Click on any staff member's headshot to reveal his or her bio.
CAROL COOKERLY President
Building on her background as a reporter and public relations professional, Carol Cookerly founded Cookerly Public Relations in 1991. Under her direction, the firm has grown in staff and billings into one of Atlanta's leading mid-sized agencies representing a client roster more typical of national firms.
Carol leads the company's issues/crisis management practice, employing a highly effective counseling approach that minimizes negative impact and maximizes image-building opportunities.
A graduate of Duke University, Carol has served on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Atlanta YMCA for more than a decade. She was honored as its 2004 "Volunteer of the Year" for helping to guide the Y's strategic direction and leading its annual fundraising efforts. An avid competitor in equestrian events, Carol is also a board member of The Atlanta Steeplechase.
Carol's family residence, Front Row Farm, is home to a variety of hunter/jumper show horses whose lives are as leisurely and wonderful as the family labs, Fudge and Biscuit.
CANDACE McCAFFERY Senior Vice President
Director of Interactive Services & Social Media
Candace McCaffery joined Cookerly Public Relations in 1997 and the agency hasn't been the same since. With well over a decade of experience, she has proven to be a top-notch professional who is highly proficient in managing the most demanding accounts. Her skills have earned invaluable recognition and brand awareness for her clients' products and services and resulted in many industry awards for the agency.
Candace is the agency's project leader for The Clean Air Campaign, which, under her leadership, has garnered five Best Public Service Campaign awards from the Public Relations Society of America, Georgia Chapter. Her team excels at a vast array of account work in the corporate, environmental and social marketing fields - from VeriFone to Ready Georgia; Las Vegas' Club Ride to Correctional Medical Associates.
Candace also provides strategic oversight for the agency's interactive and social media services, along with hands-on management of various platform programs, applications and measurement.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Candace worked in communications for the 1996 Paralympic Games. She started her agency career with a focus on hospitality, non-profit and retail industries.
She is a member of the Junior League of Atlanta, where she spent two years as chair of the Political Affairs Committee. As board member for Families First, a century-old social work and family services agency, she co-chairs the advocacy committee; and also serves on the boards of directors for the Anti-Prejudice Consortium and ALL-GA. She does all this and still finds time to be a great mom to her beautiful daughter Ryan.
TRACY PADEN Vice President
Tracy Paden is a detail-oriented, senior-level professional who consistently delivers top-notch results for her clients. From Cookerly's Lexington, Ky. office, Tracy co-manages The Clean Air Campaign account, providing strategic direction, media relations, collateral development and event planning. She leads efforts for the Buckhead Area Transportation Management Association (BATMA), Implantable Provider Group (IPG), and has lent her skills to Litter. It Costs You, Serenbe and the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD).
Prior to joining Cookerly Public Relations in 2003, Tracy worked at communications 21, where she led accounts in industries ranging from architecture and commercial real estate to nonprofit and hospitality. She got her start with the nonprofit WONDERS: The Memphis International Cultural Series, where she used media relations to drive hundreds of thousands of visitors to blockbuster art exhibitions.
Tracy is a summa cum laude graduate of Harding University. She is a past board member of GOAL and the Atlanta Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications. She has also volunteered with Hands On Atlanta, the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Genesis Shelter.
CHIP STEWART Senior Vice President
Chip Stewart joined the agency in 1993. He specializes in developing compelling client news into stories and in working with reporters and editors to effectively deliver complex stories to multiple audiences. He has crafted major campaigns for hundreds of clients including Power4Georgians, Merrill Lynch, Allied Waste, Rural/Metro Ambulance, WellStar Health System, Sprint and ZON Audio.
Chip’s professional career began in the news business, first as a reporter and later as sports director for UPI Newstime. For nine years, he reported for the Atlanta market’s top-rated station. During that time he also served as a correspondent for Associated Press, UPI, and United Stations Radio Network.
His experience in developing effective messaging strategies and his relationships with the media give Chip special insight that has allowed many client stories to be published when they might not otherwise have been of interest to reporters and editors.
He is a lifelong bowler who has won many awards on the local, state and national levels. A former captain of the University of Georgia bowling team, Chip is a Certified Junior Olympic coach and for more than 15 years has volunteered his services to local youth leagues, helping metro Atlanta youngsters develop and enhance their bowling skills.
JANE STOUT Senior Vice President
Public relations professional, sailboat enthusiast, downhill skier, pop pianist, valedictorian - all of these describe Jane Stout.
Since joining Cookerly Public Relations in 1998, Jane has designed and managed comprehensive communications programs for such clients as Merrill Lynch, Hunton & Williams, King & Spalding, Georgia Dental Association, Home Builders Association of Georgia, Rural/Metro Ambulance, Vulcan Materials Company, Raymond James Financial (PRSA Phoenix Award), HCA Healthcare, McKesson (PRSA Phoenix Award), Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Ciba Vision, Atlanta Gas Light Company, Jenny Pruitt & Associates and more.
Coupled with great media instincts, Jane's experience enables her to consistently secure national visibility for clients with top media outlets including AP, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA TODAY, Investor's Business Daily, BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur, CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN and scores of trade publications.
