A. James Heynen
Senior Team Leader
NEW YORK, NY / SANTA FE, NM / GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Mr. Heynen had a background in media, education, philanthropy, public service and publishing when he founded The Greystone Group, Inc. in 1984. His consulting and communications firms, Greystone (which he sold in 2004) and now RTM, have been globally recognized for excellence. Mr. Heynen has served 1,200+ organizations from healthcare and manufacturing to universities and governments, from the World Council of Churches to General Motors and retail giants Sears Corporation and Meijer, Inc. He’s directed hundreds of enterprise formations, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, conflict resolutions and succession plans. Mr. Heynen’s writings appear in twenty-nine university texts and reference works including Oxford University’s Words of a Century: The Top 100 American Speeches, 1900-1999.
Willa Shalit
Senior Team Leader
NEW YORK, NY / SANTA FE, NM
Willa Shalit’s work focuses on arts for social change. She produced the global phenomenon, Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, raising +$120M to stop violence against women and girls. Partnering with survivors in post-conflict zones she created flagship brands for major US retailers (Starbucks/Anthropologie/Macy’s) and served as Special Advisor to the United Nations Ethical Fashion Initiative, She advises individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and governmental agencies. Her work as an artist, producer, author, and entrepreneur has been widely featured in international media, including an Emmy-Award-Winning PBS documentary.
Juliana Um
Senior Team Leader
BROOKLYN, NY
Ms. Um is a strategic thinker with a global cultural perspective; she collaborates on projects as diverse as high-profile US web design to product development with artisans in Rwanda and Haiti. With a BA from Rhode Island School of Design and MA from Politecnico di Milano, she joined Willa Shalit first in Fairwinds Trading, creating economic development for women, and since then as they co-founded Maiden Nation and grew RTM’s marketing and branding initiatives. As RTM’s creative director, she leads the visual direction and strategy for branding, web design and marketing projects, as well as creates original assets and photography.
Chadwick Shao
Senior Team Leader
BROOKLYN, NY
Chadwick Shao brings vast experience in branding, digital products, and design strategy to his role as Creative Director. He’s led corporate teams and created globally recognized websites with prestigious clients: Nike, R/GA, Samsung, MasterCard, and more. Chadwick is passionate about integrating meaningful design into the DNA of his clients’ organizations, and uniquely gifted at collaborating with both change agents and global blue-chip companies, transforming their visions into reality.
Destinee Rushing
Director of IT and Projects
WASHINGTON, DC
Ms. Rushing’s passion for Information Technology and in-depth knowledge of various computer hardwares, software technologies, and programming languages makes her an invaluable member of the RTM team. Her attention to detail and love of problem solving is an essential component to her everyday work. Her background in other fields allows her a deeper perspective into the needs and interests of those around her. Originally from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, she now lives and works in Washington, DC.
destinee@rtmltd.com
Jocelyn Coombs
Director of Social Media
BROOKLYN, NY
Jocelyn is a dedicated social media specialist with a focus on crafting content strategies for mission-driven and socially conscious organizations. Drawing on her background in art and photography, she blends creativity with strategic thinking and data analysis to guide brands in navigating the dynamic landscape of social media. With a history of collaborating with organizations that cater to both international and hyper-local audiences, Jocelyn possesses a unique understanding of the diverse perspectives necessary to authentically communicate a brand's truth. Her belief in the power of social media as a tool for inspiration and community-building underscores her commitment to making a positive impact in the digital space.
jocelyn@rtmltd.com
Enock Kayagambe
ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA
Enock holds a Master’s Degree in Responsible Management of Marine and Terrestrial Resources and Tourism Business awarded from Leeds Beckett University in England, Enock brings knowledge and more than a decade of experience in hands-on conservation of both marine and terrestrial resources, environmental education, and project management. Following his degree work, he served as Assistant Conservation and Education Manager with Chumbe Island Coral Park, an award-winning Marine Protected Area with deep experience in the management of marine and terrestrial resources and full support management of the world-renowned ecolodge.
Madison Scott
HOUSTON, TX
Ms. Scott is a recent St. Edward’s University graduate in marketing, with a minor in Spanish. She has experience in creating company social media plans, and applies her knowledge of marketing research to a broad array of topics and settings. She brings to RTM’s clients a special interest in organizational cultures and their impact on individual and corporate success.
