Driving Engagement Forward Through Purposeful Communication Practices

Kate Williams
Senior Director of People and Operations

Kate Williams, MSW, PMP, is the Senior Director of People and Operations at Ripple Effect, where she brings nearly two decades of experience in project and program management, business operations, and cross-functional team leadership. She oversees company-wide operational processes, staff development, and strategic initiatives that drive efficiency and foster a high-performing, collaborative culture. Kate also provides coaching and technical assistance, ensuring Ripple Effect’s teams deliver consistent, high-quality support to federal, foundation, and nonprofit clients.

Before joining Ripple Effect, Kate held a series of progressive leadership roles supporting child welfare and data management initiatives. From 2005 to 2009, she worked with a federal consulting firm supporting the Children’s Bureau, rising from project coordinator to Data and Technology Director for the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) Project. In this role, she led the operations and help desk for over 3,000 external users, managed web-based systems, and oversaw data collection and analysis for nationwide child welfare reviews. She was recognized as an Emerging Leader by JBS International and earned her PMP certification in 2012. From 2017 to 2022, she built and launched a Project Management Office (PMO) for another consulting firm, establishing consistent project management standards across all departments. Kate holds a Master of Social Work (Management & Community Organization) from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Margie Beaudry
Deputy Director of Public Comment Services

Margie Beaudry, MA, is the Deputy Director of the Program Management & Policy Division at Ripple Effect, where she leads the company’s Public Comment services. Since 2018, she has directed more than 50 federal public comment projects, overseeing a team of over 80 healthcare and policy analysts, project managers, and coordinators to ensure high-quality reviews, timely deliverables, and responsive client communication. In addition to managing large-scale comment analysis contracts, Margie serves as a subject matter expert across Ripple Effect projects, lending her expertise in psychometrics, behavioral health research, quality improvement, performance management, change leadership, and strategic facilitation.

With more than 38 years of experience spanning federal policy, healthcare, public health, and research, Margie has worked across government, corporate, community, nonprofit, clinical, and academic settings. Before joining Ripple Effect, she held leadership and research positions at the Public Health Foundation, the Advisory Board Company, Drug Strategies, the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Sharon Nakimovsky
Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach

Sharon Nakhimovsky, MA, PMP, is the Deputy Director of the Communications and Outreach Division at Ripple Effect, where she oversees program operations, cultivates high-performing teams, and drives business development initiatives. She directs a diverse portfolio of integrated communications and partner engagement projects, providing leadership across website management, strategic communications planning, social media and email marketing, media relations, research, change management, events, analytics, instructional design, and creative services to help clients amplify their reach and impact.

Before joining Ripple Effect, Sharon was the Associate Director of Corporate Communications at a biopharmaceutical company developing COVID-19, RSV, and influenza vaccines, where she led global branding and media strategies, supported the company’s public launch in 2021, and advanced its reputation in vaccine R&D. Earlier in her career, she worked at Abt Associates as a strategic communications and health policy specialist, delivering communications, policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and technical assistance for clients including CMS, CDC, VBA, and USAID.

Moira Ragan
Director of Research and Evaluation

Moira Ragan is the Director of the Research and Evaluation Division at Ripple Effect, where she leads a team of researchers and analysts in designing and delivering mixed-method research projects and program evaluations for federal clients. She oversees the division’s staff and project portfolio, ensuring high-quality technical reports, clear data visualizations, and practical, actionable recommendations that help clients make informed decisions. Moira also provides methodological guidance, coordinates staff training and professional development, and serves on Ripple Effect’s Technology Review Board, where she reviews policies and new initiatives to support effective client delivery.

Before joining Ripple Effect, Moira was a Senior Evaluation Associate and Research Associate at the Center for Research Evaluation (CERE) at The University of Mississippi. She has extensive experience as a consultant, advising on study design and statistical analysis for projects spanning healthcare, education, and other sectors. Throughout her career and advanced studies in Educational Research and Evaluation, she has managed research and evaluation efforts, developed and validated data-collection tools, and delivered evidence-based insights to support clients’ program improvements and strategic goals.

David Baker
Senior Director of Healthcare Accounts

David P. Baker, PhD, is a Senior Director and Account Lead at Ripple Effect, where he provides strategic leadership and oversight for health-related projects. He specializes in quality improvement, learning systems, payment policy, and quality measurement, ensuring Ripple delivers impactful solutions to clients in the healthcare sector.

