Team & Values

 

 

 

Olivia Christine
PR and Marketing Manager

Olivia leverages several years of results-driven experience in crafting and executing successful campaigns. She manages paid, earned, shared and owned campaigns, while maintaining client relationships aligned with their business goals. Adept at identifying PR objectives, strategies and tactics to drive client success, Olivia serves as the point-of-contact for client management and support. With strong communication skills and an ability to articulate ever-changing needs, she ensures seamless workflows and delivers comprehensive client support through frequent communication and project progress analysis.

Olivia started her career in lead generation for a technology company where she evaluated the needs of C-level executives to contribute to organizational success.

She graduated from the University of South Carolina after earning a bachelor of arts degree in public relations with an emphasis on business administration. Outside of work, she enjoys deepening her yoga practice.

 

Melissa Costello
VP of Visual Storytelling

Melissa turns complex ideas into simple impactful executions that change leaders’ businesses and people’s lives. She creates and enhances brands through award-winning storytelling and video content – online and offline.

Curious, creative and seasoned, she never produces the same thing twice – tv ads, videos for branding, market launches, fundraising, award ceremonies, anniversaries, testimonials, thought leadership vlogs, social media content, investor pitch decks, recruitment or training. For large companies such as Kimberly Clark, Deloitte, Catholic Charities USA, McKinsey and more she has produced brand identities, websites, collateral material and a variety of video communications.

Melissa has been awarded domestic and international honors for projects nationwide and in collaboration with former political media consultant, David Axelrod. Melissa formerly ran two production companies in Chicago and LA. She is a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago.

 

Kellee M. Johnson, M.A.
Principal
The Ballast Group, LLC
As a startup advisor, investor, entrepreneur, mentor, professor, guest lecturer, and identical twin, Kellee launches early-stage companies, amplifies the voices of startups and reshapes the global brands of multinational giants, including Hyatt, Cisco, Kaiser Permanente, Safeway, Stericycle and Keller Williams. 
 
Founder of The Ballast Group, she leverages decades of go-to-market expertise, investor communications, and crisis management to help leaders articulate their value to their most important audiences by defining narratives that attract strategic partners and customers for clients. 
 
A former corporate marketing director at Abbott and a communications strategist for PepsiCo’s Tropicana, Kellee propels brands into new markets with bold storytelling that builds credibility before liquidity events and helps companies rise above the competition to change the face of consumer goods, medicine, technology, and life. 
 
Her team regularly postures companies in paid, earned, shared and owned media campaigns with a focus on multiplying forces and amplifying third party storytelling. Notable coverage for clients has been secured in award-winning campaigns that featured clients in The Wall Street Journal, CNN HeadlineNews, USNews & World Report, Associated Press, NPR, Nikkei Asia, Fortune Term Sheet, Crain’s Chicago and more. 
 
An advocate for innovation and early stage growth companies, she’s an investor in St. Paul-based Lite Run  and Chicago-based The LISA App. Kellee empowers founders and innovators with a methodology for helping them launch their companies, build credibility before liquidity events and reach audiences that didn’t know they needed to invest, partner or buy from them. Her approach helps entrepreneurs attract capital, differentiate in crowded markets, and position well in high-stakes exits.  She also helps move mature companies through crises in partnership with their legal counsel as part of a reputation management plan. 
 
Mentoring for the Coleman Entrepreneur Center and 1871 Chicago and having been an adjunct professor for six years at DePaul University, she now guest lectures. She serves on a HCA Healthcare hospital board in Southwest Florida and is a past board member of the Rollins College trustees and The Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation in Chicago. 
 
Kellee is launching her first book, Seek Your Unique (August 2025) that highlights an approach to living a mindset of curiosity, differentiation and eternal learning. She moderates executive forums, expert panels, seminars for entrepreneurs and industry roundtable discussions. She is a competitive US sailor, aunt to eight nieces and nephews and has explored 48+ countries, cultures and cuisines. 
 
