Team

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  Giulia Balentine

  Public Affairs Coordinator

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As a Public Affairs Coordinator, Giulia Balentine excels at drafting press materials, media pitching, and supporting client projects by gathering intel, facilitating outreach, offering strategic and creative input, and tracking project progress. Giulia also works with legislative clients on both the state and federal level to monitor bill activity, draft new legislation, and lobby. Prior to joining the firm, she interned as the Junior Director of Marketing for the University at Albany's All Greek Council and with the Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Advocacy Center in Albany.

Giulia graduated from the University at Albany with a double degree in both English and Communications. She was also admitted into the women's leadership and honor society, Rho Lambda. 

She is a Westchester County native and is fluent in both Spanish and Italian. When Giulia isn't working, she's either reading a book or planning her next trip abroad to visit family.

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  Schyler Belonga

  Executive Support Associate

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Schyler Belonga is an Executive & Finance Support Associate at J Strategies. In this capacity, she supports the CEO and manages the day-to-day office operations of the firm, which includes record keeping of all company finances, employee documents, invoicing, and expenses. Before joining J Strategies in 2017, Schyler interned for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Schyler is a graduate of Siena College and lives in Albany. 

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  Meghan Blasig

  Public Affairs Coordinator

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Meghan Blasig is a Public Affairs Coordinator at J Strategies, where she supports media relations, alliance development, lobbying, and legislative clients throughout New York State and on the federal level. Prior to joining J Strategies, Meghan interned for EMILY's List and former New York State Assembly Member Ellen Jaffee. She also worked on the 2018 Connecticut gubernatorial race. 

Meghan holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a Pre-Law Certificate from Siena College, where she participated in the Washington Semester program at American University, concentrated in Justice and Law. She also has a NEW Leadership New York Women and Leadership Certificate from the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society at the University of Albany.

A Connecticut native, Meghan’s hobbies include golf, snowboarding, hiking with her dog, Lola, and traveling throughout the northeast, particularly in Rhode Island and Vermont. 

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  Ashlee Casper Palmieri

  Senior Vice President

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Ashlee Casper Palmieri has a passion for creating strategic, comprehensive campaigns that make a real impact and help clients achieve their legislative and public relations goals. She excels at building alliances and an issue following, branding successful campaigns, implementing community partnership initiatives, and mobilizing support around legislative issues through traditional and social media.

As the former Director of Social Media at J Strategies, Ashlee specializes in developing social media campaigns that help maximize the outreach of a message. One of her most notable campaigns includes MMA4NY, which aided in the 2016 legalization of mixed martial arts in New York. She also developed and implemented the social media strategy behind bFair2DirectCare, which helped secure higher wages for direct care workers in the state budget.

Ashlee has extensive experience in several industries across New York and New Jersey, including non-profit, health care, agriculture, energy, sports, and casino gaming. She is also heavily involved in the military community and serves as the Vice President of the Kyle Palmieri Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to giving back to military members and their families. Some of her additional skills include coalition management, designing marketing materials, website management, and media pitching.

Before joining the J Strategies team in 2013, Ashlee gained legislative experience interning in both the U.S Senate and New York State Senate. She has also worked on several state political campaigns and is a graduate of the University at Albany, where she studied Political Science and Business Administration.

Ashlee currently resides in Hoboken, NJ and on Long Island’s North Fork with her husband, Kyle, and their rescue dogs, Penelope and Piper. During her free time, you can find Ashlee cooking for family and friends, testing out the latest health and wellness trends, and taking advantage of all the beautiful vineyards and beaches the North Fork has to offer.

Contact Ashlee at apalmieri@jstrategiesinc.com

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  Minda Conroe

  Managing Director

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At J Strategies, Minda holds two priorities: attention to detail and growth. She is passionate about creating a truly complete product for clients and prides herself on “thinking of things before you know you need them.” Minda employs this to the public affairs, public relations, and issue advocacy campaigns she spearheads to produce tangible deliverables and growth.

