WHO WE ARE
​
Founded by nationally-recognized strategist Jill Alper, we are
a full-service innovative strategic planning, media, and
public affairs firm that designs solutions as unique
as the challenges facing your campaign, non-profit, or business.
​
We’re dedicated to protecting democracy, advancing women’s leadership, and connecting innovative problem-solvers to
government leaders and partner with clients who seek to strengthen communities across the nation.
OUR TEAM
JILL ALPER
FOUNDER
Jill is a nationally recognized strategist with a winning record at the highest levels of politics and advocacy. She orchestrated historic party wins by bringing cutting-edge technologies and message-tested voter contact products to the field. As an award-winning consultant for strategy and advertising, Jill specializes in building expert teams and strategies for her clients.
​
Formerly the Political Director and Coordinated Campaign Director of the Democratic National Committee, Jill has worked with campaigns in all 50 states and is a veteran of 8 presidential races.
​
Though she continues to support clients throughout the country, Jill is based in suburban Detroit, where she’s worked on all but two winning campaigns in Michigan over 30 years, serving as a Senior Strategist for leaders like Mayor Dave Bing, Governor Jennifer Granholm and Senator Carl Levin and numerous presidential campaigns; for independent issue committees supporting candidates like Mayor Mike Duggan; and, on ballot initiatives to legalize stem cell research, to save the Detroit Institute of Arts, and to end gerrymandering.
Jill has helped businesses, nonprofits and electoral campaigns with product positioning, grassroots organizing, paid media design and production, speech coaching, research, data and analytics, communications, digital media, multicultural media and team-development. The American Association of Political Consultants honored her work for Governor Jennifer Granholm as “Campaign Manager of the Year", a recognition often given to presidential campaign managers and seldom given to women.
ALLLISON BAKER
PRINCIPAL, DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED MEDIA & PRODUCTION
Allison is an award-winning director and producer who’s been on location overseeing and directing production crews all over North America for over 18 years. She thrives on being involved in every step of the process, from initial concept to scripting to directing, editing and final delivery. She not only understands all of the elements involved in creating strategic messaging in order to produce successful campaigns, but her familiarity with every aspect of the film production allows her to speak the language of filmmaking to communicate with production crews effectively and efficiently.
​
Allison’s film production career began over two decades ago, when she worked in various capacities on seven of Director Robert Rodriguez’ feature films. From there she used her experience to produce hundreds of broadcast television and radio spots with Joe Slade White for Democratic candidates, initiatives, and corporations. It was during this time she first met Jill Alper. Collaborating with Jill and Joe on multiple winning campaigns, including Governor Jennifer Granholm, CURE Michigan and Mayor Dave Bing just to name a few.
Over the last 5 years, Allison spearheaded creative content initiatives for IDW Entertainment, creating social marketing and bonus material content for IDWE’s stable of shows, most notably Wynonna Earp (SYFY) where she recently received four Telly Awards for Branded Content, including Directing, Editing and Documentary.
After refining her skills even further in the entertainment space, Allison returns to her true passion in order to communicate your message with the perfect marriage of laser focused strategy and cinematic visuals.
ANGELA SHIUE
SENIOR ASSOCIATE & DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION
Angela oversees firm administration and supports governmental affairs operations. She serves as company leader for client operations, including contracts, daily scheduling, meetings and implementation calendars for media production, electoral and government affairs efforts. She manages large-scale budgets for client projects.
Angela curates events of all kinds and sizes, including virtual engagements and fundraisers for constituents with prominent Michigan leaders and in-depth conferences for executives.
​
Angela supplies client-partners with project management plans including research, briefing materials, and agendas.She graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Political Science.
ALLAIRE DONOHUE SWART
SENIOR ASSOCIATE & GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING LEADER
Allaire focuses on community organizing, coalition building, outreach and community engagement. She conducts background research, designs and implements effective public affairs plans,ensuring visibility, person-to-person connection and mobilization.
Allaire is also part of our creative and production team including website design, visuals for digital, television and print ads, ad research back-up and social media.
​
Allaire is originally from Grand Rapids Michigan and has a BA in Political Science, Spanish and International Studies from the University of Michigan.
CATON ARREGUIN
ASSOCIATE
Caton has extensive experience working with state, local, and federal campaigns with a focus in field and finance.He’s a field, grassroots, networking fiend who excels at identifying and managing validators, scouting locations, and recruiting volunteers for shoots. He’s also managed voter contact campaigns, including phones, mail, texting, outdoor, and visibility efforts.
Caton was named “Young Democrat of the Year” by the Michigan Democratic Party and has helped build strong coalitions throughout the state of Michigan. His enthusiasm and work ethic help bring a unique experience and an infectious energy.
"Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life."
-Amy Poehler, Comedian
OUR COLLABORATORS
MILES BAKER is a campaign strategist with over 12 years of experience in candidate campaigns, ballot campaigns, labor unions, and advocacy organizations. Previously, he served in the campaigns department of the National AFL-CIO and has led voter turnout programs across the country.
