Team Members
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Janda Black |
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Janda Black
You could say that Janda invented public relations—at
the very least, she created a curriculum for PR at Western
Washington University because she wanted to major in the
subject. A dynamic innovator, she has spent the past
15 years practicing public relations and marketing communications
at the local, national and international levels for issue-based
projects and clients. Her expertise in delivering coveted
national media placements, managing international media efforts
and winning over influencers has earned her industry accolades.
She has provided strategic counsel to online companies,
education associations and public health organizations including:
PATH, The Washington State Department of Health/Hanford,
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation; and humanitarian
organizations such as CARE and Mercy Corps. Janda has cultivated
a broad range of high level media contacts and has a long
history of placements in The Wall Street Journal, The New
York Times and The L.A. Times, and on ABC, CNN and NBC, as
well as in local media from the Seattle Times to the Post-Intelligencer,
KUOW, KOMO and KING.
Janda's passion for engaging journalists in issues and causes
has led her to take reporters to the jungles of Central America
for a micro-credit organization, to the deserts of Mongolia
for the International Snow Leopard Trust, to rural villages
in Ethiopia and India for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation's
population program.
At home Janda enjoys time with her husband, Brent, toddler,
Chase and Bart – the
affable Pug. She’s currently at work on a way to make scheduling
everyday life as effortless as wielding her Tivo remote, which she does with
consummate skill.
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Christine Stepherson |
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Christine Stepherson
Christine has nearly 20 years experience in communications, media relations, marketing, community involvement and public information campaigns. She comes from an agency background, having worked in two Seattle public relations/public affairs firms for ten years before co-founding Team Soapbox. Christine has designed and implemented communication strategies for numerous corporations, small businesses, foundations, and non-profit organizations.
She has spent the last decade raising awareness for issues that span economic development, low-income housing, health care reform, education, social justice, wellness and more. Her expertise is in working with media and community leaders, developing messaging to help people understand issues, and even ghost writing for mayors, major CEOs and other thought leaders. She love the city and working with organizations that are making Seattle and the world a place where she loves to live.
She has a passion for the outdoors and spends most of her time outside of the office finding new running trails, swimming in Lake Washington or exploring the mountains with her husband, son and daughter on snowboard or on foot. She is thankful for the occasional rainy Seattle day to hole up with a book either by herself or with the many fabulous children’s books available at the Seattle Public Library.
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Leigh Sims |
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Leigh Sims
Leigh has 13 years experience with non-profits, small businesses,
and artists in communications, media relations, and fundraising.
She has worked on issue-based media and policy campaigns
throughout the Northwest, developing teams of diverse supporters
and spokespeople to get those messages out.
For the past six years, Leigh has been earning media coverage
to help build community support for change at Sightline Institute,
a think tank on sustainability issues. There, she crafted
messages for projects from encouraging health through walkable
neighborhoods to a state-wide ban on a toxic chemical. Leigh
previously worked on a multi-million dollar capital campaign
for public television, where she also had the privilege of
producing events with the Cookie Monster.
Involvement in the local music scene led Leigh to the board
of The Vera Project, a music venue run by youth, and to co-own
a music and event production business. When she’s not
at a show, Leigh lives with her husband and two unbelievably
loud cats in a very walkable neighborhood.
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Nick Hawley |
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Nick Hawley
Nick brings his public relations and marketing skills to Team Soapbox all the way from Wisconsin. Nick began his career there after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As the publicity and promotions specialist for Madison’s Overture Center of the Arts, Nick crafted news releases, media kits, and pitches. His work built excitement in the local media and the community at large about shows from Broadway, children’s productions, and the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
His marketing skills were further honed at Voltedge, Inc., a communications firm specializing in Economic Development Marketing. He advised and taught cities how to structure their websites to better market themselves to garner business attraction, and ultimately, grow their communities.
While at Team Soapbox Nick has jumped into creative strategies for Insight Schools, SDOT’s pedestrian safety campaign, the Art Walk in the International District and many other clients.
