Unconventional. Unlimited. Unstoppable.

Faces, hearts and minds that achieve more together than we ever could apart.

• Kathleen Bowden Chief Executive Officer
  Kathleen Bowden Chief Executive Officer

  

  Word detective. A little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll.

  Kathleen advises top executives at companies ranging from startups to admired Fortune 50 brands. She brings CXO’s clients a diverse background that spans the technology, healthcare, professional services, education, defense and aviation sectors. Her passion is to help organizations discover and magnify the best in themselves to drive business results. Kathleen specializes in building brands and communicating in unexpected ways that create market leadership, reach new customers, change old perceptions and accelerate business strategy. She lives to hear CXO’s clients say, “You got us!”

  Kathleen is an avid reader of mystery novels who aspired to be an FBI profiler before finding her calling as a word detective at CXO. She splits her time between the alternate universes of the heart of downtown Boston and the deep woods of Maine.

  Featured Writing Celebrating 15 Years of CXO Communication
• Esther Carlson Communication Strategist
  Esther Carlson Communication Strategist

  

  Tamer of tech complexity. Slayer of tennis choreography.

  Esther works with clients to produce technical content that is informative yet clear for non-technical readers. One of her favorite moments is when subject matter experts get excited about how their story reads once it’s finished. Esther has written for companies including Data Center Dynamics, Exigen Capital, GetThere (a Sabre company), Samsung Next, and VMware.

  When Esther isn’t writing, she can be found on the courts where she enjoys playing tennis and gets in touch with her competitive spirit. The combination of technique, movement, analysis, and strategic thinking engages the body and the mind which is a great antidote to stress.
• Joanna Clark Communication Strategist
  Joanna Clark Communication Strategist

  

  Teller of your best tales. Epic bucket list owner.

  Joanna is a versatile communications strategist who is currently focused on driving business-critical PR and change communications engagements. For CXO, she works with clients to evoke, fine-tune, and disseminate their stories to the audiences that matter most—inside and outside the walls of their organizations. Over the course of her career, she has had her hand in a variety of industries, including travel, technology, professional services, healthcare and manufacturing.

  Personally and professionally, Joanna always pushes herself to try new things. From skills to experiences to extreme sports, if it's something that can expand her perspective you'll find Joanna with her sleeves rolled up, crossing another epic item off her bucket list.

  Featured Writing
• Mark Daniel Content Strategist
  Mark Daniel Content Strategist

  

  Technology translator. Dad joke aficionado.

  Mark is a content writer and strategist specializing in B2B technology. He is passionate about promoting greater understanding of technology, both in terms of the "why" and the "how". He is equally at home discussing the business value of technology and going deep on the technical details. He believes in the importance of applying metrics to create content that both attracts readers and engages those readers to get business results. He joined CXO from IBM, where he spent 12 years supporting content creation for different business units across the company, including IBM Cloud, IBM Systems and IBM Watson IoT.

  As the father of two young boys, Mark is familiar with the concept of hobbies, and he aspires to have one someday. In the rare free time he does get, he enjoys cooking from scratch, running, and spending time in nature. He is a former bookish child who is now passing his love of reading and stories on to the next generation.

  Featured Writing Better Content Starts with the Human Touch
• Katrinna Ella Finance and Operations Lead
  Katrinna Ella Finance and Operations Lead

  

  Jill of all trades. Seeker of new experiences.

  Katrinna keeps CXO’s business operations humming. Her unique blend of expertise spans finance know how, process and technology, budgeting and forecasting, contract management and human resources. Over the last 17 years, Katrinna has held management roles across a variety of service industries, including digital brand and communications agencies, an organizational consulting firm, PR agencies and a Silicon Valley art and technology non-profit.

  Katrinna is always testing limits and taking new challenges, on the job and out of the office. To overcome her fear of heights, she’s walked across a wobbly suspension bridge, ziplined above treetops and down Niagara Falls, and jumped into sinkholes. But on her next adventure, Katrinna plans to stay low to the ground.
• Sandy George Communication Strategist
  Sandy George Communication Strategist

  

  PR sense-maker. Amateur artist with a paintbrush.

