We use communications to help our clients solve their business challenges and get the reputation they deserve.

Well-understood organizations have the best opportunity for success. Tunheim leverages communications to help clients navigate the complex situations. We take on our clients’ challenges as our own and customize communications efforts to deliver results.

Tunheim was founded because talented people wanted to do interesting work. Since 1990, we’ve operated by the fundamental beliefs that well-informed people make good decisions and that effective communication is a critical component of successful business strategy.

We’re a certified woman-owned business and a member of IPREX, the second-largest independent global agency network.

MEET OUR TEAM

Our Core Capabilities

Public Relations

Strategic communications is core to our consultancy’s success. It’s what differentiates Tunheim from other business consultancies.

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Public Affairs

As a leading consultancy specializing in public affairs, Tunheim understands the complex intersection of public policy, stakeholders, media and decision-makers.

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Digital + Content

Tunheim understands the dynamics of digital tools, has an experienced bench of talent. We can help you develop a digital strategy from scratch, connecting your story with the right audience and on the right platform.

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Management Consulting

Businesses face new, dynamic challenges every day; many of those challenges are catalysts for change management. Tunheim helps its clients navigate change and communicate effectively to bring stakeholders along.

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Our Approach to Talent

Tunheim tackles our clients’ challenges with a collective approach – a belief that no one individual is as good as the company’s “collective best.” A philosophy since our inception, this means we are committed to building the right team of talent to serve client needs.

We have a robust number of strategic partnerships with talented professionals who join our teams, but choose to operate as independent contractors – we call them Strategic Partners.

We are also a member of IPREX, the second-largest independent global agency network, giving us access to talent and insights from all around the world.

Meet the Rethinkers.

Tunheim believes clients should always have access to the best counsel, strategy and talent. We’re a collection of thinkers and strategists and what-if-ers. We’re a proven team of business professionals, some of the best and the brightest. We’re writers and designers, marketers and business professionals. We’re researchers, media relations gurus, and digital and social evangelizers. We analyze-scrutinize-theorize.

But most of all we are Rethinkers. With an insatiable energy for learning and problem solving.

Kathy Tunheim

Kathy Tunheim

CEO & Principal

Kathy Tunheim co-founded the firm in 1990 with four colleagues from Honeywell, Inc., and has served as chief executive officer throughout the firm’s evolution to Tunheim. She maintains an active role in many of the agency’s client relationships, and is a well-known crisis communications counselor to senior executives. She is past president of IPREX, one of the world’s largest networks of independent communications firms, which Tunheim joined in 2007.

Prior to co-founding the agency, Kathy gained experiences in both the corporate world and the political arena that profoundly shaped her approach to creating value as an agency counselor. She served as vice president for public relations and internal communications at Honeywell. Earlier in her career, she handled media relations and speechwriting for Wendell R. Anderson — for both his time as governor of the State of Minnesota and during his tenure in the U.S. Senate. Collectively these experiences cause her to be particularly intrigued by the challenges of helping clients navigate the intersections of business, public policy and the media.

In 2011, she accepted a part-time appointment as senior advisor to Minnesota’s governor, serving two years focused on igniting job creation across the state. She serves on the board of directors for Landscape Structures, Inc., the world’s largest supplier of commercial playground equipment; Hennepin Healthcare (HCMC) and The McKnight Foundation, as well as The Saint Paul & Minnesota Community Foundations.

Patrick Milan

Patrick Milan

Chief Insights Officer

Patrick Milan is tasked with transforming Tunheim’s services to meet the needs of clients navigating complex change. He is one of the leaders of Tunheim’s management consulting practice. Pat works across Tunheim’s broad portfolio of clients and their industry sectors developing key insights based on trends and disruptive factors that are likely to impact organizational success.

Prior to Tunheim, Pat served as a managing partner at Fallon Worldwide. At Fallon, he helped develop and direct the retail marketing practice where teams developed breakthrough work for clients including Starbucks, BMW, United Airlines and Nordstrom.

Pat serves on the board of directors for Artistry, a nonprofit organization that serves a regional audience of 80,000 people and pursues artistic excellence by engaging the region’s most talented artists in work that welcomes and develops audiences and opens hearts and minds. Pat is also a member of the board of Southdale YMCA, Minnesota’s largest YMCA organization.

