corinne worked at Girl Scouts of the USA in their public policy and advocacy office, most recently as state advocacy manager. In that role, she advised and supported 111 Girl Scout councils across the country as they worked to cultivate relationships with policymakers and build their advocacy capacity at the state and federal levels. During her career, she also served as a legislative staffer on Capitol Hill for U.S. Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota.
Corinne holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and their beloved rescue dog. In her free time, Corinne enjoys spending time outdoors, travelling and exploring the local restaurant scene.
Job Titles:
- Senior Writer, Global
- Writer
Dan Klotz is a veteran writer and advocate with more than 20 years of experience leveraging publicity to help propel public policy campaigns. He has shaped and placed opinion pieces that have appeared throughout the world's media, in outlets including New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Guardian, CNN.com and AlJazeera.com.
His career has spanned a wide range of policy issues, including the domestic and global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rights of Indigenous communities in the U.S. and around the world; finding new ways to treat and prevent tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases of poverty; efforts to halt tropical deforestation; tobacco control policies, including smoke-free workplaces; the importance of federally funded agricultural research; efforts that tackle non-communicable diseases and how they disproportionately harm communities of color; equitable and pedestrian-friendly urban development, international shark conservation; the cleanup of toxic waste sites; and conservation of wild areas on land and in the ocean.
A native New Yorker, Dan received a B.A. in English from Cornell University. He is a former member of the board of directors of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Prince George's County, Maryland, and wrote for seven years for National Geographics Voices blog. His essays have also been published by the Washington Post and other outlets.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Coordinator
Daniela joined Burness in September 2023 as a senior coordinator. Daniela works on various projects with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on issues related to supporting healthy children, families, and communities, and accelerating cutting-edge ideas to advance health equity. Daniela also provides communications support for the Commonwealth Fund, the de Beaumont Foundation, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.
Daniela graduated from American University with a Master of Arts in political communications and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, where she was vice president of the student government association for two years.
Prior to joining Burness, Daniela served as a program coordinator at Identity, Inc., where she worked closely with the University of Maryland Public School of Health on crucial research focused on the transformative effects of Encuentros - a non-clinical mental health program tailored for undocumented youth and families. Daniela played a pivotal role in gathering impactful stories from these communities, resulting in the development of accessible mental health resources. These resources have played a significant role in reducing COVID-19-related health disparities among underserved undocumented communities.
Outside of work, Daniela is an avid reader and thrives on experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, showcasing her culinary creativity. Her adventurous spirit extends to travel, where she seeks new experiences and perspectives. At home, Daniela is a loving caretaker of her cat, Chloe.
Danielle (she/her) is a strategist first and digital nerd second. She believes technical expertise is only part of the equation, because it takes innovative ideas and careful intentionality to break through a chaotic digital landscape and create real, positive change. She utilizes years of experience crafting mission-driven social media, multimedia and marketing to empower clients in their crucial work.
Before joining Burness, Danielle led digital strategy and online programming at the Student Press Law Center, where she built up the organization's digital infrastructure and revamped its communications strategies. She also coordinated Student Press Freedom Day, a national day of action and awareness campaign educating hundreds of student journalists about their rights and mobilizing them to advocate for anti-censorship laws and policies. Before that, she worked on the social media desk at the digital news outlet Newsy and served as a journalist in several local newsrooms.
Outside of work, Danielle is an avid reader who loves high fantasy tomes the size of a brick, making hyper-specific playlists for her friends, and taking care of her beloved (absurdly named) plants.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Assistant
David joined the Burness creative team in July 2022 as design director. He is multidisciplinary with an eye toward brand strategy and sensitivity to typography. David manages the design team, provides strategy and creative direction for the company and works on diverse projects for a wide range of Burness clients.
