M.C. Andrews
Mary Catherine (M.C.) Andrews brings two decades of foreign policy and communications experience to ViaNovo, an international management and communications consulting firm with offices in Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Monterrey, Mexico. She works from the firm's Washington, D.C. office.
She served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Global Communications from December 2003 to March 2005, where she created a press operation to support foreign journalists and coordinated major foreign policy and press initiatives for President George W. Bush. She served as deputy director to Tucker Eskew during the start up of that office. From President Bush's inauguration until she helped establish the Global Communications office, she was the Director for Democracy on the National Security Council staff at the White House.
She manages projects with international scope, as well as projects in the technology, health care sectors, and energy sectors. In addition, she specializes in comprehensive strategic advice for leading non-governmental organizations.
She has worked at prominent think tanks and non-governmental organizations, including the International Republican Institute, where she started up the Balkans programs in 1990. She served as the Country Advisor to the Central Europe Director at the World Bank and the Elections Director for the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe. In 1995 and 1996, she lived in Macedonia and instituted a new management structure for the Open Society Institute Macedonia. In addition, she developed and evaluated programs for the International Foundation for Election Systems.
Before joining the Bush-Cheney Transition Team after the 2000 elections, she managed the Aspen Strategy Group, where she developed programs, edited books for W.W. Norton and Company, and wrote papers for a bipartisan group of senior foreign policy leaders. From 1986 to 1990, she served in various capacities on the Washington, D.C. staff of former U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger (R-NC).
M.C. has observed more than 25 elections in 12 countries and written eight books on democratic development in Central and East Europe. She is originally from Gastonia, North Carolina, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hollins College and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.
Blaine H. Bull
Blaine H. Bull is a founding partner of ViaNovo, an international management and communications consulting firm with offices in Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Monterrey, Mexico. With more than two decades of experience in politics, government, corporate America, and the art of the campaign, Blaine offers invaluable strategic insight on government affairs, media relations, issues management, internal and external communications, and public opinion.
Blaine has exercised his expertise in a broad range of industries and has enabled an array of clients to achieve their public policy goals. Prior to forming his own strategic communications company in 2004, the StratCom Group, Blaine was a founding officer and shareowner of Austin-based Public Strategies, Inc. During his 13 years as a managing director with Public Strategies, Blaine developed, managed, and helped implement dozens of successful international, national, multi-state, and statewide corporate campaigns.
As head of the company's core business unit, the national public affairs division, Blaine supervised more than 125 professionals and was responsible for the operation and management of ten offices nationwide. During his tenure at Public Strategies, Blaine spent three years on an in-house assignment with SBC Communications, coordinating its corporate activities to secure the success of two major mergers: Pacific Telesis and Ameritech.
Previously, Blaine worked in Washington, D.C. as legislative director to former U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen and directed his successful 1988 re-election campaign. Blaine earned his master's degree at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and his bachelor's degree at Texas A&M University.
Matthew Dowd
During the past twenty-five years, Matthew Dowd has helped shape strategies and campaigns for CEOs, corporations, foundations, governments, candidates, and presidents. He is a founding partner of ViaNovo, an international communications and brand positioning firm.
Matthew's recent political work includes serving as the Chief Strategist on two winning reelection efforts - for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 and for President George W. Bush in 2004. His innovative approach and leadership on the 2004 campaign led the bi-partisan American Association of Political Consultants to name him Pollster of the Year.
Prior to the 2004, Matthew served as a senior advisor to the Republican National Committee and as a senior strategist on the 2000 Bush campaign, where he oversaw market research and managed the targeting and placement of the $150 million advertising budget.
In the 1990s, Matthew was President and founding partner of Public Strategies, Inc, an international public affairs firm. While at PSI, Matthew advised a wide variety of corporate clients. He also helped former Texas Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock win election and re-election.
Matthew began his career as a member of U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen's senate and campaign staffs.
Matthew teaches at the University of Texas' LBJ School of Public Affairs and has led seminars at Stanford, Harvard and Yale Universities.
He currently serves as an analyst for ABC News and is co-author of the New York Times bestseller Applebee's America: How Successful Political, Business and Religious Leaders Connect with the New American Community.
Lisa Eskew
Lisa Eskew provides national and state-level communications expertise from ViaNovo's Washington, D.C. office.
In 2004, Lisa co-founded Eskew Strategy Group, LLC, which was merged into the newly formed ViaNovo in May 2005. In addition to managing that firm's business operations, Lisa helped create and execute strategic communications programs for a range of clients.