Travel and studies abroad is where Nick developed a passion for other cultures and issues-advocacy. Trips to South America and Africa to visit his siblings in the Peace Corps, prompted his family to organize clothing drives and raise funds for education in each village. After college, he volunteered abroad, teaching English at both primary and secondary schools in the impoverished region of Isaan in Thailand.
Relatively new to Seattle, Nick enjoys the great running trails, reading and NOT having to shovel snow!
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Bullpen
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Susan Ward |
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Susan Ward
With more than 20 years of experience in marketing and public
relations, Susan brings a range of expertise, from crisis
communications and community affairs to corporate positioning
and issues management. With a specialty in media relations,
she has taught media relations courses at the University
of Washington and has placed stories internationally and
in all the major US media.
Susan spent more than four years
at Soapbox working to raise the profiles of a variety of
Seattle-based non-profits, including global health organization
PATH and the Social Justice Fund. When the Women’s Funding Alliance
prepared to release its landmark study on the status of women and girls in the
Puget Sound region in 2007, Susan led the team’s messaging and positioning
efforts. Susan also worked to further the Community Health Network of Washington’s
legislative agenda throughout her tenure at Soapbox, and was part of the team
that has helped to make considerable advances in the realm of health care for
children and adults throughout Washington State.
Before joining Soapbox, Susan
spent 10 years at DDB Seattle, ultimately as a vice president
of the agency’s
issues and advocacy practice. There
she managed a client portfolio that included start-ups, multi-billion
dollar corporations and foundations.
Susan was an account manager and then client services
director at The McConnell Company for six years, before the
company was acquired by DDB. She began
her career in Denver, where she earned a B.S. in marketing and advertising from
the University of Denver.
Susan believes that all our problems can be traced to
our families, so she recently completed her Master’s in Psychology at Antioch
University, focusing on child, couple and family therapy. When she asks you about
your parents, you’ll
know why. You can find her counseling at Atlantic Street Center, relaxing
at her Ballard cocktail lounge, the BalMar, or cozying in with her husband and
son.
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Josh Stepherson |
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Josh Stepherson
Josh Stepherson is the founder and principal of Stepherson & Associates
Public Affairs, which was formed in 2006 to assist organizations
in working with the public and local government.
Josh has over 12 years of experience working with organizations
to engage communities, key stakeholder groups and policy
makers around high-profile and often controversial issues/projects. Over
the years, Josh has built a solid reputation as a strategic
and creative thinker who is able to effectively work with
diverse constituent groups to identify problems, develop
solutions and gain the needed support to successfully meet
critical project milestones and advance organizational goals.
Professionally, Josh has coordinated communication and public
engagement efforts for elected officials, governmental agencies,
campaigns, non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses. Additionally,
he has spent much of his career working on some of the regions
most high-profile transportation projects. These include
the $1.7 billion Seattle Monorail Project, $544 million Bridging
the Gap Initiative and $52 million South Lake Union Line
of the new Seattle Streetcar.
Josh is a graduate of Washington State University. Go
Cougs!
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Kristin Adams Litke |
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Kristin Adams Litke
Kristin has six years of experience in graphic design, communications,
marketing and fundraising. Before starting her own design
firm, she worked as the in-house designer at Plymouth Housing
Group as Communications Manager. She is passionate about
helping to raise awareness for nonprofits through her branding
work and creation of print and web-based marketing pieces.
Kristin also works with a variety of business clients ranging
from restaurants to large corporations.
Whether her client is an established organization or a budding
twinkle in its owner's eye, Kristin brings creative innovation
to help mold the face of a brand and make it shine. Soapbox
and Adams Litke Design Co. have previously worked together
on a number of projects for nonprofit clients, including
work for Plymouth Housing Group and the Fremont Public Association,
and share an understanding of their needs and audiences.
A transplant from the Boston area, Kristin graduated from the
University of Virginia.
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