Laura Berkman
NEW YORK, NY
Ms. Berkman graduated from Cleveland’s distinguished Case Western Reserve and is now a veteran creative marketing executive. Her leadership with macys.com and major retail brands led to consistently recognized and profitable businesses. Part of the digital landscape since its inception in the 1990s, she is a gifted guide to reliable strategic planning, project definition and brand positioning. A mentor for budding CEOs and creative directors, Ms. Berkman is persistently curious and brings to her clients a comprehensive knowledge of business from the the Office of the CEO to the first-time shopper. She is expert at spotting the gems among sometimes-scarce resources that can drive outstanding results.
Andrew Chee
BROOKLYN, NY
Andrew is a user experience (“UX”) designer with special gifts in interaction design and user interface. Formally trained in computer science and music, both his creative and his technical backgrounds have strengthened his work in “start-ups” and Fortune 500 offices. He began as a systems engineer for Boeing/NASA, and he has since served Boston Scientific, Google, UNICEF, Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Nike, plus major design agencies. In 2010, he founded Collective Assembly, an independent studio practicing design for public benefit, supporting open source software and ideas for local communities, the arts – non-commercial and commercial alike. He lives and works in Brooklyn.
Anthony J. Diekema
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Dr. Diekema has almost a half-century of experience as administrator, teacher, and consultant in higher education and not-for-profit social services. He served in a variety of executive positions at Michigan State University and the University of Illinois Medical Center, as President of Calvin College, and on US and global higher education councils. He has consulted with colleges, universities and other organizations in North America, Korea, Russia and Lithuania, is actively engaged in professional and civic activities, and has published broadly on higher education topics. In addition to work as a specialist in executive search, he has served as an RTM associate since the company's founding. Dr. Diekema brings consulting experience and expertise in leadership, strategic planning, advancement, reorganization, sustainability, program evaluation, and health care delivery.
Christianne Disend
NEW YORK, NY
Ms. Disend brings RTM clients outstanding experience in graphic design, marketing, client services and high-level project management. She draws on both her education (including New York's prestigious Parsons School of Design) and her experience to deliver communication packages, well-illustrated marketing presentations, and exceptional one-to-one client contact. She's served teams of various sizes, with clients in fields as diverse as private equity investments and the hospitality industry. In addition to client services, Ms. Disend manages RTM's New York City office.
Lisa Frame
CHARLOTTE, NC
Ms. Frame specializes in digital communications management and strategy. An early adopter of new technology, she was among the first to use Twitter as a fundraising tool with a team recognized in The Chronicle of Philanthropy (2010). She’s experienced as a writer, editor, manager of community projects, and strategic consultant for brands ranging from Toyota to GoDaddy, consistently boosting customer loyalty and important social presence. Lisa’s additional expertise in SEO and Analytics adds exponential strategic power to our clients’ presence in their digital ecosphere.
Danica Kombol
ATLANTA, GA
Danica Kombol is a social media strategist who has served organizations ranging from small nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies. Founder of the blogger network, Everywhere Society, she’s developed award-winning influencer campaigns for Macy’s, Coca-Cola, Cox Communications and others. She secured the Guinness World Record for the most socially-networked message in a cause campaign (#BeatCancer). Danica began her career at Sesame Workshop and moved to such legendary shows as Saturday Night Live and Kids in the Hall. She blogs about social media trends and is a frequent speaker at social media conferences and global forums. Danica serves on the board of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation.
Amit Kumar
Senior Consultant and Tech Lead
BROOKLYN, NY
Amit Kumar brings more than a decade of experience crafting advanced digital solutions and creative strategies to organizations large and small including Nike, Toyota and Prudential. He's led web teams for creative agencies including DigitasLBI, Droga5 and R/GA. A UCLA graduate with a degree in Cognitive Science (2005), he brings knowledge of human information processing to the field of software development, creating solutions that are both technically outstanding and highly intuitive, thus a pleasure to use. He has taught at the prestigious New York Code & Design Academy, bringing classrooms and clients knowledge of every type of technology in every aspect of software development.
