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Kellee M. Johnson |
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Kellee founded The Ballast Group in 2005 after serving as director of corporate marketing for Abbott Laboratories, where, for a new branding initiative, she managed 25 global teams. For five years, she helped manage corporate communications for Tropicana, a $3+ billion division of PepsiCo. Leading Ballast Group, she helps companies build better relationships with stakeholders. Industry expertise includes medical device, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer packaged goods, high-tech and professional services industries. With the Ballast Group, Johnson has developed innovative PR strategies and consulted to companies that include Kaiser Permanente, Stericycle, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Hyatt Corp., DelMonte Foods, Safeway, Ultimate Software, and Cisco. She led an executive forum of 50 Fortune 500, government, non-profit and academic leaders to discuss employer health, while facilitating a roundtable discussion on the leading health practices of Chevron, Pfizer, Union Pacific, Cargill and DuPont. Kellee held senior marketing and PR roles with MedHost, Inc., a hospital patient tracking software system, and Medical Simulation Corp., a medical technology start-up that grew from $100k revenues to more than $6 million in two years. Her work has positioned companies as thought leaders by appearing in US News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal, CNN Headline News, Popular Science, The Boston Globe, Houston Chronicle, Denver Business Journal, Crain’s Chicago, Detroit Free Press, JAMA News, Wall Street Journal, and Travel & Leisure and more. Kellee has facilitated several seminars on the role of entrepreneurs using PR to grow their businesses. She has also guest lectured at Columbia College Chicago. She holds a M.A. in mass communications (emphasis on medicine and law) from the University of South Florida, and a B.A. in English and communications from Rollins College. She supplemented her graduate work at The Nelson Poynter Institute for Media Studies, and The Niagara Institute. She is also a graduate of Dale Carnegie and of Leadership Manatee. Currently a member of the PR Committee for WorldChicago, a citizen diplomacy program, she was also a former board member of five years for Colorado I Have A Dream Foundation®, where she has continued a mentoring relationship for 11 years. She is a competitive sailor, having raced Chicago-to-Mackinac Island several times. Kellee has facilitated several seminars on the role of entrepreneurs using PR to grow their businesses. She is an adjunct professor in DePaul University’s College of Communication and has guest lectured at Columbia College Chicago. She holds a M.A. in mass communications (emphasis on medicine and law) from the University of South Florida, and a B.A. in English and communications from Rollins College. She supplemented her graduate work at The Nelson Poynter Institute for Media Studies, and The Niagara Institute. She is also a graduate of Dale Carnegie and of Leadership Manatee. |
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Jaclyn Bacallao |
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Jackie advises clients on PR initiatives and develops PR strategies to increase brand awareness and promote visibility, sales. She researches new trends to understand changing practices that affect clients, as well as angles and writings of the most appropriate editors, reporters and bloggers so as to determine media pitching strategies. Jackie also identifies opportunities by researching the latest news trends to tailor client bylined articles and pitches. She develops media relationships for clients including with: Crain’s Chicago, Life & Health and Employee Benefit News. At Ernst & Young Transaction Advisory Services, Jackie interviewed CEO’s and detailed experiences for the Entrepreneur of the Year annual business award. She represented the 2007 National Winner and 2009 Midwest winner, Allscripts. In EYs audit practice, she planned and managed client and partner expectations and executed audit strategy and reporting. Jackie is a J.D. candidate 2013 at Chicago-Kent College of Law. She holds a M.A. in accountancy from University of Virginia and a B.A. in Finance/Spanish from Indiana University on academic scholarship. She is a mentor to high-school aged women at Perspectives Charter, a high school in Chicago’s South-Side. |
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Dave Bayless |
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Dave’s expertise is in public affairs, crisis and issues management and media relations counsel, across a broad array of industries including healthcare, retail, advertising, transportation, real estate, sports, entertainment, higher education, nonprofit and professional services. Dave skillfully guides organizations through defining events such as plant and store closings, labor disputes, civil and criminal litigation and discrete and delicate employee and human resources while helping to keep reputations in tact. He has executed goal-driven communications strategies and collaborated with government relations strategists and legal counsel on behalf of clients seeking to forward legislative, regulatory, business and political objectives. In charge of media relations for the Chicago Police Department, the nation’s second largest municipal law enforcement agency, Dave oversaw the Department’s public response to the 9/11 attacks, and wrote major policy speeches for two police superintendents. Dave was also a senior account executive for Jasculca/Terman Associates, a Chicago public affairs firm. David earned a bachelors of arts degree in journalism from Saint Mary’s University. |
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Erin E. Blecha |
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Erin specializes in marketing, branding, PR, community relations strategy in healthcare, consumer products, sporting industries. She provides leadership across a broad range of areas, including: marketing, branding, PR, business development, partnership, stakeholder and issues management She creates primary and secondary research methodologies; engages qualitative and quantitative data analysis practices with visual data representations. Erin also produces and executes marketing and PR plans, national and local event management organization; and directs press conferences and interview panels. Erin has directed marketing and PR efforts for 18-time NCAA National Champion collegiate athletics department including ad plans, sponsorship agreements, community partnerships and has implemented, managed & tracked a collegiate community service program involving 400+ student-athlete volunteers working with 21 distinct programs. She has instructed collegiate communication courses on public speaking, theory, media, and policy, as well as led a national leadership panel on civic & community engagement, and developed effective community relations programs. Erin earned a M.A. in communication with an emphasis on media, culture, & sports; University of Arizona and a B.A. in psychology and communication from Augustana College, while a varsity track & field athlete. She is the committee co-chair for Plzensky Sokol Fraternal Order and has been an assistant track & field coach as well as a volunteer marketing director for American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout-St Louis. |
