The McKPR Team

Gwen McKinney, President and Founder of McKinney & Associates, is responsible for translating the vision of public relations with a conscience into a sustained and tested suite of communications services and activities. Gwen blends strategic savvy with an unparalleled commitment to social justice and public policy for change. Read More

Phyllis Wilder
Office Manager
Phyllis Wilder is responsible for managing and implementing the effective daily operations of McKinney & Associates. She assists Gwen in developing systems and functions to administer client services, marketing, personnel and finance.

Phyllis is a skilled administrator with more than 20 years of experience supporting managers and executives in a variety of industries, including Fleishman-Hillard's Global New Business Development team. A consummate self-starter and team player, she has demonstrated ability to evaluate current business processes and systems and then plan and implement procedures to maximize operating efficiency.

Elaine Elinson
Senior Communications Associate
San Francisco-based, Elaine Elinson has worked as a communications strategist for the civil rights community in California for more than two decades. Her clients include the Equal Justice Society and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, as well as private law firms challenging multinational oil companies and workplace discrimination.

At McKinney & Associates, Elaine provides oversight and direction and assists in guiding messaging, staffing and client services delivery, including a multimedia campaign on Black Infant Health with partners from the California Department of Maternal Child and Adolescent Health and University of California San Francisco's Center on Social Disparities in Health.

Llenda Jackson-Leslie
Senior Communications Associate
Llenda Jackson-Leslie is a senior communications professional skilled in speechwriting, project management, strategic planning, crisis communications, grassroots advocacy and media relations. She has worked on various McKinney projects, including the recent Respect DC Campaign, the launch of RWJF's Health Policy Center at Meharry Medical College and the Fair Recovery Campaign of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.

Llenda has served as Director of Legislative Communications for the American Civil Liberties Union, as Communications Director for Michigan's largest trial court and as Director of Marketing and Media Relations for the Detroit Branch NAACP, the nation's largest branch.

Joyce Taylor, MBA, MA
Human Resource Specialist
Joyce Taylor is with Swath Leadership, LLC and has provided Human Resources coaching, consulting and training services for more than ten years to the associates of McKPR. Her initiatives include strategic planning; employment, recruitment and selection; teambuilding; conflict resolution, diversity, performance management; and coaching services. Her consulting work has focused on fostering the cooperative efforts of employees in achieving organizational and individual goals. In addition to her work with McKPR she has worked extensively with diverse cultures and organizations throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Central America.

Ms. Taylor has been an Adjunct Graduate Professor in the Johns Hopkins University Cary School of Business since 1991. She teaches graduate level courses in Organization Development and Strategic Human Resources.

Pamela Taylor
Senior Communications Associate

Pamela Taylor is a communications and media specialist, writer and policy analyst with a 25-year track record for innovative, cost-efficient service delivery to non-profit, private and government sector clients.

A native Washingtonian, she serves as a senior communications consultant with McKinney & Associates, drawing upon her experience managing public affairs for several national nonprofits. Pam has developed and led internal and external communications programs, including producing collateral and designing outreach campaigns to government agencies, public interest organizations, the media and the public.

Monique Brackett
Communications Associate
With seven years of PR firm experience serving a variety of community, corporate, government and private sector clients, Monique Brackett provides public relations and social marketing support to McKinney & Associates, drawing from her expertise in advertising, marketing and promotions.

Based in Los Angeles, CA, Monique was the firm's lead for a multimedia health equity campaign targeting African American women in cooperation with the California Department of Public Health's Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program. Monique previously coordinated community, media and faith-based outreach for the state-funded First 5 California program, which promotes early childhood development and school readiness for children.

Her skills in media relations, community engagement and event planning have contributed to projects on behalf of clients including Black Entertainment Television (BET), California Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS, NAACP Image Awards (2012), and more.

Nicole Hayes
Communications Associate
Nicole brings a strong background in consumer outreach, partnership development and media relations to McKinney & Associates. Many of her communications strategies were cultivated during her work with international public relations agency Fleishman Hillard Inc., where she developed and implemented strategies and media relations outreach for large consumer and government clients.

With her skilled foundation, Nicole sought a career to support her core belief that people make the best investments and launched her own D.C.-based media relations consultancy, Pieces of Life, to serve small businesses and non-profit organizations. She is committed to the mission that drives McKinney and its clients.

Ryan Duncan
PR / Digital Media Specialist
Ryan Duncan serves as the leader in the development and execution of McKinney & Associates' social media efforts. He implements digital campaigns, targeting online media through content development and sharing.

He remains focused on the rapidly evolving world of social media to service McKinney and its clients. He also delivers integral support in managing the McKinney website, providing regular updates and analysis. Ryan is a 2006 graduate of Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communications.

Richard Montgomery
Art Director and Multimedia Design Specialist
Richard directs the firm's conceptual design and development, including computer aided special effects and photo editing, website design, corporate marketing and collateral production. He works closely with the strategic planning team to assist in crafting the visual concepts for branding campaigns, corporate identity and logos, brochures and business publications, magazines, newsletters and Internet business development, communication signage and displays, and full service printing.

His work with McKinney has included design and layout of a report marking the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and design and supervision of the collateral for the documentary Unnatural Causes.

Shannon R. Mouton
Marketing & Digital Media Director
Shannon Mouton leads the internal marketing and digital efforts for McKinney & Associates. She is a relationship marketing professional, with a passion for utilizing social technology for building business relationships, sharing information, networking and advancing the greater good. Her 20+ years of public speaking, marketing and community-building experiences have afforded her unique opportunities to foster communities where none existed, develop and launch innovative programming and bridge generational, economic and racial divides.

Shannon is a regular contributor to Women Grow Business and Discover Exceptionalism and has been featured on the Digital Sisterhood Network and American Express OPEN Forum.

Vincent Hughes
Graphic Designer
Throughout his career, Vincent Hughes has focused his graphic design talents in the science and health fields, for both the public and non-profit sector. As an art director for the USDA in the 1980’s, he serviced client agencies in the fields of research, extension, food and nutrition, and international development, while directing the department’s transition to electronic publishing.

Since leaving government service to work independently, his clients include International organizations and federal agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations that support health initiatives in developing countries. Other clients include the environmental publisher, Island Press, and Congressional Quarterly’s CQ Press.

Danielle LeFlore
Executive Assistant/PR Coordinator
Danielle LeFlore is executive assistant to the President of McKinney & Associates and doubles as Marketing Coordinator. Danielle is responsible for managing the president’s schedule as well as providing marketing support to the staff. Danielle is a three time veteran of McKPR, having started her third “tour of duty” with us in October of 2011.

With a degree in broadcast communications from Howard University, Danielle has some 20 years of communications experience under her belt. Prior to coming entering the PR field and working at McKPR, Danielle worked at a major cable television network and at two radio stations in Washington, DC.

Samantha Miller
PR / Digital Media Assistant
Samantha brings a unique background in journalism and social media outreach to the McKinney & Associates team. Over the past several years, she’s written about everything from celebrity event planning and sustainable fashion trends to racial tensions and the growing prevalence of cyberbullying. As the PR/Digital Media Assistant, she generates brand awareness through social media platforms, contributes to McKinney & Associate’s Voice Matters Blog, and helps develop marketing initiatives.

Samantha regularly freelances for the Washingtonian and has written several cover stories for Rue Magazine. She recently graduated from American University with a master's degree in Journalism and Public Affairs; she graduated from William Smith College in 2009 with a double major in Sociology and Media Studies.

The McKPR Team

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