Beaux Latham
NASHVILLE, TN
Beaux has more than 15 years’ experience creating animation for commercials, film and online media using modern and traditional 2D, hand-drawn techniques. He’s recognized for his work in illustration and character design, storyboarding, concept art, music composition, audio editing and recording. He’s worked with agencies (e.g., Leo Burnett) to serve an impressive array of clients: JP Morgan Chase, Coca-Cola, HBO, FedEx, NFL, Starbucks, and P&G Bounce. After graduation from the Art Institute of Atlanta, Beaux worked in New York City before relocating to Nashville where he lives with his wife and their daughter.
Hyun Lee
HEIDELBERG, GERMANY
Mr. Lee is an award-winning creative with global experience in digital ad agencies like BBDO, McCann/MRM, and DigitasLbi. With more than a decade of agency and entrepreneurial experience in print, web, and mobile design, Mr. Lee was drawn to the RTM team by its many collaborative projects that matter EndFragmentculturally and visually. For RTM clients, Mr. Lee focuses on design based on execution of user experience (UX), front-end web development and CMS integration.
David Lewis
ATLANTA, GA
Mr. Lewis went from Harvard to ABC News where he became an investigative producer for Peter Jennings. He next went to CNN as an on-camera investigative reporter, and he became the first CNN employee to win the Nieman Fellowship in Journalism at Harvard. He’s covered stories from natural disasters to spies and politics, winning a host of journalism prizes including the Emmy. He's worked all media – radio, TV, print and social platforms – while traveling the world to interview famous and infamous “names” for Frontline, Fox News, 60 Minutes, CNBC and Al Jazeera America. His client list includes the Atlanta Falcons, The Girl Scouts and Coca-Cola. He's an encouraging, confidential coach for Fortune 100 corporate executives facing high-level media exposure.
Tom Rademacher
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Mr. Rademacher is one of America's most decorated newspaper columnists, recognized an unprecedented three times with First Place Awards from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. A graduate of Grand Valley State University, he joined RTM to serve clients “around the corner” and as far away as Africa. He is especially sought out for his skills in storytelling. Since coming aboard RTM, his reach has grown from regional to global, specializing in corporate communications and beyond. He's authored four full-length books, including two with colleagues within RTM.
Jane Randel
NEW YORK, NY
Ms. Randel brings a rich background in corporate branding, marketing and communications to her consulting practice. She co-founded NO MORE, a national initiative that addresses domestic violence and sexual assault, and she currently serves as a consultant to the NFL and NASCAR on these issues. She has led corporate, business and crisis media relations while managing internal communications at Kate Spade & Company (formerly Liz Claiborne Inc.). Recognized as one of 21 Leaders for the 21st Century (WomensEnews) and in Crain’s New York Business “40 under 40,” she was elected chair of The Seminar which brings together the highest-ranking communications and public affairs executives at global corporations and organizations. Ms. Randel is a distinguished graduate of Wesleyan University and lives in New Jersey with her husband and three sons.
Begona Rodriguez
EDIRNE, TURKEY
After graduating from the University of La Laguna (Spain) with a Bachelor in Fine Arts in painting, Ms. Rodriguez secured an advanced Master of Science in Medical Illustration at the Medical College of Georgia (Georgia Regents University, Augusta) in 2010. She has served as both primary school and high school teacher in low-income, socially challenged neighborhoods in Spain and Tennessee, using the prescribed curriculum and her artistic gifts to open the minds and curiosity of her students. After working in New York City for a health-care education website, she moved to Edirne, Turkey, where she serves as a lecturer at the Fine Art School when not providing design services to RTM.
Saloni Soni
NEW YORK, NY
Ms. Soni came to RTM with a diploma in Graphic Design from the MIT Institute of Design in India, an MPS in Branding from the School of Visual Arts, and a distinguished record of work with clients ranging from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City to Kimberly Clark, the Siena Wealth Advisory Group, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Novotel India. Her signature style is modest but sophisticated, rooted deeply in brand strategy and visual research. Her approach has yielded culturally-relevant brand identities, products, and publications that stand out in the marketplace, communicate precisely, and are distinctively resilient and enduring.
Julie Spahn
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Ms. Spahn is a published author and editor with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English who specializes in communications and project management. For nearly two decades, she has served dozens of clients, and she has taken lead roles in the planning, management and marketing of organizations ranging from a local investment group to a national fine arts collaborative. In addition to media relations, leadership support and community networking, she’s an expert (“roll up your sleeves and get it done”) project manager with a proven capacity to transform groups into organizations and ideas into reality.