Lisa managed press relations for the National Governors' Association from 1992 through 1995, after which she managed accounts for one of the Southeast's leading public relations and advertising firms. From 1996 through 1998, she conducted communications and grassroots outreach for the South Carolina Governor's Office, focusing on business leadership and welfare reforms. Lisa then employed her communications skills in the state legislature, working for the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader. As a private consultant and partner in a previous communications firm over the past three years, she performed editorial services and press outreach for trade associations and political campaigns.
Lisa is a graduate of Mt. Vernon College. She and her family live in Alexandria, Virginia.
Tucker Eskew
Tucker Eskew is a founding partner of ViaNovo, an international management and communications consulting firm with offices in Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Monterrey, Mexico. The former Deputy Assistant to President George W. Bush leads the firm's Washington office, overseeing the development and execution of strategic communications programs for corporate and public policy initiatives.
From grassroots America to the global information climate, Tucker has served as both high-stakes strategist and high-visibility spokesman, developing messages and tactics to lead opinion during the most intense public debates of the new century. He played leadership roles during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars; in the 2000 campaign and recount; and for the Bush-Cheney re-election.
Tucker served until December 2003 as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Global Communications. In this capacity he developed strategic communications to promote American policies around the world and led the Administration's wartime messaging.
During the war in Afghanistan, Tucker served in London as President Bush's representative to No. 10 Downing Street for communications strategy.
In 2001, during his tenure as Director of the White House Office of Media Affairs, he oversaw the Administration's strategy and tactics for "outside-the-Beltway" news organizations, talk radio, specialty media, and the President's official website.
In the mid-90s, he co-founded an electronic commerce business and later started a South Carolina-based public relations and business-consulting firm.
Previously, Tucker served eight years as Press Secretary and Communications Director to South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. Tucker began his career on President Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign.
Prior to forming ViaNovo, he founded Eskew Strategy Group, LLC, which was merged into the newly-formed ViaNovo in May 2005.
Tucker serves on advisory boards for several corporations, as well as the vestry of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA. He graduated with a degree in Political Science (departmental honors) from the University of the South (Sewanee).
Gary E. Fendler
Gary E. Fendler brings years of high-profile government, political, and corporate communications and media experience to ViaNovo. Formerly associated with the StratCom Group, which merged into the newly created ViaNovo in May 2005, Gary has long focused on developing and executing high-stakes strategic communications campaigns.
While at Aetna Health Plans (AHP), Gary developed and executed a national communications strategy to support the company's healthcare reform goals, earning the coveted "Chairman's Award" for excellence for his efforts.
Gary served in former President George H.W. Bush's administration, as Deputy Director of Presidential Advance and Director of the White House Press Advance Office. He also served as Director of Communications for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Associate Commissioner for Public Affairs with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Most recently, Gary completed a project as an independent communications consultant in Afghanistan for The Rendon Group (TRG), a consulting firm specializing in conflict-zone communications. He led a team of communications professionals tasked with supporting the Government of Afghanistan in its initial efforts to eliminate the drug industry from its country. His first assignments with TRG came in shortly after September 11, 2001, when he supported information operation campaigns for the U.S. Department of Defense in America's efforts in the global war on terrorism.
Earlier in his career, Gary worked with Public Strategies, Inc., and he held various positions in the private sector, including: executive vice president of FundsXpress; vice president of business development at Logical Design Solutions; and head of strategic communications at Aetna Health Plans.
Originally a newspaper reporter, Gary earned his Bachelor of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, where he was also the elected editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Texan. He is a member of the Transatlantic Dialogue on Broadcasting and the Information Society, (TADOBATIS) an international organization examining information and media issues between Europe and the United States.
Julie Hillrichs
Julie Hillrichs draws upon almost two decades of experience in politics and journalism to offer strategic communications counsel for ViaNovo clients.
Julie joined ViaNovo from Public Strategies, Inc., where she worked for five years as a director in the firm's Dallas office, overseeing and contributing to varied state and national accounts. Previously, Julie served as director of public affairs and marketing for the National Center for Policy Analysis, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research institute.
Julie's background includes managing media relations for then-U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, working in Texas and in Washington, DC on his successful re-election campaigns and as a member of the Senator's legislative staff. Julie also served as a director of public information and as a communications director at a statewide regulatory agency. She provided expertise to the National Republican Senatorial Committee as a media consultant for the election campaigns for U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas and Paul Coverdell of Georgia. Earlier in her career, Julie worked as a reporter for The Midland (Texas ) Reporter-Telegram and for The Des Moines (Iowa) Register .
