Steve Cody is Founder of Peppercomm and a Senior Adviser to Ruder Finn. A communications industry entrepreneur, author and thought leader, he advises the firm’s leadership on strategic growth, industry partnerships and brand development while championing innovation across the profession. Steve is also deeply committed to advancing the communications industry through mentorship, education and leadership development.

Over the course of his career, Steve has advised organizations across industries while building Peppercomm into one of the industry’s most respected communications firms. He is the co-author of The ROI of LOL (HarperCollins, 2023) and What’s Keeping Your Customers Up at Night? (McGraw-Hill, 2003), and is widely recognized for championing the role of humor, empathy and authentic leadership in business. An accomplished public speaker and mentor, Steve regularly guest lectures at universities and works with students, emerging professionals and military veterans transitioning into the private sector.

Steve serves as a trustee of the Museum of Public Relations, is former Chair and Trustee of the Institute for Public Relations, chairs the Page Society’s Development Committee, and serves on the College of Charleston’s Advisory Council. He is also a member of Northeastern University’s Board of Trustees and chairs the Advisory Council for the university’s College of Arts, Media & Design. Outside of work, Steve is an avid climber, comedian and dog lover who has raised more than $100,000 for charitable organizations through stand-up comedy performances.

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Rob Duda joined Peppercomm, a Ruder Finn Company, in August 2013. Mr. Duda is a seasoned communications professional in the mobility and infrastructure industries, providing counsel to clients across these industries, which include smart mobility, connected vehicle data, logistics and supply chain, motorsports and automotive manufacturers & suppliers.

Over the past 25 years, Rob has developed expertise in various industries including: urban infrastructure, homeland security and defense, industrial manufacturing, energy, automotive aftermarket, motorsports, maritime transportation and global logistics and supply chain management.
Rob is a board member on the Board of Directors for the International Motor Press Association and the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund.

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Marissa Dunn is vice president, media strategy at Peppercomm, a Ruder Finn Company, based in the New York office. She connects high-impact media opportunities with integrated communications strategies that advance client business objectives, shape differentiated narratives, and anticipate emerging trends. Marissa counsels senior executives on media positioning, leads proactive and reactive storytelling efforts, and drives engagement across national, business, and financial outlets. Her strategic approach ensures messaging is aligned, timely, and built to influence key stakeholders.

With nearly 20 years of experience across media and television, Marissa brings deep expertise in national, business, and financial news. Before joining the firm, she was a team leader and senior producer at Bloomberg News, where she helped lead its flagship market close program. She also held producing roles at Fox News, Fox Business, and ABC News, including Good Morning America. Her newsroom background provides her with an insider’s understanding of how stories are shaped, framed, and delivered.

Marissa is recognized for her steady leadership in fast-paced environments, analytical rigor, and ability to translate complex issues into compelling narratives. She has worked closely with Fortune 500 CEOs, lawmakers, and top-tier broadcast talent, while mentoring junior colleagues and fostering collaborative, high-performing teams.​

Jackie Kolek is Co-President and Managing Director at Peppercomm, a Ruder Finn Group company, based in New York. She identifies emerging client challenges and market opportunities, develops innovative solutions and service offerings, leads key accounts and drives new business growth. Jackie partners with highly regulated organizations to deliver fully integrated communications programs spanning media relations, social and digital strategy, content development, experiential marketing and crisis communications.

With more than 30 years of experience, Jackie has advised clients across banking, wealth advisory, asset management, fintech, and accounting and advisory services. A member of Team Meridian, the firm’s crisis response team, she specializes in crisis preparedness and response, reputational risk management, executive positioning, integrated communications strategy and stakeholder engagement.

Jackie also manages Peppercomm’s Laughing Matters Council and co-designs the firm’s humor-led training programs, helping leaders strengthen engagement and storytelling. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Public Relations and is a member of Page Up. A University of Delaware graduate, Jackie lives in Westport, Connecticut, with her husband, two children and their two sheepadoodles.

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As part of the finance team, Nicole collaborates with vendors, clients, and internal stakeholders to foster strong partnerships and provide strategic financial guidance.
Prior to Peppercomm/Ruder Finn, Nicole worked at MSLGROUP, where she managed consolidated financial reporting, ensured compliance with accounting standards, led user acceptance testing for SAP implementation, and developed resource management tools.
Nicole lives in Brooklyn with her husband, their two children, a parakeet and a puppy.

Paul Merchán started at Peppercomm, a Ruder Finn company, 18 years ago and now leads communications strategy, media relations and message development across several clients, managing his teams to deliver exceptional results. He is a crisis communications specialist and has coordinated the development of crisis scenario plans, playbooks and real-time crisis management for various organizations.

Operating with a particular specialty in financial services, professional services, technology and B2B, Paul has extensive experience working with a blue-chip client portfolio that includes names such as Cisco, EY, HSBC, Lehigh University, Mazars, M&T Bank, Sharp Electronics, Whirlpool and Wilmington Trust. He is a trusted counselor for these clients, working closely with marketing and communications leads to coordinate external and internal communications.