Before joining Ripple Effect, David served as Senior Vice President of the Health Policy Divisions at the American Institutes for Research and IMPAQ International, LLC. He is best known for leading the research team that designed AHRQ’s TeamSTEPPS® training program and overseeing its national implementation for nearly a decade, training thousands of healthcare professionals in the U.S. and internationally. He holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and was a founding faculty member at the Virginia Tech Carilion Medical School. A fellow of Division 14 of the American Psychological Association, he received the division’s Distinguished Professional Contributions Award in 2019 for his work in team training and research.

Chandra Cohen-Stavi
Deputy Director of Research and Evaluation

Chandra Cohen-Stavi, PhD, MPA, serves as the Deputy Director of the Research and Evaluation Division at Ripple Effect, bringing over 15 years of expertise in healthcare research, epidemiology, and program evaluation. In her role, she collaborates closely with the division director to oversee project execution and team management, maintain key client relationships, and contribute to business development strategies. Her focus is on delivering actionable insights through her expertise in observational study design, mixed methods approaches, and clinical outcomes evaluations, aimed at informing healthcare programs and policies, improving quality of care, and guiding product development.

Before joining Ripple Effect, Chandra was a Senior Epidemiologist at OM1, where she led clinical effectiveness research in Neuroscience and Mental Health, contributing valuable real-world evidence to inform pharmaceutical product strategies. She also served as a Research Scientist at the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), working on federal government agency contracts, and overseeing the development of quality measures in behavioral health and care management for older adults. Her previous work with Israel’s largest healthcare delivery organization shaped national vaccination policy and supported decision-making for programs and healthcare delivery.

Martha Ngoh
Deputy Director of Program Management
and Policy

Martha Ngoh, Deputy Director of Program Management and Policy at Ripple Effect, brings over 7 years of experience supporting and managing federal-funded public health and healthcare projects involving policy development and implementation, communications, and partnerships. Ms. Ngoh has worked on projects and programs aimed at improving patient safety and the quality of healthcare delivery related to healthcare infection prevention and control, healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and antimicrobial-resistance (AR), and maternal safety. Ms. Ngoh served as a Senior Analyst at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and was later promoted to Director of Healthcare Connections within the Infectious Disease Infrastructure and Policy team, where she provided leadership on a portfolio to foster collaboration between public health and healthcare through key activities. In this role, Ms. Ngoh managed the Council for Outbreak Response: HAI/AR where she developed processes for efficient Council operations and member engagement and contributed to the development of the Council’s Framework on HAI Outbreak Notification which aims to guide notification and communication in the context of a possible HAI outbreak. Ms. Ngoh received her MPH from the George Washington University in 2016. Ms. Ngoh was also selected as a fellow into the 2020-2021 cohort of the Johns Hopkins University Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative. Ms. Ngoh currently serves as the Deputy Director of Program Management and Policy, where she provides leadership on the Program Management and Policy team.

Wendy Spillane
Director of Communications and Outreach

Wendy Spillane, Deputy Director of Communications, Outreach, and Healthcare Payment Integrity of Ripple Effect Communications, brings 20 years professional experience focusing on health care programs and environmental protection, providing strategic solutions, project management, data analysis, and communications support to the federal government.

Ms. Spillane received an M.S. in Environmental Science from Indiana University, School of Public and Environmental Affairs in May 1996. Ms. Spillane earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification in April 2019.

From 1996 to 2014, Ms. Spillane worked in a variety of positions with increasing levels of responsibility at federal consulting firms including task lead and project manager. As a project manager in support of EPA, she successfully managed budgets up to $1M annually, coordinated a nationwide technical assistance team responsible for state and local community engagement, and oversaw communications and meeting support to 10 EPA regional offices. Ms. Spillane demonstrated her adaptability, reach, and excellence in collaboration with a diverse client profile including EPA’s Community Engagement Initiative, CNCS’ AmeriCorps, DOD’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, and CMS’ Premium Stabilization Programs.

In 2015, Ms. Spillane began supporting the Enrollment Assistance Program (EAP), a $50M CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) contract as a senior manager and outreach lead. She helped develop the community outreach strategy and helped lead daily operations of its effective dissemination and implementation in nine state EAP markets, resulting in nearly 50,000 consumers enrolling in the private health insurance Marketplace.