Minda began her career at J Strategies as Alliance Development Manager and honed skills of coalition building, advocacy, and brand reputation. From there, she rose to the role of Director of Operations, where she took on team leadership and helped to form and execute strategies for clients in a variety of industries including energy, finance, intellectual property, telecommunications, tourism, biopharmaceutical, and fast food. Now, as Managing Director, Minda oversees a dedicated team, enjoys mentoring employees, and contributing to J Strategies long-term vision.

Before coming to J Strategies, Minda served as Assistant Director of Scheduling to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. She managed the Governor’s daily schedule and assisted in planning and managing executive ceremonial and press events with high level elected officials. Minda also worked for U.S. Senator Charles Schumer of New York, as Deputy Regional Director in Central New York. She was responsible for constituent outreach, press conferences, and representing the Senator throughout the region. She has interned for a former U.S. Representative from New York and has experience working numerous city, state, and federal political campaigns.

Minda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, International Relations, and Public Communications from Syracuse University. She enjoys traveling, (beginner) golfing, skiing, and trying new cuisines. Unfortunately she cannot cook, but she lives just outside of Albany, NY with her fiancé, Philippe, who thankfully is fantastic in the kitchen.

Contact Minda at mconroe@jstrategiesinc.com

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  Francisca Cruz

  Director of Alliance Development & Events

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Francisca believes that passion and career are integrally linked. She puts head and heart into everything she does, which helps her perform with high-level results and inspire others. As Director of Alliance Development and Events at J Strategies, Francisca is responsible for the strategic execution and development of alliances and events planning. Working on a health-related multilingual program, at the state and national level, Francisca works in various capacities to build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships and collaboration between clients, partners, government officials, and stakeholders in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Francisca has over fifteen years of professional experience working in strategic communications, from digital marketing to corporate social responsibility, as well as in the coordination of corporate events, including conferences, press events, workshops, and fairs. She gained her experience at public relations agencies, as well as a financial institution in the Dominican Republic, the country where she was born and raised. She also has work experience in Argentina, Italy, and the United States.

Prior to joining J Strategies, Francisca ran her own public relations firm, FC Creativa, specializing in strategic communication solutions and brand development for various clients in many sectors. Her authentic professionalism, multicultural experience, and people skills help her to meet and exceed the results expected from the clients she serves. She promotes and applies the culture of teamwork, communication, excellence and, problem-solving of J Strategies, and believes in the power of the team to create extraordinary results.


Francisca holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and studied a Master’s degree in Internationalization of Local Development, Production, and Design, at the Bologna University, in Argentina and Italy. She is part of the LGBT community, lives in The Bronx with her family, and works out of J Strategies’ New York City office. Francisca loves to build art with glass and other recycled materials, play tennis and swim, and her favorite snack is popcorn.

Contact Francisca at fcruz@jstrategiesinc.com

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  Kristen Curran

  Vice President of Government Affairs

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Kristen Curran believes in strong connections and lasting rapport to drive results. Her ability to build relationships at all levels of government, and with many types of organizations, has helped her to passionately advocate for a wide variety of important issues.

Kristen has seven years of experience as a hands-on lobbyist and client advocate. Prior to joining J Strategies, she worked as an associate in a small firm where she was responsible for every aspect of client management. Kristen addressed client needs from the ground up, brainstorming ideas and strategies, and seeing those plans through to many successful results. She has managed large political campaign efforts and worked collaboratively with similarly interested groups. Kristen has extensive experience working with organized labor and all levels of Government.

Kristen was selected as a Rising Star for City & State’s 40 under 40 class of 2016. She is an attorney admitted to practice in New York’s Third Department, and obtained her law degree from Albany Law School. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Siena College. Kristen resides in Albany, New York with her husband James, daughters Colleen and Clare, and bulldog Lurch.