David holds an M.F.A. in graphic design from the Academy of Art University, where he is currently a professor. He has taught courses on typography, branding and thesis development. In August 2021, David completed an artist residency on Building Brands with Type at the School of Visual Arts where he learned typeface design. In addition, he currently sits on the board of directors of AIGA DC as Salon Chair.
His approach to design and design thinking is rooted in his B.A. in studio arts and B.S. in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. With a unique blend of disciplines, David brings a conceptual understanding of semiotics, empathy for audiences, curiosity and play to visual communication. Prior to joining Burness, David was a senior graphic designer at a design studio that worked with nonprofits and government departments, where he provided design thinking, strategy, branding, and visual solutions for new campaigns and initiatives.
In his free time, David enjoys theater, museums and traveling with his partner, Gene. Long walks, hikes and play dates with their dog Ava are regularly a part of weekends. Also, David loves to bake cakes and cupcakes, especially cheesecake.
Elizabeth Wenk, principal, has over twenty years of communications and policy experience, having worked on Capitol Hill and on various congressional campaigns. She joined Burness in September 2007 and manages a portfolio of work related to children's health and public health. She works with her team to develop and execute multi-faceted media advocacy and policymaker engagement campaigns and serves as a lead trainer related to media, messaging and policymaker outreach. Key clients include the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Voices for Healthy Kids, the Low Income Investment Fund and ChangeLab Solutions.
Before coming to Burness, Elizabeth worked for U.S. Congressman Mike Castle of Delaware in many capacities, most recently as deputy chief of staff and senior health policy advisor. She led his efforts in writing and passing legislation to expand the current federal stem cell policy. Previously, Elizabeth worked for Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine as her communications director.
Elizabeth received her bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware and her master's degree in political management from the George Washington University. Elizabeth is the mother of four awesome kids (3 daughters and a son) and in her free time enjoys running, hiking, watching her kids play sports and coaching Girls on the Run.
Job Titles:
- Principal and Managing Director of the Global Practice
- Principal and Managing Director, Global
Ellen Wilson is a Principal and Managing Director of the global practice at Burness, which includes a branch office in Nairobi, Kenya. She has over three decades of experience providing strategic communications counsel to hundreds of global nonprofits, foundations and international agencies working in global health, on food issues, particularly focused on Africa; climate change, biodiversity loss and forest and ocean protection; and land rights of Indigenous People.
She leads high-impact, media-centered, multi-continent communications campaigns that deliver increased exposure for narratives, stories, research and solutions to improve health, protect the environment, reduce poverty and produce an equitable and sustainable food supply. She has directly carried out communications activities across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
She has elevated the thought leadership of foundation presidents and executive directors, handled celebrity media appearances, advised on messaging and crisis communications and led media trainings for scientists and others in Geneva, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Accra, Dakar and Washington, DC. She has spearheaded dozens of high-level media events including at the Paris and Glasgow climate COPs, the UN General Assembly, the UN Secretary General's Climate Summit in New York City in September 2014, the Global Climate Action Summit held in San Francisco in 2018, the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) held in Montreal in 2022 and at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the Arctic Circle.
She served on the advisory committee of the Sabin Vaccine Institute Immunization Advocates program, is on the Public Policy, Public Service and Law Council of Honors Carolina and has been a guest instructor for Professor Andy Burness at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She has completed master's level coursework at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.
Prior to joining Burness, Ellen worked at a public relations firm that represented Planned Parenthood Federation of America and civil rights leaders. Ellen holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science-international relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has two sons and lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband and dog, Riley.
Eugenia works with organizations in the U.S. and across the globe on health, gender equity, forestry, climate change, Indigenous rights and oceans issues. She provides comprehensive communications support to various partners, including the Ford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and their grantees. In this capacity, she provides strategic counsel, supports communications research, delivers training, produces engaging content and pitches evidence-based stories to outlets across Latin America, Europe, Africa and North America.