Paula Wright

Paula Wright

Sr. Vice President, Client Services

Paula leverages her corporate and agency experience to provide insightful consultation and strategy for clients managing change and transformation. She has worked with a wide variety of sports and corporate clients from the PGA (Ryder Cup 2016) to Target, the USGA, Cargill and Sleep Number, providing communications and events marketing strategy to maximize brand opportunities.

In addition to her client work, Paula leads best practices at Tunheim, focusing on superior client service that drives results. Paula currently serves on the board of the American Marketing Association (AMA Minnesota) and previously served on the board of the International Live Event Association.

Bess Ellenson

Bess Ellenson

Director of Public Relations and Media

Bess is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who spent more than 16 years working in local television news in Minnesota and New Mexico. She has a passion for helping people and organizations tell their stories in ways that connect with their communities. Bess has extensive experience in thoughtfully creating content to engage and influence audiences.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Bess worked in local TV news in Duluth for about a year before her career took her to New Mexico. She spent seven years in Albuquerque at KOB-TV, where she produced local newscasts, documentaries and oversaw coverage of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. In 2012, Bess decided to move back home to Minnesota where she was the executive producer of the WCCO morning show and helped create WCCO’s Mid-Morning. Most recently she produced the 6 p.m. news at KARE 11.

 

David Erickson

David Erickson

Director of Integrated Digital & Social Media

David Erickson has more than 25 years experience in marketing, public relations, online media and advertising. His expertise has helped organizations and brands grow their digital reach and achieve their bottom-line objectives.

As Tunheim’s Director of Integrated Digital & Social Media, David guides clients by developing their digital communication strategy to secure meaningful results. As a prolific content creator with broad experience in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, technology, food service and sports sectors, he has been building audiences since the infancy of the web.

David co-hosts the Beyond Social Media Show, a popular digital marketing podcast, hosted a political radio talk show, and pioneered digital political media by publishing MN Politics/Politics in Minnesota.

David is a Humphrey Policy Fellow alum and he has frequently appeared as an expert source for news media covering technology and digital trends.

Sarah Hinde

Sarah Hinde

Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy

Sarah thrives at the intersection of public affairs, communications and engagement, navigating clients through the complex and dynamic world of public affairs while developing messaging and communications strategy to reach their intended audience.

Bringing to Tunheim nearly 10 years’ experience in the public sector, Sarah has worked for several high-profile public officials, developing communications strategy, managing statewide projects, and building relationships with stakeholders. She’s led the State of the State planning for two governors, managed international trade missions to Europe and Mexico, and has overseen major events such as the governor’s fishing and pheasant openers. Whether it’s healthcare, community and economic development, transportation, or energy and sustainability, Sarah has a knack for turning complicated issues into a clear and concise vision.

A politics and pop culture junkie, she’s usually watching the news, perusing social media or listening to podcasts. When not “plugged in”, Sarah can probably be found somewhere outside, at a concert or the nearest Farmer’s Market, or daydreaming about her next travel location.

Katie Norby

Katie Norby

New Business and Marketing Strategist

As the New Business and Marketing Strategist, Katie supports all growth initiatives, including sales and marketing. From the preparation and production of proposals and presentations to the management of Tunheim’s revenue growth and marketing platform, Katie uses her organization skills and keen attention to detail to help Tunheim continue to grow and service its many great clients.

When she’s not in the office, Katie enjoys the outdoors, finding new hiking trails, relaxing at the lake and traveling to new places.

John Blackshaw

John Blackshaw

President and Chief Operating Officer

John Blackshaw’s position is a first for Tunheim. He is tasked with leading and developing the firm’s consulting operations, our primary business.

John was most recently chief executive of Nemadji Research Corp., a Bruno, Minn.-based health care analytics company, a position he held for about six years.

Although his position is a first, Blackshaw is not new to Tunheim; he worked for the firm from 1992 to 2000.

“It’s kind of coming full-circle,” Blackshaw said. “Being able to come back and grow Tunheim into the next phase is a big thrill for me.”

