DH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Creative Director
If it has words, Adrian might have written it. She works with the DH team to uncover clients' stories - and then wrangles them into copy for all the mediums you can think of and probably some that will be invented soon.
Alex didn't know he was looking for DH until he found us. A graphic designer with an interest in branding and identity design, he has previous experience in online marketing. The social change marketing work he saw DH doing with health care and nonprofit clients, among others, inspired him. "DH's projects were different from what I've been exposed to," he says. "Once I heard about it, I was all in."
For Alex., public advocacy is a calling: a way to effect change that matters. She believes that our path toward positive change rests on common ground - that, for all our various perspectives, we're enough alike to allow for understanding, agreement and progress. Alex. came to DH after working for the Obama administration. When you get to work for the common good, she says, it's easy to work hard.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President
- Expert in PR
Amy is an expert in PR, labor communications, crisis management and support, thought leadership and media relations, and a seasoned communications strategist with a passion for solving her clients' most challenging issues. A former journalist covering all aspects of health care, Amy has made a career out of distilling complex issues into stories that are clear-eyed, approachable and human.
Amy's background in journalism means she has a dedication to crossing T's and dotting I's. This is particularly important when working with clients in the medical realm: Amy says communicators have a responsibility to the facts, especially when it comes to issues affecting peoples' health. Sometimes that involves asking the tough questions and holding those industries accountable. Constructive criticism can be even more important than positive suggestions, which Amy calls "communicating with candor."
After more than two decades at DH and a stint as president of an international network of communications agencies, Andrei believes firms like ours operate in a sweet spot - for our team and for our clients. Our depth and talent let us take on big campaigns. Our flexibility lets us invent new ways to work and to make our agency better. That includes finding new ways to inspire the team - "or putting the pieces in place to allow anyone who works here to do the best work of their life," Andrei says. "If I didn't have opportunity to help the company evolve and be just ahead of where the industry is going, it wouldn't be interesting."
The daughter of Irish immigrants, Annie grew up cooking alongside her family in California. When she was offered a job at a London PR agency publicizing Michelin-star restaurants, luxury hotels and cocktail bars, she ate up the chance to live the food life (for a while) beyond U.S. borders. It was a fast, busy, high-pressure life. In London's crowded, competitive food scene, it took creativity - hello, world's highest gin pour - and tenacity to garner attention for her clients. Back in the U.S. for a few years now, Annie takes a broader, deeper view to her work - while still applying creativity and tenacity. She has become a master of the large, integrated campaign for clients who are more about the social good than what tastes good. But, luckily for those who look to her for restaurant recommendations, Annie still cares about what tastes good, too.
Sometimes good health looks like a car you can count on and a grandparent willing to watch the kids. And sometimes poor health looks like not having those things - or, therefore, the screenings and clinical care you need. Beth's education in community health showed her that barriers to good health are complex. They can be as complicated as your personal history, your finances or family life, and a system of care that's often convoluted and confusing. "My classes gave me insight into the vast diversity of human experience in the world," she says. "There are so many factors that play into health, and we tend to talk about little pockets of it and not acknowledge the complexity of it all."
Brie is a seasoned communicator, writer and project manager with more than a decade of experience overseeing complex projects in many sectors, from health care to government to higher education. Brie has developed and implemented several complex PR and public affairs programs and is an expert in strategy development, stakeholder engagement, and policy and budget analysis.
Calvin is like the Swiss Army knife of DH. He does a little bit of everything around the office, and he makes sure all the operations run smoothly. If a package needs to be delivered, if a lightbulb burns out, if someone's computer is on the fritz - Calvin's the guy who takes care of it. On top of that, he handles everything from office supply inventory to travel coordination to I.T.
Christine is all in. Always. Which, when it comes to communication strategy and advocacy, works out great for DH clients. "The projects I work on never really leave me. They're always running in the background," she says. "That's usually when I get an idea for a new approach, a new tactic or message."
Job Titles:
- Director of Content Development
Corie came to DH as an educator. Most recently, she used her master's degree in teaching to create personal development lessons for sixth- to 12th-graders. She wanted students to understand their power to change the world. "I wanted them to walk away knowing they were both small but important," she says. "That they were part of something bigger but that, through their action, they could create change." Now she helps DH clients create positive change, too.
There is nothing Dean loves more than a good movie. He crafts short films for clients at work, and analyzes movies, TV series and sports broadcasts made by others when he's at home. His passion has earned him both Gold and Silver Addy awards, but he says he's most proud of the impact these videos had in raising awareness and funding for the organizations they were created to help. "Through video, we raised money for a food bank and awareness about public health and safety as the pandemic hit; I'm really proud of that, and the multi-state generator safety campaign I edited to protect people from accidental electrocution."