Since 2017, Ms. Spillane has been a senior manager and technical lead for the Marketplace Program Integrity Contract (MPIC), a CMS Center for Program Integrity (CPI) contract supporting the ACA and the implementation of private health insurance initiatives. She served a primary point of contact for CPI and managed a diverse team of researchers, data analysts, and developers to process fraud information in a database for which she developed the requirements. This database tool is instrumental in identifying data trends in agent/broker noncompliance to conduct education and investigation in support of CPI program goals. Ms. Spillane used this tool to develop additional process improvements resulting in project-wide efficiencies.

Fun facts: Ms. Spillane has one son (a teenager!), one dog (a counter-surfer!), and one husband (who is thankfully neither a teenager nor a counter-surfer 😉). She loves meeting up with friends wherever they are, HomeGoods is her happy place, she will NEVER turn down a cup of coffee, and she is incredibly happy Stranger Things is coming out soon with its next installment!

Heather Huntsman
Director of Technical and Scientific Support

Heather D. Huntsman is a solutions-focused and resourceful professional equipped with more than 15 years of training and experience in basic, applied, and translational science environments. Throughout her career she has been driven by asking the right questions which has led her to gain extensive experience in reviewing, evaluating, and interpreting findings in a broad range of biomedical disciplines, including stem cell biology, physiology, aging, and women’s health issues across all domains of medicine, and the influences of sex/gender and race/ethnicity on public health trends. She has used her expertise to support biomedical research at the NIH and DoD in various capacities including scientist, communications specialist, and grants manager. She also has a unique background as an athlete and coach which is a mentality that she brings to the workplace every day allowing her to excel in fast-paced team settings, lead through her work ethic and determination, and inspire others to do the same. Heather earned a Masters’ degree in exercise science from George Washington University, and a PhD in muscle physiology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and prides herself in being a leader that listens and never stops learning.

Julie Lucas
Director of Human Resources

Julie Lucas has over 20 years of experience in human resources. In the beginning of Julie’s career, she worked for a private company overseeing the human resources department for a healthcare company for 17 years. She then moved into the government contracting space. During her career, she has partnered with senior leaders to drive business results. Julie is responsible for all aspects of human resources including strategy and operations, talent acquisition, performance & development, employee engagement, DE&I, benefits administration, workforce technology, and the overall employee experience.

Julie has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from University of Phoenix with a concentration on Human Resources Management.

Deborah Sartin
Director of Project Management Office

Deborah Sartin, Director of the Project Management Office, for Ripple Effect Communications, Inc. brings 15+ Years’ professional experience developing PMOs from inception to service delivery.  She is an accomplished leader managing enterprise technical and business projects for federal, corporate, education and non-profit organizations. 

Created and managed an Office of Business Excellence and several PMO Centers of Excellence to drive organizational maturity in strategic planning, process improvement, quality management, contract management, and project portfolio management 

Ms. Sartin received her M.S. in Management Information Systems from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 

Ms. Sartin holds CMMI Associate, ISO Certified Auditor, PMP, CSM, SAFe SM, Prosci, ITIL, CIPM, and Balance Scorecard certifications.

Early Work History 

1990s 

Ms. Sartin worked as a federal contractor to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) managing technical support and training.  She also managed technical support and training for Mead Packaging, a global manufacturing company.  In addition, she worked as a Project Manager for an international telecommunication firm, Global One where she launched call centers in the Americas. She has a breadth of experience in all aspects of technology services, shifting organizations from traditional service models to innovative transformational models. 

Recent Work History 

2000-2012 

Ms. Sartin managed projects in the banking industry and worked as a business process improvement analyst for a telecommunications firm.  In these roles she developed metrics to improve IT staff performance as well as processes and procedures for organizational efficiencies. She served as a Technology Support Manager for T-Mobile’s global call center. She delivered the best customer experience via outstanding customer relationship management.  She also worked as an account executive and technical recruiter for Robert Half Technology. Ms. Sartin is frequently requested as a guest speaker and trainer on project management and organizational change management topics. 

Current Work History 

In 2012, Ms. Sartin joined the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) as their inaugural Project Management Office (PMO) Director. From the success of this role, she was promoted to the role of Director, Office of Business Excellence to lead strategic planning, process improvement and project portfolio management. After her tenure at ASHA, Ms. Sartin developed and expanded PMOs at educational institutions including West Virginia University, the University of Pennsylvania, Success Academy Charter Schools in NYC, and the Univ. of TN Health Science Center.  She also provided Project Management consultation services with a global consulting firm where she helped clients establish Agile project management best practices. 