Jason Dorow

Jason Dorow

Senior Account Supervisor

Adept in strategic communications and PR, Jason lends a sharp attention to detail, leadership and digital expertise to Accra, Schneider Electric and other clients at Tunheim. His passion for storytelling and fascination with brand positioning blossomed while studying at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. After college, he handled media relations for several retail and technology clients at Weber Shandwick in Chicago, and then joined Tunheim in 2018. A Minnesota native, Jason loves to explore the great outdoors, whether it’s a walk along the Mississippi River or a trip to a national park.

Emily McGrath

Emily McGrath

Director of Integrated Communications

Emily has extensive strategic consulting experience working for both the public and private sectors. Before working for Tunheim, she was a contract lobbyist for a variety of Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, Emily served as the legislative liaison for the Minnesota Department of Health and worked in corporate public affairs departments in both St. Paul, Minnesota and Washington, D.C.

As a consultant with Tunheim, Emily has overseen the strategic planning and execution of communications and community outreach campaigns. She has provided counsel to a variety of clients, including the Minnesota Twins, UnitedHealth Group, the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, United Health Foundation, Ingersoll Rand, Xcel Energy, International Multifoods, and the Minnesota Private College Council.

Emily is currently a member of the board of directors of the Healdsburg Education Foundation, and an elected representative of the Healdsburg Charter School governing board. Previously, Emily served on the board of the Minnesota Women’s Political Council.

Debbie Estes

Debbie Estes

Strategic Partner

As a seasoned marketing director, Debbie has a strong client side focus in experiential, entertainment and sports marketing that drive for results.

In her first year at Tunheim, she played a pivotal role as a member of the successful 2018 Super Bowl and the 2017-2020 NCAA Final Four bid committee teams. The teams developed the strategy, messaging, communications and creative for the formal bid presentations.

Before joining Tunheim, Debbie was the senior director of experiential/event marketing for Best Buy, where she developed programs that supported the brand. For example, her team led the event strategy for entertainment exclusives with acts including U2, The Rolling Stones, Usher, Elton John and Justin Timberlake. Debbie also managed more than 50 Best Buy sponsorships including NASCAR teams, the National Hockey League and multiple MLB, NBA and NHL teams. She is also adept at product integration, having worked with “The Apprentice,” “The Ellen Show” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Prior to Best Buy, Debbie worked at Target as director of event marketing and publicity. While there, she led the events and publicity strategy for the Michael Graves Design Collection product launch, Target House at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the restoration of the Washington Monument and the branding of Target Center.

Debbie started her career in the Minnesota Office of the Governor and moved on to the White House Press Advance staff during the Carter administration. She is also very active in the community, having served on numerous arts, education and social action boards. Debbie and her husband have a daughter and have hosted six AFS exchange students who attended Wayzata High School.

Ashley Pettingill

Ashley Pettingill

Senior Account Strategist

With a focus in public relations and digital and content strategy, Ashley is passionate about understanding her clients’ needs and helping them communicate their unique stories to their target audience. She brings extensive political field work and research experience to her public affairs and communications work at Tunheim. As a Senior Account Strategist, Ashley adds her creative and strategic perspective to a variety of client partnerships including Calyxt, CaringBridge, and Minnesota Hospital Association. Through ideation, creation, and implementation she guides clients’ on strategy to accomplish their goals across various digital and media efforts. Her method is strategic and leads with a calm focus and attention to detail.

Liz Sheets

Liz Sheets

Chief Marketing Officer

As Chief Marketing Officer, Liz is responsible for Tunheim’s external positioning. With a breadth of experience working with numerous consumer, B2B and nonprofit organizations, Liz combines communications, marketing and digital expertise to strategically position the firm. Liz is adept at quickly understanding client needs, and identifying and aligning with strategy to deliver for clients. She also oversees the digital team, ensuring exceptional work and competency.

Prior to joining Tunheim in 2012, Liz led social media strategy at Spyder Trap and spent a number of years in event marketing at Best Buy, where she focused on product launches, sponsorship activation and localizing brand marketing efforts. Liz started her career in entertainment publicity.

Sandi Scott

Sandi Scott

Senior Account Supervisor

At Tunheim, Sandi helps clients obtain the reputation they deserve.  Whether it is company positioning, communicating with stakeholders, reputation management or managing a crisis, Sandi has a proven track record for helping clients reach the right audience at the right time with the right message.

