James W. Harff
Chairman and CEO - Global Communicators

Jim Harff, Chief Executive Officer, is a co-founder of Global Communicators and Chairman of its parent company, Harff Communications Incorporated. Previously, as President of the Global Public Affairs division of Ruder Finn for eight years, Mr. Harff directed a team of international public relations and communications professionals from headquarters in Washington, D.C. Mr. Harff's professional work has specialized in government relations, lobbying, public policy issues management, foreign government representation, international economic development, media relations, crisis communications, and travel and tourism promotion. For eight years he was a Chief of Staff to three Members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Katherine M. Christie
President - Global Communicators

A former journalist and long-time public relations professional, President Katherine Christie has had an extensive career in fields ranging from politics and private industry to federal government service. As senior press officer at the National Endowment for the Arts, Ms. Christie was responsible for publicizing programs and projects to make the best of the American arts available to the widest audience. As a Washington-based news reporter and columnist, Ms. Christie covered the White House, Congress and government agencies. A co-founder of Global Communicators, Ms. Christie was a Vice President of Edelman Worldwide.

Kristine E. Heine
Executive Vice President - Global Communicators

Executive Vice President Kristine Heine has more than 25 years of experience in the communications profession, working with U.S. and international businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government entities. Ms. Heine began her career as a television and radio reporter, producer, and anchor in her native Iowa before coming to Washington, D.C., as a Press Secretary to a U.S. Representative. As Director of Public Liaison for the U.S. Agency for International Development, Ms. Heine developed and managed programs to educate the public about U.S. foreign and humanitarian assistance. She has been Vice President of Grey and Company public relations, and Senior Vice President of Edelman Worldwide.

Michiko M. Morales
Senior Vice President - Global Communicators

Senior Vice President Michiko Morales brings a decade of public relations and marketing experience in the United States and Japan to Global Communicators. An international public relations strategist, Ms. Morales has managed public relations campaigns for technology, consumer product, business consulting, defense contracting, and financial services clients. Prior to Global Communicators, she was vice president of Stanton Communications and supervised accounts that covered business process outsourcing, technology, defense contracting and consumer product industries. She held a number of public relations positions, including senior counselor and director of the Washington office of The Martin Agency/SLAY Public Relations. She is fluent in Japanese and has served numerous Japanese clients.

Jennifer Heuer
Media Relations - Global Communicators

Jennifer Heuer brings media, nonprofit and international experience to Global Communicators, along with the perspective of the 18-24 year-old youth market. Ms. Heuer earned a degree in Marketing and Information Systems from Syracuse University in 2006. In addition to participating in a foreign study program in London, she has traveled throughout Europe and Indonesia. Ms. Heuer served as the director of a Central New York community outreach program, and during her college summer breaks in 2004 and 2005 she worked as a Global Communicators project assistant on media relations. She joined the firm in June 2006 as an assistant account executive.

Timothy C. Murphy
Senior Account Executive and Research Director
Global Communicators

Tim Murphy, a specialist in international defense policy, provides Global Communicators’ clients with incisive analysis and counsel gained through work with law firms, universities, nonprofits and international security.  As a research assistant for a defense policy think tank, Mr. Murphy specialized in military and security related subjects. Through personal, academic and professional experience, Mr. Murphy is well versed in international relations, policy making and government affairs.  He earned a master’s degree in international security from the University of Denver. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His language skills include Spanish, Russian and Italian.

Ashley J. Drake
Assistant Account Executive - Global Communicators

Ashley Drake brings communications experience and a knowledge of new media concepts and tactics to Global Communicators’ clients. Ms. Drake earned a degree in liberal arts with a focus in journalism at The George Washington University in 2007. She also studied culture in Ireland and has traveled throughout Europe and Central America. Ms. Drake worked as a project assistant at Global Communicators during her senior year of college, and joined the firm as an assistant account executive and manager of the Honduras Virtual Media Center in December 2007.