  Sandy drives public relations and strategic communication initiatives for CXO’s clients, including message development, executive visibility, thought leadership, media and analyst relations and social media campaigns. With a hands-on approach and a keen eye kept on the bigger picture, she delivers impactful results and thoughtful counsel honed through more than 15 years working with companies from a wide range of sectors—including healthcare and life sciences, enterprise and consumer technology, financial services, professional services and defense.

  For Sandy, communication takes shape in many different mediums, and painting on canvas is a favorite. When she’s not strategizing, you can find her in the studio tackling new artistic challenges with the same gusto and commitment she applies to her PR and communication work for CXO.
• Jackie Hanley Communication Strategist
  Jackie Hanley Communication Strategist

  

  Creative storyteller. Photographer of unexpected moments.

  Jackie has a 15-year blend of public relations and corporate communications experience. She is focused on helping her clients elevate their brands and shape perceptions through brand positioning and messaging, strategic public relations, employee communications and influencer engagement. Jackie has deep experience within the healthcare industry and is passionate about the intersection of healthcare and technology. She has partnered with early-stage startups, non-profits, hospitals and established global brands.

  When Jackie’s not busy telling stories with words, she’s busy telling them with pictures. A photography enthusiast, Jackie enjoys capturing simple moments that reveal powerful stories of heart and mind.

  Featured Writing Company Culture, Your Brand's Home
• Megan McDonnell Communication Strategist
  Megan McDonnell Communication Strategist

  

  Amazer of clients. Lover of animals.

  Megan has 20-plus years of experience helping clients in the technology, healthcare and financial services industries communicate in powerful, memorable ways with all the people who matter to their businesses. A public relations veteran and former journalist, Megan has a master’s degree from Northwestern University and has earned awards from the Associated Press for excellence in news reporting.

  Megan has been known to rescue a retired greyhound and a shelter cat from time to time (oh, and then there’s the fish). Her love of animals started at a young age. So did her love of words. Today, she has the best of both worlds: helping clients tell their stories while surrounded by her beloved pet brood.
• Kirsten Nowak Brand Strategist
  Kirsten Nowak Brand Strategist

  

  Grows brands. And plants.

  Kirsten is a seasoned strategist who excels at turning brands into assets for growth. Naturally curious, she thrives on digging into brands to uncover what makes them unique-- and then communicating this value to audiences in a way that feels organic, actionable and memorable. Prior to joining CXO, Kirsten held senior brand strategy positions with firms including DeSantis Breindel, Landor Associates and Doremus. She has developed comprehensive brand strategies for global clients including Novartis, Pfizer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai Health Network, Silver Point Capital, TRW Automotive, Wolters Kluwer, United Technologies and The Paley Center for Media.

  Kirsten is always happy to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty. When she isn’t focused on cultivating her clients’ brands, she can most often be found tending her garden. She loves all of her plants equally-- but recently she has been especially proud of her hydrangeas!

  Featured Writing Is Your Employee Engagement Strategy Missing an Origin Story?
• Dani Peroni Managing Director
  Dani Peroni Managing Director

  

  Brand experience sherpa. Believer in high-fives and high-expectations.

  Dani is a high-energy brand strategist, communications specialist and idea activator. Equally comfortable working on the big picture or in the fine details, she develops brand strategies and is accountable for bringing them to life. Dani brings CXO’s clients over 15 years of experience at boutique and global branding firms, tackling the challenges of both consumer and business brands, from professional services to higher education and cultural institutions.

  Of all of her roles, “cheerleader” is a favorite. Maybe it’s her dance team roots? At home and at work, she is always game to give a boost and to celebrate a win. When Dani’s around, you can be sure a high-five isn’t far behind.

  Featured Writing The Name Game: Setting Up for Success
• Hillary Porter Content Strategist
  Hillary Porter Content Strategist

  

  Wordsmith by day. Bibliophile by night.