Understanding that each organization has its own unique challenges, Sandi is a strategic partner that works with clients from global B2B and B2C companies to small nonprofit organizations to develop customized strategies that drive results.

 

Amy Maloney

Amy Maloney

Strategic Partner

With a passion and work ethic that exceeds expectations, Amy Maloney is a public relations professional with over 20 years experience and a proven record of success in media relations, sales and marketing campaigns along with promotional event planning, brand management, internal communications, change management, and social/digital media campaigns.

Amy’s experience with national media outlets is vast and has resulted in everything from celebrity guest bookings on The View, Live with Regis and Kelly and The Ellen Degeneres Show to high profile stories in the USA Today, InStyle Magazine, People, Seventeen Magazine as well as negotiating cover stories with TV Guide and US Weekly.

She also touts a history of successful grassroots and regional campaigns in the contestant searches for “Pyramid with Donnie Osmond,” “The Bachelor/Bachelorette,” “The REAL Gilligan’s Island” as well as a “Live Huge” Bus Tour that was launched in support of ABC Family’s show “Huge” starring Nikki Blonsky.

She prides herself on the ability to build relationships that create opportunities where none may have existed. This commitment led to one of ABC Family’s most successful network initiatives, a pro-social campaign entitled “Delete Digital Drama” in partnership Seventeen Magazine. She also developed partnerships with “Declare Yourself,” “Girls, Inc” and “Do Something” to help bolster the public relations campaigns for ABC Family’s top rated shows.

In part, Amy credits her success to the diversity of her experience having worked at both the agency and corporate level. Having worked on both sides, she is able to navigate her way into finding unique and innovative ways to approach projects in order to maximize reach and achieve creatively driven results.

Recently, Amy worked for Aveda as their Director of International Communications where she worked to ensure that public relations and communications planning for product launches were creatively consistent across the globe. She developed communications toolkits that provided customizable content and materials to be used by each international market. She also managed the communications leads in market to hold them accountable for effective execution.

She also worked at Target as part of their grocery public relations team in their ongoing efforts to raise awareness of Targets fresh food as well as owned brand products. Additionally, she worked on crafting messaging and social media campaigns for their race teams with both Indy and NASCAR. As part of her role there, she also served on the committee that managed the internal communications strategy for a United Way campaign for employees.

Fun fact: Amy is an avid fan of television but recently decided her couch potato tendencies had to change and she has begun a fitness journey with Beachbody to ensure she lives a long life for her autistic son, who was born later in her life. She is also a foodie at heart and enjoys watching Food Network and making meals that are both delicious and healthy.

Susan Eich

Susan Eich

Strategic Partner

Susan Eich strongly believes that effective communications can drive corporate performance. She has more than 30 years of experience in corporate communications, working for some of the most prominent Twin Cities-based companies. Susan understands the pressures and demands of being in a senior communications role inside a company, and how outside counsel can provide value and be a trusted partner.

Susan’s first professional position was in public relations at Honeywell, where she had the fortune to work for and learn from Kathy Tunheim. She also was one of the founding partners of Tunheim Santrizos Co. — known today as Tunheim. She has held senior public relations positions at Target Corporation and Cargill, and most recently was Sleep Number’s senior director of public relations and corporate communications.

Susan’s areas of expertise include corporate and financial communications, investor relations, speechwriting, executive communications, crisis communications, media relations, corporate reputation management and issues management.

Bill Robertson

Bill Robertson

Strategic Partner

Robertson is the 10th President & Commissioner of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Robertson joined the USHL after seven seasons as the President and Men’s League Commissioner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).

With the WCHA, Robertson has improved the experience for both the student-athlete and fans. The St. Paul, Minn. native brought playoff games back to campuses, championed safety provisions and introduced the 3-on-3 overtime and shootout format to the WCHA regular season for the first time in league history. Robertson played a pivotal role in expanding partnerships, adding collaborations and refining Association governance all while reducing operating expenses.

Prior to his experience in the WCHA, Robertson was part of the inception of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (NHL), Minnesota Wild (NHL), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) and Minnesota Swarm (MLL) as well as four different sporting venues including the Xcel Energy Center, Target Center, Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim and Edison International Field.