Patrick Davis
Senior Adviser

Patrick T. Davis is chief executive officer of Patrick Davis Partners, the consulting firm he founded in 1996. With his leadership, the firm has become a trusted advisor to senior executives nationwide and is known for achieving clarity on the complex positioning issues that drive brands, markets and media. Mr. Davis has led the growth of Patrick Davis Partners from its inception, and today manages the firm’s network of offices in Atlanta, Napa Valley, and St. Louis. He serves as a senior advisor to Global Communicators on brand strategy and positioning assignments. Patrick Davis Partners works with a wide range of national leaders in airlines, beverages, consumer products, entertainment, food, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, real estate and retail, among others.

Kiku Obata
Graphic Designer

Kiku Obata founded St. Louis-based Kiku Obata & Company in 1977. The firm is committed to effectively creating identities, places and ideas for clients by successfully integrating graphic design, architecture, environmental graphic design, interiors and lighting design. Ms. Obata is an adviser to Global Communicators on graphic design strategy and creation of graphic applications including corporate logos.

Jerry La Pointe
Managing Director
Global Communicators West Los Angeles, California

With three decades of experience in travel and tourism promotion, high tech strategic planning, special events production and communications marketing, Jerry La Pointe is one of America's most accomplished communications consultants. As head of Global Communicators' West Coast operations, Mr. La Pointe is also President of Spectrum Consultants, Los Angeles. Since 1985, the firm has served more than 300 clients in the entertainment, tourism, hospitality and high tech industries. Mr. La Pointe taught graduate and undergraduate business communications as a Professor at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business Management in Los Angeles. He is fluent in French and Spanish.

Luis Soto
Business Consultant

Luis Soto, a lawyer and business consultant, provides advice and counsel to Global Communicators’ investment promotion clients. Mr. Soto’s professional experience over more than a decade has focused on economic development, including investment and trade promotion, competitive analysis, public and private management, personnel supervision, media relations, and negotiations. A native of Venezuela, Mr. Soto was executive director of CONAPRI, the Venezuelan Investment Promotion Agency, from 1995 to 2001. He is now an independent consultant based in Orlando, Florida. His clients have included Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Turkey and the Andean Community. Mr. Soto received his law degree from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Venezuela and his MBA from the Venezuelan Graduate Management School.

James A. Crandall
Media Relations, Investment Promotion,
Global Technology Issues

With 25 years of public relations experience, Jim Crandall offers Global Communicators’ clients extensive international media contacts, strategic media planning, product promotion, and expertise on technology issues worldwide. Mr. Crandall has worked with Fortune 500 corporations as well as top-ten international public relations agencies and organizations in the energy, high technology, telecommunications and pharmaceutical sectors. His marketing and publicity assignments have covered 25 countries. He is President of Crandall Communications, Inc., based in Washington, DC. Mr. Crandall holds a master’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University.

Patrick Pellerin
Media Relations, Government Relations, Events Management

Patrick Pellerin, Global Communicators' strategic partner with more than 30 years experience in Washington, DC, has worked on media and government relations campaigns involving health care, transportation, agriculture, small businesses, veteran's affairs and others. Recognized for his work on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, he has handled other high profile issues including obtaining the landing rights for the Concorde supersonic aircraft, media relations for the Bicentennial Celebration in Washington, DC, support for a vote in Congress for DC residents and similar assignments. He has conducted media campaigns for local homebuilders and developers and special events ranging from news conferences to grand openings. Mr. Pellerin, chairman of the Communications and Marketing Committee of the National Press Club, is also a member of the American League of Lobbyists and the Public Relations Society of America. He holds a B.A in Journalism from Louisiana State University.