Paul is also the co-host of the Laughing Matters podcast, where he interviews leaders across business, academia, journalism and politics on how they are using humor to drive a positive cultural environment. He has also published articles on the use of humor in business that have run in outlets such as WealthManagement.com. Born to immigrant parents from Ecuador, Paul is fluent in Spanish and uses this skill for professional translation and interpretation, while bringing a global perspective to his work.

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Danielle Montana is a Senior Vice President, Integrated Media, at Peppercomm, a Ruder Finn Group company, where she leads integrated communications programs spanning public relations, influencer strategy and brand storytelling. She partners with clients to develop strategic communications programs that build awareness, strengthen reputation and drive business outcomes across earned, owned and social channels.

With more than 12 years of experience, Danielle has advised clients across technology, professional services and consumer brands, including Torc Robotics, Flexjet, Dole Packaged Foods, Xero, Wilmington Trust and Outback Steakhouse. Prior to joining Peppercomm, she launched Sid Lee’s U.S. public relations offering, leading media relations and influencer programs for brands including Dos Equis, Hyundai and Schwan’s Food Company. Earlier in her career at North 6th Agency, she developed communications campaigns for companies ranging from emerging startups to publicly traded organizations across consumer, B2B technology, sports and marketing technology.

Danielle is a frequent guest lecturer at Rutgers University’s School of Communication and Information, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. A 2025 PRSA 15 Under 35 honoree, she also serves as a judge for the PRSA Big Apple Awards and PR Platinum Awards. She lives in Red Bank, New Jersey, with her husband, twin boys and two high-maintenance dogs.

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As managing director of Peppercomm, a Ruder Finn Company, Maggie O’Neill provides agency-wide communications and brand experience support to an expanding portfolio of clients. From Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, she specializes in crafting compelling brand stories that reach target audiences at critical points in their path to engagement across the globe. Maggie also leads many of the agency’s consumer, technology, and mobility clients and is the founder of the agency’s experiential and stakeholder engagement practice. Before joining the agency, she worked in the entertainment field, supporting movie festivals, premieres, indie filmmakers, and personal celebrity publicity. Maggie represents the agency on the Board of University of Florida and AMA New York and sits on the PR Council and Fast Company Executive Board, amongst others.

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Paolo Ramos is a vice president at Peppercomm, where he leads day-to-day account strategy and execution across a portfolio of B2B, fintech, financial services, and consumer clients. Known for being both news-obsessed and data-driven, Paolo has extensive experience partnering closely with clients to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives while identifying opportunities for account growth and innovation.
With more than 12 years of experience, Paolo has worked across B2B and B2C sectors including adtech, marketing, retail, HR, AI, fintech/financial services, and consumer electronics. He has supported organizations ranging from early-stage startups to publicly traded companies, with deep expertise in building credibility in highly competitive markets. His experience includes work with brands such as Getty Images, Chase, Evite, Amazon Ads, and VantageScore.

An award-winning communications leader, Paolo has been recognized by the IN2 SABRE Awards for delivering high-impact media results and measurable business outcomes. He earned a B.S. in Mass Communications with a focus in Public Relations from Florida International University. Based in Brooklyn, Paolo enjoys traveling whenever he can, and at home, you’ll find him at Broadway shows or caring for his extensive plant collection and his pet snake, Fiyero.

Hannah Robbins is a vice president at Peppercomm, a Ruder Finn Company, where she leads integrated communications programs across financial services, B2B, and consumer brands. She serves as a strategic day-to-day partner to her clients, overseeing account management, team leadership, and executive counsel. Hannah works closely with senior stakeholders to develop and execute programs spanning media relations, thought leadership, brand positioning, and corporate communications, ensuring initiatives align with broader business objectives and deliver measurable impact.

Over the course of her seven-plus years at Ruder Finn, Hannah has guided organizations through rebrands, corporate change initiatives, executive visibility programs, and reputation management efforts. She has partnered with clients including Dole, BMW, Cisco, Pirelli, Citizens, Torc Robotics, and more. Hannah brings deep expertise in shaping executive positioning and enterprise-level thought leadership strategies that strengthen reputation, influence key stakeholders, and align leadership visibility with broader business objectives.
Before joining Ruder Finn, Hannah worked in the marketing department at Stanford technology startup Moka5, where she developed a strong foundation in research, message development, and demand generation.​

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Paige Spector is an HR Business Partner at Ruder Finn, where she partners with senior leaders to advance talent strategy, strengthen organizational culture and support employee development. She provides strategic counsel across performance management, leadership development, employee engagement and organizational effectiveness, helping leaders build high-performing teams and create environments where employees can thrive.

With more than six years of human resources experience, Paige has supported organizations ranging from a global media brand to a large healthcare network, where she partnered with more than 20 agencies on talent and people strategy. Her expertise spans employee relations, talent acquisition, performance management and leadership coaching, enabling her to guide leaders through organizational change while fostering employee growth and engagement.

Paige holds a Certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and has led initiatives including the implementation of a new performance management system and manager training programs focused on mental health and leadership development. Based in New York City, she enjoys exploring new restaurants and coffee shops, spending time in Central Park and staying active through Barry’s Bootcamp.