Lex Helsel
Director of Research & Evaluation

Dr. Alexis Helsel has professional experience conducting applied health research and program evaluations for several federal agencies, including NIH and DOD. She has contributed and managed mixed-method scale evaluation projects that include bibliometric analyses of program outcomes and impacts and network analyses. Dr. Helsel has extensive experience abstracting administrative from NIH databases, including QVR, IMPACII, RePORT, iCite, as well as PubMed, Web of Science, USPTO, and Federal RePORTER. She also has experience using publication and grant data to construct research networks using VosViewer and CitNetExplorer. Dr. Helsel also has a strong record of effective communication and developing evidence-based recommendations. She has co-authored 20 briefings of research and evaluation findings for senior government and military stakeholders, eight technical reports, one peer-reviewed publication, and 12 professional conference presentations. She has trained and provided technical guidance on epidemiologic and evaluation methods to multi-disciplinary teams of Masters- and PhD-level scientists. She is proficient with STATA, SAS, and Microsoft Access, Excel, and DeDoose. Dr. Helsel earned a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh.

Debbie McCarron
Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach

Debra McCarron has professional experience in strategic communications, project management, outreach and event planning, as well distance learning. She is the project manager for the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network which involves the creation of materials such as fact sheets, infographics, white papers, Power Point reports, videos and learning modules and she has managed graphics teams in all aspects of the design process from conception to development to final production. Previously, she co-owned Quality Design Solutions, a full-service company specializing in web design and marketing as well as database development for non-profit and small business. She also has experience in community marketing and facilities management. Ms. McCarron helped brand and grow a small business to over $1.5 million per year where she assisted in the day to day operations of three facility sites including budget, human resources, facilities management, and internal and external communication. She has experience in WordPress, the Adobe Creative suite and has become versed in 508 compliance. Ms. McCarron received her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Virginia Tech. Her early experience in basic research at both Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Cambridge Biotech was to support grants from the NIH. She also has over 4 years of experience in clinical research performed at the University of Maryland, Department of Cardiology, where she worked with Interventionist developing IIb/IIIa inhibitors.

Asher Beckwitt
Deputy Director of Research and Evaluation

Dr. Karen “Asher” Beckwitt received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from American University, with a specialization in qualitative methods. Dr. Beckwitt has consulted on over 5,000 qualitative and mixed-methods projects in health, medicine, education, and related areas. She has experience leading large and small multi-method research and evaluation projects and manages all aspects of these projects including research design, instrument design, sampling and recruitment, quantitative and qualitative data collection, data analysis, dissemination (peer-review publications, technical reports, and presentations), project timelines, and budgets. During her time with Ripple Effect, Dr. Beckwitt has led components of several multi-method evaluations of NIH biomedical research programs for NIAID. She also managed four public comment analysis projects for CMS, supervising teams of up to 40 policy analysts and overseeing training, task coordination, quality assurance, and client communication. Prior to joining Ripple Effect, Dr. Beckwitt worked as the Lead Qualitative Research Consultant for her own research company and as the Qualitative Analysis Research Consultant for George Mason University, where she created a qualitative service for the entire university community. Dr. Beckwitt has authored or co-authored 37 technical reports, 6 peer-reviewed articles, and a book chapter. She has delivered over 40 presentations at professional conferences to present research findings and to train researchers in qualitative methods and software. She is proficient in Dedoose and an expert trainer in NVivo software systems used to organize qualitative data.

Paul Edwards
Chief Financial Officer

Paul brings 25 years of government contracting knowledge and over 10 years of senior management team experience to Ripple Effect.  He has worked in a variety of industries including IT services, secure networks, engineering, and shipbuilding.  Businesses he has worked with have ranged in size from $20M to $1B in annual revenue.

Most recently, Paul was CFO of Converged Security Services, a private equity backed business that was built through the acquisition of two government contractors specializing in IT services and security & access control. As the CFO, Paul was part of the team that grew the business by 40% over a two-year period.  He led the business in all aspects of finance, accounting, treasury, reporting and audit, as well as several company initiatives post-acquisition to streamline and improve business processes and compliance.

Prior to that, Paul worked as CFO for a small Rockville-based defense contractor called Ultra Electronics 3eTI, a subsidiary of a UK-based publicly traded company.  During his tenure there, Paul was responsible for all finance, HR, and IT functions.