He is our targeting, list and voter contact expert. He has relationships on the ground across several states and taps them for strategy, field and recruitment efforts.
AGHOGHO EDEVBIE is an attorney and the Michigan State Director for All Voting is Local. He has been actively involved in voter protection efforts since 2010, recruiting and organizing fellow attorneys to be poll workers and poll watchers on Election Day. His legal knowledge and background make him an invaluable partner in developing pro-democracy efforts.
A Detroit native, Aghogho has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School. ***
CELIA FISCHER brings extensive experience developing integrated strategic communications programs, campaigns, advertising, and messaging for political, non-profit, and corporate organizations to her strategic partnership with Alper Strategies. A member of the independent caucus of the Writers Guild of America/West, Celia holds a Master's Degree from the UCLA School of Film & Television and won first place in the prestigious Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards. Whether writing and producing commercials for independent expenditure groups, executing micro-budget programs for small nonprofits, or overseeing a national trade association’s complex $40 million annual advertising campaign, she balances a disciplined approach to strategy and message with her passion and respect for the creative process.
​
Her reputation as an imaginative thinker and skilled strategist was earned after working on four Presidential races, directing ballot initiatives, and leading campaigns for Governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, and other offices.
MATT FRIEDMAN is a trusted and recognized non-partisan issue, business and non-profit communications strategist, helping to guide organizations of all sizes through times of change, providing counsel to governance boards, legal advisers and senior executives. His specialized experience includes working with virtually all facets of health care communications, handling litigation communications for high-profile legal matters, leading media relations operations for large business and policy events and a statewide voter information campaign.
Matt is also an experienced media trainer, combining his news and PR experience to create customized training sessions for clients nationwide to learn how to tell their stories and deliver their messages through interviews with journalists.
AMELIA QUILON is a communications professional with expertise in digital strategy, fundraising, and design. As a former engineer, she specializes in developing data-driven strategies to help clients make smart, creative decisions from optimizing messaging and creative to designing unique, targeted campaign content.
Amelia is a self-taught graphic and website designer with a passion for engaging voters and activists in causes that matter. She founded and co-led Voters Not Politicians, a citizen movement in Michigan that passed a constitutional amendment to end gerrymandering and institute an independent citizens redistricting commission.
SAGE MEDIA brings a breadth of campaign experience coupled with extensive knowledge of the modern media landscape. Janet Katowitz, Bobby Mushroe and their team are the most innovative in developing new and effective ways to reach voters in our increasingly complex daily lives. Clients receive unrivaled attention to detail and transparency of information, including access to industry-defining competitive trackers who flag and analyze opponent or allied spending in real-time.
Sage believes in winning multi-platform campaigns, which means getting your message to the right targets at the right time for the best value. Whether you want a linear, digital, or a completely out-of-the-box campaign, the Sage Media team will guide you to the most effective plan possible.
KARLA SWIFT is a strategic organizer who understands how to move people, build power and make change. She brings experience from political, workplace and contract campaigns, including helping win candidate elections and ballot initiative campaigns; helping change anti-worker legislation and helping workers win collective bargaining rights.
Karla spent 30 years fighting for fairness and justice alongside UAW members. As immediate past President of the Michigan AFLCIO, Swift led the statewide federation of 59 affiliated labor unions in building unified, coordinated and strategic political organizing campaigns/programs to protect and advocate for the welfare and security of working families.
​
She is passionate about serving the movement of everyday people and prioritizes working on projects aimed at strengthening the instruments of power for everyday people and tilting the scales toward justice and equality. In her spare time she loves hiking, swimming, yoga and most of all, spending time with her new grandson.
BUZZ THOMAS is a public affairs professional and media consultant with over 25 years of experience. Buzz spent 14 years in the Michigan legislature serving as Democratic Floor Leader in the Senate and as Democratic Leader in the House and as the Senate Campaign Committee Chair.
​
He has overseen multiple multi-million dollar super pacs, candidate committees and voter education campaigns, including the 2008 Michigan Presidential campaign of Barack Obama and Turnaround Detroit, the Super PAC credited with electing Detroit’s mayor, Mike Duggan.
​
While serving, his expertise in the areas of healthcare, education reform, business development incentives and arts and culture, a personal passion led to the creation of rigorous academic standards for Michigan schools and creation of tax incentive laws that helped spur development in Detroit.
TERENCE A. THOMAS utilizes his negotiation, political and relationship-building skills to provide outstanding and proactive service to his clients and the organizations with whom he has been affiliated. As the Chief Advocacy & Corporate Responsibility Officer at the St. John Providence Health System, he was charged to position the healthcare provider to better engage its stakeholders and have those voices heard by connecting with grassroots and other organizations.
His areas of practice included commercial litigation, intellectual property and emerging business development.***