Todd Irons
Todd Irons brings more than a decade of strategic communications, political, and public policy experience to ViaNovo. He contributes his expertise from the firm's Washington, D.C. office.
Previously, Todd served as Vice President of Eskew Strategy Group, which in May 2005 merged into ViaNovo. Earlier in his career, he managed numerous public affairs campaigns at PR firms along Washington, D.C.'s K Street corridor on behalf of various clients, particularly those in the energy and health care industries. His accomplishments include helping direct a nationwide communications effort for the Health Benefits Coalition, an alliance of nearly 30 national business groups and health plans including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, that prevented job-killing versions of the "Patients' Bill of Rights" from being enacted into law.
Todd also served as Legislative Assistant to former-U.S. Congressman Dan Miller (R-FL), advising Mr. Miller on issues ranging from the federal budget and tax policy to trade and agriculture. He also led the Congressman's efforts against the federal government's long-entrenched price support program for sugar.
Todd began his political career at the Republican National Committee where he served in the RNC's Opposition Research Department and later as Assistant for Policy Communications during the 1996 election cycle. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland.
Kara Kennedy
Kara Kennedy brings extensive experience to ViaNovo as a Hill aide, senior consultant and strategic advisor to leading public officials. Most recently, she has served as Senior Advisor to Eskew Strategy Group, which in May 2005 merged into ViaNovo. Prior to helping build one of the largest independently owned lobbying firms in the nation's capital, Kara served as Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn's (R-WA) Chief of Staff, managing the entire Dunn Congressional and political operation.
Previously, Kara was Dunn's Communications Director, managing a series of high-level media opportunities, including an historic campaign for House Majority Leader in the wake of then-Speaker Gingrich stepping down; the first response to the President's State of the Union address delivered by a woman in the U.S. House; and Dunn's public role in helping Governor George W. Bush launch his presidential campaign from Texas.
Kara worked for the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives beginning in 1995, working on issues such as health care, environment, tax and trade policy. She then served on the Speaker's communications team for two years. In the early 1990's, Kara was an environment and natural resources policy analyst for the National Governors' Association (NGA).
Lori McClure
Lori McClure brings to ViaNovo extensive public and private sector experience in managing projects, coordinating research activities, and developing and implementing strategic communications programs. Lori is based in the firm's Austin, Texas, office.
Lori was previously Vice President of CIMA Strategies, an international management consulting firm, where she managed client projects as well as marketing and development initiatives. Lori helped the firm expand from its formation to its merger into ViaNovo in May 2005.
Earlier in her career, Lori was a key member of the international division of Public Strategies, Inc., an Austin, Texas-based public affairs and communications firm. She coordinated client, research, and marketing activities; served as Austin liaison for the firm's Mexico City office; and assisted in the management of the division.
Lori's professional career also includes work as a freelance writer and consultant on strategic communications projects. She previously served as Assistant Division Director for research and planning at the then-Texas Department of Commerce, where she oversaw research on international trade, foreign investment, and state economic development initiatives.
Lori received an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the Institute of Latin American Studies and a master's degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, both at the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her undergraduate degree at Austin College in Sherman, Texas.
William Moore
Billy Moore contributes decades of Capitol Hill experience and campaign know-how to ViaNovo's management and consulting team. He is a veteran of more than 50 election campaigns and worked for 26 years in the U.S. Congress. Based in ViaNovo's Washington, D.C. office, Billy blends insight on government, the media, policy issues and public opinion to help clients achieve their high-stakes goals.
For the past five years as a Public Strategies Managing Director, Billy has directed the U.S. government sales strategy for a worldwide provider of information technology services and has managed a coalition of finance corporations and real estate associations. He also directed strategic advocacy projects for diverse clients, including: a Catholic health system, a global computer manufacturer, an international Real Estate Investment Trust, an election system hardware and software manufacturer, a scientific research and development non-profit and a real estate development company.
Billy's work on electoral campaigns dates to 1969 and includes races for local, state, congressional and presidential offices. He served U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen (Texas) for ten years and was Chief of Staff to U.S. Representatives Jim Chapman (Texas) and David Price (North Carolina), also serving on the staffs of the House Appropriations and Budget Committees.
Billy is a regular guest lecturer on Congress and elections at the United States War College, the Johns Hopkins University Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He also served as Chairman of the Duke University School of Law Center for the Study of Congress. Billy attended the University of Texas at Austin.