Prior to 18 years in communications and marketing, Jane worked in corporate financial training and taught high school biology and ecology. A graduate of Bucknell University, she received an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut concentrating in finance and marketing. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and holds the accreditation in public relations (APR). She is active with Business Executives for National Security (BENS) and co-chairs the communications committee.
CINDY BRANNON Assistant to the President
Cindy Brannon joined the Cookerly Public Relations team in 2004. As assistant to the president, Cindy works closely with the agency’s senior management team and assists the efforts of all account groups. She also oversees the company’s technology needs. Prior to joining Cookerly, she worked for Reed, Quinn & McClure CPAs.
Cindy is a graduate of Berry College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics. She also served as a student supervisor and liaison for the Berry College Alumni Office.
Cindy is active in her community, volunteering with Hands On Atlanta and Friends of Piedmont Park. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, traveling and playing with her dog, Safari.
CINDY BRANNON Assistant to the President
Cindy Brannon joined the Cookerly Public Relations team in 2004. As assistant to the president, Cindy works closely with the agency's senior management team and assists the efforts of all account groups. She also oversees the company's technology needs. Prior to joining Cookerly, she worked for Reed, Quinn & McClure CPAs.
Cindy is a graduate of Berry College where she earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and economics. She also served as a student supervisor and liaison for the Berry College Alumni Office.
Cindy is active in her community, volunteering with Hands On Atlanta and Friends of Piedmont Park. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, traveling and playing with her dog, Safari.
DEBBIE BROWN Controller
Debbie Brown joined Cookerly Public Relations in 2007, bringing more than 25 years of corporate experience in accounting, finance and human resources to the team. Her vast experience in the advertising, broadcast and public relations industries has refined her problem solving and analytical skills that help her balance a complex range of daily tasks.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Debbie honed her skills at WUPA-TV, WATL-TV and Atlanta public relations firm Hill and Knowlton for 17 years.
Debbie is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and currently serves on the Atlanta Employer Committee.
A single mother of two teenage boys, Debbie is active in her church's youth program, runs a book study group and manages her neighborhood women's group. Debbie also has a jewelry business where she designs and makes one-of-a-kind pieces. In her spare time she enjoys kayaking, boating and hiking.
MATT COCHRAN Account Executive
Matt Cochran joined Cookerly Public Relations in 2008. He provides writing, issue management, community relations and media relations support for clients in the fields of energy, information technology and education.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Matt interned at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, a research and educational institute on Capitol Hill. He later led the Media and Public Affairs House at The George Washington University, a residential experience designed for college students interested in the confluence of media and politics.
A graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in economics, Matt was heavily involved in the student newspaper, an experience that led him to pursue his current career path. He attended graduate school at George Washington University, graduating in 2007 after studying strategic management, public policy and economics.
LINDSAY DURFEE Account Supervisor
Lindsay Durfee joined the Cookerly Public Relations team in 2005 while completing her masters' degree in public relations at the University of Georgia. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, Lindsay worked at Fleet Financial in the office of communications, where her responsibilities focused largely on community relations and sponsorships.
Lindsay's talents extend from media relations and writing to event planning and leveraging social media. She oversees public relations and website projects for Club Ride Commuter Services and the Secure POS Vendor Alliance, and manages day-to-day efforts on one of the agency’s longest standing accounts, The Clean Air Campaign. She has aided in the launch of campaigns such as Litter. It Costs You, and successfully garnered media coverage for clients ranging from AirSage to Raymond James Financial; Merrill Lynch to CommuteSmart.
Lindsay studied mass communications at Boston College before transferring to New York University, where she received her bachelor of fine arts degree.
ADA HATZIOS Account Executive
Since joining Cookerly in 2006, Ada Hatzios has provided media relations, strategic planning, event planning and writing support for various clients in the legal, consumer products, healthcare, financial, hospitality and real estate sectors. She enhanced visibility for her clients by securing stories in publications ranging from USA Today and Businessweek to the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Hotel Design.
She received her bachelor's degree in communication studies from Virginia Tech, where she wrote for the Collegiate Times, the university's award-winning, student-run newspaper. She earned a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Georgia.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Ada worked with the University of Georgia's Fanning Institute to create a public relations campaign for the UGA Golf Course. She has also managed public relations projects for the Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens GreenFest and the Office of University Relations at Virginia Tech. She is an active member of the Georgia chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
CAROL MCENTEE Account Supervisor
With more than a decade of communications experience, Carol works with a diverse group of corporate and not-for-profit clients. She is responsible for implementing marketing public relations campaigns, media relations and writing press materials for accounts including the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's Ready Georgia and Correctional Medical Associates.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Carol was an account manager for The Leatherbury Group, where she handled media relations, community relations and event planning for various clients including BellSouth. She also worked as communications director for Phi Mu Fraternity, a national sorority.
Carol is a graduate of Auburn University where she received a degree in speech communications. She lives in Inman Park and is active with the neighborhood association, and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.
BETH MCKENNA Account Executive
Beth McKenna brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to Cookerly, joining the agency in 2007. With an extensive background in many aspects of marketing and particular focus on strategic analysis, planning and issues management, Beth has significant experience across multiple industries, from technology to food & beverage.
