Our Circle Grows
New Staff. New Awards. New Organizations We Are Helping.
By: Laura Gross, president
It has been a busy few months for the team at Scott Circle Communications (SCC).
With new leadership in the White House and an increase in the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, many of the organizations we have long-served, and several new ones, have ramped-up their outreach efforts and enlisted our expertise to generate awareness for vital issues like violence against women, sustainability, public health and education.
Our agency sees this growth as an important step in the right direction and we are thankful for the opportunity to continually elevate important voices and initiatives.
To ensure we are fully prepared to support our expanding roster of mission-driven clients, we have doubled the size of our team, welcoming several new talented business and communications strategists:
Katie Russo, director of business development: A former startup chief operating officer and leader of the health care practice at Merritt Group, Katie’s career has focused on working with a range of clients — foundations, health care providers, nonprofits, retailers and financial services companies. As the director of business development, Katie will work to increase revenue and brand awareness for the agency.
Kevin Perez-Allen, vice president: Kevin joins SCC as the previous deputy director of communication for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Prior to that role, he served as the director of strategic communications for California Calls. Kevin will focus on overseeing key accounts at the agency.
Alexandra Schauffler, vice president: Alex joins SCC after leading marketing and communications initiatives at agencies including Ogilvy and Edelman, and at organizations including the Washington Nationals and United Nations Foundation. Alex will assist in strategy and execution for in-house accounts.
Robert Conner, associate: Robert comes to the agency after serving non-profit and corporate clients, both domestically and internationally, with SKDK and Lisi Communications. As an associate, Robert is supporting clients through strategy, content creation, media relations and social media at SCC.
Madeleine Kapushy, coordinator: With a strong background in political communications, Madeleine comes to SCC after previously serving as a national advance lead for the Elizabeth Warren for President campaign and as deputy director of voter protection on the Amy McGrath for Senate campaign. As a public relations coordinator, Madeleine supports SCC’s fast-growing team of communications professionals.
The expertise of our new team members allows our agency to serve more clients than ever. Clients like the Centers for Disease Control and Rainmakers Strategic Solutions LLC, who enlisted us to promote their National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine last month. This groundbreaking forum was a two-day, virtual, national event in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s national vaccine strategy for COVID-19 response and pandemic preparedness.
We’re also looking to hire another savvy, smart associate to join our ranks!
Growing our influence.
Gaining national and regional recognition for our efforts has been gratifying for the new and veteran staff members at SCC. The receipt of these recent awards has reinforced our excitement for a groundbreaking year ahead.
Regional Inc. 5000, #247: This week, we landed a coveted spot on this year’s Regional Inc. 5000 list. The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. SCC is the 247th fastest growing privately owned company in the region, which includes companies based in Washington, DC, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
The Insider’s Top 18 Boutique PR Firms: Earlier this month, we were proud to be named one of the “Top 18 boutique PR firms” in the country by the global online media company, Insider. The list, which was determined by journalists, clients, in-house PR pros, and owners of larger agencies who often work with boutique firms, recognized small agencies that have most effectively helped big-name clients navigate the turbulence of the past year. Scott Circle Communications was the only DC agency to make the top 18.
Growing our purpose.
Our growth has increased our resolve to empower local nonprofits to boost their public profiles through our pro-bono professional development initiative, the Purpose PRogram. This year, we will train four special nonprofits in public relations so they can make a bigger impact on our community and change more lives. Over the next six months, the SCC team will work with Bright Beginnings, Main Street Connect, SCAN of Northern Virginia, and the Wanda Alston Foundation to help them develop the skills necessary to promote their vital work to the stakeholders who matter most.
Regardless of our size or rate of growth, our focus will always be on public relations with a purpose and passionately advocating for our clients to make the world a better place. We are grateful to all those in our growing circle and we look forward to making an even bigger impact in the future!