Kellee holds a master’s degree in mass communications with an emphasis on medicine and law from the University of South Florida, as well as a bachelor’s degree in English and communications from Rollins College.Contact: kjohnson@ballastgroup.com, 312-751-3959 or @KelleeJohnson.

 

PatrickKellyPatrick Kelly
Digital Experience Strategist
For over 20 years, Patrick has developed digital engagement strategies and built digital tools and content that helped clients succeed in an ever-changing, complex digital world.  Patrick has worked with start-ups to Fortune 100 companies on digital strategy, application design and development, search marketing, content marketing, online advertising and social media.

Patrick has a particular passion for healthcare and has held progressively senior leadership positions at healthcare advertising agencies and marketing firms. Patrick was a partner at Method Engine, a Chicago-based digital agency where he ran the agencies’ strategy and account services team. With his broad digital marketing background and specific experience developing interactive marketing strategies for health, Patrick helps client’s succeed in a changing environment. Patrick has specific experience in cardiology, oncology, nephrology, home care, information technology, anesthesiology, ambulatory surgery, and orthopedics.

 

LaShonde McCreary
Finance Manager

LaShonde has a proven track record in corporate and agency bookkeeping and accounting. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Houston and a MBA from the University of Phoenix.  She is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor and holds a certificate in accounting. LaShonde helps analyze cost controls and provides timely financial information that supports corporate goals and objectives.

 

noeleen-mcgrathNoeleen McGrath
Director of Executive Coaching, Crisis and Media Training
Noeleen is an award-winning television news journalist for 12 years at the network and local levels. Her years of interviewing executives convinced her to develop programs that emphasized messaging, on-camera, live and crisis communication skills. McGrath works primarily with executives in Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Her team’s success stems from the ability to coach clients through worst-case scenarios, confrontational reporters and “ambush” interviews. Noeleen is the winner of the National Edward R. Murrow award and has received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, including ones for continuing coverage for the Columbine High School shootings and Breaking News Reporting, as well as various Associated Press awards for breaking news, sports coverage and feature stories.

McGrath started her television news career at CNN’s Chicago bureau when she was a junior in college. After three years of working behind the camera as a producer at CNN, Noeleen moved in front of the camera as a local news anchor and reporter. Now her main focus is executive media training, specifically crisis communication. She has prepped executives and athletes from Nike on topics including labor issues to Michael Vick to steroid use among athletes. She has also worked with Chicago Public Schools, executives and managers in the pharmaceutical industry, politicians under fire and attorneys involved in high profile cases.In addition, she has done extensive work on national level exercises for Homeland Security including top DC officials to local first responders during drills that test our country’s preparedness during a terrorist attack. She has worked with the first Hispanic State’s Attorney in the history of Cook County to help get her elected after being a longshot.

When Noeleen isn’t working, you can find her on the beach, playing 2s volleyball or walking her rescue dog, Molly.

 

Maeve Summerville M.A.
 Campaign Manager

Maeve brings a multidisciplinary background in public relations, digital marketing and advertising strategy to her role. With a strong interest in helping organizations navigate reputational risk, Maeve applies skills in media strategy, social content creation and crisis communication to projects that promote and protect organizations using thoughtful messaging and compelling narratives.
 
With hands-on experience across a range of industries, from luxury retail and fitness to real estate, Maevse has contributed to new business pitches and elevated customer experience while simultaneously building strong client relationships. She has also driven brand growth through digital content engagement and targeted media outreach.
 
Maeve earned her master’s degree in Digital Communication and Media Arts from DePaul University and a bachelor’s degree in Communication from DePauw University. At DePauw, she consistently made the dean’s list, was captain and a four-year member of the women’s basketball team. Her academic and athletic experiences enhance her focus on teamwork, effective communication, leading under pressure, and managing complex priorities with clarity and purpose.
 
A former athlete and lifelong sports enthusiast, Maeve enjoys tennis, golf and yoga. She loves spending time with her family, friends and two goldendoodles.