Corporate responsibility has been a core principle of our agency for nearly three decades. While 2020 was a year of unprecedented turmoil with a pandemic plus social and political unrest, one constant was the agency’s commitment to corporate responsibility. It is an ideal that has grown in importance as we have aligned our business approach to complement our clients, many of which are deeply committed to programs that promote social, economic and environmental sustainability.
As a woman-owned firm under the leadership of Founder and CEO Carol Cookerly, we have long understood the challenges of diversity and inclusion faced by companies and individuals breaking through financial and societal barriers. In addition to supporting equity in the workplace, we support a range of laudable nonprofits that give back to our communities.
We’re proud to put the tenets of corporate responsibility into action internally and externally. The following is a sample of ongoing efforts.
- Our president, Stephen Brown, and senior corporate communications team member Sheryl Sellaway, served on Leadership Atlanta’s committee for racial reconciliation in the business and civic communities.
- The agency provides ongoing philanthropic support for minority empowerment organizations such as The Ron Clark Academy, Hollis Academy, The New Freedom Project, Alliance Theatre and the Metropolitan Atlanta YMCA.
- Through work with the Arthur M. Blank Foundation and Actor’s Express, we participated in the Arts Solidarity March and presented a production of “Woke” to stimulate community discussions on social justice.
- A team of the agency’s senior leadership participated in Covenant House’s annual “sleep out” to raise awareness and funding for initiatives supporting the homeless.
- Teammates participated in fundraising for the Ronald McDonald House, the Georgia Conservancy, Shepherd Center, YMCA youth programs and the Murphy Harpst Center’s equine therapy program for abused and neglected children.
We participate in dozens of other projects that are extensions of client relationships plus causes near and dear to our wonderful staff, such as supporting natural wildlife habitats at the Teton Raptor Center in Wyoming and Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.
It is not trite to say that walking the walk of corporate responsibility is the “right thing to do” for humankind, because it is. Not only does corporate responsibility enhance the fabric of our lives and put smiles on our faces; it has proven to be good business, helping our company prosper since the early 1990s.
As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman is a strategic communications leader specializing in media relations and reputation management. With a proven track record of securing high-profile placements in top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and USA Today, he excels at crafting compelling narratives that resonate across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
Mike Touhill is vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, where he helps lead traditional, social and digital media programs for B2B and B2C clients in packaging, telecommunications and technology, among other industries. As a communication leader, he develops and executes public relations strategy, provides proactive and reactive counsel to C-level executives and secures earned media coverage for client initiatives and product.
Andrew Agan is a vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, overseeing the agency’s internship program and leading media relations, content strategy and social media initiatives. He provides counsel and executes campaigns for clients across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, hospitality, technology, automotive and many others. Andrew excels at crafting compelling stories and building media relationships, resulting in clients being featured in notable outlets such as CNBC, Associated Press, Business Insider, Fox Business, HBO, Inc. Magazine, Sirius XM, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, among others.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.