Paul spent 19 years with General Dynamics in a variety of positions including CFO of their UK subsidiary, as well as Director of FP&A at GD’s Corporate Headquarters.  He started his finance career with 14 years at GD’s shipyard in Bath, Maine.

Paul graduated from Clarkson University with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering & Management.  He also has an MBA with honors from Clarkson University. He lives in Broadlands, VA with his wife, Kim.  He has three daughters in college at VCU, JMU and South Carolina.

Laura Welsh
Director of Human Resources

Laura Welsh started her career in nursing before deciding to get a Master’s degree in Human Resources and focus on topics such as change management, leadership development and coaching, employee engagement, and staff development. She has held numerous positions in HR and healthcare, rising to the level of CHRO for an 1,100-employee healthcare system in Virginia. Her most recent position was Director of Compensation for George Mason University, where she was responsible for developing a comprehensive and multi-faceted compensation program for 11,800 employees.

In addition to holding several HR certifications, Laura shows her passion for life-long learning through her Six Sigma Green Belt, Crucial Conversations facilitator certification, and a LIFO facilitator certification.

Stay connected with us!

A career is a personal, yet shared journey that lasts over the course of a lifetime. We know that people move on to pursue their next career challenges, and that’s why we’re open and supportive when it happens. While it’s sad to lose great people, we consider it an opportunity to stay connected and grow our network of alumni and friends. If you’re interested in returning, or want to refer a stellar candidate, please reach out and contact our HR department.

Stay tuned for more information!

Are you a scientist interested in transitioning to a career away from the lab?

Knowing if that move is right for you and gaining the experience necessary to get a job in an “alternative” science career can be difficult. We understand this struggle and may have an opportunity for you!

We offer a volunteer fellowship program for science professionals who are interested in transitioning away from the bench. Each fellowship is tailored to the interest, background, and available time of the fellow. Fellowship opportunities may include work in public policy, program management, research and evaluation, or communications. If you’re interested in applying, please send us a resume and your best cover letter explaining your availability and why you’re interested in the fellowship.

Know someone who works at Ripple Effect?

Use the LinkedIn plugin below to search your network, reach out, and connect! Our people play vital roles in helping identify and refer candidates who may be great Ripplers in the future. Search our current openings, and feel free to contact our Human Resources department for more information.

We’re always looking for bright, versatile, lifelong learners who are willing to roll up their sleeves and jump into new opportunities.

Because we deal with constantly-evolving challenges, we value people who are constantly training, re-training, adapting to workforce trends, and learning from successes—as well as mistakes. If you’re an experienced professional with excellent judgment and a proven ability to get things done, you could be a great fit. Search our current openings and read up on our total rewards benefits package.

Interested in gaining scientific management experience? Apply for our internships! We’d love to have you.

We offer a variety of scientific opportunities to work in public policy, program management, research and evaluation, communications, or graphic design. We also offer internships for students interested in office and workforce management, including opportunities in logistics, recruiting, and retention. If you’re interested in applying, please send us a resume and your best cover letter explaining why you’re interested in the internship.

Public Comment Management & Analysis

What is it?

“Public comment” refers to the process of soliciting feedback from the public or membership on official reports, regulations, guidelines or programs. Public comments generally take one of two forms: Rulemaking — formal public consultation; Request for Information — informal public consultation. Comments are analyzed, synthesized, and disseminated to assist with decision-making.

Why is it important?

Public consultations give voice to stakeholders and provide organizations with more detailed scientific, economic or industry expertise needed to develop the most effective processes, policies and guidelines.

What can Ripple Effect provide?

Our five step process to facilitate the solicitation, receipt and analysis of public comments includes:

Planning and Release
Collecting Responses
Managing and Organizing Data
Data Analysis
Report Summaries

Timothy La Rose
Director of Communications & Outreach

Timothy La Rose was, most recently, the Senior Communications Manager for the USAID/RTI International ENVISION project which seeks to end neglected tropical diseases in 19 countries. He has more than 20 years of communications experience in both the private and public sectors. Previously he worked as the Chief of Communications for UNICEF Guinea, where he led communications before, during, and after the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

Timothy has served as Chief of Communications for the United Nations Office on Children and Armed Conflict, led digital communications for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and worked on internal and external global communications projects at UN Headquarters. Earlier, he worked in the private sector at Citibank and Sony where he led small a digital communications team that won a patent for a content management system.