From 1998-2011, Robertson served as the Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting for the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Sports & Entertainment. Robertson helped establish the franchise and events it hosted while leading the media relations, community relations, publications and broadcasting departments. While with the Wild, Robertson and his staff won the Dick Dillman Award, which is given to the NHL’s top public relations staff, for their efforts during the 2005-06 season. In 2003, The Hockey News named the Minnesota Wild as the NHL’s best media relations department. In 2000, Robertson was named one of the “100 People to Watch” in Minnesota (Minneapolis/Saint Paul Magazine) and named to the area’s “40 Under 40” (Twin Cities Business Journal).

Prior to working with the Wild, Robertson served as the Director of Communications for The Walt Disney Company (1993-98), leading communications efforts for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (NHL) and Anaheim Angels (MLB). Robertson also served in the same role with the Minnesota Timberwolves (1989-93). While with the Ducks, Robertson’s staff won the Dick Dillman Award in four-straight seasons (1994-97).

Robertson’s experience in hockey also includes strategic planning and serving as the main liaison for the 2004 NHL All-Star Weekend, 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and 2011 NHL Draft as well as serving as media relations liaison for the men’s and women’s Team USA Olympic ice hockey teams in 2002 and 2006.

A native of St. Paul, Minn., Robertson is the father of Brett and Brooke and the son of late Norbert Robertson who played hockey collegiately at University of Minnesota and University of St. Thomas. Mike, Robertson’s older brother, played college hockey for Boston College.

Anthony Vincent Bova

Strategic Partner

Anthony Vincent Bova is a Communication Pain-Point Specialist. He is a recognized expert in “blueprinting” his clients’ communication process and, in real-time, facilitates a personalized solution that is tailored to instantly address and gradually eliminate their specific communication blocks and challenges.

Typically his clients are in STEM or highly analytical careers in which they have a high level of knowledge regarding their subject, but their delivery is not as high. He has created a communication training system that closes the gap between knowledge and delivery, resulting in turning seemingly mundane technical or analytical information into an emotionally impactful connection.

His impact has been universal, with clients ranging from Fortune 500 to Small Businesses to Entrepreneurs who have greatly benefitted from Anthony’s approach. After working with Anthony, his clients are more trusted, their relationships strengthened, and they are viewed with a higher level of credibility and confidence — but, more importantly, they can communicate their message with a higher level of influence and impact.

Based in NYC, he has had his theater in Times Square for a decade, training both actors and executives. As a communications coach, he has developed his in-depth methodology for over 30 years.

Miles Plueger

Miles Plueger

Associate

Miles Plueger is a proactive and goal-oriented individual with a diverse range of experience in the fields of marketing, public relations, and politics. At Tunheim, Miles is an associate where he supports the team in media relations, developing strategies, creating content, and executing communication plans.

Before joining Tunheim, Miles served as the College Political Party President at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he successfully set agendas, facilitated discussions and debates, oversaw events, recruited new members, and acted as the face of the organization.

In addition to his political involvement, Miles has also interned as a Creative Marketing Intern at Jefferson Lines, where he gained expertise in social media management, campaign launches, email marketing, radio advertising, search engine optimization, and event planning. During his time at Jefferson Lines, he demonstrated his capacity to increase Twitter total engagements by 392%, Instagram followers by 5%, and total engagements by 8,900%. He also played an instrumental role in writing radio advertisements for iHeart Radio and WCCO for 2022 and 2023.

Overall, Miles is equipped with strong leadership, promotional marketing, recruiting, event planning, and media relations skills. He also possess expertise in social media, public relations, event planning, search engine optimization, digital marketing, grassroots campaigning, campaign management, and media relations.

Jana Miller

Jana Miller

Media Relations Intern

Jana Miller is a highly organized, driven, and detail-oriented individual dedicated to developing brand objectives, generating innovative concepts, and creating engaging content that captivates prospective clients and customers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Strategic Communications with a focus on Public Relations and a Minor in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, bringing a wealth of expertise to the team.