  Hillary is an inquisitive communications professional and dedicated wordsmith with experience in editing, writing, storytelling, marketing, communications, and content strategy. Before joining CXO, she spent a decade in the tech industry as a content writer at IBM, crafting a diverse range of content marketing assets for brands across the company. Previously, Hillary did editorial work in trade and academic book publishing, helping authors articulate their messages clearly and effectively. An intellectually curious self-starter, Hillary is adept at engaging effectively with diverse audiences and stakeholders, and identifying opportunities for growth and process improvement. She’s passionate about telling important and engaging stories, helping brands express concepts clearly and persuasively, and working for a better world.

  Outside of work, Hillary relishes time spent outdoors — hiking, running, biking, fishing, or reading in a hammock. She’s a fan of wild places, mountaintops, big dogs, big trees, lichens, and standing in rivers. Hillary’s also an enthusiastic book nerd, reading everything from existential philosophy to feminist theory to literature, poetry, and science fiction. In her spare time, she volunteers her grant writing, communications, and community organizing skills to the local bike co-op.
• Jill Queenan Communication Strategist
  Jill Queenan Communication Strategist

  

  Visual virtuoso. Yoga-mom.

  Jill is a creative, results-oriented communicator who specializes in bringing her clients’ stories to life through visual presentations, graphics, eBooks, photography and more. With a strong background in business-to-business public relations, Jill has executed integrated communications campaigns for emerging startups and Fortune 500 companies.

  Whether she’s creating a visual story for a client, holding a cobra pose in Bikram yoga class or juggling two rambunctious toddlers, Jill seeks balance in all that she does. She loves creating harmonious designs that convey powerful meaning—just don’t ask her to do a headstand.

  Featured Writing Visual Storytelling Trends for 2019
• Andreas Ruggie Brand Strategist
  Andreas Ruggie Brand Strategist

  

  From bands…to brands

  Andreas takes a fun and fearless approach to brand-building, challenging himself, his colleagues and his clients to push aside convention and complexity in search of simple truth. With 13 years’ experience at agencies of all sizes including Siegel + Gale, REDPEAK and Sullivan, Andreas has led major engagements across consumer and B2B brands with his unique perspective and infectious energy. His track record includes successful collaborations with Aetna, American Express, Bloomberg, Domino’s, HP, Intel, Mitsubishi Motors, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Sony.

   As a recovering professional rock musician, Andreas can still be found in his spare time making noise of some sort at his home in legendary Woodstock, NY.

  Featured Writing Finding brand focus without the full picture
• Liz Stanford Communication Strategist
  Liz Stanford Communication Strategist

  

  Wandering wordsmith. Active adventurer.

  Liz is a lifelong learner who is always looking for the next challenge. Liz has a background in both agency and in-house communications with a focus on content development, strategy, and activation. She joined us from Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield where she implemented B2C and B2B communication campaigns which included creating short and long-form content for a variety of audiences. Prior to that, Liz worked at a global growth marketing agency where she coordinated development and delivery of strategic lead nurture programs.

  Liz is an avid traveler who believes it’s not just about the destination, but the journey it takes to get there. You’ll find her love of the journey is rooted in her strong attention to detail and her wanderlust fuels her sense of adventure.
• Bethany Tripp Communication Strategist
  Bethany Tripp Communication Strategist

  

  Media maven. Vintage cookbook collector.

  Bethany Tripp is an award-winning storyteller with a career that spans more than 15 years in PR and media relations. Her background includes a robust mix of agency and in-house experience, including eight years as the Media Relations Manager for Boston Children’s Hospital. This role allowed her to develop the tenacity and passion for sharing meaningful narratives. Bethany has ample knowledge of hospitals and healthcare as well as the non-profit sector.

  When she’s not perfecting the ideal media pitch for her clients, you can find Bethany indulging in some of her favorite things: reading and cooking from vintage cookbooks, traveling, or hanging out with her beloved dog, Oliver.