Robert Norcross
Rob Norcross brings to ViaNovo's management and consulting team a depth of experience in public policy and advocacy strategy, legislative and regulatory affairs and crisis management. Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Rob contributes issue expertise that spans financial services, health care, government procurement and elections.
Rob's distinguished professional background includes working for eight years as a Managing Director with Public Strategies Inc., the international public affairs firm based in Austin. Rob directed diverse client teams, coordinating on behalf of an international client base an array of public policy, advocacy, communications, government affairs and crisis-management strategies and programs. Earlier, he led the firm's Targeted Communications Division and was responsible for overseeing the development and execution of advocacy and mobilization communications for a variety of clients.
Previously, Rob served as President of the Texas Conference for Homeowners' Rights, Inc., a coalition that successfully advocated the passage of legislation and a constitutional amendment to end the state's 150-year prohibition against home-equity loans. Rob coordinated the outreach activities of more than 35,000 corporate and individual association members and managed a team of 32 lobbyists working to secure passage of the historic legislation. Prior to his work with TCHR, Rob served as the general counsel of the Texas Bankers Association, coordinating the organization's legislative, regulatory and litigation strategy. His career also includes several years in private practice with a San Antonio law firm.
Rob is a summa cum laude graduate of Texas Tech University, from which he earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence, MBA and BA (in Finance).
JR Ruiz
JR Ruiz brings a depth of business, government, and non-profit knowledge and experience to the ViaNovo team. She is based in the firm's Austin office.
JR joined ViaNovo from Deloitte Consulting, where her professional accomplishments included the development and implementation of an integrated performance management system for a major state tax and revenue agency. She also contributed significant qualitative and quantitative international research to States of Transition, a book published by Deloitte Research focusing on tackling states' toughest policy and management challenges such as global competition and serving the aging citizenry. Previously, JR worked for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) where she focused on internal and external customer and community relations.
JR earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her Master of Public Affairs from UT's Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.
JR is a graduate of Leadership Austin and a past President of Young Women's Alliance (YWA). Other community involvement has included board positions with the Center for Child Protection and Youth Launch.
Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon brings a decade of high-profile business, government and political experience to the ViaNovo team. He works with clients on brand positioning, public opinion and market research, and strategic communications and is based in the firm's Austin office.
Mike joined ViaNovo from the Boston Consulting Group, where his accomplishments included redesigning the customer returns policy of an industrial goods company.
Previously, Mike worked on two winning presidential campaigns and the White House staff. In 2004, he served as Director of Media Planning for Bush-Cheney '04, managing the placement of the campaign's entire advertising budget. In 2001-2002, Mike was an Associate Director in the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, helping promote key presidential policies by developing strategic planning materials and analyzing public opinion research and history. In 2000, he was a Strategy Associate on the Bush for President Campaign, with responsibility for evaluating polls and media buys and designing email marketing strategies.
Prior to the 2000 campaign, Mike worked for a large international energy company, where his achievements included helping structure and coordinate the billion-dollar acquisition financing of a power company.
Mike holds an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Vanderbilt University. He currently serves as a volunteer for Kids' Club (Chicago) and Smart Start ( Austin ), two after school programs that minister to high-risk, inner city kids.
James S. Taylor
James S. Taylor is a founding partner of ViaNovo, an international management and communications consulting firm with offices in Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Monterrey, Mexico. Prior to ViaNovo, James founded strategic consulting firm CIMA Strategies Ltd., and was a founding director and shareholder of Austin, Texas-based Public Strategies, Inc., an international public affairs firm at which James created and managed the firm's International Public Affairs division.
For the past two decades, many of James's professional endeavors have been tied to Mexico's economic and political transformation.
James continues to advise government and corporate leaders in Mexico and the United States. His clients rely on his knowledge of both countries' political and business environments and on his bicultural experience to help execute strategy that results in meaningful business and policy outcomes.
Earlier in his career, James was a presidential appointee to the United States International Trade Commission, where he served as chief of staff to the Commissioner. He also served as special assistant to former United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, and was the deputy campaign director for the State of Texas during the Senator's successful 1988 re-election bid.
James was born in Texas and grew up in Ciudad Victoria, Mexico. He earned his bachelor's degree in international studies from Texas State University and pursued graduate studies at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. James also completed the Executive Program at Stanford University.
James is active with several policy boards and non-profit organizations, including the Council on Foreign Relations, the Mexican American Leadership Foundation, the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, and the United Way Capital Area in Austin.