At Cookerly, Beth is responsible for media relations, community outreach, event planning and more for clients including Tenon Consulting Solutions, Home Builders Association of Georgia and Multiple Benefits Services.
Previously, Beth served as VP of marketing for Prentice Hall Professional Software where she managed a team of 26 and was responsible for strategic planning for all existing and new products. Additionally, Beth was VP of marketing for Potato Finger Snack Foods, where she redefined the company's existing sales channels, determined markets and launched new products.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Beth received a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications. Energetic and analytical, Beth enjoys an active life with her two teenage daughters - complete with swim meets, soccer tournaments, and basketball games.
MIKE MULLET Supervisor of Account Services
Mike Mullet joined Cookerly Public Relations in 2007, bringing more than 17 years of experience in public relations, writing, media relations and crisis communications. As supervisor of account services, Mike provides writing support to agency clients, public relations campaigns and new business development.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Mike worked as account supervisor at GolinHarris, and as publications manager in the marketing and public relations department of Piedmont Hospital. He developed strong writing, media relations and crisis communication skills during 14 years as public information officer and spokesperson for the Kent County Health Department in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Georgia Division of Public Health.
Mike graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in interpersonal and public communication from Central Michigan University, with graduate studies in communications and rhetorical criticism.
AMY SALLOUM Account Executive
Amy Salloum joined the Cookerly Public Relations team in 2007. She provides media relations, strategic planning and writing support for companies across various industries including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Davis, Matthews & Quigley, P.C., Autry, Horton & Cole and Fire & Flavor Grilling Co. Additionally, along with a Cookerly Public Relations team, she is thrilled to provide pro-bono services for the Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers.
She came to Atlanta via Washington, D.C. where she was the constituent services manager for Congressman Charlie Norwood. There she acted as the liaison between the White House and the 10th Congressional District of Georgia. She also managed and organized all constituent services including correspondence on legislative issues and congressional tours.
An Athens, Georgia native, Amy is a Terry College of Business graduate from the University of Georgia. She is an active member of the Shepherd Center Society and serves as co-chair for the 2010 Shepherd Cup auction committee.
LINDA H. SHAFT Administrative Assistant
Linda Shaft joined the Cookerly Publix Relations team in 2006. As the "face" of Cookerly, Linda's warmth and smile greet all clients and visitors to the agency. When not catering to client needs, Linda provides needed support to the agency's account teams.
Linda comes to Cookerly Public Relations with a background in cosmetology. She is active in her community and in 2008, she completed the 3-Day Breast Cancer 60 Mile Walk, raising more than $3,400 for her team.
CORY STEWART Account Supervisor
Cory Stewart joined Cookerly Public Relations in 2006 and brings extensive experience in media relations, writing, event planning, marketing communications and advertising to the team. As account supervisor, Cory has helped develop and implement strategic public relations campaigns for accounts including Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Power4Georgians, Cobb EMC, PRG-Schultz International, Hunton & Williams, LLP and more.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Cory held positions at Compass Bank in Birmingham, Alabama as a regional marketing officer, and Fleishman-Hillard International Communications in Houston, Texas, where his accounts included SBC Communications, Enron Energy Services, Space Center Houston, Zebec Data Systems and The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston.
Cory graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communication from the University of South Alabama.
SARAH WATERS Account Executive
Sarah Waters joined Cookerly Public Relations in August 2007 and provides media relations, collateral design and writing support for The Clean Air Campaign, Club Ride, Georgia Emergency Management Agency's Ready Georgia campaign and VeriFone.
Prior to joining Cookerly, Sarah worked at The Fluid Group, where she created visibility for the Georgia State Parks, Historic Sites and Lodges and the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds.
Sarah is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of the University of Alabama, where she also helped launch the University's Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations.
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys supporting the arts in Atlanta and cheering for the Crimson Tide and the New Orleans Saints.
LESLIE EMANUELE Assistant Account Executive
Leslie Emanuele joined Cookerly Public Relations in 2009. She provides media relations, issue management and writing for clients in the areas of energy, technology and education.
Leslie interned at Cookerly while studying at the University of Georgia. Before returning to the Cookerly team, she remained actively involved on campus. While there, she served as a member on both the PRSSA executive board and the national Bateman case study competition team.
Leslie earned a bachelor's degree of journalism in public relations from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Outside of the office, much of Leslie’s time is spent volunteering through the North Atlanta Rotary Club.
BRITTNEY WATSON Assistant Account Executive
Brittney Watson joined Cookerly Public Relations in May 2010. She provides writing support, and media relations and social media services for clients in the areas of healthcare, government/public affairs and nonprofit.
Prior to joining the Cookerly team, she studied at the University of Georgia where she earned a degree in public relations from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Brittney played an active role on campus by serving as an account executive with PRSSA’s student-led PR firm, Creative Consultants, for her team’s client, AIDS Walk/Run Athens. She also served on the executive board for both the National Pan-Hellenic Council and her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Outside of work, Brittney spends a great deal of her time mastering the skills of baking and cooking with an aspiration to open her own bakery in the future.