Denise is all about the flow. She creates workflow systems and processes at DH so we can do our best work for clients work with minimal snags. It can be hard for a control freak (self-described) to create a process, teach people to use it, and let it go. But systems and processes are made to serve the people who use them, she says. "What's fulfilling is if someone says, ‘That thing you set up for me was perfect' - knowing that the way I thought through a process worked," Denise says. "Processes are my favorite."
Denys' interest in health equity is personal, rooted in family and community. She grew up in an agricultural town, the child of farmworkers who picked crops in the fields. She talks daily with her mom, who now works in a food-processing warehouse. She brings this perspective to her work supporting DH clients making health care more equitable. She joined the team after earning a degree in public health. "As an individual, I feel like DH saw me for my potential," Denys says. "That made me feel really good. I felt seen for what I bring to the table."
Originally from the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Devan moved to Spokane for college and has made it her second home. Whether she's skateboarding through Centennial Trail downtown, doing a nighttime snowboard run on Mt. Spokane, or finding new music, she constantly finds ways to develop her interests. "When I'm in Hawai'i, I surf. When I'm in Washington, I skate and snowboard." In either place, you can find Devan with a notebook and pen, jotting down thoughts, experiences, and creative writing ideas.
If you visit DH's Seattle office, Elena will likely be the friendly face greeting you. She keeps the day-to-day operations of our Puget Sound hub running smoothly through front-facing and behind-the-scenes work - whether that involves preparing invoices, organizing team events and travel arrangements, or stepping in to assist on projects when needed.
Esther supports DH clients and teams with a focus on public health and equity projects. "Whatever they need" is a pretty broad job description - but Esther likes that. "I like being able to try out different things," she says.
As a graphic designer, Hannah works with DH clients to realize their missions and values through visuals. After all, the way something looks is an integral part of its story, and with her expertise in illustration, animation and typography, Hannah knows not only how to make things look good, but how to make them mean something.
Job Titles:
- Senior Account Executive & Senior Client Engagement Specialist
Ian's work as a DH account executive reflects his passion for thoughtful strategy and clear communication, as well as his passion for equity in public institutions. He oversees a wide range of public affairs projects, particularly in the realms of advocacy and crisis management, and he also works on the business development side of the agency, managing e-blasts, software and marketing.
As an accounting specialist, Jalisa is responsible for keeping DH's books balanced. If it involves finance in any way, from balancing employee payroll to sending out client bills, Jalisa is the one behind the calculator, crunching the numbers and making sure everything adds up.
As a member of DH's design team, Jared uses pen, paper and color to bring our clients' ideas to vibrant visual life. Jared's quirky, memorable illustrations have brought a pop of personality to campaigns of all kinds.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President - Media Services
Jenny is a media-buying triple threat, a sharp strategist across traditional, digital and specialty media. Fueled by research and prone to invention, she's also DH's explorer-in-chief. Her sense of curiosity and love of adventure translate into her work - to our clients' advantage.
Job Titles:
- Artist
- Vice President of Account Services
Jessica was once an English major, and she uses writing as a path to new ideas - as a poet in her off-hours, and on clients' behalf at DH. She's gratified when she writes a piece of messaging that hits the mark for a client, who might say: "Oh, that's what I've been trying to say!" Even better, Jessica says, is when there's no mark to hit yet - but she can help clients find it through the exploratory process of writing. "If you can help people find clarity through language," she says, "it's a great feeling."
Jessica, a watercolor artist, has been painting her whole life. As a shy kid, she related well to animals, and she loved to paint them. But, in formal classes, art lost some its joy even as her technical skills grew. Her teachers told her wildlife art was "kitschy," and fun didn't seem to be enough of a reason to paint.
Growing up, JJ lived in 11 places across the US before settling in the Pacific Northwest. He's called California, Colorado, Florida, Rhode Island, Montana and Minnesota home. All this movement taught him the value of new perspectives. When faced with a new problem, he says "I like to turn it upside down and approach it from a different point of view. I think the first idea is never the best idea, and unexpected things are more interesting than obvious things."
Judy is as talented an artist as they come. She applies her inspired and technical design acumen, built over decades of experience, to every project. A creative thinker with a strategist's approach, Judy crafts pieces that not only sparkle but get the job done - whether the job is to increase sales, change behaviors or reposition a brand. She's also a stickler about deadlines.
Kaelynn believes leadership is for anyone who's willing to act like a leader. To her, that means listening well, collaborating well - and advocating for others. "If you're making your team feel like they're doing their best work, then you're successful," she says, "and you're doing your best work too."