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Patrick Kelly |
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For web and digital needs the Ballast Group partners with Chicago-based Method Engine for integrated communications strategies. Since joining Method Engine as a Partner in 2005, Patrick has lent his time and talents to a range of clients including Thermos, Kohler, Lincoln Center, Sallie Mae and others to ensure that digital solutions support marketing and sales goals. Patrick has a solid background in leading accounts, operations and business development and has played a key role in making Method Engine a sought-out, fast growing and successful digital agency. Prior to Method Engine, Patrick held leadership positions at Remedy, a Chicago-based advertising agency. |
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Kelly Klopp |
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Kelly engineers communications strategies for corporate and non-profit clients in the healthcare, transportation, real estate, gaming and cultural industries. She works with senior leadership to design strategies and with marketing/public relations teams to implement campaigns that garner media coverage and prompt positive action among stakeholders. Kelly served as a partner and vice president at a Chicago-based public relations firms providing counsel to more than 40 clients. Kelly has guided a communications strategy to support two major expansions of a health care facility, garnering local community and political support, and positioning the health system for a successful merger with a major regional health system. She has planned and implemented a successful communications and grassroots initiative to complete a $200 million renovation for a major health care institution, guiding the health system through the state regulatory process and achieving community support for the project. During a four-year federal investigation, Kelly provided crisis counsel and internal communications support to a medical school victimized by members of its board and affiliated personnel. Worked closely with school administration and legal defense counsel to ensure messages positioned the school favorably while not jeopardizing the integrity of the federal investigation. Kelly earned a M.A. in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a B.A. in political science from Eastern Illinois University. She is active in local political campaigns and is a former board member of OutRun Ovarian Cancer-Chicago. |
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Mary Jo Lampe |
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Mary Jo Lampe has broad experience in strategic corporate marketing and communications, brand management, sales operations, process consulting and ecommerce in the federal sector that spans across defense, intelligence and the fed/civil agencies. She develops compelling proposals that win critical business. She provides capture strategy to leading federal contractors including, a FORTUNE 500(R) scientific, engineering, and technology applications company that solves problems in national security, energy and the environment, critical infrastructure, and health. Mary Jo has lead the branding, marketing and communications functions for NJVC, a leading IT services provider to the defense intelligence community. There, she managed and oversaw the development of the proposal processes and submittal of strategic federal proposals. Mary Jo also has similar experience standing up the marketing and proposal functions at Olive Group North America, where she helped submit over $500M in proposals in six months, and helped secure the company’s first federal contract worth over $35M. Mary Jo has also managed the marketing/branding functions and the federal proposals for Space Imaging, the industry’s first commercial satellite imagery provider. Mary Jo obtained an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and two Bachelors of Science degrees from Kansas State University in Clothing & Textiles and Business Administration. |
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Chelsea McGrath |
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Chelsea McGrath is a public relations practitioner who specializes in branding and emerging media, including digital strategies, content and art direction. She has achieved PR results for consumer products, real estate, healthcare, music, fashion and lifestyle brands. Whether a household name like Bacardi or an internet start-up, McGrath approaches each client project by building a unique, customized strategy for securing maximum exposure within desired markets and by utilizing new media platforms. Her specialty is growing entrepreneurial companies into established and recognized brands. McGrath graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.A. degree in Public Relations. |
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Mary Molicki |
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Mary has 30 years experience in business, financial management and administration of organizations ranging from agriculture, retail, and restaurant groups, to personal wealth industries. Specifically she has more than 20 years experience as an entrepreneur, managing all aspects of a multi-faceted retail store. She is also a professional organizer for residential and commercial needs, and working with clients to design systems and processes to help manage operations. Mary is a leader and a volunteer, serving as National President for a women’s leadership training/personal growth/volunteer organization; managed a staff of 30 to successfully add a new state for members, achieving membership growth, and raising funds of more than $500,000. Mary studied business management at Cal Poly, Pomona, and is a Quickbooks pro-advisor. She is an outdoor sports enthusiast, a chronic reader, obsessive baker of delectable treats, and a grandmother of one. |
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Doug O’Brien |
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Doug brings a depth of healthcare, political and public policy to the group after being appointed Regional Director of the Department of Health and Human Services in 2005. He manages and consults on local, state, and national political campaigns. Doug has helped orchestrate the roll-out of the Medicare Part-D drug benefit and participated in the development of a national preparedness plan for a pandemic outbreak. Doug has served as chief of staff to U.S. Representative Mark Kirk, focusing on healthcare, transportation, environmental issues and more. He is a former director of public relations for IMC Global and on the PR teams at Hill & Knowlton and KemperLesnik Communications, as well as a former political director for Illinois Governor Jim Edgar’s re-election in 1994. Doug currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, healthcare committee. He received a B.S. from University of Notre Dame. |
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