Our Team
Stephanie Wolf
Principal and Founder
Bio
Stephanie Wolf is a communications strategist and media relations expert with 20+ years experience in mission-driven PR and communications. In 2006, she left the world of big corporate brands at global PR agencies to found SWPR, a boutique PR consultancy that helps purpose-driven organizations amplify their impact through clear, compelling, human-centered communications and media relations.
Stephanie frequently consults with women-led companies and organizations focused on gender equity, including serving as US Communications Consultant for Catalyst, a global organization focused on workplace inclusion, where she works with CEOs of multinational Fortune 500 companies and other senior executives to build more inclusive workplaces. She has partnered with global PR agencies to support their Consumer and Healthcare and nonprofit practices, and has led communications initiatives for mission-driven nonprofits like Women’s Media Center, the nonprofit advocacy organization founded by feminist icons Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem.
With deep and trusted connections at national, trade and regional outlets, she routinely collaborates with influential journalists to secure top-tier media coverage for clients, and helps position company leaders as experts in the news through profile interviews, op-eds, and expert commentary. Her clients have appeared in Associated Press, Bloomberg, Business Insider, CBS, CNN, Forbes, Fortune, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TIME, USA Today, and more.
Stephanie holds a BA in Political Science and Journalism from Rutgers University and was a recipient of the NJ Women’s Press Club Award for Achievement in Journalism. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys personal essay writing, backgammon, organizing anything, and cooking complicated things nearly correctly. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Dan, son Zachy, and new rescue puppy, Lois Lane (Laney). See more on Stephanie’s background here, and her expertise featured in Fast Company, Glamour, Medium, The Miami Herald, and Medium’s PRontheGO here and here.
Jennifer Johnson
Account Executive
Bio
Jennifer Johnson has more than a decade of experience in communications and public relations, helping companies and nonprofits engage their target audiences while staying true to their brand. She specializes in positioning her clients as experts in the media through strategic communications and writing that has an impact.
Her focus is helping entrepreneurs, companies, and agencies achieve their goals, working with B2C and B2B clients in diverse fields like lifestyle, health & wellness, hospitality, technology, travel, retail, philanthropy, and work life, with a special interest in mission-driven organizations and companies that give back.
She's secured coverage for clients in top media outlets like Forbes, USA Today, Fast Company, Woman’s Day, AARP, Best Life, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, and others, as well as popular podcasts, trade publications, and local media.
Grace Kair
Media Consultant
Bio
Grace Kair is a strategic marketing and communications professional with extensive experience working with local, regional, and national nonprofits, civil rights organizations, professional sports teams, and major brands. She specializes in delivering impactful communication strategies that drive measurable results while advancing causes related to social justice, women in sports, female founders, multicultural communities, and the LGBTQ community.
With a proven track record of simplifying complex legal and policy issues for general audiences, Grace excels at helping external stakeholders and media understand “why this matters.” Her work involves creating compelling narratives that resonate with the public and decision-makers alike, translating intricate legal and policy frameworks into accessible and meaningful messages.
Grace helps clients communicate effectively, amplify their messages, and strengthen their brands through high-impact media coverage and strategic thought leadership. Her expertise spans public relations, crisis communications, marketing, and project management across sectors such as civil rights (reproductive, voting, economic), sports, health and wellness, lifestyle, entertainment, and business.
Her clients have appeared in prominent outlets including AP, Axios, BBC, Black Enterprise, Bloomberg, CBS, CNN, Forbes, The Guardian, MSNBC, NBC News, New York Times, NPR, PBS, Politico, Reuters, Salon, Talking Points Memo, The 19th, The Hill, TIME, UPI, US News & World Report, Vanity Fair, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and The Intercept.
Grace holds a BS in Marketing from George Mason University. She brings her keen research and analytical skills, along with her broad range of knowledge and passion for sports, arts, and social justice, to every engagement—consistently delivering impactful results.
Marc Smrikarov
Strategic Partner, Chatham Strategies
Bio
Marc, President and Founder of SWPR’s strategic partner agency Chatham Strategies, has nearly 20 years experience leading domestic and international public relations and public affairs campaigns for Fortune 100 companies, heads of state, CEOs, and top non-profits from across the U.S., Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Marc has led successful, high-profile, and award-winning PR campaigns for prominent clients that include: Robin Hood Foundation, AARP, Public Rights Project, Vote Forward, Swing Left, IBM, State Farm, GlaxoSmithKline, Bloomberg L.P., the former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volcker, the United Nations, the City of London Corporation, American Jewish Congress, the National Committee on US-China Relations, and many others.
He has managed thought-leadership programs for heads of state, ministers, CEOs and other VIPs, and developed domestic and international media and public affairs campaigns related to finance, trade, investment, technology, innovation, foreign relations, government affairs, international litigation, health, diversity, environment, education and social advocacy.
Prior to founding Chatham Strategies in 2017, Marc Served as Executive Vice President at BLJ Worldwide, an international strategic consultancy & public relations agency, where he managed staff across the firm’s US offices, reported directly to the CEO and President, and led the firm's client management and business development initiatives.
He is also involved in supporting a number of charitable and political advocacy initiatives. He serves as chair of Neighborhood SHOPP, a New York City-based non-profit that for over 40 years has provided social and community services for older persons in need. He has advised Literacy Partners, a New York City-based nonprofit that provides free literacy and language education for thousands of low-income adults in New York, and provided strategic advice and support to assist the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). He is a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations. Marc majored in History at Columbia University's Columbia College, and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Jessica Barist Cohen
Strategic Partner, Chatham Strategies
Bio
Jessica has 20-plus years of experience in corporate and non-profit public relations. She began her career at the financial PR/consulting firm Kekst and Company in New York City, where she worked with a wide range of Fortune 500 clients, providing strategic counsel relating to financial transactions, crisis communications, and corporate and investor relations. She then went on to run financial communications for Ogilvy PR, first in Beijing and Shanghai, China, and subsequently as a director for Ogilvy’s New York office, working primarily with Chinese companies listing on US exchanges. For a number of years, she ran her own PR firm, JBC Communications, which focused on non-profit PR. Before joining Chatham, she was the head of marketing and communications for Central Synagogue, one of the largest Reform congregations in the United States.
In addition to time living in Asia, she has lived in Europe, spending time in France, and five years in Brussels, Belgium. Jessica is married to another PR pro, Paul Cohen. They have two college-age sons and live in Park Slope, Brooklyn with their dog, Dr. Zaius.
Kerri Allen
Strategic Advisor
Bio
Kerri Allen is a strategic communications executive with more than 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors. She is currently a senior managing director with Applecart, a venture-backed marketing technology company based in New York, where she partners with C-suite leaders to transform how they communicate with the most important decision-makers in their business.
She has been a trusted counselor to leaders at Fortune 500 companies, leading nonprofits, and fast-growing startups. Kerri has served in leadership roles at top agencies including WPP’s Burson and, most recently, Klick Health, the world’s largest independent agency for the life sciences. There, she focused on building corporate reputation programs for some of the company’s most innovative clients through Klick’s venture studio.
Kerri has been named among PRWeek’s 40 Under 40 and received honorable mention as PR News’ Agency Awe Professional of the Year. She was a fellow with The New York Times Institute for Journalism and her writing has appeared in The Times, on CNN.com, HuffPost Business, Public Relations Society of America’s Strategies and Tactics, and many more. She lives in New York City with her husband and their bright red 70-pound dog.