Adds Advisors in Civic Engagement, Conflict Resolution, Multi-Stakeholder Imagination and Higher Education
Specialists bring unique combinations of skills and experience to help organizations, colleges and universities prepare for upcoming year of unrest
Peppercomm announced the expansion of Team Meridian, a specialty group launched in 2023 by the firm to provide strategic counsel to help clients plan for and manage societal crises impacting their people, brands and organizations. Michael J Lee, College of Charleston Professor, Beth Fisher Yoshida, CEO of Fisher Yoshida International LLC, Doug Whiting, higher education marketing and public relations professional, and Sam Ford, co-founder of Innovation Engine, will be joining the seasoned bench of agency executives as third-party advisors, and support Peppercomm’s clients by developing holistic frameworks and protocols to navigate increasingly complex societal issues that matter to stakeholders.
“The sociopolitical environment of 2024 brought a tumultuous start to the year, particularly for institutions of higher learning. Now more than ever, businesses and institutions must take a good look at their crisis protocols and ensure they are prepared to address increased campus activism, political conflicts in the workplace and how the presidential candidates’ platforms may impact their missions,” commented Jacqueline Kolek, EVP and Chief Innovation Officer at Peppercomm. “This expanded team of consultants bring a unique combination of expertise that can help businesses, colleges and universities create a robust and holistic crisis framework to address the known threats and the unexpected this election season and beyond.”
Following a career in higher education and as a political communications advisor, Doug Whiting brings a dynamic understanding of the issues facing college campuses across the U.S. and the students that attend them. Working at institutions ranging from Boston College to the Connecticut General Assembly and, most recently, the University of New Haven, Doug has served as a senior communications and public relations advisor for over 45 years.
Michael J. Lee brings a unique perspective on civic engagement and discourse to the group and specializes in teaching and writing about political communication and rhetoric. His research is centered on political branding, political identity, strategic communication, and audience positioning within American politics. He has written two books about American political arguments and now serves as the director of the Civility Initiative which hosts workshops on healthy conflict and dialogues across differences.
In addition to her consultancy, Beth Fisher-Yoshida serves as Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University, focusing on negotiation, conflict resolution, and conflict analysis, where she highlights the significance of self-awareness in communication. Her unique perspective at the intersection of academics and conflict analysis provides a resolution-focused approach for navigating the challenging dynamics anticipated in an election year.
Sam Ford, whose career has straddled the media/marketing industries and academia, brings over two decades of expertise in projects bringing a range of stakeholders together to imagine and build futures together. Innovation Engine, the innovation studio he cofounded in 2024, works with leading companies to solve problems and realize opportunities through novel approaches and repeatable models. For two decades, Sam has supported organizations with innovation approaches, audience engagement, cultural intelligence, and storytelling strategies. He has also served on various advisory committees; taught courses at both MIT and WKU, his two alma maters; worked on various projects as an advisor at Columbia University and University of Southern California; and published more than 25 academic pieces, including the NYU Press book Spreadable Media.
“Businesses and higher education institutions face continued conflict, unrest and reputational risks this fall and now is the time to ensure their response frameworks are ready for the challenges they know they will face and those they cannot predict,” added Kolek. “In collaboration with our existing Team Meridian leaders, this team of specialty consultants offers unmatched expertise in all forms of crisis planning and management.”