He has worked in: Washington D.C.; New York, NY; Conakry, Guinea; Vienna, Austria; Nairobi, Kenya; and Doha, Qatar. Throughout his career, he has managed communications teams covering diverse topics including: children, education, health, human trafficking, transnational organized crime, conflict, international development, child protection, and the music industry. Timothy lives in Silver Spring, MD with his wife and son, loves the outdoors, and speaks German and French.

Tierra Terrell-Johnson
Senior Human Resources Manager

Tell us about your career path. How did you get here?

I studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Go Badgers!) and got my MBA from Concordia University. I concentrated on Human Resource Management because I wanted to prove that HR professionals can be analytical, strategic, and have a seat at the business table.

What motivates you?

I’ve made it my mission to ensure that when you come to work at Ripple Effect, you bring your whole self and feel comfortable doing so. We’re all equal here, and I will always fight for that.

What are some of your hobbies?

I love to organize (and color-coordinate!) I’d be a professional organizer if I could. My favorite store is Staples—I could spend a whole paycheck there.

Advice for future professionals entering your field?

Develop your people’s leadership skills, especially junior employees. Train them and involve them. As companies grow, they need succession plans—and if you invest in your people, they will invest in the company in return.

Kristy Riordan
Director of Research & Evaluation

Tell us about your career path. What were you doing before Ripple Effect?

After years of studying and training to be a teacher, I realized I cared more about social science and big-picture policies that affect lives, rather than being the one teaching reading and math. So, I switched gears. Before Ripple Effect, I worked for the Army and evaluated behavioral health programs.

What’s a hobby of yours?

I am an avid reader, especially Stephen King novels. It’s hard to find the time with three kids, but getting to read on vacation or on an airplane is when I’m the happiest.

Why is Research and Evaluation so important to what Ripple Effect does?

If you aren’t willing to look at yourself and see how you can improve, you probably aren’t approaching your business in a way that has fidelity. The government hasn’t always done this well, but we do! So, we help clients measure, analyze, and better understand how to improve and learn from past mistakes.

What is a funny quirk about you that people might not know?

I’m a big germaphobe. Being a health researcher doesn’t help that.

Advice you would give a young professional?

What my father always told me: You are going to work for the vast majority of your life, so do something you can take pride in and enjoy doing.

Amy Hein
Senior Vice President of DoD Accounts

What does it mean to be the Director of Scientific Workforce?

A lot of the work we do at Ripple Effect isn’t done at Headquarters; many contracts involve placing our people directly at client sites. So, I’m responsible for developing best practices for hiring and managing our employees at those client sites, like NIH and Fort Detrick. I also build close relationships with our clients and employees to ensure we find support that fits an agency’s culture and mission needs.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?

Having limited face-to-face communication with the people I manage and support is a huge challenge. I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be in their shoes every day. So, I listen. I understand their needs, empathize, and help problem-solve. There may be a physical divide between me and client sites, but I want my Scientific Workforce and clients to know I’m always there for them.

What are some of your hobbies?

I love to do anything active—I’m a runner and I coach my son’s sports teams. On the other hand, I love naps. On the weekend, you can find me taking a catnap to recharge for the next week.

Fun fact about you?

I was in ROTC! As a part of my program, I flew glider planes. Scary, but a big confidence booster.

Advice to young professionals?

Do some soul-searching about what’s most important to you in your career—is it the work? The people? A company mission and culture? Then, find opportunities that move you down that path. If something is truly important to you, don’t take no for an answer.

Jessica Escobedo
Vice President of Program Management and Policy

What does your day-to-day job involve?

It’s different every single day! I split my time between client support, staff support, and business development, so I get to identify and solve tricky problems all day long, which I love. Things are always evolving in science policy work, so you never know when politics or popular press may impact the work we’re doing. And it’s always fast-paced.

Why is science policy so important to Ripple’s business?

You could say that science policy is the heart of Ripple’s business. It’s where we started and how we grew our core capabilities into three unique, but interrelated divisions. Science policy work requires analytical skills, communication skills, and subject matter expertise, as well as exceptional project management, attention to detail, and practical, repeatable processes. These are the strengths that we bring to every client, every project, every time, and inspire our company’s core values.

What is a fun fact about you?

My husband and I met in an acapella group!

What advice do you have for those following in your footsteps?

Be open to opportunities around you. Some of the most wonderful things in my life happened because I talked with someone in an elevator or while waiting in line. Science policy is such a diverse field, that you never know who may help connect to you that next career step. If you’re willing to consider lots of possibilities, there are many paths to success.