Before joining Burness, Eugenia served as a research and writing consultant for the Innovation Service at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where she combined social science research and storytelling to promote solutions that support forcibly displaced communities in Somalia, Rwanda and Kenya. Eugenia is from Valencia, Venezuela, and is fluent in Spanish and French. She graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor of science in public relations and a minor in French and Francophone studies.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources and Operations Coordinator
Fatima Diaz joined Burness in June 2007. She supports human resources and administrative operations. Fatima also maintains and manages our procurement and equipment operations. In addition, she coordinates our in-house events and meetings.
A native from Granada, Nicaragua, Fatima has a passion for music and dancing. She loves the Beatles, Santana, The Bee Gees and Mark Anthony.
Florence is an associate based in Lisbon, Portugal, who serves Burness' global practice on a variety of projects relating to biodiversity, forestry, land rights and other environmental issues. In her role, she provides support through strategy development, media research and analysis, content writing, and global media outreach to reporters in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and beyond.
Florence is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Portuguese and Spanish. During her studies, she was selected for the Erasmus exchange program to study at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, where she developed a keen interest in Latin American anthropology and Portuguese history. She also spent five months establishing youth education programs in Northern Peru, which she actively supports to this day.
Outside of work, Florence is a self-professed lover of travel, food, surf and salsa. Her curiosity about other cultures particularly shows through any new recipe she finds.
Since joining Burness in March 2020, Gabby has supported the work of a range of national and international health foundations and nonprofit clients, including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Commonwealth Fund, Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and its grantees. She provides comprehensive communications support through targeted media outreach, developing editorial content, contributing to strategy development, and conducting research across a wide range of important health topics such as health equity, health policy and child poverty.
Prior to Burness, Gabby was a marketing assistant for Maier & Warner Public Relations and before that, a social media intern for BridgeView Real Estate Services, a real estate brokerage in Watertown, New York. Gabby graduated from Hamilton College in May 2019 with a degree in sociology. At Hamilton, she was a member of the women's varsity lacrosse team and served as captain her senior year.
Gabby enjoys spending her time exploring Washington D.C.'s restaurant scene, working out, traveling and getting together with friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President
- Associate Vice President and Deputy Director of Training Programs
Gideon Hertz is an associate vice president for Burness' domestic practice. Since joining Burness in 2012, he has worked in issue areas including education, environmental science, health policy, public health, neuroscience, biomedical research and global health. Gideon works across the company to conduct communications audits; develop strategic communications plans and messages; write press releases and secure media coverage in local, national and international media outlets; and plan and execute public events.
Gideon also works on Burness' training programs, planning, developing and leading over 150 communications workshops to date for diverse organizations like the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The National Institutes of Health, National Quality Forum, American Heart Association, PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Duke University, and The Society for Neuroscience. These sessions focus on message development, media relations, crafting and delivering presentations, storytelling, persuasive writing and crisis communications, among other topics.
Prior to joining Burness full time, Gideon interned with the company in the summer of 2011, assisting with media and policy trainings, developing media lists and researching various health and science issues. He also worked as a research and policy intern for Senator Michael Bennet's 2010 re-election campaign.
Gideon is one of several Fighting Blue Hens at Burness, graduating from the University of Delaware in 2012 as a double major in philosophy and political science. A native of Denver, Colorado, Gideon enjoys being outdoors as well as playing and watching sports, particularly soccer.
Job Titles:
- Senior Digital Strategist
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- Senior Digital Coordinator
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- Senior Digital Strategist
Job Titles:
- Vice President and Deputy Director, Digital
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- Communications Specialist
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- Consulting Senior Science Writer, Global
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- Senior Digital Strategist
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- Senior Vice President and Co - Director, Nairobi Office, Global
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- Senior Coordinator, Nairobi Office, Global
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- Senior Vice President, Digital and Creative
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- Senior Vice President and Co - Director, Training Programs
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- Director of Information Technology
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- Associate Director, Design
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- Principal and Director, Human Resources and Community Engagement