As a Media Relations Intern, Jana collaborates with client service teams to create tailored materials, researches industry trends, engages with the media, and analyzes social media conversations to drive client objectives and provide valuable insights.

Prior to Tunheim, Jana was a Community Outreach and Marketing Intern at Sylvan Learning, where she excelled in local marketing strategy, community outreach, and the creation of compelling print and digital content. She also worked for NCUR UW-Eau Claire and Rewired & Real developing strategic plans and outreach opportunities.

Leo Moulsoff

Leo Moulsoff

Digital Marketing Intern

Leo is a versatile professional known for his wide-ranging skills in digital marketing, marketing research, videography, and event communication. As a Digital Marketing Intern at Tunheim, he collaborates closely with client service teams to execute digital marketing strategies. His expertise includes managing social media accounts, content creation, optimizing PPC campaigns, and conducting data analysis to inform future campaigns.

Leo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, with a focus on Strategic Communications in Advertising and Public Relations, as well as Studies in Cinema and Media Culture. In addition, he has earned certifications in Google Analytics and Hootsuite, further enhancing his digital marketing expertise.

Prior to his role at Tunheim, Leo worked as a Marketing Research Analyst/Programmer at A z Marketing Research, Inc., where he contributed to the design and execution of research projects for clients in the private, non-profit, and public sectors. His responsibilities encompassed survey design, data analysis, report production, and managing online programming tasks. In addition, Leo gained valuable experience as an Event Communication Intern at the Grand Avenue Business Association, where he informed businesses and residents about upcoming events and addressed inquiries from business managers. Leo’s skills extend beyond marketing research and events, as he also works as a Videographer, creating compelling stories that connect with target audiences and editing footage into short-form marketing content.

 

Charlie Vander Aarde

Charlie Vander Aarde

Senior Account Supervisor, Public Affairs

As a Senior Account Supervisor, Charlie Vander Aarde brings his 16 years of experience in government communications and public policy advocacy, as well as a large network of city officials, legislators, state agency officials, and the Metropolitan Council to help our clients address their short-term and long-term needs.

Prior to joining Tunheim, Charlie worked for the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities (Metro Cities) where he served as a Government Relations Specialist. He was an effective state lobbyist for eleven legislative sessions, building coalitions to advance shared agendas, as well as providing counsel to the association’s executive director, board of directors, and city governments. He is an effective convener and collaborator with state and regional government partners, community partners, private sector and nonprofit stakeholders, and elected and appointed city officials.

An experienced writer and speaker, Charlie has spoken on a range of policy and budget areas, including community and economic development, state and local government partnerships, housing, and regional governance.

Charlie lives in St. Paul and is active in his community. He coaches baseball and hockey, currently serves as Board Chair for the City of St. Paul’s Neighborhood STAR program, is Board Vice Chair of Minnesota Brownfields, and board member of his local hockey association.

Sharon Sharma

Sharon Sharma

Digital Marketing Intern

Sharon Sharma is a dedicated and talented Digital Marketing expert with a strong educational background and a proven track record of success in various revenue streams and volunteer events. She possesses a diverse skill set that includes brand design and alignment, digital marketing, content development, and influencer management. Sharon’s expertise extends to social media marketing, SEO, digital advertising, and Google AdWords, among other skills.

As a Digital Marketing Intern at Tunheim, she assists client service teams in executing digital marketing strategies, managing social media accounts, creating content, optimizing PPC campaigns, and analyzing data to inform future campaigns.

Sharon possesses a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science and a minor in Mathematics & Statistics from The University of St. Thomas, along with additional certifications in digital marketing, user experience, digital analytics, and change management.

In her previous role as a Marketing Specialist at CGI Technologies and Solutions, Sharon excelled in communication planning, stakeholder relations, and outreach strategy development. She also demonstrated her ability to craft key messages, facilitate promotional events, and manage relationships with stakeholders. Additionally, her experience as an Advertising Coordinator at Star Tribune showcased her content development and marketing automation skills.

Ruby DeBellis

Ruby DeBellis

Senior Account Strategist

Ruby joined Tunheim as a Senior Account Strategist in 2023 and brings extensive public sector and federal government experience to her role. She has worked with several high-profile public officials, planning meetings and events on topics including housing, public safety and law enforcement, energy and environment, women’s issues, and Asian American community issues. Ruby received her Master’s in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy (STEP) from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and leverages her work and educational experiences to support a variety of clients, including the Energy Foundation and Minnesota Homeownership Center.