Contact Kristen at kcurran@jstrategiesinc.com

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  Brittney Geils

  Digital & Public Affairs Coordinator

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Brittney Geils is a Digital and Public Affairs Coordinator at J Strategies. Before joining the firm in 2020, Brittney interned with J Strategies and Verizon Wireless. She is fluent in Spanish and is a graduate of the Renée Crown University Honors Program at Syracuse University. 

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  Erin Hearn

  Alliance Development Manager

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Erin Hearn is an experienced alliance manager with a demonstrated history of building strategic relationships. She has several years’ experience working in state government on policy and legislation before joining J Strategies in 2019. She is a graduate of the New England School of Law and Boston College. 

Erin has a passion for public policy and creating meaningful change through engagement and advocacy. She believes combining strong relationships with creative and persuasive messaging is the best strategy to achieve successful results.

As Alliance Development Manager at J Strategies, Erin works to build meaningful relationships with a range of opinion-leaders, including advocates, business leaders, and government officials. She works with clients to implement successful grassroots activations and advocacy efforts. She also plans and executes a range of events, from press conferences to public health fairs.

Before joining J Strategies, Erin worked for nearly eight years in the Massachusetts Senate as Communications Director and Legislative Director for the Minority Leader. She excelled at crafting meaningful legislation focusing on public safety, intellectual property rights, and expanding access to healthcare. She also wrote persuasive speeches and advised on policy decisions. Before her time in the legislature, Erin worked in a variety of legal settings. Erin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Psychology from Boston College and a Juris Doctor degree from New England School of Law.

Erin is a lifelong resident of Massachusetts and is thrilled to represent J Strategies in Boston. She loves traveling, attending Patriots games, and volunteering her time in the community with Meals on Wheels, Toys for Tots, and as a mentor for Boston College students.

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  Nicolas Marcotrigiano

  Community Relations Coordinator

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Nicolas Marcotrigiano is a Community Relations Coordinator at J Strategies, where he focuses on a range of media relations, stakeholder management, and alliance development issues for a swath of clients since joining the firm in 2018. 

At J Strategies, Nic has worked with community-based organizations to help connect them to health and wellness resources. Prior to joining the firm, he interned for Representative Kathleen Rice, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and worked on the 2018 coordinated campaign in Virginia for the reelection of Senator Tim Kaine. 

Nic is a self-produced singer-songwriter with a passion for music marketing and the preservation of small music venues. He is a graduate of Haverford College.

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  Michelle McCarthy

  Communications & Alliance Manager

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Michelle McCarthy has a passion for communicating her clients' messages in unique and compelling ways. Whether it is distilling regulatory policy into attention-grabbing press releases or identifying the perfect spokesperson for a campaign, Michelle thrives at breaking through the crowded landscape to bring attention to her clients’ issues. 

Michelle achieves her clients' strategic goals by getting their message across to the right audiences through media and through activating stakeholders. She has experience in placing opinion editorials, pitching stories, and organizing media events across New York State and the New York Metro region. She has managed public relations campaigns that have garnered statewide media attention and have broken through even the toughest media markets.

Prior to joining J Strategies in 2017, Michelle honed her skills in media relations and alliance development as an organizer on multiple issue campaigns. Michelle holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Notre Dame in Political Science and Gender Studies. She serves on the board of her local Notre Dame Alumni Club as their Communications Director and Summer Service Learning Program Liaison.

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  Veronica Molina

  Social Media Manager

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Veronica Molina is a Social Media Manager at J Strategies, where she is responsible for content creation and strategy implementation for a wide range of clients across various issue areas and industries. In 2020, Veronica successfully managed over 20 virtual events as our clients turned to digital platforms after in-person events were halted due to the pandemic.

Before joining the firm in 2019, Veronica was the community manager for a local gym in Washington, D.C. and the press assistant to U.S. Representative Gene Greene. She began her career in communications at Burson-Marsteller as a Worldwide Headquarters intern. She supported new business efforts while also tending to everyday tasks for various client teams across multiple practices of the company. Through this experience, she was exposed to a lot of work that homed in on the intersection of policy and communications. 