Katie sees herself as liaison between DH clients and the DH team, sharing information and fostering communication and collaboration. That means managing many details and moving parts. Fortunately, Katie is a spreadsheet person. And a planner person. Perhaps most of all, Katie loves a good calendar. "You want a glimpse at my calendar?" she says. "It's color-coded. I'm a calendar person. I always have been.'"
Kyle works behind the scenes in DH's accounting department, and though he swears he's no math wizard, he's responsible for keeping our books balanced. Knowing how to create a killer Excel spreadsheet helps a bit, too.
Job Titles:
- Creative Director
- Creative Leader
Linda is a creative leader who listens well and helps clients and colleagues do better in about 150 ways a day. She develops strategy, reviews others' creative ideas and work, sets deadlines, and communicates clearly. It's all about contributing to a greater good - creating work that helps clients make their communities better.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Social Change Marketing
A former client turned DHer, Mallory adds valuable perspective to our work. The social marketing expert has devoted more than 15 years to driving social change through communication, leading national and state campaigns around important issues such as suicide, opioid addiction and PTSD. She believes good communication starts with listening. Lucky for our clients, Mallory is a pro.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Executive Vice President of Puget Sound
Marc oversees DH's Puget Sound team, supervising client engagement, providing strategic counsel and representing the company in a variety of arenas as an invested community partner. He leads with his passion for executive communications, crisis management, thought leadership, media relations and international engagement.
Mark's DH story is full circle. After college and a brief stint as a Legislative Assistant in the Washington State Senate, Mark joined Nyhus - the agency DH acquired in 2022. After five years of at Nyhus, Mark launched his own consulting company. Then COVID-19 hit, and Mark took DH on as a client to assist with emergency funding communications for one of our largest accounts. He now works with DH full-time from his home in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Matt is wired to help other people. That's one reason he works for DH, where we empower clients to make their communities better. "We have a unique stance that's genuine," Matt says. "Plus we do great design."
What do you need? A collaborator with broad, deep understanding of public health? A strategist who knows research and audience engagement are keys to communication campaigns that change behaviors? An experienced director for your production of "Legally Blonde The Musical"? Megan's all in. "I'm pretty darn enthusiastic," she says. "I dive in with my whole heart on projects that I'm working on. I'm excited about pretty much everything." That does include "Legally Blonde The Musical," which she directed on stage in college.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Strategy
Businesses and organizations have myriad ways to reach people. Regardless of medium, what's most important to Michael is what we say, how we say it, and to whom. A skilled strategist, Michael focuses on the fundamentals of marketing: "The power of branding, mass marketing, advertising - the channels have fractured and evolved, but the techniques haven't changed."
As the H in DH, Michelle's leadership extends beyond the agency. In business, communications and strategy - and as an innovator in social change marketing - Michelle knows what she's doing. Even when she doesn't know, exactly. Which is also fun. "In our business, every day is different, and every challenge requires new thinking," Michelle says. "That's what I love - a new problem, a different industry, an unusual opportunity. When you stop being stretched, you stop growing. I'm still growing, and I love it."
Nico is a strategist who helps many of DH's most prominent clients with their branding, digital strategy and integrated communications. His secret to great work? He asks a lot of questions. For example, if you ask what it would take for DH to create a website, campaign or some other means to an end, Nico probably will start asking questions back. He strives to understand "what is your why," Nico says, to ensure that the means is really the best way for you to achieve your goals. "What we want to understand is: How are you really trying to move the needle?" he says. "What sort of impact do you want to have on your audiences? What is your vision for your business or brand?"
Paj's background in public health and social equity aligns perfectly with the ethos of DH, where he serves as strategic counsel on work related to equity-centered communications. Whether that means advising our agency's internal DEI collaborative or providing a sounding board for our marketing and communications work, Paj ensures that we take a truly equitable approach to business.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President - Equity - Centered Communications
Porscha doubts many kids go around saying, "When I grow up, I want to be an HR professional!" But she, as a kid, had some inklings. "Growing up, I was a really odd kid," she says. She had a talent for empathy. And she was more likely to ask questions about her friends' thoughts and feelings than, say, what video games they played. Learning about others' viewpoints and experiences, she says, "made me feel lively."
Ruben grew up in Wenatchee, Washington, the "apple capital of the world." It was a community where families left their doors unlocked at night, he says, and where family members were his day care providers while his parents worked. (Like the relatives who cared for him, young Ruben spoke only Spanish. He's still bilingual.) Now he works to create strong communities for others. "I'm just putting myself in there," he says, "turning ideas into reality and contributing to healthier communities."
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Client Engagement