When she’s not in the office, Ruby enjoys hosting game nights and dinner parties, karaoke, and hanging out with her husband Noah and their two cats, Nova and Franklin.

Olivia Michel

Olivia Michel

Digital Marketing Intern

Olivia Michel is our dynamic Digital Marketing Intern, bringing a wealth of expertise to our digital initiatives. Collaborating closely with client service teams, Olivia executes digital marketing strategies, infusing her skills across various domains such as web design, content creation, and adept management of social media platforms.

With a major in Strategic Communications and Psychology from the University of Minnesota, Olivia’s keen eye for design and proficiency in tools like Canva and Drupal have led her to successfully upgrade websites and craft engaging, brand-focused content.

Prior to joining Tunheim, Olivia served as a Digital Marketing Freelancer for Griffith College in Dublin, Ireland. Her versatility shines through other previous roles as well, having excelled as a Stylist at Free People Movement and as a Social Media Manager at UMN Pi Beta Phi. These experiences fortified her adaptability, customer communication, and content creation skills, significantly contributing to our team’s success.

Olivia’s exceptional talents and unwavering dedication continue to elevate our digital marketing strategies, driving engagement and innovation across all platforms.

 

Lani Jordan

Lani Jordan

Strategic Partner

Lani Jordan has been a Tunheim strategic partner since 2019 and specializes in crisis communication, issues management and strategic communication planning.

Previously she spent three decades as corporate communications director for CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and a Fortune 200 integrated energy, agriculture supply and grain-based foods company. At CHS, she developed the company’s annual corporate communication strategy, was chief media spokesperson, led crisis communication response, directed environmental, health and safety communication; served as speechwriter for the board and executive management; was responsible for the cooperative’s annual meeting and annual report; managed member-owner and investor relations, and handled a wide range of other communication responsibilities. She is a regular speaker at industry events and author of numerous articles on crisis and strategic communication.

The first decade of her career was spent as a journalist, primarily with United Press International, covering government, politics and breaking news in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Lani serves the American Red Cross Twin Cities chapter as a board member, executive committee member and Outreach Committee chair. She has also shared her extensive experience internationally as a USAID volunteer consultant helping businesses in emerging economies develop strategic communication and marketing plans. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Michigan.

Virginia “Ginny” Melvie

Senior Executive Assistant

Even though it often makes her job more difficult, Ginny enjoys making other people’s jobs easier. With an uncanny sense of what needs to be done to keep things running smoothly, she is Tunheim’s petite superhero. Ginny brings to the firm more than 25 years of executive-level support and works directly with our president and CEO.

Prior to joining Tunheim, Ginny was executive assistant to the chief deputy attorney general for the state of Minnesota. She assisted the chief deputy in the day-to-day management of the office and a staff of more than 500 employees, working on both short- and long-term planning for the office. She also was an active participant in the state’s litigation team that worked on what was (and is) considered the single most important piece of litigation to arise from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office: the tobacco settlement.

Ginny brings a broad range of skills to the firm, having worked in a variety of industries throughout her career, including: corporate, legal, government, boards, nonprofits and political campaigns. Some of her previous political roles have included: state convention delegate, past precinct chair, PAC administrator, and a member of the Alan Page for Justice Committee.

When she’s away from the office, Ginny enjoys watching the Minnesota Twins, reading home décor magazines, dining out and, in the summer, enjoying a strawberry daiquiri with friends.

Arick Wierson

Arick Wierson

Strategic Partner

A six-time Emmy award-winning television producer, Arick Wierson brings extensive global, international, business and communications expertise to Tunheim. Arick is a former deputy commissioner of technology and senior communications advisor to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and founder of NYC TV and NYC Media Group, the largest publicly owned broadcast entity in the United States.

Arick is fluent in Spanish and bilingual in Portuguese and English. He is a partner in the MANOVA Summit, the global health and technology summit taking place in Minnesota this October. He is also a contributor to CNN.com, CNBC.com and the New York Observer.