We challenge the status quo.

Sarah Williamson has more than 15 years of experience creating and implementing strategic public relations programs for education organizations, helping clients secure results that make an impact. Most recently, Sarah has worked with countless leaders in education to create thoughtful public relations programs that promote growth, build momentum, and, ultimately, enhance learners’ academic success and overall well-being. She is the host of Build Momentum, a podcast dedicated to sharing effective PR strategies for education. And when she is not running the agency, Sarah tries to keep up with her husband and three young boys on camping adventures all over the West. 

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Madeline Turnock, Senior Council, and a local Portlander, harnesses positive, proactive communications to bring about change, improve communities, inspire, motivate and educate. An intermediate Spanish speaker, she brings two decades of integrated marketing communications experience to her role as a trusted partner and advisor for clients seeking to achieve audacious goals in the face of great challenges. Madeline was the former communications & partnerships advisor to the president of Oregon’s most diverse, private nonprofit university. She is a former president of the local, Portland, Oregon PRSA chapter board of directors, and an alumna of Leadership Portland in addition to having served on several education nonprofit boards including 3 to PhD, Saturday Academy, and Construct Foundation.

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Elise Meika Smith is SWPR Group’s Senior Director, Client Relations. Elise’s most recent role prior to joining the SWPR team was at All Hands Raised, an educational equity nonprofit organization based in Portland, where she primarily worked in development and communications. Before her time there, Elise worked as the Associate Director of the Davidson Management Honors Program at The University of Texas at Dallas, and at Southern Methodist University as the Coordinator of New Student Orientation and Student Support. Elise received her bachelor’s in Political Science and Broadcast Journalism, with a minor in Japanese, from Texas Christian University, and her master’s in education in Post-Secondary Administration and Student Affairs from the University of Southern California. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Ryan, and their son.

Thuy Phan is the Director of Operations with SWPR Group and also oversees the agency’s Account Receivables. After immigrating to the United States when she was 1, Thuy has been residing in the Pacific Northwest for over 30 years. She graduated from the University of Oregon and since then has held different positions ranging from insurance adjuster to master of logistics and sponsorships for events with over 800 attendees for an education nonprofit organization. Combining her passion for policies and relationships, Thuy quickly fell into HR. She enjoys cooking and camping with her family: her Navy husband, 2 small children and rescue dog, Charlie.