A fluent Spanish speaker and Texas native, Veronica graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. in International Relations focusing on culture, media, and the arts. She currently resides in Washington, D.C., where she loves walking her dog, Bailey, on the national mall and hunting for the best breakfast tacos in town.

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  Adam Morey

  Vice President, Director of Media Relations

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Adam Morey brings his passion for building lasting relationships and crafting convincing messages to his role at J Strategies. Known for his diligence and tenacity, he is experienced in litigation communications, consumer marketing, media relations, legislative drafting, and issue advocacy.

Prior to joining J Strategies, Adam oversaw and implemented the public relations, government affairs, and social media strategies for a New York-based civil justice reform organization. 

Adam’s columns have been published in local and national publications including the Washington Examiner, New York Post, Crain’s New York Business, Journal News, and the Albany Times Union.

Before establishing a career in public affairs, Adam worked in the wine industry in Manhattan and Albany. He was the operations manager, fine wine buyer, lobbyist, and marketing director for the Capital Region’s largest wine retailer.

Adam was selected for City & State’s 40 Under 40 class of 2016. He serves on the advisory board of the Progressive Policy Institute's Center for Civil Justice and on the board of directors of the University Club of Albany. Adam holds a BA in English from the State University of New York at Albany.

Contact Adam at amorey@jstrategiesinc.com

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  Jeff Quain

  Director of Operations

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Jeff Quain is an experienced public policy and government affairs specialist with experience in Federal, state, and local governments and campaigns.

Before joining J Strategies, Jeff served in the administration of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo as Deputy Director of Regional Affairs and as the Governor’s Capital Region Representative. In these roles, Jeff helped oversee the Governor’s Upstate regional staff and served as the primary liaison for elected officials, businesses, and community organizations in the 8 county Capital Region. Additionally, he coordinated and provided staff support for events for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and other administration officials.

Jeff also served in a number of capacities as a senior aide to New York State Assemblywoman Donna A. Lupardo. During his time in the Assemblywoman’s office, he worked on a number of policies of statewide significance including the establishment of standards for lead testing in public school drinking water and the legalization of industrial hemp.

He began his career in the Binghamton Office of New York Congressman Maurice Hinchey. He received his Masters of Public Administration from Binghamton University and is a graduate of SUNY Cortland. He currently resides in Albany, NY.

Contact Jeff at jquain@jstrategiesinc.com

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  Sofia Vilar

  Public Affairs & Event Coordinator

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Sofia is driven by her commitment to making a positive impact. Her primary mission is to create opportunities and expand access to critical resources in underserved communities. Sofia specializes in planning and executing community events and building public relations campaigns that help local leaders, non-profit organizations, and larger corporate clients empower the communities they serve. 

Before joining J Strategies, Sofia worked at SOMOS, Inc, a non-profit organization in partnership with the New York State Assembly & Senate Puerto Rican/Hispanic Legislative Task Force. Through her work with SOMOS, Sofia helped create a platform for elected officials, scholars, and business and labor leaders to unite and address issues pertinent to the Latinx communities. Sofia also coordinated bi-annual cultural and civic legislative conferences in New York & Puerto Rico and supported a scholarship program that benefited Latinx students. 

Sofia manifests her passion for issues affecting the Puerto Rican community in the diaspora and on the island through her participation in programs aimed towards preserving culture and history by the Center for Puerto Rican Studies and the National Puerto Rican Day Parade. 

Sofia holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Health and Political Science from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. Born in Chicago, IL, Sofia spent her early childhood living in Puerto Rico and Spain. She has lived in New York for the past 11 years and currently resides in Washington Heights. Her favorite food is ice cream. On her time off, Sofia’s either reading a book or keeping an eye out for the next pair of sneakers to add to her collection.