Patrick McCarthy
Director of Strategic Growth

Why is communications so important for a business’s success?

It’s becoming a lost art. In a world of 280 Twitter characters, everyone has become reactionary. The first story isn’t the whole story—research matters. Be methodical, thoughtful, and evidence-based, and that’s how you succeed.

What are some of your hobbies?

Sports. Golf is a passion of mine, and I coach my step-daughter’s hockey team. I enjoy reading books—biographies and historical nonfiction. Traveling is a big, big hobby, and I love exploring new cultures with my family.

Fun fact about you?

I soloed in an airplane before I got my driver’s license.

What are you proudest of?

I’ve worked hard to surround myself with good, like-minded coworkers, many of whom have become close friends. That we’re willing to spend time together means I’ve earned trust and respect and tried to lead by example, and I’m very proud of that.

Bambo Bamgbose
Senior Vice President of Growth

Who is your biggest role model?

My mother. She grew up in a time when women didn’t have the freedoms and rights that women enjoy today. And yet, she found the will and the way to not be constrained by it. That’s what I always remind myself of and have taken with me throughout my life.

How did you get involved in finance?

In college, I was drawn to business, but wanted to specialize in the language of business: accounting. There’s one specific accounting course that separates who will finish their degrees from those who won’t, and I refused to back down and give up. I’ve continued to do that every step of the way in my career.

What is an interest you have outside of work?

I’m a diehard soccer fan. Growing up, I wanted to be the next Pelé or David Beckham. My national teams are Nigeria and Cameroon, and I’ve been rooting for Manchester United after my British wife insisted on it.

Advice for professionals wanting to enter the finance field?

You need to have the ability to imagine. Those who fail to do so get left behind because decisions are made within certain inhibitors and mental blocks. Imagine, and embrace change with open arms.

Jennifer Pohlhaus
Chief Operating Officer

How did you join Ripple Effect?

After my AAAS Science & Technology Policy fellowship, I was looking for my next career step. A colleague mentioned that I should talk to Amy Bielski from Ripple Effect, a company I had heard positive things about. I contacted Amy and we hit it off right away. I started off by managing an NIH contract that Ripple Effect had recently won, and after that project was over, there was always another new and exciting challenge to overcome—that satisfied my need for learning and achieving.

What do you think is your biggest strength as a leader?

When I took the CliftonStrengths assessment, I was a little surprised by the results. My top five strengths are Achiever, Relator, Responsibility, Harmony, and Learner. My husband says I have the most patience of anyone he knows and I think that comes from the Relator and Harmony strengths. I’ve learned that taking the time to understand and see situations from multiple perspectives is key to connecting with others and solving problems.

What do you do in your free time?

I don’t have a lot of free time since most of my time outside of work is spent taking care of my kids. But I make time every morning to be active—I’m an avid runner and I do yoga on the weekends.

What are you proudest of in your career?

I am proudest of what Amy and I have built at Ripple Effect. We’ve created a place that welcomes diversity and values lifelong learners who always want to find better ways to do things.

Amy Bielski
President and Chief Executive Officer

Why did you start Ripple Effect?

When I worked at other companies, I realized they prioritized the technical sides of business over culture: HR, how employees and contractors were treated. To be successful, every element of a business matters, not just the bottom line. I wanted to create an environment that reflected that.

What is a hobby of yours?

I’m a martial arts instructor working towards my 3rd degree black belt. I appreciate how Ninjutsu isn’t about violence—it’s about how to be calm in a battle and defuse tense situations.

What is a funny quirk about you that people might not know?

Before everything became digital, I’d take 14-20 paperback books with me on vacation and read them all by the end of the trip. Since I’m not a person who reads things twice, I would leave the books in a common area for other people to enjoy.

Advice to someone wanting to start their own business?

You need to have a creative vision of what you want to achieve and where you want your company to go. To get there, you need to be resilient and learn like crazy from peers who walked the path before you. If you have enough perseverance, you can learn anything.

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Ripple Effect Communications, Inc.®

9600 Blackwell Rd., Suite 210, Rockville, MD 20850 (800) 277-5708

Amy Bielski President and Chief Executive Officer

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Work Smarter. Perform Better.^®

Ripple Effect Communications, Inc.^®

9600 Blackwell Rd., Suite 210,
Rockville, MD 20850
(800) 277-5708

Amy Bielski
President and Chief Executive Officer