Melissa has worked in communications for over 20 years, advising CEOs, business leaders and entrepreneurs. Her expertise lies in executive communications and speechwriting, and she is passionate about helping clients tell their unique story.
Before establishing The Mathews Group in 2010, Melissa earned her communication credentials at CNN and NASA.
At CNN, Melissa wrote and edited scripts for news reports and produced international broadcasts with global teams. The intense newsroom pressure equipped her to work quickly and accurately on deadline, and her experience working with colleagues across time zones developed her ability to manage distributed teams.
During her career with NASA as a public affairs officer and spokesperson, Melissa advised senior leaders on strategy and implemented communications campaigns, specializing in media outreach to nontraditional audiences. She spent nearly three years working crisis response to the Space Shuttle Columbia accident and subsequent return to flight, and led the international partnerships communications portfolio.
Today, Melissa is proud to direct The Mathews Group, a pioneer in the virtual agency model. She guides a team of remote staff and advises Fortune 50 clients, small businesses and nonprofits on corporate communications strategy. Melissa is also a passionate advocate for virtual and flexible work opportunities. She has presented at industry conferences including the PRSA Counselors Academy and been interviewed for print and podcasts.
A collaborative leader, Melissa is not afraid to make tough decisions or offer expertise to colleagues and clients. She builds strong relationships with her team and clients and often serves in a confidante role. Melissa is married to a U.S. diplomat and has three kids and a Louisiana-born mutt. She has lived in the U.K., Japan, Guatemala, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Tia has over 15 years of experience advising Fortune 500 and Fortune 50 clients, small businesses, nonprofits and government agency on corporate communications strategy. Her expertise lies in strategic communications planning, internal communications and copy writing.
Tia launched her public relations career working for a political and public affairs shop consulting for state and federal political campaigns and trade associations in Oregon state. Her next position was as a White House appointee at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she directed all internal communications for agency employees at each of the 10 NASA field centers. Tia was responsible for developing consistent messaging across the agency, managing incoming media requests for the assistant administrator and special projects such as the Return to Flight Space Shuttle Launch, the 35thAnniversary of Apollo 11 and the premiere of the IMAX film “Magnificent Desolation.”
Eager to return to the Pacific Northwest, Tia joined the global public relations firm WE Communications (formerly Waggener Edstrom Worldwide). Tia led a Microsoft analyst relations team and served as a strategic relationship manager. She was responsible for building relations with leading industry analyst firms and helped facilitate product development consulting activities with Microsoft’s engineering, architecture and marketing teams to enable competitive market positioning and delivery through the sales and partner channel.
Today, Tia leads The Mathews Group business development efforts and has helped grow the client roster to include Fortune 100 companies such as Honeywell, Lockheed Martin and Phillips 66. In addition, Tia leads the agency’s University of Washington Continuum College account. Internally, Tia leads efforts to ensure The Mathews Group team collaborates seamlessly around the globe.
Among her volunteer projects, Tia serves on the board of directors and coordinates The Mathews Group’s pro bono communications and PR work on behalf of Ameena Project. The organization runs a preschool and early elementary school in a vulnerable community within Thika, Kenya, which she visited in 2016. Tia is a member of PRSA Counselors Academy and Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
Tia and her husband, Andrew, their two children and pet Shiba live in Portland.
Katherine Brennecke
Katherine is an accomplished communications trainer, public relations specialist, media manager and television producer. She has over 20 years of experience with a proven record of growing brands and engaging target audiences through content development and traditional and social media.
Katherine developed her passion for communications and content development working for the CNN news group and Turner Broadcasting. During her 15 years at CNN Headline News (now HLN), Katherine served in a variety of positions including editorial manager and executive editor, managing a team of 35+ employees. She set network guidance, coordinated story treatment and promotion, established network editorial policy and managed a large staff of writers.
In 2011, Katherine moved to Turner Broadcasting’s TruTV, where she supervised collaboration efforts with all CNN networks and affiliate stations. Katherine was responsible for big-picture coverage and daily editorial direction for live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the nation’s highest-profile trials. Outside of the courtroom, Katherine was also charged with growing the network’s social media presence and increasing user engagement.
In her work with The Mathews Group, Katherine develops customized training for clients looking for impactful interpersonal communication in the science, technology and engineering fields. She creates training curricula and facilitates high-energy, relevant skills training including: core communication skills, presentation skills, written communication, facilitating effective meetings, newsroom management, video production skills for corporate communicators, and writing for broadcast and multi-media applications.
Katherine is a professor at the University of North Georgia where she teaches public speaking and intercultural communication. As a thought leader, Katherine has contributed articles to various news outlets, including Working Mother.
Nellie has more than 10 years’ experience working in corporate communications and marketing roles. She has developed and executed communications campaigns for every audience – executives, employees, customers and consumers.
Before joining The Mathews Group in 2019, Nellie’s career was in the oil and gas industry. Having worked in a variety of communications roles, Nellie’s expertise ranges from public relations to executive communications to advertising. She has delivered award-winning internal communications programs related to spin-offs, company culture and branding initiatives. She also spent time on consumer marketing campaigns, resulting in increased sales, social media followers and positive brand awareness and sentiment. From her work on B2B communications, she understands the important role the customer has in a company’s success and has successfully designed several communications platforms to reach and influence this stakeholder group.
At The Mathews Group, Nellie primarily focuses on the Phillips 66 and Resideo accounts, providing content development, executive communication and annual publication support.
Nellie has a bachelor’s degree in public relations and an MBA from Kansas State University. After living in Texas for eight years, she and her husband decided to move their family back “home” to the Kansas City area. She keeps quite busy with a toddler, infant twin boys and two dogs, but she wouldn’t have it any other way!
