Who We Are
Frontwood Strategies is a small but mighty strategic communications firm with roots in politics and advocacy. We help our clients achieve their goals. The firm offers strategic counsel, media training, message development, content creation, media relations, and social media management and draws on a network of partners to offer research, advertising, graphic design, and video production.
Nell Callahan, Founder
An award-winning strategist, Nell Callahan has worked across sectors and issues, including technology, health care, education, civil liberties and the economy. She founded Frontwood Strategies after more than a decade working with some of the nation’s largest brands and prominent advocacy campaigns. She works with business leaders, advocates and experts to develop effective communications strategies, messaging, and national and local earned media placements.
As Managing Director and Chief of Staff at SKDKnickerbocker, which was the Holmes Report 2018 Public Affairs Agency of the Year, Nell led effective campaigns across industries and policy issues. She worked with the government of Puerto Rico to frame the Island’s historic fiscal crisis as a humanitarian crisis, leading the charge for landmark legislation that gave them access to bankruptcy protection. She’s worked with leading women’s organizations to empower leaders and advance equality. She’s helped trade associations and corporations navigate crises and articulate their competitive advantages. And in 2013, she was part of the team that helped make marriage equality legal nationwide.
As Press Secretary for Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Nell developed a broad understanding of the political landscape, the mechanics of media and where decision makers turn for information. Prior to that, as a director at The Glover Park Group, she designed and executed an award-winning integrated campaign for the nonprofit Center for Constitutional Rights to promote the Center’s Guantanamo Bay–related legal activities and expertise. She worked at the national headquarters of the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign, and began her career at The Albright Group. She received her master’s degree in media and public affairs and her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from The George Washington University. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, son, and daughter.
Mary Ellen Garrett
Mary Ellen Garrett is a Vice President at Frontwood Strategies, where she executes public affairs strategies, including media relations, message development, and third-party stakeholder engagement for a wide range of clients. She is a seasoned communicator and policy advisor who has developed communications strategies for national nonprofits, Fortune 500 companies, and congressional leaders.
Previously, Mary Ellen served as Communications Director for Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) during Beatty's time as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. In that role, Mary Ellen served as an on-the-record spokesperson and secured the Congresswoman spots on MSNBC, CNN, and other top-tier news outlets.
Prior to her time on Capitol Hill, Mary Ellen was a Senior Associate at SKDK. She worked with national nonprofits, Fortune 500 companies, and advocacy organizations to develop compelling messages and respond to reputational crises.
Mary Ellen is a graduate of William & Mary. She resides in New York City with her family.
Zoe Jensen
Zoe Jensen serves as a Director at Frontwood Strategies, where she specializes in leading digital initiatives and effectively managing both organic and paid content strategies.
Before her tenure at Frontwood Strategies, Zoe's professional journey included roles in government and media. As a Field Organizer for the Maine Democratic Party during the 2020 election, she led the engagement of volunteers across the state.
While working for U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, Zoe refined her digital acumen. She played a pivotal role in crafting social media content, including a compelling documentary addressing Connecticut's pressing issue of college food insecurity. She also worked with the HBO Documentaries Media Relations department to assist the platform with event planning, advertising, and nurturing vital relationships within the press and talent sector.
Zoe is an alumna of the University of Connecticut and proudly calls New Haven, Connecticut, her home.
Philippa Martinez-Berrier
As a Vice President at Frontwood Strategies, Philippa Martinez-Berrier develops, manages, and executes communications and public affairs strategies, including media relations and third-party stakeholder engagement for nonprofit clients. She plans national and local earned media campaigns and directs content creation and social media for clients on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Her work also includes helping clients tell their stories through engaging written thought pieces.
Previously, Philippa worked at Giant Noise, a public relations firm in Texas where she helped hotels, bars, restaurants, and music festivals garner national and local press coverage. Prior to that, she was at SKDKnickerbocker in Washington, D.C. working with Fortune 500 companies and advocacy organizations, responding to crisis situations and providing communications support.
Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Philippa graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor's degree in Government and a minor in Hispanic Studies.
Seth Nelson
As a Vice President at Frontwood Strategies, Seth specializes in overall communications strategy, messaging, national and local earned media placements, speechwriting, and opinion writing. He works on a variety of issues at Frontwood Strategies, from education, housing, climate change, reproductive rights, and tech, and has experience working on democracy reform, trade policy, and LGBTQ+ equality issues. Seth also serves on the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Campaign Board to help more LGBTQ+ candidates run for office and win in 2024 and beyond.
As Communications Director and primary spokesperson for the Maine Democratic Party in a critical election cycle, Seth helped local, state, and national campaigns communicate their progressive values to voters and make the case for why they should give Democrats a chance to lead. At SKDKnickerbocker, Seth worked with democracy reform nonprofits to change the political appetite for broad reforms on ballot-box access, money in politics, and government corruption. He wrote speeches for clients working to ensure our approach to addressing the climate crisis includes all the tools at our disposal. And he helped survivor-led nonprofits oppose unjust federal policies that fail to protect sexual assault survivors’ civil rights to access their education.
Seth started his career in public service, joining AmeriCorps and working with an Alabama-based non-profit to help hardworking families prepare income taxes for free while avoiding exorbitant, negligent, and sometimes fraudulent preparers. Originally from Tennessee, Seth holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School as well as a master’s in business administration and a bachelor’s in marketing from The University of Alabama. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Don Schaefer
As a Vice President at Frontwood Strategies, Don specializes in creating digital media campaigns across owned and paid media channels that help clients reach their most important stakeholders with messages that resonate and drive action to their desired goals. He has led impactful awareness and advocacy campaigns for local, state and national brands and organizations across a variety of sectors and industries including tech, energy, healthcare and education.
Before Frontwood Strategies, Don worked at APCO Worldwide and the Curley Company where he helped lead teams across the digital and paid media practices, creating and executing integrated communications strategies to educate, engage and encourage action among key audiences. His experience includes grassroots and grasstops advocacy, brand awareness, demand and lead generation, and issue education campaigns. Prior to that, Don started his career at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), producers of CES, helping to elevate the brands and consumer technology industry, engage association members and drive support on key legislative issues.
Don graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, he currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Tara Schultz
As a Director at Frontwood Strategies, Tara Schultz leads and supports client teams in developing strategic communications plans and supplemental project plans across communications channels.
Tara is an established communications professional with extensive experience in message development, social media management, media relations, and graphic design. Previously, she worked with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership to manage digital communications and generate engagement around important conservation policy issues. Prior to that, she was an Associate with Good Insight, a Washington, D.C.-based executive search and governance consulting firm.
Tara holds a bachelor’s degree in studio art from Ripon College and a master’s degree in arts management from American University. Originally from central Wisconsin, she now lives in Washington, D.C.