N’PR Communications Consultancy Co.
Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey

Based on Global Communicators’ long-term interest in Turkey and Turkish Cyprus, we have formed a strategic partnership with N’PR, a communications management agency with offices in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 1992 N’PR is one of the few communications companies holding the ISO 9001-2000 Total Quality Management System certificate. The agency shares with Global Communicators an abiding commitment to the highest professional standards and ethics. N’PR worked with Global Communicators in directing media publicity for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Our Advertising Agency Partner

August, Lang & Husak, Global Communicator’s strategic advertising agency partner, is a full-service firm that shares a similar corporate culture and our commitment to excellence in communications. Launched in 1992, AL&H is based in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Mike August, director of client services, has had a prolific career in front-line positions with Washington’s most successful advertising agencies.  Bill Lang, a strategic leader in marketing, media, public relations and promotional tactics, is an active volunteer in the public service arena.  Chuck Husak, creative director, is a strategic thinker at home in the studio, marketing meeting, or client’s office. He is a winner of advertising’s highest awards.  Together, AL&H adds incredible synergy to our client projects that have an advertising, branding or promotional component.

Frederick Campbell

As a Senior International Adviser to Global Communicators, Fred Campbell brings the marketing and communications expertise of 35 years as an advertising, public relations and entertainment executive as well as an author of articles and screenplays. For the past 15 years, Mr. Campbell has headed Image Communications, creating and marketing prestige entertainment projects for world distribution. In his early years, Mr. Campbell was with CBS Television. He has produced television programs for 20th Century Fox, NBC, and BBC.

Pierre K. Glauser

International economic development and investment expert Pierre K. Glauser, based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, is a Global Communicators Senior International Adviser. Mr. Glauser, an international management consultant, was executive director of the Canton Vaud Council for Economic Development, director of the Swiss Watch Industry Federation and, an official of the Swiss Defense Department serving as assistant defense attaché at the Swiss Embassy. Multi-lingual in French, German and English, Glauser received a master’s degree in economics and business administration from Geneva University. He will provide advice and counsel on international projects and foreign direct investment.

William S. Hatten, Ph.D.

Veteran international business executive Bill Hatten provides Global Communicators and its clients with a wealth of management experience and counsel derived from his five decades as a senior corporate leader and innovator. A Senior International Adviser, Dr. Hatten is President of Hatten & Associates, based in Lakeland, Florida. His management consulting firm advises, manages, and promotes a wide variety of businesses, nonprofit organizations and political entities.

Catic Mohammed

Catic Mohammed, an international businessman based in the United Arab Emirates with contacts around the world, provides Global Communicators with the benefit of his many years of international business experience as well as his extensive network of contacts in the Middle East, Europe, the United States and Asia. As a Senior International Adviser to Global Communicators, his major responsibility is new business development, but his trusted advice and judgment are invaluable assets he brings to the corporation.

Jill A. Schuker
Senior International Adviser

Jill A. Schuker, Senior International Adviser, is a former special assistant to President Clinton for National Security Affairs and deputy White House communications director. She is president of JAS International, a strategic communications, issues management, and media consulting firm based in Washington. Ms. Schuker brings impressive national security and government relations credentials to the agency. Her years of experience in the Clinton Administration‘s National Security Council and Commerce Department and the Carter Administration’s U.S. Mission to the United Nations and State Department enhance our expertise in serving international clients. Ms. Schuker, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, has published numerous articles on public diplomacy, civil liberties and security issues. She has served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and currently is a Shapiro Fellow and Adjunct Professor at George Washington University.

Maximilian Ullmann

Mr. Ullmann has over thirty-five years of experience in international business and marketing, technology transfer, and government relations in Europe, the United States, the Middle-East, Africa, Asia, and around the world. In addition to his work with Global Communicators, Mr. Ullmann represents clients in dealings with The World Bank, International Finance Corporation, InterAmerican Development Bank, and other international finance institutions. Mr. Ullmann also served as manager of Far East and Pacific Distributors operations for EXXON Corporation. In this post Max found himself deeply involved inter-relating with various Asian governments and working closely with local officials. For sixteen years Mr. Ullmann served as senior executive for the FIAT Group, Italy’s largest private industrial corporation. In 1989, he was appointed Vice President of Defense Systems, at FIAT’s Washington, DC office, following various managing positions in the Defense Vehicle Division of IVECO, FIAT’s industrial and military vehicles arm, including establishment of their Middle-East operations in Dubai, UAE. Mr. Ullmann studied psychology and sociology at the Universities of Geneva, Switzerland, and Tuebingen, Germany.